Houses aren't expensive because of the houses, they're expensive because of the spaces where you build the houses.
Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
111–120 of 223 posts
Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#112Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a flawed solution based on a misunderstanding of how houses are actually built/designed/engineered. Most of what you see being built today is dimensioned based on available timber. It's part of why all the houses look the same, because it's the most efficient way to build. Everything structural gets built with 2x4's or prefab trusses (which are also made of 2x4's), windows are all standard sizes, as are cabinets…
That's not how we build in my country though
Yeah most countries in the world dont have 2x4s
Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
Since it’s a UK company/project they will be primarily comparing to brick costs since that’s what the vast majority of UK houses are (still) built with. They claim comparable cost as brick/block construction. £230/sqm. They also seem to be touting their accuracy and since plywood is dimensionally stable (well, more so that 2x4s anyway) that’s probably why ply.
Is double brick still built in the UK, or is wooden framing with brick cladding more common?
Breeze block for the inner skin and red brick for the outer skin is still the standard as far as I see from local housing developments and friends doing extension. Internal dividing walls may now all be stud partitions but wooden structures are pretty uncommon.
Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#114Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#115Houses aren't expensive because of the houses, they're expensive because of the spaces where you build the houses.
No, or maybe, depends on where you live. You can build the plot of land from the city where I live for the equivalent of USD60.000, maybe 75.000. This is in a nice suburb, close to the highway (but not to close), there a busses, railroad is close and you have easy access to an airport, daycare, schools and shopping. Building an average home is at least USD200.000 and most would probably spend closer to 300.000. Houses are expensive because materials are expensive and labor is crazy expensive.
Unless you want to build in very specific spots the house is almost always going to be more expensive than the land it sits on.
Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#116Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#117I like their cost calculator on the website. I have never seen such a simple interactive method to determine the cost of a house to be built. My experience with building a house is that either you get a very rough estimate by someone which is often wrong or you have to pay an architect or engineer to come up with a more detailed and more accurate cost estimate.
Apart from that I noticed that building my current home with their method would cost about 20% more than building it the oldschool way. That might be a problem for their business model.
Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#118Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a flawed solution based on a misunderstanding of how houses are actually built/designed/engineered. Most of what you see being built today is dimensioned based on available timber. It's part of why all the houses look the same, because it's the most efficient way to build. Everything structural gets built with 2x4's or prefab trusses (which are also made of 2x4's), windows are all standard sizes, as are cabinets…
If one wants to go the "lego things together" route, ICF and AAC are also options that exist already.
AAC is great, but
- I don't think it's super common in the US - it's a high-tech product that quickly loses its legolike value if quality controls get sloppy (you have to spend hours sanding down each row or switch to mortar) - it's just walls, you still need a system for building foundations, floors, ceilings and roofs.
Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#119People build much worse houses now, from aesthetic perspective.
No matter where I go, I usually prefer to live in a city center because that's where the most pleasing houses are.
We forgot how to build nice houses. Sad.
Re: Wikihouse: Open-Source Houses
#120The most expensive part of house is the land it’s built on. Remote work alleviates that. No surprise that landowners in large cities push for a return to office work, along with workers that have no desire for a life of their own.
Nonetheless wood houses are frowned upon in Europe. Except in the UK where housing is low quality overall anyway.