4 ms·

Funny, in the US, I live in a 1906 craftsman house (it was a mistake to buy, and my wife is afraid of change plus it's a non-trivial monetary loss to switch) an

by sershe 6y ago

Funny, in the US, I live in a 1906 craftsman house (it was a mistake to buy, and my wife is afraid of change plus it's a non-trivial monetary loss to switch) and everything I dont like about it is the opposite of what you describe. The quality of new houses is obviously much better, as I now realize having lived in both (sure, it looks good on the surface until you actually live in it and try to make modifications or run into issues). Plaster, old wiring, wooden windows, hardwood etc. really suck compared to drywall, plastic, laminate, etc. The only old houses I saw with good quality are the ones that were gutted out and redone with new stuff. Thank god this one was almost entirely rewired, if the entire house was as bad as a few places with old wiring, I would have definitely moved out. The garden is a huge hassle. I waste 30-60 minutes a week on it and it still mostly looks like crap, I am not going to spend any more time and not going to pay anyone on principle to make it look better - it's like spending money to buy a Porsche to park it in your driveway for display, pointless. Next time I'd opt for less garden. It has slanted roof (in place with minimal snowfall) - colossal waste, I cannot finish the attic because it would only be livable for gnomes, I've seen finished attics like that; I cannot go on the roof to enjoy the views - I wish it was shaped like a cube! Slanted roofs are 100% pointless unless you have massive snowfall. The only reason to not want a house shaped like a cube is sentimental attachment. All the nooks and crannies waste a ton of space (speaking of small), it's ~15% bigger on paper than our last apartment but lives much smaller. It's in a great area, but because of all the sprawling gardens it's quite a walk to a pub or a shop - compared to your average dense townhouse development.

chrisseaton 6y ago
Yes I know it's different in the US. In the UK an old house is preferred and a new house is seen as a low-cost alternative if you can't afford an old house. But I don't agree about the garden or shape - I think green space and architecture has a scientifically documented positive impact on well-being - I don't think comparing them to a luxury for show is really sensible. I think around the 30s is probably perfect - houses still made of solid brick and stone, with thick internal walls to create sound privacy, and high-quality solid materials that will last centuries. But still made with basically modern technology and not containing any surprises.

by sershe 6y ago

chrisseaton 6y ago

Yes I know it's different in the US. In the UK an old house is preferred and a new house is seen as a low-cost alternative if you can't afford an old house. But I don't agree about the garden or shape - I think green space and architecture has a scientifically documented positive impact on well-being - I don't think comparing them to a luxury for show is really sensible. I think around the 30s is probably perfect - houses still made of solid brick and stone, with thick internal walls to create sound privacy, and high-quality solid materials that will last centuries. But still made with basically modern technology and not containing any surprises.