Comments on: Housing Crunch Turns Literal in Victorville: Cheaper to Demolish Than To Complete Building http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/ The Neat Side of the Web Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:30:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Kalel http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719335 Kalel Wed, 06 May 2009 18:21:45 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719335 Banks razing Hell! Banks razing Hell!

]]> By: secret asian man http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719299 secret asian man Wed, 06 May 2009 17:42:39 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719299 The issue here is exposure and maintenance. Modern buildings aren't damp, cold, dark stone structures like before. Every wall has insulation, wiring, air paths, serpentine seals, etc. Every join has to be sealed, insulated, drainage installed, and so on. A lot of engineering goes into making a modern house that will shed water, be air-permeable yet not leak energy in the form of AC/heat, fall under code, etc. Add to this the massive liability costs of selling a house with such potential damage and you're talking huge, huge costs to finish and sell the structure. Let a little mold or water get into the house before it's all built and it's usually cheaper to scrap it. Some cars are cheaper to junk than to fix - and so are some houses. The issue here is exposure and maintenance. Modern buildings aren't damp, cold, dark stone structures like before. Every wall has insulation, wiring, air paths, serpentine seals, etc. Every join has to be sealed, insulated, drainage installed, and so on.

A lot of engineering goes into making a modern house that will shed water, be air-permeable yet not leak energy in the form of AC/heat, fall under code, etc. Add to this the massive liability costs of selling a house with such potential damage and you're talking huge, huge costs to finish and sell the structure.

Let a little mold or water get into the house before it's all built and it's usually cheaper to scrap it.

Some cars are cheaper to junk than to fix - and so are some houses.

]]> By: Josh http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719241 Josh Wed, 06 May 2009 16:51:32 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719241 Yay, my town made Neatorama! /reads article Oh, thats not good. Yay, my town made Neatorama!

/reads article

Oh, thats not good.

]]> By: Joe Devine http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719224 Joe Devine Wed, 06 May 2009 16:21:57 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719224 I find it very disturbing that over the years our building techniques have only gotten sloppier and not made to last. We marvel at the amazing works of the ancients and it is their buildings that we look up to. I think we need to take a look at what we want to leave behind us as a legacy, and start using resources that will not need to be torn down in a few years. It is such a waste of building, resources, and labor to build these flimsy houses--we waste enough. I find it very disturbing that over the years our building techniques have only gotten sloppier and not made to last. We marvel at the amazing works of the ancients and it is their buildings that we look up to. I think we need to take a look at what we want to leave behind us as a legacy, and start using resources that will not need to be torn down in a few years. It is such a waste of building, resources, and labor to build these flimsy houses--we waste enough.

]]> By: shecky http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719198 shecky Wed, 06 May 2009 15:37:38 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719198 Makes sense, really. The banks don't want a total loss, which is what would happen if they gave away lots with the unfinished houses, or even no houses. However, the cost of either maintaining unfinished houses, or finishing them and then maintaining them until the market picks up would be too high. Thus, tear 'em down is the cheaper solution. Most likely, they'll hold onto the land until the market comes back, at which point they'll develop anew, or sell to developers. Makes sense, really. The banks don't want a total loss, which is what would happen if they gave away lots with the unfinished houses, or even no houses. However, the cost of either maintaining unfinished houses, or finishing them and then maintaining them until the market picks up would be too high. Thus, tear 'em down is the cheaper solution. Most likely, they'll hold onto the land until the market comes back, at which point they'll develop anew, or sell to developers.

]]> By: Gauldar http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719183 Gauldar Wed, 06 May 2009 15:18:05 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719183 So what are they going to do, sell junk ridden lots to people so they can sift through the rubble to find valuable copper wire? What about donating unfinished lots so volunteer groups like habitat for humanity can finish the houses for people to live in? Why don’t they just throw a pile of corn on it and burn it while they are at it. So what are they going to do, sell junk ridden lots to people so they can sift through the rubble to find valuable copper wire? What about donating unfinished lots so volunteer groups like habitat for humanity can finish the houses for people to live in? Why don’t they just throw a pile of corn on it and burn it while they are at it.

]]> By: Larfin Jackarse http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719033 Larfin Jackarse Wed, 06 May 2009 11:44:40 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719033 WTF! Cheaper to bulldoze oranges into the ground than give them away free? Please; some Yanq's comment. WTF!

Cheaper to bulldoze oranges into the ground than give them away free?

Please; some Yanq's comment.

]]> By: Christophe http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1719011 Christophe Wed, 06 May 2009 11:17:47 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1719011 Fiction is reality. Fiction is reality.

]]> By: Vodx http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1718587 Vodx Wed, 06 May 2009 06:25:04 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1718587 Must ...... Stop..... Desire...... To..... Kill......... Must ......

Stop.....

Desire......

To.....

Kill.........

]]> By: SenorMysterioso http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/comment-page-1/#comment-1718454 SenorMysterioso Wed, 06 May 2009 05:43:17 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/06/housing-crunch-turns-literal-in-victorville-cheaper-to-demolish-than-to-complete-building/#comment-1718454 Sucks for the developer but nice for buyers to see home prices drop that much Sucks for the developer but nice for buyers to see home prices drop that much

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