OT: Quality of American Homes going the way of Cheap Chinese imports

[JoeFin]

Quality of American Homes going the way of Cheap Chinese imports

So I’m down at Home Dipoo looking for a 2” Solid core door for the new shop addition I’m building and I’m having difficulty finding a “Wooden Solid Core Door”. The spiffy little twerp wanna-be contractor working there walks up and tries to tell me “There ain’t no such thing – either Fiberglass or Steel, but you can not get a Fire Rated Solid Core 2” Wood Door”

I look at Mr Home Dip-shorts and ask him to show me the garage doors and low and behold there is my Pre-Hung 2” Solid Core Fire Rated Wood Door. Of course the jam set is “Rabbited” and stapled and falls apart before I get the door home.

Of course on my way to the check out I notice the “Partical board” Jam sets, (now that’s a real winner) and Cordless drills that look more like Tennis Shoes that a tool.

Which reminds me - what of all those people down in Florida whos home was built with imported Chinese Sheet Rock only to find out (after it corroded the nails and poisoned the whole house) the sheet rock contained Hydrosulphuric Acid H2S

[Rustybolt]

Joe. There have always been contractors that have cut corners and the vendors to supply them.

[JoeFin]

I’m not sure these people even qualify as “contractors or even builders” they are more of the “Michel Voue’s How to become a Millionaire / House Flipper” set.

Honestly they do more damage to these homes slathering on spackle over cheap particle board then age ever thought of doing.

[Pherdie]

Which reminds me - what of all those people down in Florida whos home was built with imported Chinese Sheet Rock only to find out (after it corroded the nails and poisoned the whole house) the sheet rock contained Hydrosulphuric Acid H2S

That stuff made it's way all over the US, including here in N. Cal. A local gym had to close because everyone kept getting sick. They had to close the place and tear out all the sheetrock.

Fred

[dan s]

I agree with Joe, I'm only 29 and I have seen the quality of new houses fall like a rock. When was the last time you saw a new house that had real brick or stone, or real wood siding for that matter?

Watch some of the home shows now, that have a Realtor showing 3 or 4 homes to a couple. You would be amazed at what trivial crap people complain about now.

"R rating, whats that...."

"I don't want a house I have to paint every few years....."

"I don't like this house because the color of the bedrooms is ugly"

Let's pay 10's of thousands more for another house, because it's painted a color I like....

Today's average home buyer (should really say citizen) is a moron IMO.

[wierdscience]

I hate to break it to you,but HD and Lowes don't carry quality doors and windows.IF they can even get them they are special order.They target the weekend DIY guy who most times doesn't know much about anything let alone what quality looks like.

This is where support for your local lumber yard comes into play.

The ONLY brand of drywall-

http://www.americangypsum.com/index.cfm

[lazlo]

I hate to break it to you,but HD and Lowes don't carry quality doors and windows.IF they can even get them they are special order.They target the weekend DIY guy who most times doesn't know much about anything let alone what quality looks like.

Agree completely. That quality applies to most of the items they carry, including electrical outlets, fasteners, ...

what of all those people down in Florida whos home was built with imported Chinese Sheet Rock only to find out (after it corroded the nails and poisoned the whole house) the sheet rock contained Hydrosulphuric Acid H2S

Joe: you probably know this, but home builders have distinct tiers of quality and price. For a given square footage, the cost differential between a bottom-tier builder and and a top-tier builder can be as high as 300%. And that's in addition to "upgrades" on Windows, drywall, carpeting, etc.

That said, several of my co-workers are in the process of building new houses, and even on a good builder, you need to be there several times a week to check on things.

[JoeFin]

Joe: you probably know this, but home builders have distinct tiers of quality and price.

Yep I miss the town where I grew up, I knew everyone in the trades there. I could go over to Bergy Door, order a 2” solid core door with jointed jam set and it would be ready in 1 or 2 days and the door would have actual wood in it.

My neighbor came over in the mean time since I started this post. He is a young kid (20-some thing) about to lose the house he just bought 8 months ago from being out of work for the last 3 months. He is pretty excited about the prospects of helping some “Home Flippers” dump a bunch of HD products into some houses.

I was trying to explain to him (but it flew sufficiently over his head) there are always slow times in the building trades but the “Quality Builders” always seem to have work. I remember working during semester break with a friend building a custom home and another Winery owner drove up and asked him to come build his home next – “No Bid, just tell me how much it cost” The guy used to get “Finish Contracts” of $1.2Million on some of those Wineries.

The Zen of Tits on a Ritz

Every thing had to be perfect and nothing was ever good enough

Well any way – I’ve just about finished closing in my new shop addition. Just need to finish building the “Double Doors” and waiting for the window I ordered

Funny – that kid’s only comment about my shop was “This will be here long after your house is gone”

[J Tiers]

Hmmmmm

My house was built in 1934, probably on the cheap. It's brick with hollow tile (early insulation) on the inner layer. I'd rather have an old house built cheap than a new house of the expensive variety.

You just don't hear every conversation from 3 rooms over in an old house, that inch or so of plaster really cuts the noise. While some new houses use double layer drywall, it isn't the same.

Drywall was the death of the building trades.

[wierdscience]

I live in a house built 30 years ago,wood frame,wood sided.2x6 wall studs on 16" centers the entire house walls and roof wrapped in 5/8" CDX actual plywood not wafer board.This is under the 5/8" siding.

Now you see 24" centers,2x4 rafters with foam board and vinyl siding considered a structural wall.Could probably shoot through one with a BB gun and they start at $175,000.

[Mcgyver]

of course they are, and just like any other product, the reason lies with the consumer. Want solid oak doors, hand cut stone walk and carved knewl posts? Its available to any consumer that wants it.

[Rustybolt]

Yep I miss the town where I grew up, I knew everyone in the trades there. I could go over to Bergy Door, order a 2” solid core door with jointed jam set and it would be ready in 1 or 2 days and the door would have actual wood in it.

My neighbor came over in the mean time since I started this post. He is a young kid (20-some thing) about to lose the house he just bought 8 months ago from being out of work for the last 3 months. He is pretty excited about the prospects of helping some “Home Flippers” dump a bunch of HD products into some houses.

I was trying to explain to him (but it flew sufficiently over his head) there are always slow times in the building trades but the “Quality Builders” always seem to have work. I remember working during semester break with a friend building a custom home and another Winery owner drove up and asked him to come build his home next – “No Bid, just tell me how much it cost” The guy used to get “Finish Contracts” of $1.2Million on some of those Wineries.

The Zen of Tits on a Ritz

Every thing had to be perfect and nothing was ever good enough

Well any way – I’ve just about finished closing in my new shop addition. Just need to finish building the “Double Doors” and waiting for the window I ordered

Funny – that kid’s only comment about my shop was “This will be here long after your house is gone”

And the annoying part is it's only a little more effort and not a whole lot more money to do it right.

[John Stevenson]

I agree with Joe, I'm only 29 and I have seen the quality of new houses fall like a rock. When was the last time you saw a new house that had real brick or stone, or real wood siding for that matter?

Every house round here, what's siding BTW, only siding I know is the local shunting yard where they park the loco's.



.

[JoeFin]

Every house round here, what's siding BTW, only siding I know is the local shunting yard where they park the loco's.

Not fair - in England less then 100 years old is considered New!

BTW: Western Platform Framing was designed to "Roll with the Punches" for the Earth Quakes he have here.

The home I have now was built in the late 50s, a single story SFD 2x4" framed with 2x6" T&G subflooring, and copper plumbing. We revamped the garage with New 2x6" Trusses (Doubled the Runners and Through Bolted the King Studs) and finished the walls and ceiling with 5/8 XXX Fire Rock

[Circlip]

Yea, mine was built in the 90's,

The 1790's

Regards Ian

We lost our sidings John, Bloody Bradford council, lost the Low Moor sheds aswell.