Are 1960's homes better quality than 1980's and newer

[pittsflyer]

Yea its gotten a lot more expensive and substantially less competent. This is due to a lot less people entering these fields.

Originally Posted by chet everett

So many factors. I tend to agree that some materials really are very durable, and some skilled trades have changed dramatically.

In the example you give of a 40 year old brick ranch I would bet the masons that built that place had some "old world" skills and did quality work.

There are still bricklayers around with great skills, but most of them are not working in the big tract developments these days -- they will work for custom builders or commercial work or repairs.

Do those 40 year ranch homes have good insulation, energy saving windows, air infiltrartion barriers?

[katnip kid]

What about older homes made of stone? What are the issues with those? I would be concerned about moisture wicking up from the ground.

[twodoor2]

I'm about to buy a home built in the 1960's, (1969), and it needs a new
HVAC
more attic insulation, and attic roof repairs
new electrical panel
venting needs to be fixed
We need some major cosmetic updates to the basement (not a necessity)
New appliances
New deck (not a necessity however)
Fixing some mortar and minor concrete cracks.
Abandoning and abatement of one asbestos laden duct

But other than that, there were no major problems with the "bones" of the house. Just the usual regular stuff that needs updating. After just abandoning a house with MAJOR structural issues, I'm hoping this is "the one" not to mention it is a very stately looking home. I realize I have to fork over a lot of $$$ to fix it up, but that's what you sometimes have to do to get into a location you want badly. I just can't find anything new or in top notch shape for a price I can afford in the neighborhood I want. At least the price reflects the updates needed.

My friend is buying a new "cookie cutter" house with tons of updates and all modern floor plan with a huge size. I am not jealous at all, because I would be very unhappy buying in that location. The homes in that area just linger on the market as well. The house I'm buying is $200K more than his house, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. You can't put a price on prime location and top notch schools for what we need. It depends on what you want/need and if you're also looking at a home as not just a place to live, but an investment as well.

[KS101]

Yes. There are several advantages to 1950s & 1960s houses as the wiring should be up-to-date and better insulation. Is shocking how much insurance companies want to insure craftman and bungalow houses prior to 1940s, like trying to get insurance premium of $125 a month for $50k worth of house. The similar construction rule of insuring the property will not let you get a set value limit of $50k for a house even if similar houses in area all run this price. You have to pay the huge insurance premium for higher rebuild cost.

Most of the small town houses in tornado alley are not insured due to this rule. Causes big hardship both ways if any total loss of house due to tornado or fire, loss of all contents and have to arrange place to stay after disaster without realistic/affordable homeowners insurance product available or offered.

Based on construction practices in my area, you will be able to find some well constructed houses still up until about 1995 after which time the builders were so sloppy here to keep the work coming in for contractor repair guys, these newer entry level homes are nothing short of a junker. But I do agree, the 1950s/60s brick housing still looks good today while the newer wood houses do start to show the stress of bad maintenance.

[KathrynAragon]

I love older homes and have bought and lived in several, including a home built in the late 1800s, and homes built in the 1930s, 1940s, 1960s, 1970s, two built in the 1990s, and one new construction. I currently live in a home built in the late 1990s.

My least favorite homes regarding quality of workmanship and structural obsolescence were the homes built in the 1960s and 1970s - BLECH. Cheap cabinetry, low ceilings, poor wiring, and just lots of old, stupid stuff in them.

The most solid house in terms of construction was the house built in the late 1800s.

The 1930s and 1940s homes were also well built.

I have owned two homes built in the 1990s - one was a spec home and not of particularly good quality. The other is my current home and it was a custom built home, a "Parade" home (builder's show home) and it's in a well established neighborhood of other custom homes. The construction is terrific, and the home is beautiful. In addition to the solid construction, I don't have to deal with much structural obsolescence, though we did gut the kitchen (which was functional but I didn't like the formica or flooring or layout). I felt sort of guilty getting rid of a very nice faucet and sink but at least I donated them.

The new construction home (was built in the early 2000s) that I owned was also a custom built home. It was very nice but not quite as nice construction wise as the 1997 home I currently own, which is one of the best built homes I've ever lived in.

There was good construction and bad construction, good materials and not so good materials, in every era. I would be wary of any spec home built in the past 40 years. To me, the era of the worst materials was probably the 1970s.

[twodoor2]

The 1970's was probably the worst for everything aesthetic or properly built, worst interior design, worst clothes, worst food (tv dinners!), worst cars (remember the exploding Pinto?), etc. . .

I grew up in the 1970's, and I remember the horror of that era too well when I think of our avocado appliances, orange shag carpet, and flowered wall paper, not to mention the orange bell bottoms my mother made me wear to school once! LOL!

When you think of design and fashion, as well as the beauty of the Victorian, Art Deco, or Mid Century Modern eras, I have no idea what people were thinking when the 70's came around (or the 80's for that matter as well).

[marksmu]

Too much of a blanket statement question...are 50's and 60's tract homes better than todays tract homes? In terms of framing yes....in terms of trim work, carpentry, and attention to detail, absolutely...in terms of insulation, air conditioning, heating, ventialation, wiring, etc - not even close to todays standards.

And then there is also the issue of custom homes vs tract homes...*most* custom homes are much better built than todays tract homes....I know mine is...I built one last year and I oversaw every aspect of construction, and my fill dirt is better, my rebar is better, my piers, my concrete, my lumber, AC, literally every single aspect of my new home is better than anything that existed in the past. I spent 3 years planning it, picking every aspect to last a lifetime...I spent much more on the mechanicals, lumber, foundation, wiring, etc than most people and its designed to be lower maintenance, and the result is a home that is so well thought out, that unless something crazy cool I dont even know about yet gets invented, then it should also be future proof, as its all built to be modified for new technology with most wiring in conduit pulled to the attic.