[Archslater]

This is an apples - rutebega comparison.

It can't be like Europe here.

-S.S.-

Yep, Europe was probably a bad example, I was getting a bit too idealistic.

 

[dh girlie]

I hear ya. A cleaning lady would definitely solve the problem, but that's an expense we don't want to take on.

Don't...they all suck...I fired 3 before I said f it...screw these bishes!

 

[stosh]

People want to do what they want to do when they want to do it - and that means driving a car for the vast majority of the country.

-S.S.-

Thats where you're wrong. I love my car but if I only needed it as a get away from the town I would be totally fine with that. IF I was not REQUIRED to drive my car on a daily basis I would drop where I live in a second.

In Radburn NJ a community based around small lots, med house, clustered housing, the percentage of people that go on vacation is far below the US average becuase they are so happy with where they are living.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Agreed, any comments were not meant to be taken personally.............

None were.

I've been building homes since 1998, so I have a pretty good idea of what sells and what doesn't.

Workmanship is a huge issue with me and I love using craftsmen and not installers.

 

[stosh]

Yep, Europe was probably a bad example, I was getting a bit too idealistic.

I disagree, I don't think you were idealistic at all. I do however think that their ideas and solutions can also be applied to the "US way of living"

 

[N8 v2.0]

and since there are no trees providing shade, yr AC costs just went up again...

I got the home owner on that house to install a geothermal hvac system on that house... he heats and cools it's nearly 3000_sf for less than a typical cable tv bill.

 

[Archslater]

I have a theory that in 20-30 years people will finally grow tired of the frustrations of the suburbs, and as the shoddy, characterless surburban homes begin to fall apart, they will flee back into the towns and cities, causing a trend in urban renewal. Unsustainable suburbs will become the new Ghetto's.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I disagree, I don't think you were idealistic at all. I do however think that their ideas and solutions can also be applied to the "US way of living"

They can to some degree... see Disney's Celebration USA.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I have a theory that in 20-30 years people will finally grow tired of the frustrations of the suburbs, and as the shoddy, characterless surburban homes begin to fall apart, they will flee back into the towns and cities, causing a trend in urban renewal. Unsustainable suburbs will become the new Ghetto's.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Wanna bet?

 

[stosh]

They can to some degree... see Disney's Celebration USA.

NO............!!!

 

[McGRP01]

 

[N8 v2.0]

N8 The quality of the your workmanship looks great!

Sorry I started everybody picking on you.

Are you painting the column in front of the door?

Need a project manager on your crew?

Columns generally are white. I've tried painting them other colors over the years but most clients want it painted white.

Actually all this got me thinking that on the next house, now being designed, I will let the RM community vote on the color scheme.

 

[stosh]

the worst part about that post is that most American's feel that way which is why they own 3000sqft homes furnished by trendy junk IKEA Furniture and do bad paint jobs they see on HGTV because they are to lazy to ready quality literature on home design and interior decorating.

 

[stosh]

Columns generally are white. I've tried painting them other colors over the years but most clients want it painted white.

Actually all this got me thinking that on the next house, now being designed, I will let the RM community vote on the color scheme.

Man you sound like you're busy down there!

 

[SkaredShtles]

Thats where you're wrong. I love my car but if I only needed it as a get away from the town I would be totally fine with that. IF I was not REQUIRED to drive my car on a daily basis I would drop where I live in a second.

I didn't say *you* in particular. I'm sure you could find some people who would like to live without a car, but the vast majority I think you'd find are *not* interested. And for those that were interested, I'd be willing to wager, like you, that the reality is that they require a car on a daily basis.

In Radburn NJ a community based around small lots, med house, clustered housing, the percentage of people that go on vacation is far below the US average becuase they are so happy with where they are living.

WTF? I want to go on *more* vacations, not less.....

-S.S.-

 

[Archslater]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Wanna bet?

Thanks for the insightfull debate. I Actually I do. The suburbs can't just keep spreading at the current rate, especially since the rate of new homes built FAR outreaches the U.S. growth rate. Eventually there will be nowhere else left to grow.

 

[N8 v2.0]

NO............!!!

Yep... it's a fake living environment as is any place in Suburb USA that attempts to de-emphasize the auto…

 

[N8 v2.0]

Thanks for the insightfull debate. I Actually I do. The suburbs can't just keep spreading at the current rate, especially since the rate of new homes built FAR outreaches the U.S. growth rate. Eventually there will be nowhere else left to grow.

Well, for that to happen, the cost of land in the popular cities will have to take a major nose dive.

 

[Archslater]

None were.

I've been building homes since 1998, so I have a pretty good idea of what sells and what doesn't.

Workmanship is a huge issue with me and I love using craftsmen and not installers.

My father was a long time small home builder as well, focusing on quality craftsmenship. It's the huge corporate builders who really irritate me. They sell homes like cars: 4 models, 12 options. As an Architect, maybe I'm just frustrated being left out of the process. I guess I will just stick with commercial design.

 

[stosh]

I didn't say *you* in particular. I'm sure you could find some people who would like to live without a car, but the vast majority I think you'd find are *not* interested. And for those that were interested, I'd be willing to wager, like you, that the reality is that they require a car on a daily basis.


WTF? I want to go on *more* vacations, not less.....

-S.S.-

Do you live in a city now?

 

[I Are Baboon]

the worst part about that post is that most American's feel that way which is why they own 3000sqft homes furnished by trendy junk IKEA Furniture and do bad paint jobs they see on HGTV because they are to lazy to ready quality literature on home design and interior decorating.

Hey I like my $100 Ikea chair.

We suck at interior decorating. We're going on a year in the new house and the place still looks empty. The walls are bare and we have no decorations anywhere. Oh well, that means less to dust, anyway.

 

[N8 v2.0]

well, to be fair the people buying the houses don't have a say in the street and house layout. by the time they are looking to buy it, that part of the design is done, and was done by the developer.

of course you can say that one doesn't have to buy the house, but i'd say most of the developments i've seen recently aren't really community-driven concepts.

For the average home buyer picking out paint colors and countertops is a major ordeal... and most do not want to even do that and are content with a finished house as long as it generally suits them.

 

[stosh]

Yep... it's a fake living environment as is any place in Suburb USA that attempts to de-emphasize the auto…

Un-true! Again I refer to Radburn, if you look they didn't de-emphasise the auto, they simply put it in it's place. It's called The Town for the Automobile.


I've never studied Disney Town and from what I've heard they were way off base with the design.

 

[McGRP01]

the worst part about that post is that most American's feel that way which is why they own 3000sqft homes furnished by trendy junk IKEA Furniture and do bad paint jobs they see on HGTV because they are to lazy to ready quality literature on home design and interior decorating.

I didn't even read the thread, your posts just bore me. I could be wrong, but wasn't it you looking to get an IKEA desk not to long ago?

 

[stosh]

Best Thread EVER on RM IMO.

 

[N8 v2.0]

My father was a long time small home builder as well, focusing on quality craftsmenship. It's the huge corporate builders who really irritate me. They sell homes like cars: 4 models, 12 options. As an Architect, maybe I'm just frustrated being left out of the process. I guess I will just stick with commercial design.

I typically build 4-6 projects a year. We don't have any national builders here... yet.

But there is one thing about a house plan that sells... it gets built over and over again. I have one plan that I've built a dozen times.

 

[Archslater]

Well, for that to happen, the cost of land in the popular cities will have to take a major nose dive.

There is plenty of cheap land in most popular cities - its just ghetto's now. I live in a large urban renewal project just north of downtown Indianapolis. Houses are cheap, well designed, and there is a large waiting list of people trying to get in.... many coming from the suburbs. 10 years ago it was the most dangerous area of town, now people can't wait to move in.


http://www.fallcreekplace.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Before-and-After&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

 

[stosh]

I didn't even read the thread, your posts just bore me.

Yet everyday without fail you post a response to my GMT.

How odd.....

 

[N8 v2.0]

There is plenty of cheap land in most popular cities - its just ghetto's now. I live in a large urban renewal project just north of downtown Indianapolis. Houses are cheap, well designed, and there is a large waiting list of people trying to get in.... many coming from the suburbs. 10 years ago it was the most dangerous area of town, now people can't wait to move in.


http://www.fallcreekplace.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Before-and-After&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

Nicely done. Most folks don't want to tackle renovation though. Are the garages detached and alley loaded?

 

[stosh]

There is plenty of cheap land in most popular cities - its just ghetto's now. I live in a large urban renewal project just north of downtown Indianapolis. Houses are cheap, well designed, and there is a large waiting list of people trying to get in.... many coming from the suburbs. 10 years ago it was the most dangerous area of town, now people can't wait to move in.


http://www.fallcreekplace.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Before-and-After&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

I think life in cities or in many towns in the US is somewhat cyclical.

Based both on the economy of the time and whats "trendy".

 

[N8 v2.0]

Nice McMansion!

J/K.

-S.S.-

Hey... it's what McClient wanted...

 

[stosh]

Talking about Archslayer's comment about today's construction: I think that with the current "stick" framed homes many are built better and more reliable than equivalently built ballon framed homes. I agree that the quality of the craftmanships has diminished however.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Talking about Archslayer's comment about today's construction: I think that with the current "stick" framed homes many are built better and more reliable than equivalently built ballon framed homes. I agree that the quality of the craftmanships has diminished however.

Stick rocks. Most of the homes I see being built in my area are OVER built, but that is a good thing except it wastes lumber.

 

[N8 v2.0]

The kind of home I would like to build is an updated version of the 60's mod home.

 

[Archslater]

Nicely done. Most folks don't want to tackle renovation though. Are the garages detached and alley loaded?

Yep, the garages are detached and alley loaded. Actually only about 10 percent of the homes are renovations. Since it was a blighted neighborhood, 90% of the homes were torn down and replaced with new homes. The new homes are designed with a lot of character to blend with the historic homes, with various bright colors, wood trim, large porches, etc... I live in a new townhome. The original lot, streets and alley locations were preserved to not interupt the urban fabric, although much was rebuilt.

 

[stosh]

Stick rocks. Most of the homes I see being built in my area are OVER built, but that is a good thing except it wastes lumber.

How would you explain a home being over built in your area? Oversized joists or something?

 

[N8 v2.0]

How would you explain a home being over built in your area? Oversized joists or something?

Lots of bracing, oversized joists, trusses, jacks ect... All my framing carpenters error on the conservative side.

 

[Archslater]

The kind of home I would like to build is an updated version of the 60's mod home.

I'm actually into 60's modern myself, so that will likely reflect my next home. I currently love my neighborhood, so I compromise.

 

[stosh]

I'm actually into 60's modern myself, so that will likely reflect my next home. I currently love my neighborhood, so I compromise.

Are you a licensed Architect?

 

[N8 v2.0]

I'm actually into 60's modern myself, so that will likely reflect my next home. I currently love my neighborhood, so I compromise.

They are my personal fav but there ain't no way I'd build one as a spec in a typical subdivision here.