Houses before the 1970s were usually built on a stem wall or piers, but homes in the 1970s were concrete slab-on-grade, typically with thickened edges that serve as a foundation. Standing for over four decades, soil erosion might already be taking its toll. The sloping of the yard was often done using crushed rock or gravel to provide drainage and help prevent flooding. Either way, these are features that need to be considered when choosing what type of foundation to use on your home.
If you're going with a concrete slab, then the size of your lot will determine how much concrete you need. Concrete is heavy, so you'll need to make sure you have enough support beams under the house to hold up the weight. The thickness of the edge of the slab is also important; if it's not thick enough, it could be damaged by a lawnmower or shovel. Thicker slabs are also easier to dig when you want to do some work underneath your house.
Homes before the 1970s used wood or brick for their frame, which was then finished off with paint or other coatings. This is why those older than 1970 tend to smell more like wood or mustiness. If you get a chance, look around your own house; it may not seem dirty or worn down, but that's because it probably hasn't been painted in years if at all.
Most 1970s houses are likely to remain structurally good today, but there are certain maintenance considerations to consider if you are buying or selling this type of property. Even though the 1970s were a difficult decade with repeated recessions, around 20 million dwelling units were created during this time. The housing market also became more standardized with a decreasing number of models available from brand name builders.
The 1970s were also a time when many new laws were passed that affected home construction practices thereafter. For example, the 1972 amendments to the Federal Housing Act required universal installation of energy-efficient heating and cooling systems in new homes. In addition, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 led to a large-scale adoption of environmental protection measures in building design and construction. These included solar collection devices for hot water and electricity, rainwater harvesting, and energy-efficient appliances.
Finally, the most important factor to consider is the condition of the house. If possible, visit it alone at night or in bad weather when you can see how it interacts with its environment. Check for signs of moisture intrusion, such as mold or damp walls, and functional problems that may require repair work before you buy it. Old houses can be renovated to make them comfortable and affordable to own, but these renovations can also cause problems because older materials are usually less stable than those used today.
Stone age dwellings were rectangular and made of timber throughout the Neolithic period (4000 BC to 2500 BC). These houses are no longer standing, although the foundations may still be seen. Some buildings featured thatched roofs and walls made of wattle (woven wood) and daub (mud and straw). In more advanced areas people began to build with stone, using tools such as axes and knives to cut the materials down from larger trees. The stones were then shaped into whatever form was required by scraping off any excess material or using water to work the clay between the stones.
In Europe the first farmers arrived around 7500 BC and by 5000 BC farmers had spread across most of Europe except for Scandinavia and parts of Russia. They built simple one-roomed structures made from wood and thatch or mud bricks and used animals such as goats and sheep for transport and fuel rather than using their own energy. By 500 BC more sophisticated houses made from stone and clay were being built which had windows and doorways and some even had floors made from wood or clay. By 100 AD many farms had become large scale operations with hundreds of acres of land that included house buildings, barns, and enclosures for livestock.
The Romans developed building skills that were passed on to later builders including England, France, and Germany. Their buildings used stone, brick, and mortar and sometimes included roofs covered with tiles or corrugated iron.
The majority of the building in this region is mud and bricks, and the majority of the residential structures are composed of timber beams with moisture and heat insulation, clay and straw thatched roofing, and clay and brick walls. It is worth noting here that, with the introduction of iron beams and bricks...
The traditional Chinese house was not a single structure but a collection of independent rooms for various uses, such as living quarters, storage, and workshops. Each room had its own entrance, which could be through a common corridor or separate doors. The layout of the rooms was determined by how they were being used - if primarily for residence then the main entrance would be to the front, while if for business then the main entrance would be to the back. The term "Chinese house" is therefore somewhat misleading because it implies that they were one single structure when, in fact, they were not.
In Europe, houses were built from stone, wood, or a combination thereof. In the Middle East, houses were built from stone or brick. In Africa, houses were usually made out of wood or bamboo with thatch or mats for roofs.
But everywhere else in the world, people used mud or concrete for their homes. Or both!
Mud houses are very simple structures made of mud mixed with water and some straw or vegetation for weight-bearing support.
From the outside, most 70s homes were pretty uninventive. There were the post-and-beam style homes; A-frames, domes, cubes, and A-frames. But according to Lisa's Nostalgia Cafe, the king of the 70s homes was the one-story ranch. They said that these were often built with used parts from older models or even brick buildings that were demolished.
Inside, people tended to focus on comfort more than anything else. So kitchens had gas ranges and dishwashers, but they also had old-fashioned ovens and burners for cooking by fire. Bedrooms had vaulted ceilings and double windows that opened up to balconies or patios.
There were two types of flooring commonly used in the 70s: hardwood and carpet. Carpet was becoming more popular because it was warmer to walk on and less expensive than hardwood. However, hardwood was making a comeback because it is more durable than carpet.
Roofs were usually made of asphalt or concrete shingles, but some people used wood instead. Some houses had flat roofs while others had sloped ones. Either way, if you wanted to keep something off the ground for parking or storage, you needed to hire an architect to design a roof structure for it.
The 70s were a time when many families were growing larger so there were more rooms inside the house for everyone to enjoy.
Homes were constructed using mud and straw bricks. Molds for making bricks were devised by the Ancient Egyptians. However, most bricks were sun-dried. Some huge residences were made of stone, but the majority of dwellings, rich and poor alike, were built of brick. The walls of a house were about 1.5 meters (5 feet) high and made up of hundreds of bricks. The roof was thatched or shingled with palm leaves or wooden shakes.
In ancient Egyptian homes, the living quarters were on the ground floor, while the bedrooms were on the upper floors. Doorways had no frames but were opened and closed by large posts called jambs. Windows were small openings cut into the wall of the house near the top of the doorframe. They could be opened to let in fresh air or closed to keep out insects and the rain.
The interior of an Egyptian home was simply divided up by posts called joists. These ran from the floor to the ceiling inside the house, with the exception of the entryway where they would continue outside, forming a frame around the door. On these posts, which were usually pine trees, the rooms were created: kitchen, dining room, family room, etc. There were no carpets or other floor coverings used by the Egyptians. Instead, they relied on plants for their flooring; grass was commonly used instead. Wooden benches served as tables, and chairs were made of wood when necessary.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 BindleyHardware & Co Inc.
