By writing this title, I mean a house that the average American family can afford. IN in this case, I just went to realtor.com and looked for houses within a 30 mile radius around me.
By the way, I searched for a long time because the photos are bad. Americans don’t really bother taking photos, since everyone roughly knows what’s inside. You'll still have to go and see.
In general, I have chosen a couple of houses with a cost of up to 200 thousand. And I will try to comment on what you will see in the pictures. Because such houses are even very familiar to me.
Here's a look at the house. 3 Bed 3 Bath, that is, 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with toilets. In the first photo, as the song says: “This will be the front, it’s called the façade.”
I've lived almost exactly like this before. So, I know the structure of the house well. On the right is a garage for 2 cars, and the garage is quite long and spacious. On the left is the entrance and a small porch. A tiny front garden, by default the builders plant rose hips there. We go into the house:
On the left is the entrance door, immediately from it there is a staircase to the second floor. Directly you see the windows facing the front yard, that is, right in front of the house. In the first picture the same windows to the left of front door, got your bearings? There are two figurines hanging on the wall, just for beauty.
If we don’t stop there and keep walking, we will reach the opposite wall of the house and go out through the glass sliding door into the backyard, that is, the back yard.
Our kitchen was made differently, and even on the right, not the left. Here is the same kitchen in more detail:
The refrigerator is a bit far from the stove. Not very convenient, we had it next to the stove. Here, above the stove, a microwave oven is attached to the wall - this is often done now. This also seems inconvenient to me, because it is simply dangerous to lower the hot stuff from above.
The stoves are now made with double ovens. That is, the lower one is large, and the upper one is slightly smaller, so as not to waste gas if you just need to stew one chicken. There is one oven here. There must be lighting above the stove and a hood with a fan at two speeds.
When renting out a house, as a rule, everything is already worth it, except for the refrigerator. Or maybe they’re already building in a refrigerator now. To the right of the sink is a dishwasher - dishwasher. The sink itself must have a built-in waste shredder - a disposal.
I stole this from another house, but that’s the point. Upstairs suspended ceilings, to the right and left there are long white doors - these are built-in storage rooms. Well, here workplace for a hacker it is shown as I see it. A pair of monitors for what else?
In general, I didn’t see anything in the basements: bars, game rooms, gyms, workshops. I show a piece of my basement in this video: Fizkult-Greetings from Doctor Vlad I’m not inserting it here so as not to take up space, just click on the link.
On the ground floor, in addition to the hall with the kitchen, there are two more rooms - on the left and on the right. Here is one of these rooms from the same house:
Here it is empty. You can leave it like that. I've seen some done game room for children. Let me note that it’s not the wires sticking out of the ceiling, but a standard chandelier like the one in the picture. It has a chain, meaning it can be raised or lowered. Either it is above the table, then they lower it. Or there is no table, then they lift it up so as not to bump heads. As long as I’ve lived, I bump into people like this all the time! 🙂
Often one of these side rooms has a fireplace, TV and armchairs. Now I'll steal the photo from somewhere else at their house.
Yes, here is a classic of the genre - a relaxation room with a fireplace, with a TV on the wall. From about the same house. There is also a sofa and comfortable, soft chairs. We've eaten, now we can sleep! All this is still on the first floor.
And here the fireplace is small. Pay attention to the ceiling - it is sloping. That is, there is a roof right on top, without an attic above this room. And two windows to look at the stars. In the last photo in the article you will see these windows on the left, right in the roof.
It's empty here now, but that's because the house is for sale. Of course, an appropriate environment is always created around the fireplace.
And in this picture there is already the second floor, that is, one of the bedrooms.
Most likely, this is the parent's bedroom, that is, the master bedroom. It is different in that it has its own toilet and bath. There is often a double sink there, so as not to quarrel in the morning.
The ceiling is also sloping, this is done to create more volume in the bedrooms. There's a fan with lights on top. Sometimes it is controlled by a remote control so you don’t have to get up and turn off the lights.
This is the master bedroom bathroom. Our toilet was around the corner and the bathtub was opposite. Well, there may be different subtleties. All toilets must have ventilation. Turns on next to the light.
But this is a children's bedroom. It was the former residents who decorated it this way. Of course, there are a million options. It depends on what kind of children you have. Americans always try to ensure that each child has his own room.
And a third bedroom. So, they took it and painted it in different colors. It is clear that this is also a children's bedroom.
Another small photo: the Landry Room, that is, the washing and drying machines. The author got greedy and apparently filmed it on his phone. And now I’ll steal from another house and glue them together.
You can see for yourself that the cars on the right are more modern. Both there and there you can see where the hot and cold water. The gas for the dryer is connected at the bottom. The left photo shows how washing machine stands on a pallet, under the pallet is a drain. This room is small, just behind the entrance from the garage.
Finally, look at the back of this house.
In our house the facade was exactly the same, but at the back both floors were full, covering the entire house. Apparently the bedrooms here are small. On the ground floor there is a small window for the kitchen. They always make him so small. There are no pictures of the garages, otherwise I would have posted them too.
I just figured it out, there’s a lot I haven’t talked about yet. Every room must have a smoke detector hanging on the wall or ceiling. And now they are obligated to display a CO indicator, that is, carbon monoxide.
This is the so-called carbon monoxide, colorless and odorless, which is used to “burn” if the stove is closed early. They are the ones who are poisoned. All these sensors howl terribly when my wife is cooking and something is on fire in the house. And they only fall silent if you air everything out thoroughly.
These indicators have another unpleasant property. When the battery starts to run low, they seem to beep. The best at night! You get up, pull the battery out of it and put a new one in in the morning.
I haven't turned up the lighting yet. It turned out well, right? There are a lot of switches in the house. The simplest example is that you entered the house, turned on the light, undressed and took off your shoes and went straight up to the second floor. There is a second switch there that can be used to turn off the light on the stairs. And there are plenty of such “paired” or even triple switches throughout the house.
In short, I'm wrapping up. Ask if anything is unclear. Here is a direct link to this house: 2461 Hearthstone Drive And here is another one on the second one, where I also took the pictures from: 1471 Hearthstone Drive As you can see, they are on the same street.
Both houses are from Hampshire, not far from me and from Chicago. The one I mainly talked about costs 190 thousand, the second 170. Approximately, because you can always bargain and come to an agreement.
P.S. And this is what a small apartment looks like, which can be obtained almost free of charge for people with little income.
A typical house is not only " standard project", popular in America, but also a home that the average American family can afford. For an example, I went to a real estate website and looked for houses within a 30-mile radius around me.
Photo Depositphotos
By the way, I searched for a long time because the photos are bad. Americans don’t really bother taking photographs, since everyone roughly knows what’s inside. You'll still have to go and see. I have selected a couple of houses costing up to $200 thousand, and using them as examples I will tell you about a typical American house.
The ad text 3 Bed, 3 Bath means that the house has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with toilets. And besides this - a living room, a utility room, a garage.
The most common house design in the USA. Photo realtor.com
I lived in almost one of these and know the structure of the house well. On the right is a garage for 2 cars, and the garage is quite long and spacious. On the left is the entrance and a small porch. A tiny front garden, by default the builders plant rose hips there. We go into the house.
The hall in the house is the default. Photo realtor.com
On the left is the entrance door, immediately from it there is a staircase to the second floor. In the hall there are windows overlooking the “front yard,” that is, the area in front of the house. In the first photo, these are the same windows to the left of the front door, are you oriented?
If we reach the opposite wall of the house, we will go out through the glass sliding door to the “back yard,” that is, to the back yard.
A typical home has doors to the front yard and back yard. Photo realtor.com
A microwave oven is attached to the wall above the stove - this is often done now. This seems inconvenient to me, because it is simply dangerous to lower the hot stuff from above. There must be lighting above the stove and a hood with a fan at 2 speeds.
When renting out a house, as a rule, everything is already built in, except for the refrigerator. Or maybe they are already building in a refrigerator. To the right of the sink is a dishwasher - “dish washer”. The sink itself must have a built-in waste shredder - “disposal”.
In the kitchen there is a door to the basement or “basement”. Builders usually rent it out with cement walls. But you can turn this basement into candy. For example, like this:
The basement is arranged as the owners' imagination dictates. Photo realtor.com
The basement usually has suspended ceilings, and to the right and left there are long white doors - these are built-in storage rooms. In general, I didn’t see anything in the basements: bars, game rooms, gyms, workshops.
Let's go back to the first floor. Here, in addition to the hall with the kitchen, there are other rooms. Some have a playroom for children. Often one of these side rooms has a fireplace, TV and armchairs.
Classic lounge. Photo realtor.com
This is a classic of the genre - a relaxation room with a fireplace and a TV on the wall. And in this picture there is already the second floor - one of the bedrooms.
Master bedroom. Photo realtor.com
Most likely, this is the parent's bedroom, that is, the “master bedroom”. It differs in that it comes with its own toilet and bathtub. There is often a double sink there, so as not to quarrel in the morning.
Photo realtor.com
All toilets must have ventilation. Turns on next to the light. The remaining bedrooms (children's) have a shared toilet. Americans always try to ensure that each child has his own room.
A mandatory room in a typical American home is the “landry room,” that is, the room in which the washing machine and dryer are located.
Photo realtor.com
This room is small, just outside the door from the garage. Finally, look at the back of this house.
Photo realtor.com
Apparently, the bedrooms here are small. On the ground floor there is a small kitchen window. They always make him so small.
There are moments that were not included in the photo. Every room must have a smoke detector hanging on the wall or ceiling. And now they are obligated to hang a CO indicator, that is, carbon monoxide. This is the so-called carbon monoxide, colorless and odorless, which is what causes poisoning if the stove is closed early. All these sensors howl terribly if something is on fire in the house. And they only fall silent when you have thoroughly aired everything out.
These indicators have another unpleasant property. When the battery starts to run low, they beep. At night - that's it! You get up, pull the battery out of it and put a new one in in the morning.
I haven't talked about lighting yet. There are a lot of switches in the house. The simplest example is that you entered the house, turned on the light, undressed and took off your shoes and went straight up to the second floor. There is a second switch there that can be used to turn off the light on the stairs. And there are plenty of such “paired” or even triple switches throughout the house.
Both houses that I described are not far from me and from Chicago. The one I mainly talked about costs about $190 thousand, the second one costs about $170. Approximately, because you can always bargain and come to an agreement.
The material is printed with the permission of the author.
stdClass Object ( => 9382 => housing in the USA => post_tag => zhile-v-ssha)
stdClass Object ( => 16228 => Columns => category => bloggers)
stdClass Object ( => 18308 => personal experience => post_tag => lichnyj-opyt)
Let's start talking about the technology of building houses in Houston, where it all begins, how the area is being gentrified, how houses are built and what materials are used.
So, construction begins with a master plan for the area. The district is not only houses, the district also includes irrigation system, sewerage, treatment plant, roads, recreational infrastructure (paths for walking, jogging and cyclists, swimming pools open air, tennis courts, football fields, basketball courts, children's playgrounds and simply open park areas with artificial lakes with fountains and water channels, as well as large fenced areas for walking dogs). The entire area, in turn, is divided into districts of approximately 90 - 150 houses (we will see the district plan a little later). The infrastructure is being created separately for several districts so that people do not “crowd”. The entire area will benefit from an already built system of shops, banks, hospitals and other public institutions, which were built in advance to take into account the ongoing development of the area and the increase in population.
Construction begins with a clean field in which all communications are laid, gas pipes, plumbing, electrical cables, telephone communications. First everything is connected to substations. A tractor for digging trenches (in the previous photo there is a pipe layer).
Then from the substations all communications are brought to panel houses. All electrical equipment is hidden in a box that will be located in the corner of the backyard of the house. The red pipe does not mean hot water; cold water is supplied through it, but hot water is not supplied to the house, because... Each house will have a gas or electric boiler. The green pipe with a cap is a gas line; it will be hidden later, but for now it sticks out like a marker.
After all communications have been laid, the irrigation system is being prepared, and in Houston it is given Special attention, because Houston is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes. Typically depth artificial reservoirs about 10-12 meters. All reservoirs have a system of sluices and canals for water drainage.
Shores artificial reservoir concreted at the tailwater level to protect and prevent erosion. To prevent water from washing away the concrete, part of the ground near the concrete strip is reinforced with clay and crushed stone. Just recently passed heavy rain, and water pumps pump water out of the canals.
Then roads and sewers are built. Roads provide quick and convenient access for construction equipment, and also prevent the spread of dirt from construction sites. Sandbags are placed near all sewer drains; their purpose is to retain dirt during rains and prevent clogging of drain pipes. Sewage pipes are plastic, the pipe diameter starts from 60 cm, increasing with the length of the sewer. The pipes begin to be laid at a depth of 1.5 meters; accordingly, the depth also increases with the length of the system. Pipes are laid at an angle of 0.18%. As a rule, there are no sewer grates, instead there are open water intakes, inside of which there is a sewer shaft measuring approximately 2x2 meters. By the way, I note that, if possible, all pipes are located not under the road, but next to it, although all repairs are carried out from the mines.
Then everything is installed road signs. There are no road markings in residential areas, because The speed limit here is 20 km/h. There are also no speed limit signs; the speed is specified in the traffic rules. Previously, I was asked about the height of the curb - it is 15 cm. The thickness of the concrete screed on the road is 21 cm.
It is very interesting to drive through such areas with all the signs posted, but a complete absence of houses. Let's pay attention to the grass strip laid along the curb; it prevents dirt from being washed out from the lawn onto the street during rain.
Russian designer dated.
All surfaces that may be scratched, damaged, or become dirty during the construction process are covered.
In Russia they still don’t know how to make hatches on the roads. Oh no no no.
Then the sites for the houses are prepared. 20-30 houses are being built at the same time. They are mainly built nearby, this makes it easier to clean up construction waste and does not disturb those who have already moved in and live in the constructed houses. Exceptions are houses that were purchased in advance on certain areas. To lay the foundation, soil one meter deep is removed and covered with a layer of gravel, sand and clay, all this is compacted, then a cap like this is obtained on top. I note that such a trick is only possible in Texas due to the very clayey soil. For example, in the northern United States, deep strip foundations are laid.
Then communications are supplied to the house (gas, cold water, sewerage, electrical cable and etc.)
The formwork for the foundation is being assembled. All foundations are solid, monolithic, the clay soil allows them to be made relatively thin, the thickness of the screed is about 25-30 cm, with “columns” 1.5 meters.
The usual average foundation size is 20 by 15 meters.
Then the ground is covered with thick, dense plastic, and reinforcement with a diameter of 10 to 16 mm is laid. It is laid every 3-4 meters, “cross to cross”, with the exception of certain places, for example, a garage, the entrance to a house, a section of the foundation, here it is laid a little differently, depending on the design of the house.
The reinforcement will be stretched before pouring; seven days after pouring, the load will be slowly removed
The foundation is poured without stopping until the work is completed. The permissible strength of concrete is from 60 to 90 MPa.
Freshly poured screed. The protruding plates are duralumin anchors (anchors) for walls.
The concrete is periodically watered with water, thereby preventing the formation of cracks in it.
Crib.
Then the walls are marked on the poured screed and the assembly of the wooden frame of the house begins.
All supporting structures of the house are made of wood; boards of 15x5, 20x7 cm are usually used.
Then the boards are covered with plywood 2 cm thick.
It is worth noting that everything wood materials for the construction of houses, they are pre-treated with certain mixtures and oils to protect against insects and water. At the same time these chemical compositions not harmful to human health.
All materials are secured with nails and metal anchors. Screws and bolt ties are also used, mainly on critical “nodes”. The timber is practically not used; it is replaced by several boards nailed together.
After the frame of the house is completed, communications begin inside. Future kitchen sink. Used for sewerage plastic pipes diameter 6 cm.
Also, the house inside begins to “overgrow” various elements, for example, a bar counter.
Communications are carried out inside the walls.
Electrical work is being carried out.
Black wire is television, yellow is electrical, white is internet.
A ventilation system is installed in the attic to heat and cool the home. It's actually fiberglass soft pipe. On top it has a shell made of non-flammable fiberglass, under which glass wool is hidden, inside which there is a soft aluminum pipe. Today, such ventilation pipes are used wherever the air flow speed does not exceed 30 m/s. With more high speed air circulation use more rigid ventilation system.
Output to the room.
Water node. For water, plastic pipes with a diameter of 13 mm are used, which can withstand a pressure of 0.7 MPa and a temperature of 95 C.
Bathroom and toilet.
Then the fireplace is installed. All the fireplaces in this house were gas, they are much easier to install, because... they do not require brickwork and problems with valves. In some houses, real fireplaces are built upon the buyer's request.
By the way, a gas fireplace heats up the house quite well. Although, of course, it cannot be compared with a real fireplace.
Then the walls are sheathed with plywood on one side, glass wool is inserted into the openings on the other side, after which the wall is also covered with plywood. The plywood is then covered with plasterboard. I note that the sound insulation in the house is very good, despite the apparent flimsiness of the walls, and the screams of zombies from the nursery are not at all audible in the living room, as is the loud TV in the bedroom. Thanks to the quality glass wool.
Then the drywall is puttied.
The future of the hot tub. Gathering various designs inside the house.
Shower cubicle.
Garage.
Then the windows are inserted. The external part of the house is sheathed with additional soundproofing and insulating materials. polystyrene panels(blue on the left), with an R value of 3, the thickness of these panels is 13 mm. The top of the panels will be covered with a layer of thick plastic and roofing felt (black on the right).
The windows used in construction are "southern" windows and can only be used in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, southern California, Arizona and New Mexico. The windows have a U value of 2, a heating coefficient of 0.23, and a light transmittance of 0.43.
Finally the time comes brickwork.
Decorative brick, ASTM - SW standard. In addition to brick, stone is also used.
The American style was formed later than most architectural movements. At the end of the 18th century, about 85% of the white population of the North American colonies were from Britain or Ireland; this became a determining factor in the appearance of homes. The American house could not help but borrow character traits English buildings different styles- Tudor, Georgian, and later Victorian.
And, of course, the surrounding reality has made its own adjustments to construction techniques and house design. The first colonists had more than enough land and built their farms to be as spacious and practical as possible. City houses could have features of English, German, and, to the south, Spanish styles; they were built from wood and brick. Buildings in the outback acquired features of a style that is now called country (sometimes ranch style). Modern house V American style enjoys steady popularity; Customers are attracted by the functional layout, bright individuality and always appropriate interior.
A typical house for big family Source pipesz.ru
American style: design features
Americans are considered a practical nation; this property helped make the houses simple in appearance and comfortable. American houses (projects and layouts) are easily recognizable:
Form. Buildings, as a rule, have a symmetrical shape in plan, one (more economical) or two (more possibilities for planning them) floors and a low foundation.
Environment. The garden plot is clearly zoned and well-groomed; the owners allocate space for a children's playground, barbecue area, garden furniture, swimming pool. In front of the main facade there is often a well-groomed lawn with the pride of the owner - a flower bed.
Project details. The house is decorated with a terrace, veranda or spacious porch. American-style house designs certainly include a spacious attached garage.
Atypical option - two full floors and an attic floor Source pinterest.com
Exterior. Laconic, with a predominance of straight lines, made in light, calm colors. The decoration uses natural materials (stone, brick, wood) or covers façade walls plaster, clapboard, vinyl siding.
Window. American house designs are characterized by big amount windows They often have an arched shape - influenced by the Spanish style - and are equipped with shutters.
Attic. A common detail in projects, especially in houses with a wooden facade. Often it is equipped with a balcony or panoramic window; additional windows are installed on the roof.
Inputs. There are several of them: a front door and an additional one (one or more), through which you can access the backyard terrace.
Roof. Pitched, complex asymmetrical shape.
Type of style: ascetic on the outside, but comfortable on the inside Source dachnaya-zhizn.ru
Layout
The layout of an American-style house has well-established canons. Main principle, which they try to follow when building housing - space and freedom for each family member. Therefore, both in one and in two-story houses The rooms are made as large as possible, and everyone has a separate room. The layout of American houses has the following features:
First floor. There is an entrance hall, a large kitchen, which is often separated from the living room by a bar counter or a partition, a dining room, a guest bedroom and a bathroom. Sometimes an adult bedroom, a study room and a gym are located on the ground floor.
Second floor. Here there are personal (bedroom) rooms for family members, dressing rooms, and bathrooms.
Garage. Typical American-style cottage designs necessarily contain a garage, often for two or more cars. It can be adjacent to the house (and have an internal entrance from the house) or be located separately and connected to the housing by a covered gallery. The garage has access to the boiler room and workshop (if provided for by the project).
First floor layout visible from the threshold Source ar.pinterest.com
Terrace and veranda. The wide wraparound terrace on the ground floor is an American classic; it is sometimes used as an exit from the master bedroom. Practical owners place comfortable furniture here for relaxation, hang a hammock, arrange play area for children. Here you can put a barbecue or arrange summer kitchen. They also try to make the veranda spacious; they decorate it with wicker furniture and gather there for morning coffee or evening conversation.
Materials and design features of the facade
For the construction of American-style housing can be used various materials, from stone, brick and concrete blocks, to timber and logs. But, as you know, the favorite option of Americans is frame houses. This is due to several reasons:
Cheap (does not affect reliability).
Fast and easy assembly.
Good thermal efficiency.
Modern project: three levels and combined facade decoration Source pinterest.es
Popular technologies are:
Frame-panel (panel). Facade and interior walls assembled from panels (blocks, panels) on a pre-assembled wooden frame. Plywood, OSB boards (which are poorly applicable in Russian conditions), thermal blocks and SIP panels (suitable for use in areas with long winters) are used as panels.
Frame-modular. A more expensive option, when individual wall elements are assembled at the factory and delivered ready-made to the construction site. Each section has insulation, finishing and necessary communications.
Frame projects of American houses and cottages have no restrictions in the design of the facade. Exterior finishing is carried out using the following materials:
Facade plaster. Use different kinds plasters in light colors. Mineral plaster can be coated with a protective layer of silicate or silicone paint with vapor-permeable properties, or use acrylic facade paint.
Frame house with ground floor And facade finishing tree Source www.remontbp.com
Facade clinker bricks . This cladding will provide the façade with strength and durability. Thanks to the natural shades of clinker, your home will have a beautiful appearance.
Facade panels . Panels - modern material with a long service life, which can significantly improve the appearance of the building. Manufacturers offer wide choose colors and textures of materials imitating a natural stone and brick.
Siding. A popular (and economical) modern home decor option. The material has good protective characteristics and a rich palette of colors.
Block house. Wood looks cozy and is great for decorating traditional homes. Wooden covering needs periodic treatment to protect against moisture, mold and insect pests.
Strict symmetry comes from England Source jalh.ca
On our website you can get acquainted with the most from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.
American style in the interior
Decorating a cottage in the American style requires compliance with several conditions:
Combining the ground floor space. A common technique is that when you enter an American house, you do not find yourself in a hallway, but immediately in a spacious living room. The living room, in turn, is separated from the dining room and kitchen symbolically - by a bar counter, shelving or a sliding partition.
Color selection. The original American retro style implies a predominance of discreet, monochromatic shades of green, gray, and milky. Also in the palette there is always white, brown and beige colors. For bright accent colors, combinations would be appropriate: red with beige and brown, blue with white and sand, green with chocolate and cream. For country style, greater brightness and diversity are acceptable, for example, floral wallpaper or patterned furniture upholstery.
Video description
About the exterior of an American house in the following video:
Fireplace. A direct inheritance of the English style, it is considered an indispensable component of a real American interior. A traditional fireplace is a fairly large structure (to match a spacious living room) with a wide mantelpiece. It can be made from any material, but it is better to face it with light stone, natural or artificial.
Floor and walls. For the floor, it is preferable to use natural materials that are pleasant to the feet - sanded boards or parquet; laminate is also allowed. Light-colored tiles are often laid on the kitchen floor. The walls are plastered or covered with pastel-colored wallpaper.
Accessories. Uncomplicated and relevant to the life of the owners. These can be photographs and letters in simple frames (metal, wood or plastic) on the walls or mantelpiece, memorable trinkets and elegant figurines, flowers, fruits in baskets or vases.
Modern color accents in a traditional living room Source hr.aviarydecor.com
Furniture. To maintain style, you need massive, high-quality furniture, without pretentious decoration. The finish, depending on the direction (classic or country), is chosen to be plain, with a small pattern or leather.
Textiles and carpets. All fabrics, from curtains and sofa upholstery to blankets and tablecloths, should be light. Carpets should not completely cover the floor: a small cream or beige carpet looks stylish on dark parquet.
Lighting. Correctly selected lighting will create the right atmosphere and help zone a large room. For the central part of the house, the living room, a large formal chandelier and additional lamps, floor lamps and table lamps are suitable.
Video description
About the tour of the American house in the following video:
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer house design services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Decorating rooms in an American cottage
When developing American-style house projects, architects and designers use ready-made style developments in the design of various rooms:
Living room. They try to place furniture in the recreation area near the fireplace and away from the walls to emphasize the volume of the room. Select sofas and armchairs that are comfortable; the decor is well complemented by a low coffee table, a display cabinet with a glass front door or bookshelf. Usually in the living room there is also space for modern consumer electronics - a TV and an audio system.
The fireplace takes center stage in the living room Source houzz.com
Kitchen. As part of the common space, the kitchen repeats the style and color scheme of the living room. It is spacious, most often furnished wooden furniture. An indispensable attribute - Appliances, from hob to the latest model coffee maker. Since there is no partition between the kitchen and other rooms, great importance acquires a powerful hood and ventilation system. The kitchen area can be decorated with a still life, landscape or decorative fruit basket.
American style recipe Source psyholog.club
Bedroom. Bright, cozy with a high double bed, chest of drawers and dressing table. Blinds on the window protect from bright sunlight in the morning.
Traditional palette in bedroom design Source pinterest.com
Bathroom. In a spacious house, the bathroom is not reduced in size. It is large enough to easily accommodate a bathtub, shower stall, sink (often two), many hanging shelves and large mirrors framed by lamps. Feature American-style bathroom - a full-fledged window equipped with blinds or roller blinds. The bath is decorated in light colors. Often the size of the home allows for a separate laundry room, usually next to the kitchen or in the basement.
The bathroom is subject to the requirements of functionality and comfort Source br.pinterest.com
Children's. The only place in a classic American home where style is allowed to break. The color design can be anything - from delicate beige and pink shades for girls to rich red and blue for boys. Furniture is placed along the walls, this frees up space for games. To maintain functionality, comfortable racks for toys and a spacious chest of drawers for clothes are selected for the nursery. The room is decorated with paintings drawn by its owner, posters, original chandeliers, night lights and table lamps.
Colonial style in the design of a nursery Source yandex.uz
Basement (ground floor). Although the typical American home's foundation is low, its basement is designed to a considerable depth. This area can be used as a storage place, or a workshop, laundry room or gym.
There is enough space in the house for a separate laundry room Source makemone.ru
American style cottage projects
Squat and spacious houses are ideal for large land plots. Construction and design companies have extensive catalogs of American designs of houses and cottages, one- and two-story, as well as attic floor. If the future owner is not suitable standard solutions, at his service are professional architects and design engineers who are ready to finalize existing option or create a new one. In Russian conditions, such projects have some features:
Quality of construction. Frame technology was developed as energy efficient, so the house will be warm even in regions with prolonged frosts. The quality of housing will be ensured by a reliable development company with solid professional experience. When choosing a company, it is worth getting acquainted not only with its portfolio (which can be very impressive), but also with the objects it has actually delivered and their happy owners.
Modern American frame house project Source jonesgroupswf.com
Ground floor. Due to the characteristics of the soil and frost heaving, it is not possible to implement a project with a basement in all regions. A smart solution would be to organize a residential attic.
Many recognizable features of the American style resonate well with the Russian customer and are present in the projects:
Open plan and spacious premises (including utility rooms).
Availability of wide porch, terrace or veranda with a variety of use cases.
Attached garage, which you can get into without leaving your home (especially valuable in winter).
Attic. Original space for the owners' private rooms.
Project Features. Exit on two sides, a basement for utility purposes, built-in wardrobes and storage rooms increase the comfort and functionality of the home.
Project with an attic balcony and small porch Source: bostoncondoloft.com
Types of American house projects
In addition to the classic one, there are other types of style:
Ranch. Such houses are often one-story, have an asymmetrical facade, an attached garage and large panoramic windows(sometimes sliding glass doors leading from the living room to the garden). The ranch can be brick or frame, with a roof with low slopes. Shades of gray, blue and brown are used to decorate the façade.
Classic American ranch Source set-travel.com
Southwestern. A type of ranch style that mixes cowboy and Indian traditions. Such buildings are characterized by a stone or plastered facade of red or sand color; The roof is always flat and tiled.
Ranch style with a modern twist Source coolhouses.ru
Such buildings are common closer to the border with Mexico. They are smaller in area than classic American houses and are finished with plaster (usually white, beige or ocher). The style is characterized by a flat or low roof under red tiles, arched windows and passages. The decoration is carved wooden doors, forged grilles and tile ornaments.
American interpretation leaves Spanish colonial house virtually unchanged Source pinterest.com
Craftsman (craftsman's house). One of the most common styles. Recognizable by its low pitched roof, columns supporting the roof over the porch, stained glass in the doors and windows, and exterior stone chimneys. The interior is characterized by ceilings with open beams and an abundance of wood in decoration, decor and furniture.
Popular style country design- craftsman Source cluesarena.com
Turnkey construction of American-style cottages
An American-style frame house is an economical, fast and practical way to acquire your own home. Many construction companies in Moscow and the Moscow region carry out turnkey construction of houses, which means full cycle works, preparatory and construction. The company undertakes:
Inspection land plot and drawing up a topographic plan.
Finalization of the project or design from scratch.
Budgeting and paperwork.
Purchase and delivery of materials to the construction site.
Carrying out construction work in compliance with all standards and quality control.
Handing over the keys to the owner.
Project for a young family Source lestorg32.ru
The customer gets the opportunity:
Make changes into a standard project.
Explore and evaluate preliminary estimate, and after its approval enter into an agreement with the company.
Get significant savings on building materials(as a rule, companies have permanent reliable suppliers).
Supervise construction(by visiting in person or online).
Pay for construction in stages or in installments.
Get a guarantee for the work performed, and often for materials.
Celebrate housewarming in 5-7 months after the start of construction work.
It will take six months from idea to implementation Source laifgame.ru
Conclusion
Generations of immigrants who left Europe and settled the vast expanses of North America managed to create an original architectural style, which has not lost its relevance to this day. Despite the qualitatively new trends in private housing construction that have emerged over the past 50 years, American cottage projects invariably attract the attention of future homeowners. They are a tempting option for many reasons, including functionality, smart layout and presentable appearance. If you decide to become the owner of an American-style house, projects and photos of the future structure can be viewed in different variations, but they will all have common features.The dream of the average American is not an apartment in Manhattan in a skyscraper with floor-to-ceiling windows and a view of Central Park. Average American dreams of his own home: with a manicured lawn in front of him, a treehouse for his five children, garages for his pickup trucks and a basement with a pool table and a toy railroad. What do you need to be prepared for when owning a house in the USA and what are the differences from owning a house here?
You need to pay an annual property tax
And compared to us, significant! The newer and more expensive your home, naturally, the more tax you will have to pay on it, because the tax is calculated as a percentage of the assessed value of the home. You won’t be able to cheat the system and buy an old house in a good area to minimize taxes: even an old house in a good area it will not be cheap, and the tax will be calculated not on the original cost of the house, but on the purchase price.
The average US tax rate is 1.2% of assessed value, meaning if your home is worth $250,000, you'll pay $3,000 per year. Whether you rent a home, take out a loan, or own it, you pay taxes. If you pay rent, the tax is included in the rent, and if you own a home, you pay the tax yourself.
You can't make noise in the house
You can, of course, if your house stands alone in a field of corn or crowns an abandoned winding road in the forest on a mountainside. If you live in a respectable area with decent neighbors, then most likely it will be problematic for you to buy “stadium” sound equipment and throw a party in the style of American films for high school students. How can this be, after all, this is my house, I do whatever I want in it, and in general, what kind of house is this, through the walls of which loud music can be heard?
Well, first of all, almost all houses are in the States plywood. Have you seen how american houses blown away by a hurricane somewhere on the Florida coast? So, houses in the northern United States, in the snowiest region near the Great Lakes, are made of the same plywood and their sound insulation is so-so. If your neighbor decides that the noise level is interfering with his privacy in his home, he can report it to the police. This appeal will have legal force even if you make noise not out of spite, but “unintentionally” or “carelessly.”
The lawn in front of the house needs to be mowed
What if I want tall grass near my house? - you may ask. It depends on local city regulations and, perhaps, somewhere they allow you to have a corner of wild nature in front of your house, with prairie grass, wildflowers and gopher holes. However, most likely city laws will require you to regularly cut the grass in front of your house. How will the authorities know about this? Yours the neighbors will immediately inform the authorities, that you don't do this.
If you forgot to cut the grass in front of your house, then, most likely, they won’t even quarrel with you, call you to a party activist and lecture you. The local authorities will simply send someone to cut the grass in front of your house, and you then they will bill you for it. The only way to bypass this regulation is to arrange in front of the house flower bed or a small botanical garden. Then you won't have to mow the lawn, but you will have to take care of the garden.
Snow needs to be cleared in front of the house
You now know that you need to mow your lawn regularly, but then winter came and everything was covered with snow. Hey! You no longer have to worry about cleaning the area. But it was not there! If in the summer you are responsible for your own lawn, but in the winter you are also responsible for the public paths adjacent to your house, which need to be regularly cleared of snow.
In state NY For example, homeowners are responsible for clearing snow from all walkways and sidewalks adjacent to their home so that they are safe for pedestrians.
Not only that, if there is a bus stop or fire hydrant in front of your property, you will have to regularly clear snow and ice from the walkways immediately adjacent to them. Each state's regulations are different, but don't be surprised if you see these requirements.
You can't fence the house
Again, this is not always the case and there are exceptions, but most likely restrictions on the use of land will not allow you to build a blank fence around your house. Very often, a house cannot be fenced at all - neither with a fence, nor a fence, nor even a hedge of dense bushes. These restrictions are stipulated by “conditions for the use of land” or “covenants” even if you own the land.
For that matter, the conditions of land use can stipulate anything: what size the house should be, what materials should be used, on which side the air conditioner should be, and even what color the walls should be!
The purpose of such restrictions is to preserve the “atmosphere” of the entire area and, accordingly, land cost. They appeared in the 19th century as agreements between neighbors so that, for example, cattle would not enter private territory. By the 1920s, covenants began to specify requirements for the appearance and neatness of homes. These days they are accepted by homeowners associations and are very difficult to ignore.
What is it like to have a home in America? Part 2
I continue my story about the nuances and surprises associated with owning a home in the United States. Every average American dreams of owning a home, and for America this is quite a “lifting” dream. However, we must not forget that the United States is a very regulated country and there are many rules, responsibilities and even prohibitions associated with the process of buying and owning a home. What should you be prepared for when owning a house in the USA and how does all this differ from what we have here?
Trees - additional costs
Near your house there is a spreading hundred-year-old maple tree that fits perfectly into the yard landscape. Its green crown protects the flower garden from the scorching sun and provides pleasant shade for children playing on the lawn.
However, with the arrival of autumn, the beautiful hundred-year-old maple under the house can turn into a real burden. Already in September, red-yellow foliage begins to cover the lawn near the house, which adds to the work of caring for the territory. You have to remove leaves much more often than cut the grass, but you still need to do it regularly. You are not legally obligated to remove leaves, but you are responsible for the safety of adjacent sidewalks, and if someone slips on wet leaves near your home, you could be sued.
On certain days, the “autumn gold” is picked up by a garbage truck, but for this, the foliage must be collected in special paper bags, which you need to buy at the supermarket. Leaves that are not packaged or packaged properly will not be collected by scavengers. Burning leaves, even on your own territory, is strictly prohibited, so the lucky owners of trees have only one option: fork out for a huge number of bags for leaves.
"Competitive" house decorations
Don't want to catch the reproachful glances of your neighbors? Remember that for every holiday, you need to decorate your home and yard with themed attributes. No, this is not required by law and it most likely will not be spelled out in the “conditions of land use” (although it doesn’t hurt to check), however, all Americans decorate their property before every holiday.
Local stores contribute to this in every possible way and offer a wide selection of decor to suit every taste and budget. Americans are like children Every year they buy more and more new ones themed home decorations, trying to outdo the neighbors. Glowing deer and garlands for Christmas, cute rabbits and bright eggs for Easter, skeletons entangled in cobwebs, the bats and pumpkins for Halloween - they will replace one another like soldiers on guard near the White House.
You, of course, may not participate in this race, but you need to remember that Americans can be distrustful of those who do not support their traditions, and decorating houses is a peculiar American tradition, like a turkey on the Christmas table.
Strict rules for garbage collection
The municipality is responsible for garbage collection. Typically, the city government will tender for these services, and the winning private company will then serve a specific area or the entire city on behalf of the municipal government. The tender specification usually states General requirements for waste collection, and detailed rules are then published by the contractor.
And now you need to read the rules of garbage companies carefully, Otherwise, your trash may not be collected or you may be charged for cleaning. Firstly, there will most likely be requirements for where, how and when to place garbage cans, for example they “must be in a packing area, near the road, with their handles facing the street (but not on the street) every Thursday at 8 am.” Secondly, there is a list of what can be thrown away and what cannot. For example, we have lamps, vacuum cleaners and toasters, but tables, chests of drawers and baby strollers are not allowed, but for a microwave, children's toys and a water cooler they charge an additional fee.
Your home may not be all "yours"
A townhouse is an excellent intermediate solution between an apartment and a house. You already have a separate entrance, your own territory with a lawn and a barbecue, there are no neighbors above or below, but you still don’t have to deal with removing snow and leaves from adjacent sidewalks and mowing lawns. This will be done Management Company. The townhouse can be purchased and it will belong to you as if it were your own home.
However, very often, even if you own a townhouse, you may not have control over any of its areas and may not be able to change much. For example, you may not have access to the basement, where the Technical equipment, or an attic that may even be empty. I'm not even talking about ventilation, air conditioning, heating systems, and even more so appearance townhouse.
You can’t grow vegetables or keep animals for fattening.
Again, regulations are different everywhere and if you grow basil in your backyard and keep a couple of rabbits, it may not attract anyone's attention. However, if you plant tomatoes two meters high, install a drip irrigation system, build a chicken coop and have pigs, you will not avoid problems. Recently a home owner from Oak Park, Michigan sentenced to 93 days in prison for planting a vegetable garden in front of her house.
It’s difficult to even say unequivocally what you can break - there are so many things! Firstly, you may violate municipal zoning requirements - they clearly define what you can do on your territory and what you cannot. Secondly, your land lease agreement or condominium rules may prohibit you from setting up a “farm” in your home. And finally, homeowners association regulations can dictate any restrictions that they believe affect the value of real estate in the area.
