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>Houses are also bigger now The cost of square footage is low compared to its price. Concrete is expensive per SF but that's about it. In the past it took a lo
by bluthru 10y ago
>Houses are also bigger now
The cost of square footage is low compared to its price. Concrete is expensive per SF but that's about it. In the past it took a lot of labor to put up lathe and plaster walls and real hardwood floors, but today it's mostly screwing up drywall and rolling out carpet.
>safer due to many construction regulations
Not a lot has changed in this regard for single-family homes. Roofs are tied down, better protection against sheering forces, and materials that resist fire, and none of these add much to the cost.
>more energy efficient (at least per sq/ft)
Windows can get expensive, but overall insulation doesn't contribute much to the high cost of housing.
- WillPostForFood 10y agoMaybe my perspective is California centric, but the safety regulations have affected almost every aspect of home building, from materials, to construction, to monitoring. So for example, mandatory safety glass, mandatory plywood sheathing, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, foundations. It is all those incremental costs multiplied by the increase in average size (2 - 2.5x) and it ends up substantially affecting construction costs.
- bluthru 10y agoYeah the case could be made for California. Is it true that residential houses now require sprinklers too?