🇬🇧BRIT Reacts To ARE UK AND USA HOUSES DIFFERENT? *why so much wood??? 

One important factor in many parts of the US regarding wood vs. brick is if the area earthquake prone, as wood is better because it is less rigid.

American homes generally have entry ways for coats, shoes, etc. Here in Alaska, we have “Arctic Entries” - a double entry system (usually like a small room for winter gear, etc.) with both outside & inside doors to help keep the cold out.

America homes are not 100% wood. Usually only the framing and walls are wood. There’s a combo of steel and brick as well with the wood. Also wood homes are more easy to renovate if you want to add another room or expand a room. You couldn’t do that with fully brick homes easily.

The reason you can't remove the walls going into the living room is probably because those walls are structural. If you took those walls down your house would cave in.

At my house, we hang out on the front porch as do my neighbors. It's good for the neighborhood and keeps us connected. We watch out for each other. Granted, the front porch promotes neighborhood gossip, but then the talk will happen regardless of where you spend your time outside your home. I enjoy sitting on the porch and not knowing who will pass by and then when someone does walk by, you almost always interact with each other.

i live in a 200 year-old wooden farmhouse between buffalo and rochester, ny. we regularly see 80+ inches of snow per year, plus rains and such. the number of repairs/replacements needed (and the costs) over the years have been nowhere near what a neighbor’s brick house has needed. about 5 years ago we had the house inspected for insurance and 200 years later, it is still 90% original. brick dude 4 houses down has had to replace entire walls because of things like the weight of the brick and the foundation sinking into the ground after a particularly nasty winter. all it takes is a small section of brick being damaged… if you don’t spot it in time, the ripple effect up and out can cost you easily tens of thousands of dollars. edited to add: i have lived in brick houses before, and would never choose to again. also, adobe houses in the southwest are amazing and i miss them sometimes. but i don’t miss 115 degree summers.

Brick houses won't work in Earthquake Country where I live. Won't meet code. Rebar and wood are used here.

The house I grew up was built of redwood. It doesn't burn and it doesn't get termites. We loved it. It's very sturdy and had survived multiple earthquakes unlike brick houses. They fall down.

A lot of the appliances Brits and Europeans assume all American homes have built in are only done so in current homes. So, anything built 2000 forward. Most homes in the US weren’t like that prior. Especially if you live in a historic area of any city. The homes are not open plan, their are hallways, it’s smaller with the larger yards. Edit: small spaces are cheaper to heat and cool.

You'll find a lot of brick home on the east coast of the US. Not so much on the west coast. Brick homes are not conducive to earthquakes.

I would pick wood frame home because in part in winter when it's very cold a wood frame construction can be much more insulated than a concrete block or brick home. Even better I would like a log home or timber frame because of the way they look inside and out.

Granite countertops are like about anything else - it depends on the stone. Some are very "busy" while others are warm and add to the space. Instead of granite, which needs some maintenance, we used quartz which is impermeable and also harder than granite so more durable. And as far as that hallway and knocking out those walls - this obviously was a two-story home he drew so without those walls you'd need huge, long carry beams to take the load of the rooms above. That's why architects have degrees!

In America most homes are framed depending on the width of the wood with 24 or 16 in between wood studs. Then that area is filled with insulation which makes them Tighter and warmer than your homes in Britain. Also as a some made understand with the nature of earthquakes in this area in this country wood framed homes that have a good foundation and footings hold up better in earthquakes than do stone or brick. If you look at the homes built in the Middle East out of brick or stone they fall apart very easily and kill people because of it.

Tell you right now, our bedroom in the US is about the size of our whole house back in the UK lol

In reference to real estate listings in the United States the norm is to list the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and the square footage of each combined with a total square footage of the home. This makes it easy to calculate the cost per square foot of a given house which is used to compare throughout neighborhoods to see where the most expensive homes are per square foot. I am sure the same is probably true in the UK that everybody wants to know where the best and most expensive neighborhoods are in order to be able to move either as close to or as far away as possible. Most homes built after the 1960s had washers and dryer’s in the garage or in the basement depending upon the geographical location. Speaking of dryers when I was a kid there was nothing like getting a clean pair of toasty jeans fresh out of the dryer to wear on a cold winter morning.

Kabir, I live in tornado ally in the Midwest, and if one of those would happen to hit a stone house, you would certainly be crushed. That’s one reason why pretty much all of the houses here are constructed of wood.

I enjoy your videos so much, Kabir! I usually gravitate towards your reaction videos about tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, as well as the differences between the USA and the UK. After seeing so many of them, I’ve noticed that you often bring up brick houses versus wood. I smile now whenever you do, because I view it as a “Kabir-ism”. 😊 Anyway, as to durability in a strong hurricane or tornado, it’s really not going to matter what your house is made of - a direct hit is going to turn it into a pile of rubble. You might see some brick walls standing after a disaster, but the structure is so badly damaged, it would need to be demolished anyway. As to your question about rot in wood homes, it’s only an issue if it’s constantly exposed to water or wet earth. Newer construction uses specially treated wood that does not rot. My house is a 95 year old wood structure in very good condition. Generally, wood homes are build on a brick or cinder block foundation so the wood does not come into direct contact with the ground. Paint provides further protection against the elements. Some homes are sided with cedar, which doesn’t require paint. Also, a properly insulated wood home is very cozy. I live in Northeast Ohio, so it frequently drops below zero degrees Fahrenheit or -17 degrees Celsius in the winter. Summers range from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit or 21-32 degrees Celsius with ridiculous humidity. The insulation keeps it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Anyway, keep up the wonderful content and keep those Kabir-isms coming!

People often forget that many home features once had an important function that has been forgotten in modern times. In hot, sunny climates, a porch, especially a "Wrap around" porch extends the eves away from the exterior walls, thus reducing the heating effects of direct sunlight striking the walls and streaming into the windows. Properly designed - the length of the eve will be matched to the latitude of the house, so that sunlight enters the windows during the colder / darker months of the year.

wait is it bad to reuse a tea bag for a second brew? I guess I didn't know as Japanese loose leaf green tea can be brewed up to three times and change profiles at least twice. Square Meter is hard to find in japan sometimes as well. they go by often tatami mats. the average for the country is 13.5 tatami mats or about 22.3 sq meters. they also lable the room count by 1k (1 room with kitchen) 1DK (1 room dining and kitchen) 1LDK (1 room, dining, living, and kitchen) edit 2: I also want to point out that the microwave doesn't actually heat a mug. Microwaves work by vibrating moisture. It is the contents, and the steam it gives off, that make the mug hot.

I imagine the hallways are there because they didn’t want to have to heat it. They closed off the rooms with a fireplace to be warmer. It would make sense to take out the halls now and maybe have a foyer, then add the rest to the living room.🐝🤗❤️

Sold my 2400 sq ft wood home and moved into a tiny 1200sq foot brick home. Brick home all day long!!! Our heating bill is half, our sound from outside is less. But I would give 1000sq ft up to live in gorgeous England! It looks so beautiful and historic! ❤️ one day I hope I can see your beautiful land! But I did have a sunroom, family room, living room, laundry room, basement and big walk in closet in the first home. Now, laundry room in the basement, no sunroom, family room Downstairs, small living room, and I still love it much more! Big isn’t always better!

In some older homes, there is an entry vestibule. There is a closet for outerwwear and a rug to drop your shoes. The larger microwaves also vent for the stove and provide some lighting. I think the couple were going off on the aesthetic of granite countertops. It is very expensive and does take maintenance---one of the reasons I passed. Closests are always the thing my mom would specifically measure and were deal breakers when we would look for a home. LOL. Front porches are designed to be neighbor friendly. I have a front porch/courtyard as well as a back patio. We also have legal setbacks from the road for most houses--unlike what you were describing. In terms of what kind of house I would prefer, I am a traditionalist. I have a 2 story Cape Cod--those can be made in brick, stone or wood. My basement is cinder and concrete, with steel and wood. Plus, I have a wood fireplace. Lucky, this time of year.

Hanky panky depends on if your house is insulated properly… it’s up to the homeowner to insulate interior walls… there’s spray foam insulation, cork , cork for noise reduction especially in homes with intercom speakers or stereo systems built in the walls … speakers in every room used to be a real thing for party type entertainment , other insulation is fiberglass

Oh, and on the topic of house construction material: I live on the west coast, so I don't know if brick or stone construction are even up to code here. Certainly it's not in California. You don't see many brick or stone houses in California, not only because it's no longer legal to build them there, but also because the houses that were built that way before such laws were enacted have all collapsed in one earthquake or another. Back where I used to live, in the northeast, I also would have preferred a wooden home because they're better insulated against extreme temperatures. My grandparents bought a stone house in their later years, and then complained endlessly about how drafty it was in the winter and how miserably hot in the summer. Wooden houses are basically just big inssulation bags -- in some ways, it makes as much sense to define them as 'built of insulation and steel' as it does to describe them as made of wood. They're therefore very well-designed for places that get extreme temperatures (which is, I assume, why you also see them favored in places like Scandinavia and Siberia). Building materials are highly regional. You want to use wood anywhere that gets earthquakes. Where it gets very cold and very hot, you want either wood or the more contemporary type of brick construction (which compensates for brick's relative lack of insulation). In the desert southwest, adobe is a great material for keeping a house's residents cool and moist. In Florida, on the other hand, where they have to worry about hurricanes and incredibly high humidity, people who can afford it build their houses out of concrete.

Many cities both small and large have laws making stone buildings mandatory in the crowded downtown area. The law usually followed a fire wiping out a good portion of the city. As America grew, we built our houses with some space between each house where most pictures of England I see rows and rows of houses touching each other. In America there is a small chance of a fire spreading from house to house. In row houses, it is most certain to take out a whole block if they were wood. I offer this not to discount the video but to add to it.

Microwave safe mugs usually do not have hot handles.

Knocking down the walls does give more room, but you do not need to walk directly into the living room. My home as a kid had the front door next to the living room, but you were not stepping on the carpet. You were standing on hard- carpetless floors so that you could take off your wet/snowy shoes. After removing your shoes and jacket, you took one step to the carpet area.

I live in a 100 year old 1300 sqft rowhouse and they're designed like terrace homes. They used to have the hallway with the stairs at the end, some of the larger historic ones still have them. But over time the hallway was knocked down for more space. But mine has a little 9sqft vestibule area coming into the front door with another 2nd door. So I have hooks for my coat, my welcome mat to wipe my feet, and I have a mail slot in the door. I love the two door entry because it keeps my cats from getting out. Suburban larger homes, most people don't use their front door. There will be a side door that enters into a utility area and some people have what's called a Mudroom to place their coats and shoes. And other people park in their garage and enter in from there. When I lived in Cleveland and my family in Syracuse, nobody uses their front door.

One of the amazing things about brick homes in the US is that the brick is simply the outer facade of a wood built house. We had one like that in Tennessee. The brick is actual full size brick, but it is laid on the outer walls of a house instead of wood or other type of siding. In every other way it's the same as a wood house. Of course you won't have to paint it, so that helps.

duplex and detached house are very common terms in the US. They misused townhouse, what we call a terraced house is a row home. A townhouse is a bit different and is more dictated by the HOA where things like trash, snow removal, and other things are contracted out on the owner's behalf. The average size for a home in the US is useless information, from region to region, this changes drastically.

The 2 main reasons for wood construction are cost and speed. Suburbs mostly often consist of only 3-4 different house types for the entire neighborhood, so a buyer chooses which floor plan they prefer and the builder will order a ‘kit’ basically of the lumber that already includes pre-assembled trusses to make the construction quick. Masonry is more labor intensive than carpentry. Also, wood is a very consistent material. From an engineering standpoint it is easier to design with wood, it might not be intuitive but wood is ‘tough’. Brick is similar to concrete in that it is very strong in compression but otherwise requires expensive reinforcement or post-tensioning if used where it will experience flexure or tension.

I would not switch from my wood home to a brick or stone home. A comment that you made at the beginning of the video about hearing your neighbors was interesting. I cannot hear any noise from people living next door. This is because of the very thick insulation in my walls, ceilings, and floors. I cannot hear anything outside, even cars or trucks driving by. Removing a non-structural ( load bearing) wall is easy. But, if the wall carries a load it is much more difficult and would require a beam, either visible or hidden. But is certainly doable.

I live in a brick home, built in 1968, in South Carolina. Brick homes are common in the South. It is 925 square feet, which is considered a small home here. My home would be also considered to be a starter home - for a newlywed couple without children or one child. It is considered a typical home for a single person.

Hallways make sense when you want to keep areas that would be exposed to weather separate from the other rooms. Additionally American homes with detached garages are the normal entry for the residents. So there is already separation. I spent like 2 years never opening my front door except for guests.

The state of Utah had an earthquake nearly 3 years ago. Buildings and homes that were built years and years ago basically got a brick or stone fell down and many were never rebuilt the same way. Homes that have been built in the last 67 years basically out of lumber with maybe big facets did not fall apart because they had Good Foundations good footings and we're tied together well brick to Wood framing. I would never never in this area build a home totally out of brick or stone or block. You're asking for disaster.

Stone or brick is not good for states such as California who have earthquakes. The wood joints are made to flex. In Florida it is a combo of steel and wood. Wood on top because it flexes, steel beams on the bottom to prevent termites and mold.

The hallway thing is interesting. Here in the US, I have seen them in older homes (80-100 years or more). Part of it is certainly weather here as well. But the more important thing to consider, especially if you want to do remodeling is structural support. Usually that wall provides support to the foundation and carries part of the weight of the second story. If you have a basement or crawl space, it's often easy to tell there. Sometimes you can tell in the attic too based on how the joists are running. I would definitely have a structural engineer or proper contractor look at it before removing a wall that could be load bearing. There are ways to still do it with steel beams; but your loads are going to be heavier in the UK than in the US because of brick vs wood construction.

I prefer a wood home to brick. I live in earthquake country, and rigid structures don't hold up well to large quakes.

My husband and I are in our 70s and recently moved to Utah from California. We love it here and have a home that is 1500 square feet. We have an indoor laundry room. In California our washer and dryer were in the garage. Our house is mainly wood and very well insulated which is good because the temperature here this evening is 17 degrees Fahrenheit. I enjoy your videos, thank you.

I've lived in a mobile home, a duplex, apartments, and detached houses...the duplex was nice but everything else sucked so I prefer a detached home like I have now. I don't like big homes (more than 2000 sf), my preferred is small like I live in now, 700 sf 2 BR, 1 bath, basement, large corner lot, within 1 mile walk downtown and 1 block from the river for $800 a month. My house is a mix of wood and brick, no preference. The laundry is in the basement, separate washer and dryer. No way would I hang my clothes outside, wash them just to have the wind blow dirt on them, birds pooping on them, and all the squirrels, I pass. I had a walk in closet in past house but I got rid of almost everything and went minimalist so no need, just a small closet now. I enjoy having a large backyard on the corner, it's not private to walkers or cars but have made many friends when having parties when they say ya'll look like you're having a good time so just invite them to join. I do however enjoy the front porch, drinking coffee watching people lol. Dishwashers, I hate them, I prefer hand washing. My past house walked into an entryway but this house it's straight into the the living room but if it's raining or snowing I have all come in the back door in the kitchen where the floor is tiled and not carpeted.

Regarding the granite countertops, the shiny glitter type sheen is the quartz in the granite, not anything the manufacturer adds to the surface. In my childhood home built in the late 60s, we had a front entrance that had a closet next to the door. It was made out of stone on the floor for those inclement weather days.

We live in a townhouse on stilts on Galveston island, Texas. Our entry is essentially like your hallway entry but it is open to the living room. We have a column in the middle and beams because it is a load bearing area. I imagine it's the same in your homes. I would like some sort of a wall so you don't open the front door right into the room. I was surprised by the folks doing the video making reference to 'dens and offices' and not family rooms.

I liked your explanation of the reason for the hallway. That makes sense. Many American houses have a covered area outside the door or people enter through the garage and are not exposed to the elements.

I personally prefer a hallway and separate rooms. Not a fan of "open concept", where there are no walls between living room, dining room, kitchen, family room. If not walls, at least something to make them defined spaces and provide some privacy.

I live in a ground floor apartment and I hear my neighbors a lot. When I first moved here, my neighbor above me sounded like she was constantly arguing with herself and BOWLING!!! I was working night shift and was incredibly sleep deprived! More recently I have had an issue with termites. LOL I put my hand on the wall and it just caved in!

We just moved to the UK from the states and it was definitely a bit of an adjustment. Bedrooms not having built in closets was probably the hardest thing to adjust to. That and our furniture just being too big to comfortably make it up the stairs.

I love reading all the comments of people describing their houses! My husband and I recently bought a 2500 square foot home with 1 1/2 attached car garage, 3 bedrooms (we use one as an office), 2 1/2 bathrooms, half finished basement which we use as a second living room because it has a wood burning fireplace, we have a kitchen with a dining room, living room upstairs… our laundry room is on the unfinished side of the basement so it has cement walls and floor but we plan to add insulation and walls and carpet etc. my husband is also in the process of making his music studio on the other part of the unfinished basement. Our house was built in 1958 so the layout is semi open. Our dining room is open to the kitchen but the rest of the rooms are not attached and we have a full bath in the basement with a full bath off the hall upstairs, it isn’t attached to the master bedroom. We also have a half bath upstairs

Here in the States we have rooms called "mud rooms". These are off the garage, side door or a back entry of the house. In this area to one side is a small bathroom with a sink, toilet & sometimes with a stand up shower & to the other side is the laundry room with the area for coats etc. Either in the winter or summer they're great especially after doing yardwork you can get washed up without getting dirt in the rest of the home. We also have "pool baths" these are bathrooms just inside the house off the pool area & helps to keep the main part of the house from getting wet if someone needs to use the RR. These areas have either tile, wood or linoleum for easier cleaning.

I Live in a well insulated, wooden, cedar shake shingle house on the coast- you can keep the brick. The entry opens to a vestibule- keeps the weather out...microwaves (2) built into the wall. Two dishwashers, a detached 3 car garage, with a separate one bedroom apt above. A temp controlled wine room (which we just use as a closet) in the pantry, and a small sauna in the master bath. Also a giant screened in back porch that acts as an extension to the living room in the summer, plus a stone fireplace. All on two acres of wooded land.

We live in a (what you would call) detached house but we also own a townshouse that we used to live in. The townhouse was made completely of wood and we did not hear anything from our neighbors. They use good quality soundproofing materials in newer constuction.

Wood houses do much better in earthquake prone areas. The flexibility of wood actually allows for wood homes to survive the shaking much better. That doesn't really matter in MOST of the US but you asked for a way wood is stronger. Older American homes also use hallways kind of like how the UK does. Open concept homes (as few dividing walls as possible) have been the "in" trend here for a long time

One of key factors driving European masonry construction was the growth a large, crowded cities, and the risk of fire among crowded wood structures. The "Great Fire of London" (in 1666) being an excellent example of why London is primarily a masonry city today.

6:26 My house is 900 sq feet. It's tiny and drab, but it's situated on two regular platted lots in a 2nd ring suburb of a metro. I fenced my entire property a few years ago so it is a doggie paradise. Yeah, my dogs are and were spoiled.

Who calls it a laundry machine or drying machine? Did the terms washer and dryer get canceled and no one told the rest of the world?

An odd thing I have found In American homes, especially older houses, some of the anomalies are there by design,. My house is 100 years old, but odd door placement makes more sense in the summer when you find you can open windows based on which way the wind is blowing and cool the house a lot, or in winter where opening and closing doors creates heat paths. Strange but true

wooden homes are preferable here because its way cheaper, its easier to change (home improvements) and is just as sturdy as a brick home. Wood is usually stronger during wind events and earthquakes as it is flexible. Wooden homes are insulated and more energy friendly.

The house my parents bought and I grew up in as well was made of sandstone and it was built in 1836, carved in the stone above the front door. Very thick walls, windowsills are about two feet thick, and my mother sat plants in them. It had a coal furnace, but for the most part we burned wood, since we had 150 acres and a lot of trees, that is what we used. It was such a warm house, I can remember opening the front door on Christmas day because it got so hot.

17:58 The mug itself does NOT heat up from the microwave... The microwave radiation excites water molecules, not ceramic. The mug is hot because the water in it is hot, and has had time to radiate its heat toward the outside of the mug. Same as pouring from a kettle and waiting a bit for the mug to get hot from the water. Also contributing to the mug feeling quite hot when in the microwave is that we often have a tendency to heat things longer than necessary in the microwave -- we forget how efficient it really is. It's odd that these people seem to have no idea that a microwave is not just for reheating stuff... you can cook a whole meal in a microwave. How? Well, it's as simple as reading the damn instruction manual, isn't it! lol

There's a UK young couple who do reaction videos like this. They said that the thing about the hallway is that a lot of UK citizens, especially older ones, don't want anyone to be able to see directly into their homes when they come to your door. They specifically mentioned delivery people or workmen, but delivery people in the US don't come into your home unless you're dealing with something like a large furniture piece being delivered.

While granite countertops had a surge in popularity in the United States, I would not say that "most" homes here have them. There are all types of materials used including marble, wood, tile, laminate, and I'm sure many others. I've never lived in a home that had granite countertops, and I've lived in many.

Stone Cottages are lovely until you have to try to heat one, somewhere that actually freezes all winter long.

That #1, is a row home, not a town house. I've lived in an apartment, townhouse, duplex and a house. Much prefer the house! Bigger isn't always better...just more to keep clean! Would not swap for brick - too many earthquakes where I am. In the 1931 farmhouse I live in, there are 5 bedrooms - one has a "Harry Potter" closet, all the others have a walk-in closet, with one (not the main bedroom) having two walk-in closets. Love my covered porch on the front of the house. I have a dishwasher, but I prefer to handwash my dishes. When it is warm, I like to hang my clothes on the line to dry, but in the winter, I love my dryer.

Wood makes sense because of the woodlands around here. Same with the stucco here in the southwest and mesquite beams used as the roof frame.

I believe the rooms with doors off the hallway is to keep the heat from the fireplace in the room. I am an American that lived in the Cotwolds and every room had a door...even the kitchen!! Love watching your channel ❤️

Another room that is pretty common in US homes is the "mud room", especially popular in wetter, colder northern states. It is a room led to by a door that is not the front door -- maybe side or back -- where you shake off the wet, take off your coat and shoes, and change into house-slippers (or just socks). It is very often incorporated into the utility room with the washer/dryer/water heater.

I lived in southern Texas growing up that had a hall as you entered the front door, so it isn't too uncommon a thing in the US to have an entryway hall. The house I grew up in, after you came in the front door, had a foyer hall with a living room and a family room off to either side of it, with a staircase leading up to the top floor on the right side and the kitchen straight down the foyer hall. Mudrooms are also a common room to have in detached houses that acts as a barrier between the garage and the main part of the house. I had that in the same house where I grew up. The mudroom is where you'd take off and store your shoes so as not to track in mud (hence the name of the room) which also acted as a laundry, utiility and storage room. So yeah, there is a ton of variations here in the US, especially depending on what weather/climate/natural disaster conditions each region can experience.

Eight reasons for the hallway/living room wall: 1. An extra wall to put a sofa against. People often don't like people walking right behind them. Call it a survival mechanism I guess. 2. UK weather is often cold. Extra wall = reduced draft when the front door is open (for deliveries, what have you). 3. At night, someone can close the living room door if they're watching TV while others are sleeping. Without the wall and door, the TV might be heard upstairs, and with more space, acoustics could make it worse. 4. Fireplace. In the UK, there are usually two smoke alarm locations: One in the hallway, and one on the upstairs landing. Without the wall and door, the fireplace could trigger the smoke alarm. 5. Cats. No one wants to have their cat's litter tray in the living room or kitchen. Put that in the hallway, landing, or under the stairs with a cat flap. 6. It's one more door you can slam in your family's face. 7. Phone calls. In the past, and for houses that still use them, it was common to have the landline in the hallway for easy access and so that someone wouldn't disturb others who were talking/watching TV, etc. Most UK homes used wired landlines, so we couldn't exile them to other parts of the house. 8. They're often load-bearing, but that's not important if you want to have the house spontaneously convert into a bungalow in your later years.

In America they started creating ceramic cups, plates, etc., that don't get hot in the microwave. As for removing the wall, if not structural, in the U.S. we will sometimes have a tiled entryway and closet for hanging coats, umbrellas, etc., that you would remove before stepping into the living room proper.

I would never trade my wooden house for brick or stone. Wooden houses are flexible while brick and stone homes crumble in an earthquake. Because of this, in many areas of the USA, houses made from these non-flexible materials have higher insurance premiums.

I own a house here in the US. It's a smaller house in my area, 1,400 square feet. 2 bed 1 bath. But, it does have an office and a basement. It also has what we call a mud room, a room that has no fancy floor just concrete, where you can take your muddy shoes and pants off and walk into the house and not get murdered by the wife. Edit: Also, because my house was built in 1913, theres a shower in the basement so the coal miner that built the house could shower the coal dust off of him before seeing his wife and kid(s)

the reason for a wall in the hallway is that it reduces the heating costs. Many UK homes don't use forced air heating like they do in North America. So having doors to close keeps the rooms warmer. The UK also rarely has central AC either

As I have to replace a good amount of siding right now, I would trade my wooden home for brick home in a heart beat.

Also the name or purpose of rooms may change depending on who lives there. Like ours was listed as having two livings rooms, three bedrooms, a potential bedroom or office space. Now we have, also including what was already there. A living room, pool room, laundry room, kitchen, butler's pantry, 2 full bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, central heating and cooling, front and backyard, garden, entryway closet, hall closet and cupboards. Of course I've lived in houses with different configurations.

I live in New Mexico and my house as well as most of my neighbors houses is made of concrete block (cinder block) and plaster and many are adobe brick, and plaster in the neighborhood. In Los Angeles, when I lived there, few homes were brick because brick does not fare well with earthquakes and probably would no longer pass coding for that reason. Brick is rigid and wood or steel is flexible. Some larger structures like apartment buildings or office buildings are designed to move a bit on sliders to weather the earthquakes better. After large earthquakes you could see piles of brick (or stone) that once were chimneys and any exterior brick was also in a heap on the ground. Tile roofs didn't necessarily fare well either. When I lived in Florida, homes were mostly made of wood perhaps because Florida is prone to some sinking due to the underground water table being so high and in Ohio most were wood with exterior brick and wood many in the Craftsman style. My house is a single family dwelling and is small at only 1150 sq ft. I also have a separate 550 sq ft. guest house on my property that I rent out.

I went from owning my own home to moving north to Seattle and Portland now, feels kinda weird because renting an apartment with 2 bedrooms is so much smaller lol and my wife and I had to adjust to not having extra bedrooms to store our stuff. Granted my apartment is1100 square feet so it's not tiny by any means. I dunno the typical size of a flat in the UK so I am curious. That was crazy avg is under 500 sq feet? Wow. Also yeah, we enter usually into the living room/kitchen but every place I have lived in usually has some sort of flooring in the front where you can take off shows/hang up your coat - even sometimes a separate room just for that. I saw some comments saying they call it a mudroom whereas we've always just called it an entry room. I wonder if he hates marble countertops too lol.

In the states we were always told that brick makes the house cold in the winter and hot in the summer so not to buy the homes with brick. Although most of us prefer the look of brick.

Houses that don't have the space for a laundry room usually have it in the bathroom or in a closet. My sister owned a home where the washer was in her kitchen and she liked it, but a lot of her company thought that was weird. We also tend to do a lot of adding on to our smaller homes. So sometimes the laundry room is added on to what used to be a back patio or just all together added on. They also might end up in the garage. Just very seldom ever the kitchen. Makes sense to have them in the kitchen though.

Historically, all but the poorest of houses had guests enter a hall or foyer vs. directly into a reception room. It was a layout for etiquette and hospitality rather than room function--although some houses had hallways that function as a weather break in cold weather or long hallways that served to funnel air from one end of the house to the other in hot climates.

A thing with the extra walls in houses, is that it helps contain fire, a larger room means the fire can spread faster. If the fire is more contained, it can cause less damage.

No I would not swap. I live in earthquake zone & wood flexes much better than brick & stone. Regarding walking into the living room in the rain, I live in rainy wastern Washington and walk directly into my living room, but I have a small entryway with just a short low wall & I have a bench for taking your shoes off and a tray to put them on so it is not an issue.

I think all those British hallways predate central heating. You could close rooms off and not have to worry about heating them. Some of our older homes are built that way, too.

Hi from Canada 🇨🇦. Our houses basically mirror the US. I live in a townhouse in the suburbs of my city. Surrounded by parks, the woods and through the woods, a golf course.

That wall question - might be a style philosophy, giving the living room some sense of separateness / privacy, or, as Kabir stated it creates an "Entryway", a "Foyer" as you enter the house. tThen again, it may be a structural issue with the length of floor spans being limited, and thus requiring structural support.

Older homes have entry hallways, or foyer. In the north older homes have an air lock. You walk into a little entry way that usually has a closet and a place to take off your shoes or boots, then there's another door into the hallway. This would stop cold air from blasting in. Personally, I don't want someone walking in and seeing into my kitchen.

A lot of older houses in the US also have you entering into a hallway when entering the house instead of immediately into a room which makes me think that was necessary due to structural limitations prior to modern building materials being developed.

BTW: Microwaves are great for fried potatoes. You do the onions, peppers and bacon on the stove and microwave the meduim potatoes, whole, for three mintues a side. When the potatoes are "baked", you peel them. it's real easy, but very hot. I have "cooks hands" which means I don't burn easily, Anymore. You then smash the potatoes with a fork into the peppers and onion, You remove the bacon, and fry for five minutes a side til crisp. Big points if you can flip the potatoes, in the pan, without a spatula! Serve with hot sauce and ketchup, topped with bacon bits. Sour cream is extra!

I live in the south and our home is made of wood. I have lived since the early 80's and have noticed that the brick houses tend to get demolished during hurricanes because there is no so called breathing room for the wind SI bricks collapse. My parents house is 3500 sq ft while my 2 bedroom apartment above the garage is 1250 sq ft. The property is on 1.5 acres and when bought in 2001 cost us $140,000....we got a lot of space for a good price. Also the main house has 4 walk-in closets and 7 regular closets and the apartment has 1 walk-in closet and 5 regular closets.

Another deciding factor for building materials is the climate and environment of the area the house is built in/on. Wood is great for the midwest where it is not humid enough to cause abundant mold and not super hot. The midwest often has strong tornados that can demolish brick houses. If you survive and have to rebuild a house, wood is cheaper. I also remember a case were several people died because the tornado caused the brick fireplace to collapse on them. Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and many other states have tornados every year. The states I mentioned have most of them from Spring to early fall. Texas has an average of 151 tornados a year. Oklahoma's average is 68, Kansas 91, Nebraska 55, Iowa 52, Missouri 47, and Illinois is and average of 54 tornados year. Also if you have a really old house in the US you might not have a closet in that house. Homes back then were often built without closets. back then you would not own that many clothes to warrant a closet and you would have a wardrobe. My microwave is a stand alone counter top microwave. I do not actually know many people here that have a built in microwave and have only seen it in newer homes. We also had clothes lines in our back yard. We had a drying machine but didn't use it as often.

Kaberle, you have to make sure it's not a load bearing wall before knocking down a wall. If it is a load bearing wall you would have to install a beam to hold the weight of the 2nd floor or attic.

The west shoes etc. We have general a mud room just outside the laundry room...however if a guest comes through in wet or muddy gear...most US homes have a foyer...a small wall no longer than 2 ft. That usually has someplace to hang wet coats etc. But will open up right away.

The hallway wall helps to support the ceiling. Granite counter tops hide stains.

My family is Mexican American , we make tamales at Christmas time. We just got together with extended family last weekend and had our annual tamale making party.

14:59 Yeah. When I was being an individual in my tiny crappy house remodeling with a sabre saw I remembered the codes of bedrooms and closets.

The enclosed living area in the UK could be for heat containment in the winter....heating a smaller area and also preventing cold air from an opened front door from blowing directly into the room. It makes a lot of sense and I predict it'll make a come back here. I've heard several from the younger generation lament open floor plans.

We have had many kettles, both stove top & electric. The microwave is faster to heat water. We use it regularly to heat water. They do make microwaveable cups & mugs of all sizes, lol. When I just need 1-4 cups of water while I am cooking, I place the water in a measuring cup and heat it faster than it wood on the stovetop. More convenient in my opinion. Many American homes have foyers & entryways. Mudrooms are not usually at the front door.

The US is not the only first world country in the world that uses wood. Just look at Canada and notably Scandinavia like Norway and Sweden.

The Hall is probably helping support the second story floor.., so perhaps leave a support post..etc. Just leave enough space inside the front door.. to place those things..boots, coats., open living. if you can handle seeing your shoes sometimes. merry christmas everyone be safe

I like having extra storage space. I would just put things that I don't get into very often up in the area that's inconvenient to get to. I personally do the opposite with the storage units. We do loft beds with closet space beneath them in the bedrooms that don't have much closet space.

Even in dense cities or neighborhoods with walkups, row houses and townhouses it's nice to have a small porch to sit and talk to neighbors or greet passerbyers as they walk down the sidewalk. We like to have both front and back space. It fosters community engagement. My mom's townhouse here in Virginia is built with a hallway/stairs at the front door just as he drew. To the right is a door to the eat in kitchen. Opposite to the front door at the other end of the hallway is the living room. The front hallway has a closet for washer/dryer and a half bath (underneath the stairwell) on the other side. So, American homes have all kinds of designs.

I'm an American who lives in an older (1900) home and my house is WAY less than 1/2 of the average American home and I am TOTALLY happy with that. No need for a McMansion lol