5 ms·

Why Are American Homes So Big? (2019)

11 points by acqbu 5y ago

ngcc_hk 5y ago
Strangely one factor stand out very much but not mentioned - the use of timber and wood. If you used brick and cement, would it be slower. Anyway these quality kind of thinking need a regression exercise to make sure it is not just random thinking but real. Any stat ?
- thechao 5y ago
  Some of the largest houses my cadre of friends & family own are in Florida — they are built with cinderblock. Timber & wood are just different, not necessarily cheaper.
  - hasbot 5y ago
    When thinking about building a shed recently I noticed the cheapest option was concrete block. Concrete block prices have only gone up a little as opposed to the massive increases for wood.
    - _wldu 5y ago
      It has more insulation value than wood too and termites don't eat it. Downside is it can crack (especially on unstable ground) when settling.
      - rdtwo 5y ago
        And more complicated to install labor is more expensive than materials
- bradknowles 5y ago
  So-called "stick framing" is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to build the core of a house. The only thing I know of that's faster is pre-fab panels that are built off-site at a factory, and then just assembled on-site. But then that requires a crane to get them off the truck and into position. Large-format 3D printers that use a form of concrete as their "filament" is poised to be even faster, but also still much more expensive for now. Check out the Build Show network at https://www.buildshownetwork.com/ https://www.buildshownetwork.com/ and Matt Risinger's videos on YouTube at https://youtube.com/c/MattRisinger https://youtube.com/c/MattRisinger if you want to learn more about advances in building construction methods.
egberts1 5y ago
Non-paywall link: https://web.archive.org/web/20210118154123/https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/09/american-houses-big/597811/ https://web.archive.org/web/20210118154123/https://www.theat... Shorter The Atlantic: Why we hate big homes for middle-class folks.
hasbot 5y ago
Maybe inefficient design as in too much unusable space. Long hallways, oddly shaped rooms, excessive number of bathrooms, small bedrooms only large enough for a bed and dresser, unused fireplaces, low windows. But still no place to exercise, study or engage in hobbies.
vsskanth 5y ago
No mention of margins for homebuilders being higher for bigger homes than the smaller ones. Maybe it will change now that SFH prices have skyrocketed and pushing more people into smaller townhomes.

11 points by acqbu 5y ago

Strangely one factor stand out very much but not mentioned - the use of timber and wood. If you used brick and cement, would it be slower. Anyway these quality kind of thinking need a regression exercise to make sure it is not just random thinking but real. Any stat ?

thechao 5y ago
Some of the largest houses my cadre of friends & family own are in Florida — they are built with cinderblock. Timber & wood are just different, not necessarily cheaper.
- hasbot 5y ago
  When thinking about building a shed recently I noticed the cheapest option was concrete block. Concrete block prices have only gone up a little as opposed to the massive increases for wood.
  - _wldu 5y ago
    It has more insulation value than wood too and termites don't eat it. Downside is it can crack (especially on unstable ground) when settling.
    - rdtwo 5y ago
      And more complicated to install labor is more expensive than materials
bradknowles 5y ago
So-called "stick framing" is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to build the core of a house. The only thing I know of that's faster is pre-fab panels that are built off-site at a factory, and then just assembled on-site. But then that requires a crane to get them off the truck and into position. Large-format 3D printers that use a form of concrete as their "filament" is poised to be even faster, but also still much more expensive for now. Check out the Build Show network at https://www.buildshownetwork.com/ https://www.buildshownetwork.com/ and Matt Risinger's videos on YouTube at https://youtube.com/c/MattRisinger https://youtube.com/c/MattRisinger if you want to learn more about advances in building construction methods.

egberts1 5y ago

Non-paywall link: https://web.archive.org/web/20210118154123/https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/09/american-houses-big/597811/ https://web.archive.org/web/20210118154123/https://www.theat... Shorter The Atlantic: Why we hate big homes for middle-class folks.

hasbot 5y ago

Maybe inefficient design as in too much unusable space. Long hallways, oddly shaped rooms, excessive number of bathrooms, small bedrooms only large enough for a bed and dresser, unused fireplaces, low windows. But still no place to exercise, study or engage in hobbies.

vsskanth 5y ago

No mention of margins for homebuilders being higher for bigger homes than the smaller ones. Maybe it will change now that SFH prices have skyrocketed and pushing more people into smaller townhomes.