Comments on: Poll: What’s your favorite type of Seattle housing stock?

By: Sorin

Sorin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:20:42 +0000

Other - Dwell style Modern. I just wish there were more around here that were modern in the original sense of blending indoor and outdoor living spaces. Facades and most of the tightly clustered townhomes don't count. PB Elemental and others have managed to pull off some good examples in recent years.

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By: Kary L. Krismer

Kary L. Krismer — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:49:59 +0000

RE: softwarengineer @ 17 - I was only addressing the supply pipes. Plastic drain pipes go back to at least the mid-70s.My main concern is longevity. I remember the first batches of plastic pipe that didn't last too long. Copper is fairly proven.

Reply - softwarengineer @ 17<\/a> - I was only addressing the supply pipes. Plastic drain pipes go back to at least the mid-70s.\r\n\r\nMy main concern is longevity. I remember the first batches of plastic pipe that didn\'t last too long. Copper is fairly proven.',''); return false;">Quote

By: softwarengineer

softwarengineer — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:38:08 +0000

RE: Kary L. Krismer @ 2 -Practically all kitchen/bathroom drains are plastic, the last 20 years or so....but, the vinyl hosing replacing CRES and copper pipes is a plumbers' union nightmare IMO, not only does freezing not break hose like solid pipe, do a cost estimate on replacing a simple hose [its about an hour job and you can probably do it yourself too] versus solid pipe with a barrage of fittings and pieces....LOLCRES rots and leaks fast too and copper solder leaches heavy elements into your drinking water....I know use a Britta pitcher...LOL

Reply - Kary L. Krismer @ 2<\/a> - \r\n\r\nPractically all kitchen\/bathroom drains are plastic, the last 20 years or so....but, the vinyl hosing replacing CRES and copper pipes is a plumbers\' union nightmare IMO, not only does freezing not break hose like solid pipe, do a cost estimate on replacing a simple hose [its about an hour job and you can probably do it yourself too] versus solid pipe with a barrage of fittings and pieces....LOL\r\n\r\nCRES rots and leaks fast too and copper solder leaches heavy elements into your drinking water....I know use a Britta pitcher...LOL',''); return false;">Quote

By: Kary L. Krismer

Kary L. Krismer — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:20:39 +0000

I like the ones where they're still building in the complex, but mold or mildew is already growing on the siding of the ones sold.Seriously, does a builder need to be asked by the owner to correct a situation on a building they built where they're still trying to sell others just like it? The mold/mildew that is visible from the road sort of counters the For Sale signs on the street.

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By: singliac

singliac — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:49:33 +0000

RE: Ray Pepper @ 14 - Haha. I was up at Snoqualimie Ridge for work, and I thought it was funny how the Quadrant homes have nice craftsman details in the front, but then I looked at the sides and back, and it was the classic Quadrant box shape.

Reply - Ray Pepper @ 14<\/a> - Haha. I was up at Snoqualimie Ridge for work, and I thought it was funny how the Quadrant homes have nice craftsman details in the front, but then I looked at the sides and back, and it was the classic Quadrant box shape.',''); return false;">Quote

By: Ray Pepper

Ray Pepper — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:30:10 +0000

Craftsman style Quadrant homes. I adore the light gray vinyl, with style A elevation(no extra charge), and the Truman Show feel of the neighborhood. No trees just a periodic twig style 3 foot high bush.

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By: AMS

AMS — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:17:35 +0000

RE: Kary L. Krismer @ 9 - This reminds me about the wood workers of the past. Today everything is mechanized--the skill is in operating the machinery. Hand carving is about as popular as wood constructed horse drawn carriages. Boeing had all those woodworkers. Boeing wood furniture would never happen today.

Reply - Kary L. Krismer @ 9<\/a> - This reminds me about the wood workers of the past. Today everything is mechanized--the skill is in operating the machinery. Hand carving is about as popular as wood constructed horse drawn carriages. Boeing had all those woodworkers. Boeing wood furniture would never happen today.',''); return false;">Quote

By: AMS

AMS — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:13:38 +0000

RE: Scotsman @ 4 - Some of the WPA workers did the highest quality work. Even if many of the homes were not WPA projects, the workers were in the area. Take a look at the quality of the WPA projects. Some are amazing. These same workers could have done work on the homes built during that era.

Reply - Scotsman @ 4<\/a> - Some of the WPA workers did the highest quality work. Even if many of the homes were not WPA projects, the workers were in the area. Take a look at the quality of the WPA projects. Some are amazing. These same workers could have done work on the homes built during that era.',''); return false;">Quote

By: Kary L. Krismer

Kary L. Krismer — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:12:30 +0000

RE: Scotsman @ 4 - I think it's more that they spent more time on things back in the old days. Just compare installing side shingles to T1-11 siding.Also they went a bit overboard on materials. I've seen floors that were basically laminated 2x10s, such that the floor is 10" thick wood. A bit of overkill.

Reply - Scotsman @ 4<\/a> - I think it\'s more that they spent more time on things back in the old days. Just compare installing side shingles to T1-11 siding.\r\n\r\nAlso they went a bit overboard on materials. I\'ve seen floors that were basically laminated 2x10s, such that the floor is 10\" thick wood. A bit of overkill.',''); return false;">Quote

By: shawn

shawn — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:47:01 +0000

RE: Scotsman @ 4 - My mom's house was built in '35 and it has beautiful ceilings. Plastering where the walls meet the ceilings in a nice arch (rather than 90 degree angels), which seems easy till you look at the corners. You don't see that today.

Reply - Scotsman @ 4<\/a> - My mom\'s house was built in \'35 and it has beautiful ceilings. Plastering where the walls meet the ceilings in a nice arch (rather than 90 degree angels), which seems easy till you look at the corners. You don\'t see that today.',''); return false;">Quote

By: Ira Sacharoff

Ira Sacharoff — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:33:48 +0000

I grew up in a cinder block home, built in the 1930's, so I have my fondness for them. The town I grew up in, in New Jersey, was all cinder block homes with flat roofs, not such a good idea for the climate, and cinderblock retains moisture. So f you're dream home is a moist, flat roofed cinder block home, Roosevelt NJ is your place.

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By: TJ_98370

TJ_98370 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:15:36 +0000

Wasn't cinder block construction rather disparagingly referred to as as "brick-ick" at one time?

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By: vermillionsky

vermillionsky — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:12:11 +0000

I've always wanted a craftsman bungalow just like the one on that wikipedia page. soo cool. I doubt I'll ever have one now, but a girl can dream ;) One of my friends in Ohio has a craftsman home that has all the original woodwork (including built-ins with leaded glass in the dining room, and inlaid wood floors throughout) and original pressed Chinese leather on the walls of the entryway. She paid ~$65k for it at a sheriff's auction about ten years ago....

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By: Jasper Paulsen

Jasper Paulsen — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:50:59 +0000

My favorite detail in these "Tudor" and "Mission" homes is in the ceilings of the living and dining rooms. First, the ceilings are slightly high -- about 8' 4". Second, they have overhead light fixtures, but not can lighting. This means they do not have dark areas on the ceilings and walls. Third, many of them have a marvelous cove molding, which was made as part of plastering the walls. The top two inches of the molding is a vertical plane, about 5" in from the main wall. The rest of the molding is a quarter-ellipse, which transitions over 6 - 10 inches from nearly horizontal at the top to vertical at the bottom, and completely blends into the wall at the bottom. The top two inches of the molding reflects the overhead light fixture, yielding a horizontal band of light around the top of the room. The quarter-ellipse is subtle enough that the wall below the band of light does not appear dark.This feature is only available in new construction by special request. The 8' 4" ceiling height is uncommon nowadays, but it is easy to build -- it uses 96" studs with an extra base plate. The extra ceiling height allows room for the "tray" effect of the molding. The elliptical molding is even more unusual nowadays.

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By: Jasper Paulsen

Jasper Paulsen — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:25:28 +0000

I like the early twentieth century houses and apartments that were not Craftsman houses, but only if they have been upgraded to withstand a 7.4 quake on the Seattle fault. Many of them are called Tudors, some are called "Mission" style.These homes tend to be in established neighborhoods, with wide sidewalks, long-term neighbors, and convenient buses, schools, and corner stores. The lots tend to be between 40' x 100' and 50' x 150': This is a convenient size for gardening.These homes tend to have nice layouts -- a modest living room, a modest dining room, and a kitchen on the main level; bedrooms upstairs; and a basement. Some of them have gorgeous bay windows, with angled sides.They also have nice detailing -- 3/4" x 7 1/2" baseboard (plus shoe molding), an arch between the kitchen and dining room, an arch between the living and dining rooms, an arch-themed entry, 3/4" x 3 1/2" trim around the windows and doors, small hex-grid tiled bathroom floors.

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By: Scotsman

Scotsman — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:27:12 +0000

A friend who does some remodeling in Seattle says that homes built during the great depression have the highest level of craftsmanship, as only the best carpenters were hired. It sounds plausible. Anyone else have similar experience?

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By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:22:48 +0000

I like houses with no asbestos, a large lot and no carpet.

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By: Kary L. Krismer

Kary L. Krismer — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:26:55 +0000

I like houses built between 1965 and 1999 that are either large ramblers or two story, with no plastic pipe or vinyl siding, on a lot that is a minimum of 8000 feet.

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By: softwarengineer

softwarengineer — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:25:48 +0000

Ramblers Use More Lumber than Two StoryBut a 1500SF rambler has the approximate equivalent living space as a 1800SF split level, with less air space to heat in the winter.

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