LogFAQs > #967627879

HornedLion posted...

Yeah but the integrity of the house is my gripe. As well as the materials used.

The reason people flock to newer homes in newly built neighborhoods is because the things used are generally safer, and the pipes that have been laid down are brand spanking new. No rust and BS.

New homes in US/Canada are very poorly built and tend to have all sorts of quality issues in the first couple of years, with water leaks from roofs, walls and plumbing being at the top of the list.

Older homes have had all of those issues resolved decades ago, and only require regular upkeep. Because they're so old, the lifespan of any materials used is well known and repairs can be planned ahead of time. No one knows how long modern PEX plumbing is going to last.

In addition, the older homes tend to be made from more resilient materials because modern materials, which are designed to be cheap above all else, weren't invented yet. For example, 100+ year old wood-frame houses used boards as sheathing on the outside. If they get wet, they can stay wet for quite some time with very little rot or damage. New houses use OSB which can rot in a matter of weeks, and is also far more flammable.