Cardboard palaces of America: why in the USA there are not such houses as in Russia

I'm driving through Maryland. It is half an hour from the US capital - Washington. Advertisement near the road: townhouses under construction for sale, price: 600 thousand dollars. This is the cost of houses made of plywood, which many of our compatriots would call a “house for a pig.” The frame of such a house is made of wooden beams, the partitions are plasterboard, the ceilings, of course, are also wooden, the foundation is not a monolithic concrete slab, but often a strip one. And all of America lives in such houses, from Hawaii to Alaska, writes the author of the “Made in America” channel on Yandex Zen.

Фото: Depositphotos

Why do not Americans build “houses for centuries”, as is customary in Russia: from cinder blocks and bricks?

Do not consider the inhabitants of the United States near. After all, if this has been done for decades (!), Then it is done for some reason.

Yes, American houses are not of high quality, but at the same time they are neat and with a very convenient layout of the premises. The main task is to build inexpensively and quickly (it takes only 6 months to complete the construction together with the finish). But when you buy an apartment or house in the USA, it means that it is a house in which you can immediately live. Everything is connected and working - from the kitchen to the toilets and air conditioners. Real estate is never sold here without interior decoration and not connected communications.

On the subject: Features of American real estate, and why there are no fences

Americans are very mobile comrades. Over the course of a lifetime, a family can move from house to house several times, unlike in Russia they live their entire lives in a purchased three-ruble ruble. They move from state to state after better jobs and high salaries, take larger houses and a more prestigious area. They change housing because they want to send their children to the best schools. When children grow up and move away, older people often trade in smaller homes to avoid paying high property taxes. The decision is quite reasonable - the children have grown up, and a large house is no longer needed; it is difficult to maintain. Therefore, no one strives to thoroughly settle down in one house for the rest of their lives. There is no point in investing money in expensive decoration if you don’t know how long you will actually live in this house.

With such a high frequency of moving, there can only be one reason for an American to make expensive repairs to his home: if the property is located in a prestigious area, and he knows that he can sell his house more expensive compared to competitors in the neighborhood.

Do not forget, housing is aging in its layout and architecture. It is much easier in 30-40 years to break a house from drywall and quickly build a modern one. Or, for example, to erect or break the inner wall in one day. It’s much harder to break a brick house. And more expensive.

Фото: Depositphotos

Now everyone will say that such housing cannot be built in Russia because of the cold climate. I hasten to please you - the USA is no different. Do not believe the words that it is warm everywhere in America and there is no frost. What about the states of New York, Maine, Illinois? Frosts in winter are down to minus 30. But progress does not stand still. Look under the siding of the house and into the attic of these “cardboard palaces” - there is insulation everywhere. So such houses can easily withstand the “minus”.

Such houses can not stand 30 more years? Nonsense. And for 50 years stand and are sold. The owners simply do a “renovation” inside, upgrade their air conditioning systems, change kitchen cabinets and install modern appliances. You go inside - and for what you will not guess how old the house is.

On the subject: How in America to buy housing at auction

There is still one pleasant moment with the purchase of housing, which, for example, is not in Russia. If you buy a house from a builder and in the first year something has broken from your home appliances or the crack has gone somewhere, the repair is done at the expense of this builder. This is in the order of things. Even if the tree planted near the house has not taken root, call - they will plant a new one. The builders who sold you the house are responsible for all this.

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