How Long Does A Newly Built House Last?
When you look at historical buildings and structures, they prove that buildings can truly last for many decades.
In fact, most people have seen houses that have lasted a century. However, how long would a new home last? Probably, a new home is the biggest asset you can ever have.
Thus, you’d want to know whether it’s going to last several decades before investing in one. After all, no one would want to invest in a house that will soon show signs of crumbling.
We’ve prepared this article to guide you about the lifespan of a newly built house and the factors that can affect its overall lifespan.
Basically, this topic has always been debated in the building industry for ages now.
Essentially, the life of a house depends on the type of materials used in construction, the degree of workmanship, the kind of maintenance required, and whether maintenance is actually followed through.
On average, a well-built house can last for more than 60 years. In fact, some well-built houses last more than 100 years.
The Life Expectancy of a House
All houses don’t have a specific lifespan. Essentially, you can only talk about an average lifespan when estimating the life expectancy of a house.
There’s no certain way of telling that your new home will last exactly 100 years or any other specific number of years.
Its lifespan will largely depend on factors that have the potential of affecting the structural integrity of the house.
Why Does A House Age?
While it’s good to know the average number of years that your house will last, it’s also good to know why it’ll last those years.
There’re certain factors that influence its longevity. Knowing more about these factors before construction, during the construction, and after completion of the construction will assist in ensuring that your home will stand the test of time. These factors include:
- Materials
It goes without saying that high-quality products and materials last longer. The same is true concerning the materials you’ll use to construct your home.
A building made out of high quality and sustainable materials is more likely to last for several generations than one built with low-quality materials.
Always remember that when something is used frequently, it’ll degrade faster. A home is basically built for frequent use, if not daily. Thus, it’s prone to wear and damages.
As such, it’s important to ensure that the construction materials you’re investing in can stand the test of time for the house to last several decades.
The construction materials that have the potential of lasting at least 60 years include:
- Concrete
- Clay
- Natural stone
- Metals
- Most insulation materials
- Most locally sourced products and materials
- Bricks (They don’t require a lot of maintenance and offer better insulation, but are costlier and take more time to work with)
- Wood (It’s flexible and ideal for use in areas that experience earthquakes, but is prone to fire and water damage when not well maintained)
- Workmanship
Another major factor that affects the lifespan of a house is the kind of workmanship employed during its construction.
A house built with high-quality workmanship is less likely to develop issues soon after construction.
However, a poorly built house is more likely to develop issues sooner since certain processes may not have been done right.
With thousands of new homes being built every year, some of them will likely have structural issues.
This is especially common with houses built under mass production. You can ensure that such problems don’t occur by having a detailed building process where each construction stage is undertaken accordingly.
The right materials and measurements have to be used to allow for the best outcome in each stage.
Also, your builder should follow strict regulations and rules to ensure that the construction is done according to the highest possible standards.
That way, your home will be more likely to last several generations. Reputable builders offer a structural warranty of at least 10 years to offer you some assurance about the quality of their workmanship.
It’s advisable to only hire a reputable contractor or builder to ensure your home is built to the highest standards.
Poor workmanship combined with poor planning can cause issues that will demand repairs and replacements sooner than necessary.
- Maintenance
Both living and non-living things age with time. Similarly, the construction materials used to build your home will wear over time and eventually get damaged or breakdown.
Initially, there’s little maintenance required in a new house. However, it’s important to maintain your home regularly to make it last longer.
Some components used in building your house might not be tough enough to survive frequent usage and harsh conditions for long.
Thus, they’ll demand repair or replacement after some years. Such components include:
- Enamel steel sink- Lasts 5 to 10 years
- Aluminium roof coating- Lasts 3 to 7 years
- Garage door openers- Lasts 10 to 15 years
- Smoke detectors- Lasts 10 years at most
- Security systems- Lasts 5 to 10 years
- Asphalt- Lasts 12 to 15 years
- Pests and termite proofing- Lasts about 12 years
- Air conditioning system- Lasts 10 to 15 years
- Faucets- Lasts 10 to 15 years
- Carpet- Lasts 8 to 10 years
- Compact refrigerator, humidifier, microwave oven, trash compactor- Lasts 9 to 10 years
- Weather and Natural Elements
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to control nature. The environment in which you’ve built your home may affect the durability of your home.
For your home to last long, it should be built in such a way that it’s strong enough to withstand harsh weather and other natural elements.
Using locally sourced construction material is a reliable way of ensuring that your home will last long.
This is because local materials are often made under the climate conditions within the environment you’re building your home.
It’s important to consider the weather and environment in which you’ll build your home.
Doing so will ensure that the design and construction materials will withstand the weather conditions in your area for enhanced longevity.
How to Increase the Longevity of a Home
There’re certain measures you can employ to prolong your home’s lifespan. Much of it involves basic maintenance practices that assist in preventing structural problems.
For instance, check for signs of wear or damage before they become too costly to fix. Other practices that can assist in prolonging the life of your precious home include:
- Separating and disposing of waste properly
- Regular cleaning- prevents the development of fungus, mold, and bacteria that can cause damage
- Check for pests, insects, and termites- this will prevent the irreversible damage they can cause in your home
- Check the integrity of the bases, foundations, and plinth of all structural components of your home
- Check out for seepage, water leaks, and damp walls
- Carry out proper maintenance regularly
- Only use the right construction materials