"John Smith" wrote in message
news
Thanks, but with regard to newly built houses... are they build to
standards
as good as, say, 30, 50, or 70 years ago? Or are they built better? I
mean,
some new houses look old after only 5 - 10 years and I can't help
wondering
what they will look like in 20, 30, etc, years?


John.


I have heard tell, that a new build only has to have a guarantee of
habitability for thirty years after completion, to be able to obtain a
mortgage on it. So it is not surprising that they can throw up these timber
framed houses with weak floors and tiny windows and still make money from
them.

I say weak floors because, after reading a contract for a Barrat homes
property, I noticed that is said "We can not guarantee the structural
integrity of any flooring construction if the occupancy on the bearing
loaders is more than twenty persons. " That kinda' put me off buying a
brand new house for good.


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Christian McArdle wrote:

A friend commented that new houses, being of timber construction, are
at
a bigger risk to things like dry rot in the frame and, because of
this,
their longevity is in question.


Timber frame is not, in itself, a problem. You will find that most
houses
more than 300 years old in this country are timber framed. Provided
ventilation and maintenance is good, timber framed houses can last a
very
long time.


Indeed. The one over the road is mentioned in the Domesday book. Shame
some plumber left a stripper plugged in and burnt half of it away a few
years back. They still have not sorted out insurance claims on that
one...

Rot and fire are the two enemies. Wheeras subsidence gets the block and
brick ones.

Privded timber is kept dry, old oak, or treated softwood should be good
for at least a hundred years. Morte like 300 typically. The BIG danger
is leaking rooves gutters and bargeboards etc.




Christian.









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