Were Old Houses Built Better?

In this episode of The Build Show Matt will walk you though several older homes he’s remodeled to see how they were built, and where he found problems (or didn’t find problems) when he took them apart. He will also explore some remodels from the last 20 years and show some problem areas on these newer homes.

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Huge thanks to our Show sponsors USG/Tremco, Polywall, Huber, Dorken Delta, Prosoco, Rockwool & Endura for helping to make these videos possible! These are all trusted companies that Matt has worked with for years and trusts their products in the homes he builds.

[theenigmaone]

Matt, excellent video! You remind me of a young American version of Canadian Mike Holmes. I love the attention to providing a great built home using the best materials, design's and techniques along with science. Your quality show's inside and out.

[Rickmakes]

One also has to consider survivorship bias when looking at old things. Bad buildings from back in the day may be long gone. What we have left are the best buildings from a given time period.

[HerrCents]

I have an 1890 house. It's challenging keeping the beauty of the old while bringing up the efficiency. I think you have to appreciate the old homes.

[ncooty]

Older houses were also built with different assumptions, particularly regarding the frequency of modification. You don't build your house with 2-foot-thick stone walls if you think you might live there only 5-7 years and the next owner will want to "update" everything.

On the other hand, if you're there to stay and think you'll pass it on to your kids, then you might invest in some really nice craftsmanship.

It's hard to recoup the costs of quality when you sell. American home-buyers pay for _appearances_ and amenities, not quality--about which they know precious little when it comes to buildings (and much else).

[ambermay]

I was super lucky when the 100 year old house I recently purchased turned out to be built of solid Australian red cedar. Floor joists, wall frames, windows, all trims, ceiling joists and beams. Even the walls and ceilings were red cedar ply board. It still has the original tin roof with no rust.
There is no insulation but it is so cool in summer and holds the heat in winter (even in snow). Its also very sound insulated as well. I live near a main road and railway and can hardly hear the truck/train sounds. Someone knocks on my door and I can't hear them even a room away.

In comparison, the 1930's extension for the kitchen was built using pine, Masonite, cheap ply, and fibro. Freezing cold in winter, boiling hot in summer, drafty yet stuffy at the same time, and with various parts needing replacing every decade (info from previous owners). I only need to paint the old part of the house but I will have to insulate and repair most of the extension. I'm considering having the extension all torn down and re-done.

[chrismoltisanti]

Old houses did have a form of cooling. Most I've seen around my area had these windows above the doors all the way up to the ceiling that would let the hott air escape.

[gracilism]

I owned a house in southern Missouri built in 1912 framed out of Black Oak!! The lumber in the house was worth more than the house.

[jackjmaheriii]

Old houses that are still standing were built well, but our old friend time has picked out all the turds.

[saranebp]

Our house was built in 1932 and it is wood. We also bought the house next door(also built in '32) for $4000 it still had the original toilet because it had been vacant for a couple of decades. Both very strong built house. We didn't throw away the toilet, still have it in storage.
On another note, if there is a house fire, new lumber burns twice as fast as the old.

[zkzk]

My house is about 120yrs old, stone built, with old growth oak support beams. I've lived in new builds and all I had were problems. This one is perfect now that I've rewired it.

[nerolsalguod]

For all the houses I worked on over 45 years, Many older houses were stout and solid, Many newer houses were absolute junk.
The oldest was built in 1865.
It depended on the masons and carpenters, either pro or DIY.
Materials were selected via cost in almost all homes prior to approx 1967-9.
Older homes were as a rule built to shed rain and snow, hence steep roofs and large overhangs and no soffit or fascia on most.

[Matt-dclp]

"Not Chip and Johanna shiplap"

Matt throwing shade!

[jl]

I don't watch this channel often but I watched this video and I'm glad I did. Some New building strategies disgust me. Almost Everything is fake, superficial or inefficient

Fake stone facades,
Fake non structural brick exteriors,
Fake boarders,
Fake pillars,

Superficial prefab fireplaces that just leak air into the house,
Superficial roofs with multiple different roof styles and extremely cut up,
Superficial vaulted ceilings,

Inefficient overhangs that provide little protection from sun or rain.
Inefficient dark roofs that get to 150 degrees in Texas heat.
Inefficient walls that soak up heat and moisture
Inefficient slab foundations that crack.

Vitruvius said a house must be three things: durable, beautiful, and usable. A lot of newer constructions FAIL on all three fronts.

[HansensUniverseT-A]

I can't speak for other nations but in Norway, old houses were build't to last for hundreds of years, with multiple generations in mind, the house i grew up in were over 200 years old and still standing to this day looking mint, I've helped my grandfather sometimes in the loft and the basement doing some work, holy balls folks, those nails were what i can describe as long as 40cm long, the wood used for those roof beams were as thick as your average fridge, it's just incredible how well made those old houses are.

No matter were you look you don't see any cheap shortcuts, they seemed to care allot about the long term, same for the walls, thick wood used, and lot's of it, they were also really clever to make sure it wasn't so tight that the air quality got bad, they made some breathing room so the ventilation is great, and it has a good effect on the wood, the new houses are what they call cardboard rubbish.

Near hermetically sealed, they use pre fabricated walls with thin wood beams and some plywood, heck those are even stapled and glued together, I've seen how they're made, there is a saying here, the old houses are the ones who laughs in the end, usually when we have lot's of wind and bad weather the old houses are standing while the new ones are missing roofs, wall segments flying apart, the biggest mistake you do is buy a new house, buy an old one and restore it.

Now days they give a rats ass about reliability and quality, they want it fast, they want it cheap, they want it very simple, so they get, garbage, old houses are worth fixing and taking care of, while new ones you might as well tear them down, besides old houses usually have allot of character to them, new ones don't, personally i hate modern design, all cubical and lifeless.

[losv]

Hard part is finding contractors that are honest and actually knowledgeable that don’t cut corners, top quality stuff here 👍

[skyleonidas]

I own a 200 year old solid stone house and its pretty comfrotable, except the creaking floor its as comfortable as my modern house

[TheGogeta]

my birthhouse is from 1654 (its a Traditional bavarian house with masive Wood) got a overhang roof with over 1 meter on all sides and it looks like it is very new made

[jxavier]

Wartime houses are like the cheapest of their time and still hold up today for the most part.

[survivalistboards]

Good video. One of the things that has changed is the type of timber we use. My grannys house was built from virgin long leaf pine; the house is over 100 years old and still standing. Today, we use timber from young fast growing slash pines which rots fairly quickly.

[themiddleclasstaxslave]

I purchased a house that turned 150 years old recently, I’m currently continuing to improve “her”. Amazing, as I purchase a flipped house before this and will just say that even though it was 100 years newer, leaps and bounds better in many ways. Lead paint is the main negative, be we’ve encapsulated it. For the lumber that was used to build this, floor boards are 2-1/2 x 7-1/2, walls studs are 4x3. Amazing. I’d expect it to last another 150. I don’t believe anyone will be saying that about some of the major builder home companies.