Are old houses stronger than newly built one?

[Anonymous]

Are old houses in Fairfax from the 60s stronger than the newly built one from post 2015s? Searching for a single family. Ready to upgrade an old house as long as it is strong. Rumor is that, new houses might be weaker than old ones, as old ones were constructed using stronger materials than today. Is it correct? I am afraid that once living in a new house we might end up in repairing the roof and structure after 10 years of stay.

[Anonymous]

the wood is usually stronger which makes for a stronger house - old growth vs. new growth. You can do things like add more studs - every 12 vs. 16

[Anonymous]

When you say strong house, I see this..

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. -Architect

[Anonymous]

Maybe stronger odor...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely not. -Architect

Prove it

Builder

[Anonymous]

I mean a house that has been standing since 1900 has shown its mettle, right?

[Anonymous]

We live in a cinder block house built in the 70s. I feel fairly confident it will last longer than the industrial press board they are using now.

[Anonymous]

We lived in a house built in 1962 and every contractor/builder that ever came to do any work remarked on how solid the construction was. Also cinder block like a PP.

[Anonymous]

No they are not. They may be made of stronger materials but the design is still weaker than modern materials up to code and engineering techniques

[Anonymous]

Every major hurricane has changed building codes everywhere, these codes are in the DC area as well.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/one-early-lesson-from-irma-hurricane-building-codes-work-1505559600

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We lived in a house built in 1962 and every contractor/builder that ever came to do any work remarked on how solid the construction was. Also cinder block like a PP.

+1 home built in 1958 with cinder block

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We lived in a house built in 1962 and every contractor/builder that ever came to do any work remarked on how solid the construction was. Also cinder block like a PP.

+1 home built in 1958 with cinder block

+3 - every single contractor. Cinder block, 1939.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We lived in a house built in 1962 and every contractor/builder that ever came to do any work remarked on how solid the construction was. Also cinder block like a PP.

+1 home built in 1958 with cinder block

+3 - every single contractor. Cinder block, 1939.

Yeah, contractor is not a structural engineer.

But the big bad Wolf did agree that brick and cinderblock was best.

I live in a brick house, but I don’t make up imaginary fantasies of how great it is compared to new homes just to feel better.

And seriously how often is a house falling over anyways? Lead paint asbestos bad plumbing all seem like worse realities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We lived in a house built in 1962 and every contractor/builder that ever came to do any work remarked on how solid the construction was. Also cinder block like a PP.

+1 home built in 1958 with cinder block

+3 - every single contractor. Cinder block, 1939.

Yeah, contractor is not a structural engineer.

But the big bad Wolf did agree that brick and cinderblock was best.

I live in a brick house, but I don’t make up imaginary fantasies of how great it is compared to new homes just to feel better.

And seriously how often is a house falling over anyways? Lead paint asbestos bad plumbing all seem like worse realities.

Well you seem to be very upset and are not making much sense. Reporting what experts have told me is not making up "imaginary fantasies." We have had a structural engineer out (wanted to reconfigure the ground floor to open up the kitchen - turned out not to really be an option due to the cost to move a furnace stack) and he was equally complementary. But sorry you hate your house and don't understand the difference between brick and cinder block.