How much is too much?

[Penners]

I would hazard a guess that FF's Georgian remodelling was done with a quality and a permanence. Most modern building seems to me designed to give the illusion of solidity and permanence but is actually constructed with low price and convenience/speed of build as the prime considerations.

The irony is that many of the Georgian terraces in London - today regarded as "quality" residences - were originally thrown up by the developers of the day, to make a quick guinea. Ideas of quality and permanence definitely played second fiddle to the profit motive.

 

[Penners]

I would hazard a guess that FF's Georgian remodelling was done with a quality and a permanence. Most modern building seems to me designed to give the illusion of solidity and permanence but is actually constructed with low price and convenience/speed of build as the prime considerations.

The irony is that many of the Georgian terraces in London - today regarded as "quality" residences - were originally thrown up by the developers of the day, to make a quick guinea. Ideas of quality and permanence were way down the priority list compared with the profit motive.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I went round to see a friend who has moved into a 1990s maisonette near me. It may be council housing and It was the worst building I have ever seen. It was sort of mock Edwardian, with some kind of brick arches over the windows, but i realised that actually none of the brick courses were very straight, and the arches were all over the place. Even worse, this is the kind of building which probably had very cheap wooden single glazed windows that have since been replaced with brown PVC. All around the windows all the bricks were knocked out of position and were at wonky angles, and have been repointed recently. I realised as some of the pointing was falling out, that the mortar behind had almost no cement in it. I could pick it out and crumble it with a finger (not even a nail). It made the lime mortar on my house look positively solid. The pointing of course was rock hard and cracked due to its stiffness and movement due to poor construction.

I read an essay I think by Quinlan Terry (modern neo classical architect) talking about how traditional construction makes for heavy or massive but soft buildings, and modern construction makes lightweight brittle buildings. These cheap houses were light and soft and i can't see them lasting more than another 20 years. Driving around that area I couldn't help thinking that it looked like a very poor developing country, as there was nothing historic, no evidence of learning from history and no quality of design or construction. Are we in a state of national decline?

 

[DJH]

Jerry building lives on. I suppose the difference between Georgian speculators is that they 'built' to make money where Local Authority buildings are built by the lowest tenderer who cuts corners to make money. There's a lot to be said about the second tender idea where the second lowest tender is selected.

I read that article Plastic but even traditionalists have to bow to the inevitable and build with non load bearing walls using cement and concrete products...

Doug

 

[Penners]

a 1990s maisonette near me...It was the worst building I have ever seen...
I can't see them lasting more than another 20 years.

Well, at least that's good news.

 

[JayRexy]

Interesting replies guys and I agree with many of you. Outside the house has great character but the inside has become so bland and has lost the feel you get from an older property in my opinion

 

[88v8]

...the inside has become so bland and has lost the feel you get from an older property in my opinion

And that's something which is very hard to reinstate.

Ivor

 

[wobs]

Direct link: http://www.hetheringtons.co.uk/buy/...,wd3-for-guide-price-gbp-625,000-ref-2043317/

PVC windows aside, the main modernisms seems to be the choices of furnishings/units - in particular the rather garish kitchen - and the overly shiny oak floor.

With some careful choices of furniture/units etc I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to make it look more appropriate. So for me - unfortunate but not horrendous

As an aside: HOW MUCH for a 3 bed!?!? I thought Bath was bad!

£625,000? That's rather a lot.

Here's what £600,000 would buy within 2 miles of my house:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42056587.html?premiumA=true
Very nice.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

£650000
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30435021.html?premiumA=true
£600000
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46485137.html

 

[Keithj]

That second one is gorgeous! I'll never get M to agree to move from here, though.

 

[LadyArowana]

Meanwhile .... http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46927496.html