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peanut
Sep 9, 2007


some goon posted:

Old construction is better than new construction because older homes were usually overbuilt in structural terms. They'll also usually be in better parts of town, in more established neighborhoods, and closer to city centers and services because they were built before everyone drove everywhere. Old houses were built by tradespeople who treated construction as a career and took pride in their work. They were built to last forever. You'll have a yard and a sidewalk that leads somewhere you want to go. You'll have a cozy fireplace and a formal living room.

New construction is better than old construction because it follows modern building codes. You'll have outlets every six feet, laundry connections, a two car garage, cable in multiple rooms, and more than one light in any given room. You'll have a living room built with a TV in mind and a kitchen built with a microwave and dishwasher in mind. You'll have a media room rather than a formal living room. You'll have insulation in the walls and the ceiling, efficient appliances, a complete HVAC system, double-paned windows, and insulation-wrapped hot water pipes. You'll have bedrooms that fit king size beds, an eat-in kitchen, and a bathroom that's wider than a bathtub. You'll have special foundation reinforcement (where applicable) or storm-proof roofing. You won't have to worry about your roof for 20 years.

Old construction is worse than new construction because the walls hide horrible problems, like support beams cut in half, old wiring, leaky pipes with lead solder, and asbestos-lined heating ducts. There are never enough outlets and if you use the hair dryer and the microwave at the same time you'll have a brownout. Your drainage to the sewer, if it's present, will be clay pipes full of roots. You'll have tiny rooms with low ceilings and a tiny kitchen that doesn't have a dishwasher. You'll have the most inefficient heating system possible, and if there's air conditioning it will triple your electrical expenses and drop the temperature by 5 degrees and drip water down the inside of your wall. You'll have single-pane aluminum windows and no insulation in the walls. Your roof will have three layers of shingles on it or will be leaking or both.

New construction is worse than old construction because it was built by people hired that morning in a Home Depot parking lot, using the minimum amount of material in order to meet the too-lax building codes, designed to last through the three year warranty and not a day more. New construction sometimes employs new techniques in an incorrect manner, which often ends up trapping moisture somewhere in the walls and causing horrific mold or rot problems. New construction is all about the finishes and not about the structure or mechanicals. You'll get a yard that funnels water into your foundation covered in some sod and maybe a 2-year-old tree. Your brand new roof was flashed incorrectly and water's running underneath all of it.

All of the above is true, simultaneously. Home ownership is awesome

Links
http://www.zillow.com/ Real estate search
http://www.houzz.com/ Design eye candy
http://www.roomsketcher.com/ Used below VVV

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peanut fucked around with this message at 08:34 on Sep 28, 2020

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peanut
Sep 9, 2007


This is our house. We have two kids (5 and 5 months.) Not only is there no dining area, but we have to walk through the tatami room to access the single bedroom. Having the toilet in complete view from the front door isn't ideal, either.

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peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Unfortunately, our house was a steel-frame pre-fab. We couldn't add a second story, and no contractor was willing to start cutting through walls with unknown steel beams.

So, we blew it up. RIP house
Anyone from outside Japan and/or Asia will probably notice the bare minimum insulation. :japan:

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The Gardenator
May 4, 2007


Yams Fan
What is that large hole in your living room on the last picture?

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Good question! When it used to be great-grandma's house, that was a horigotatsu (sunken kotatsu.) The apparatus was old so it was tucked away during our time there. We used a regular kotatsu instead.
http://www.spinjapan.net/kotatsu_in_winter_in_japan/
http://sumai.panasonic.jp/interior/miriyo/horizataku/

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Siding spergs - what kind of siding is this? All new houses in Japan seem to use some variant of this. The main reason is probably ease of installation (reduce labor costs) but it also allows flexibility in an earthquake, is fade resistant, and insulates for heat and noise.
It comes in an overwhelming variety of designs, but the current available colors are mostly browns and greys.
Catalog http://www.kmew.co.jp/shouhin/siding/
Home Gallery http://www.kmew.co.jp/jirei/

There are even some Disney patterns :japan:
http://www.kmew.co.jp/shouhin/siding/disney/
http://www.kmew.co.jp/shouhin/siding/disney/lineup.html

Pigsfeet on Rye
Oct 22, 2008

I'm meat on the hoof

peanut posted:

Unfortunately, our house was a steel-frame pre-fab. We couldn't add a second story, and no contractor was willing to start cutting through walls with unknown steel beams.

So, we blew it up. RIP house
Anyone from outside Japan and/or Asia will probably notice the bare minimum insulation. :japan:



So as you rebuild, how are you going to address the apparent "minimal insulation" issue?

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


The new house will have real insulation and double-paned windows with fancy frames and a special coating. :peanut: Japan has separate catalogs for regular/cold regions (Hokkaido) and if we were rich we'd get all Hokkaido-rated stuff. If. But we're not.
Our architect said that Japan just doesn't do insulation in internal walls. Idk is that a thing or what?

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

peanut posted:

Our architect said that Japan just doesn't do insulation in internal walls. Idk is that a thing or what?

Interior walls don't get insulated for seemingly obvious reasons (they aren't part of the building envelope). Or are you saying they don't insulate in voids of external walls, preferring to use rigid foam or other insulation outside of the structural elements?

Magnus Praeda
Jul 18, 2003
The largess in the land.

Motronic posted:

Interior walls don't get insulated for seemingly obvious reasons (they aren't part of the building envelope). Or are you saying they don't insulate in voids of external walls, preferring to use rigid foam or other insulation outside of the structural elements?

He means that they just don't insulate at all unless you're in the far north (he mentioned Hokkaido having special building catalogs). Japanese building is, as peanut is finding out, very unusual when it comes to construction and, like many things it just boils down to "this is traditional and don't you dare question it."

Edit: misread. I stand by my statements about Japan's somewhat militant traditionalism, though.

Magnus Praeda fucked around with this message at 15:59 on Mar 29, 2016

xwing
Jul 2, 2007
red leader standing by

peanut posted:

Our architect said that Japan just doesn't do insulation in internal walls. Idk is that a thing or what?

Unless it's acoustical... no one really insulates interior walls. The envelope is where the thermal load is being dealt with.

Zhentar
Sep 28, 2003

Brilliant Master Genius

peanut posted:

Siding spergs - what kind of siding is this? All new houses in Japan seem to use some variant of this. The main reason is probably ease of installation (reduce labor costs) but it also allows flexibility in an earthquake, is fade resistant, and insulates for heat and noise.
It comes in an overwhelming variety of designs, but the current available colors are mostly browns and greys.

It's fiber cement. You can read about it in English here. Installed with a rain screen system like they show on that site will give you a durable siding with excellent moisture control (don't know about earthquake flexibility, though). Any claims regarding superior heat & noise insulation are pure marketing bullshit, though.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Thx for the info about insulation standards and siding (I didn't expect Kmew to have a US site.) Japan has usually just used foam boards up to now but the younger generation of architects uses the fluffy stuff.

A domestic remodeling show doing a house right under the flight approach to an airport compared different roof tiles and siding for noise dampening. The architect was disappointed that the cement siding performed better than wood, but rolled with it.
Durability in earthquakes is probably more of a cosmetic viewpoint.

Zhentar
Sep 28, 2003

Brilliant Master Genius

peanut posted:

Japan has usually just used foam boards up to now but the younger generation of architects uses the fluffy stuff.

It's best to use both together (if you use steel studs, a layer of foam is pretty important since the steel substantially bypasses cavity insulation).


peanut posted:

A domestic remodeling show doing a house right under the flight approach to an airport compared different roof tiles and siding for noise dampening. The architect was disappointed that the cement siding performed better than wood, but rolled with it.
Durability in earthquakes is probably more of a cosmetic viewpoint.

The difference was probably either trivial, or from a difference in construction method (the rainscreen clips shown on the site could provide a modest amount of isolation, but isolation can be applied with other siding materials as well). 1/2" of anything (well, maybe not solid tungsten... or Uranium! it's a home security feature!) on its own can't provide a serious improvement in noise over a basic stud wall, particularly when there are intentionally holes to bypass it.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Anything has to be better than the crap they made walls out of in the 60s (hint: concrete and/or mud)

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

peanut posted:

Japan has usually just used foam boards up to now but the younger generation of architects uses the fluffy stuff.

I really love how these trends work. It's legit funny to me.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Ceremony to ask God(s) for their approval before construction starts.

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Pigsfeet on Rye
Oct 22, 2008

I'm meat on the hoof

peanut posted:

Ceremony to ask God(s) for their approval before construction starts.



:buddy: That's awesome.

Suspect Bucket
Jan 15, 2012

SHRIMPDOR WAS A MAN
I mean, HE WAS A SHRIMP MAN
er, maybe also A DRAGON
or possibly
A MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM
BUT HE WAS STILL
SHRIMPDOR

peanut posted:

Ceremony to ask God(s) for their approval before construction starts.



You got the fixins for a decent party there. Stuffed cabbage leafs, roast leeks, frozen banana pops, sangria... EDIT: is that a side of TUNA at the top left?

By the way, what do you do with stuff left at shrines? Like, fresh veg and stuff that's gonna go bad. Do you just clean it up after it goes off, or are you allowed to use it after a certain amount of time?

Suspect Bucket fucked around with this message at 02:18 on Mar 31, 2016

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


That's a huge tai (red snapper?)
Traditionally the priest would take it all home, but he said it's fine if the family keeps it all, or whatever. We sent the fish home with the priest, gave some fruit, vegetables and sake to our architect (he needs sake for other ceremonies*) and kept the rest for ourselves.

*We splashed water, sake, salt and rice at certain spots on the old house before demolition.

Food on home altars gets eaten in turn, but idk about food on graves. Only animals and ghosts know.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


They'll finally start digging the foundation tomorrow! :peanut: The main reason for delay was the city using up its budget for the fiscal year by pouring concrete into nature's gaping hole :sadpeanut:

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Toilet spergin'
http://www.japan-guide.com/ad/toto/
http://www.toto.com/en/wtjapan/index.htm

Suspect Bucket
Jan 15, 2012

SHRIMPDOR WAS A MAN
I mean, HE WAS A SHRIMP MAN
er, maybe also A DRAGON
or possibly
A MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM
BUT HE WAS STILL
SHRIMPDOR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=culcenqXh1s

Hello, Welcome to Begin Japanology. I'm Peter Barakan, and holy poo poo is Japan Awesome/Weird/I Have Strange Taste In Shirts. Did you know that the japaneese are pee-shy?

Also, my parents have one of those fancy toilet seats with the robot butt washer and heating and fake flush noises. It scares me a little.

Suspect Bucket fucked around with this message at 01:49 on Apr 3, 2016

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


This is the final floorplan, but you can still criticize it. Our jewels and cash will be in my desk in the master bedroom.

Edit: the front door is missing and the kitchen door is cutoff, whatever. Sliding doors are arrows.

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peanut fucked around with this message at 12:58 on Apr 4, 2016

wooger
Apr 16, 2005

YOU RESENT?

peanut posted:

This is the final floorplan, but you can still criticize it. Our jewels and cash will be in my desk in the master bedroom.

Edit: the front door is missing and the kitchen door is cutoff, whatever. Sliding doors are arrows.



You have your washing machine in the bathroom?

Overall the design is not ideal from my point of view - you have lots of space, but the layout is odd.

- main bathroom is downstairs, odd in itself. It's also huge, but half the space looks empty?
- separate toilet stall. Is there a sink in there?
- no separate laundry room, even though you have loads of space.
- man cave is off the master bedroom? Maybe you have different uses in mind to me, but this seems far from ideal, if only due to keeping your wife awake.
- what's all the storage off the 2nd bedroom for? Seems excessive - but I guess you might not have a basement/attic/garage.
- The lounge layout seems odd, as does only one 2-seater sofa in such a large space.

Also, what are the big grey things in the middle of the lounge / library?

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Thanks for the good question.

Most of that is typical of Japanese houses, and I have been brainwashed after being here for two long. One bath/shower wet room downstairs, laundry next to do because that's where you get undressed (washer only, no dryer). We have extra space there so we can put up a partition and have a changing/storage area.
The single toilet downstairs will have a tank top sink for hand washing.

No attic, garage or basement.
Ideally the man cave and storage would be entered from the hall, but I had to design within space constraints. We're hoping it will keep the kids out XD It will probably be used for desk work and manga, not tv.

The square in the library is a low table.

cl is closet
sh is shelves

peanut fucked around with this message at 23:25 on Apr 4, 2016

Suspect Bucket
Jan 15, 2012

SHRIMPDOR WAS A MAN
I mean, HE WAS A SHRIMP MAN
er, maybe also A DRAGON
or possibly
A MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM
BUT HE WAS STILL
SHRIMPDOR

peanut posted:

This is the final floorplan, but you can still criticize it. Our jewels and cash will be in my desk in the master bedroom.


Whhhyyyyy are you telling us this? Have people commented on your lack of planed valuables storage?

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Why else would anyone want to see a floorplan?

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Some local ads for comparison.

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peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Very typical.

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peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Used apartments/condos (called "mansions" lol)

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Laminator
Jan 18, 2004

You up for some serious plastic surgery?
ahhhh I miss Japan. The fiancee and I want a Japanese-style bathtub when we finally get to the point of building our own house, nothing better than a ¥100 Kumamon bath bomb bathtub soak at the end of the day. And our wedding registry is basically going to consist of the most expensive Toto toilet seat possible.

immoral_
Oct 21, 2007

So fresh and so clean.

Young Orc
Even Japanese floorplans look like manga. I half expected tentacles to come out of one of the rooms.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Motronic posted:

I really love how these trends work. It's legit funny to me.

Teach me about insulation, sempai~ (please)

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

peanut posted:

Teach me about insulation, sempai~ (please)

It's not so much that I'm saying one is better that the other (depends on the exact usage), it's that in this part of the US fiberglass is cheap and has been used for decades. The new hotness in ultra-efficient homes is to use lots foam board, which is quite a bit more expensive. Many use a hybrid approach of fiberglass (or similar) batts in the stud space with rigid foam outside under the insulation.

Your comment makes it sound as if the opposite trend is happening in Japan now.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Man idk but here's some progress

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peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Babby mixer fills the hopper

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Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Is labor that cheap that pump trucks aren't a thing there? Or is there some reason a pump truck wouldn't fit?

His Divine Shadow
Aug 7, 2000

I'm not a fascist. I'm a priest. Fascists dress up in black and tell people what to do.
I was wondering that myself, last time I hired a concrete truck it was a single guy with a remote controlled contraption that just poured out the stuff where he wanted it.

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peanut
Sep 9, 2007


I was expecting a big slosh of cement but that's probably the only truck that could fit down our street. :shrug: They used an immersion blender thingy to make sure there were no air pockets. Another guy checked the depth as they went along.

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