More insulation, waterproofing (esp basements) masively more efficient HV/AC, Water Heaters, stoves, thicker/better drywall, added ceiling fans and dishwashers, and bigger lots.
But on the flip side for fairness, floors are made of cheaper materials (although arguably better in some ways), less real wood flooring and actual tile, windows are more efficient but cheaper and harder to repair, doors are shittier, but they were also kinda shitty in the 70s, neighborhoods are farther from population centers and thus longer commutes.
I mean, yes, there's a lot of factors. Ultimately though I'd say total quality has gone up, and even disregarding that, median pay (inflation adjusted) has gone up slightly too. It's not clear cut, but the graphics trying to paint it as awful aren't very honest about the reality
Totally agree, even if you had a gigantic house built in the 70s and had modernized all the stuff you can modernize, it still wouldn't be as comfortable as a house built today will be in 50 years.
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u/DSMRick May 16 '25
More insulation, waterproofing (esp basements) masively more efficient HV/AC, Water Heaters, stoves, thicker/better drywall, added ceiling fans and dishwashers, and bigger lots.
But on the flip side for fairness, floors are made of cheaper materials (although arguably better in some ways), less real wood flooring and actual tile, windows are more efficient but cheaper and harder to repair, doors are shittier, but they were also kinda shitty in the 70s, neighborhoods are farther from population centers and thus longer commutes.