Differences between US and U.K. homes

[Youngatheart00]

Just a ponderous thread as it’s my day off and I’ve been thinking, mainly following the abundance of Netflix we’ve all watched over the past year, but also some of my travel experiences (not recently, obviously!)

Some of the differences I’ve noticed are;

• many more of the US homes seem to be fully open plan downstairs. Some don’t even seem to have doors between the rooms?

• the bathroom count / ratio to bedrooms is much higher! (Eg 3 bed / 3 bath or even 2 bed / 2.5 bath)

• heating systems, I don’t recall seeing radiators, instead vents in the floor, are these used to flip between hot and cold air depending on the time of year? How effective / efficient are they compared to our big radiator bars here?

• toilets - they seem smaller and the flushing mechanism is different

• baths - they also seem smaller, short and strangely blocky

• Space and size - all of the bathroom stuff is unusual when the overall size of homes, even cheaper ones, is so much larger. And some ‘back yards’ are absolutely huge! Obviously more land space in the US compared with the U.K. but still, notable but often not much privacy / fencing?

• waste disposal units - what ARE these?

• closets - I haven’t seen any free standing wardrobes. Are these just not used in the US?

Anyone got any others to add or any comments?

That was not meant to be crossed out!

Some of the retirement communities are really nice. Some of them are pretty sinister/strange.

There's a new documentary out about The Villages, if you're curious: Some Kind of Heaven. It's about those who don't fit in. Supposed to be quite wonderful.

Currently living in the US but in an apartment rather than a house. Most of the things I have noticed have been mentioned already such as heating vents (ours are in the wall), laundry rooms (it was difficult to find an apartment with its own washing machine!), waste disposal, electric sockets in the bathroom, screens on windows (so useful!).

I would also add that bathrooms in apartments are very same-y, especially the bath. It's always a bath-shower (never a shower cubicle) and very plastic-y looking, no tiles etc. Often hotels will have this type of bathroom too. I guess it's easier for cleaning?

I was also excited to find out that rubbish shoots (where you drop your bin bags down) actually exist and it's not just in the movies - our letting agent thought it was hilarious that this was such a novelty to us 😂

This may have been mentioned (not RTFT) but in most U.S TV programmes when a character enters the house, they go straight into the front room i.e. there is no hallway. I'm not sure if this is just for TV reasons or if it's more commonplace over there. I don't think I have ever lived in a house which didn't have a hallway and then the lounge in a room off the hall.

Another one is that it is common for apartments to not have ceiling lights! In our old place there were only lights in the kitchen and bathroom. We had to buy standing lamps for the bedroom and living room otherwise we would have been in complete darkness in the evenings.

I stayed in a house in Canada, rather than the US, but I assume it's similar, which had a central vac system - no need to lug a vaccuum cleaner around - just sweep up your rubbish near a slot in the skirting board and turn it on and it sucks it all away down in to the basement! That I was fascinated by!

A friend lives in the states and there are no enclosed back gardens. If he lets his dog out, it's not uncommon that he disappears for a while and is seen running round the neighbourhood with a few other doggy pals who've also been let out. Just seems really bizarre to me!

The main thing I've loved when we've stayed in various homes in Florida is definitely the closets - the simplicity of not having giant wardrobes in your bedroom makes it feel so much more relaxing.

Single storey homes seem much more common and don't command the same premium that bungalows do in the UK, but as many others have said, space is the issue in the UK on that front.

Things that are more common here than in the US are having separate taps on sinks which does, admittedly, drive me mad. Hmmm - wash your hands in scalding hot water or totally cold water... what a choice!

Washing machines in kitchens is definitely something that American friends find really bizarre. In hindsight, it would make so much more sense if they were on the same floor as where all the clothes are stored but UK homes just aren't set up for that.

Many places I've stayed in the US have top loading laundry machines, rather than front loaders, which felt really odd, but then if you're not having to tuck it away under a work surface, I guess makes a bit more sense.

I've noticed on the US property flipping programmes that they don't tend to convert large houses into flats. Whereas in HUTH and other UK property programmes its almost always considered as an option.
Seating outside the front of houses also seems more usual in the US.

US homes seem to be made of wood right in the high hurricane areas.

Not been to the US myself, but it seems that a downside of the large houses and big gardens is that the houses are spread out and so it takes ages to walk anywhere - and that's if there are even pavements.

It seems strange not to be allowed to have a line for drying clothes especially in the hot and sunny times of the year.
Also do you have flower beds or grow vegetables? I believe they are not 'allowed' in most suburbs.
Someone was trying to save rainwater from the roof to water garden, it was regarded as 'theft' from the community, rain should have been permitted to fall on the ground. Can that story be right?

My aunt lives in the US- she has a kettle - she has her (top loading) washing machine in a cupboard in her living room

I've noticed on the US property flipping programmes that they don't tend to convert large houses into flats

There's a series called 'income property' (Canadian) with Scott Magillivray where he specifically does this. Usually convert the basements into separate income suite so the owner can rent it out. Sometimes townhouses.

I don't get the dark wood kitchen obsession either. Looks so 80's.

@Kote

Another one is that it is common for apartments to not have ceiling lights! In our old place there were only lights in the kitchen and bathroom. We had to buy standing lamps for the bedroom and living room otherwise we would have been in complete darkness in the evenings.

Definitely this, our apartment in Boston was the same. The light switches beside doors were connected to specific sockets so you turned lamps on with them. From your earlier post. We had one bathroom with a shower over the bath and one (the en-suite) with a shower cubicle. We had a top loading washer and dryer in the apartment in a cupboard off the hall and also an additional laundry room in the building with an (even) bigger washer and dryer. We also had a doggy spa in the building, with dog washing and drying stations. I also found the garbage chutes quite exciting. Similarly the mailbox in the mailroom. Our apartment was in a 36 floor high rise building in the city centre. We had concierges who took in packages, dry cleaning etc and controlled access to the elevators. There was a communal roof terrace and lounge area with big gas barbecues as well. I loved it.

@PlanDeRaccordement

We lived in US for a few years. What I liked was the large integrated garage. Room for two cars plus bicycles, etc etc. No need for a garden shed.

It was also a gated community. You needed an access code just to drive into the neighbourhood. It really cut the traffic down so the children could safely play in the road outside the house.

Finally, the community had its own private outdoor swimming pool, club house, library and all the gardening was included in a monthly service charge. It was fantastic to not have to trim my hedges or mow my grass. Lots of time to lounge by the pool.

I'd have to trim my hedges in order to lounge by the pool

One of my sons wife and family live on Long Island and yes I recognise lots of these features, the dark wood kitchens, hot/cold air vents, top loading washing machines, mosquito shutters on all of the windows, upvc fencing and huge gardens.
Loads of houses there have been lifted up as flood precaution and have massive basements.I took my little granddaughter to a birthday party nearby and it was in the “ basement” a gigantic play area with every toy imaginable.
The most strange thing I find is that the majority of cats, including my sons 2, are indoor house cats and have never been out in the fresh air!

I think the no electrical kettles is a regional thing. Same 110 V in Canada. Don’t know anybody who owns a stove top kettle

There's lots of things to love about the US housing, primarily the much more generous space (understandable, so much more land!), multiple bathrooms, dedicated laundry rooms, huge basements. The closets in all bedrooms and the screens on all windows are a brilliant idea. Why isn't that more of a thing over here? Often in the summer, I would have loved to leave the window open overnight for cooler air, but don't want to be invaded by moths and spiders. It seems such an obvious thing, does anyone know if you can have them fitted in the UK, and is it expensive?

Air conditioning as standard is not very green though (although probably needed in the southern states) and heating by means of air vents, must be very drying for the air inside the home. What's wrong with radiators?
No clothes lines in the backyard is ridiculous, how environmentally damaging to force everyone to use tumble driers.

And one thing I could never stand, how on earth do people manage with no fences/hedges etc allowed to enclose your own 'back yard'/garden? I mean how does it work, how do you know which is your territory, what if you want to let dogs off their leash in the back, allow little children to play out by themselves etc. What if you want to hold a garden party/barbecue, are you forced to invite the neighbours? What if you want to sunbathe in the nude lol? However does it all work? I couldn't stand that.

I've just remembered something: an open plan kitchen, usually open plan to the main living space, in a Spanish apartment is called an American Kitchen. Lots of older Spanish properties have small kitchens, often with a window overlooking an enclosed courtyard area all the plumbing for the block goes through.

i have been watching alot of DIY shows during lockdown both sides of atlantic. The open plan drives me wrong on the us no way of sectioning of rooms for privacy or cosiness. Alos follow a few blogggers in Anmerica, one is actaully building a house, what is the obsession with huge kitchen sinks, she has one that is 3ft long. And they have such huge fridges. All her children will have ensuites. This to me is a waste. Anothe girl i follow is Irish and lives in Texas, their house are so not built for cold weather, all the plumbing is in the attic so huge effort to stop pipes freezing etc, they had no water for a few days. Am building my own house at the mo and am puuting a laundrey room upstairs, with enough space to leave the ironong board permently set up so i can iron quickly when required. We will have utility room ( they are quiet common here in Ireland) especially in the country. I would love a basmenet ( got told not hope by builder partner that they are disaster) and would love a pantry but due to design of house not able

@AngelsWithSilverWings

I'm in the UK and I've had a waste disposal fitted in my current house and my previous one. I wouldn't be without one. I didn't think they were unusual here.

Yes same here.

It's fascinating to live in the US and Canada (having previously lived in the UK) and read these threads. There really are a lot of misconceptions.

The US and Canada are HUGE. When you watch a property programme you may be seeing houses in a state like Florida (hot and humid), a state in the Midwest (hot summers, cold winters), a state like mine in the Rockies (dry as a bone), etc. So you can't say "there are no radiators" or "all the heating is air through a vent". Radiators are common in my dry climate state because the moisture from the hot water in them stops all our hardwood floors from dessicating and our skin from flaking off. If you tried using hot water heat in a damp place like Washington State, your house would fill with mould in a matter of days. Heating systems are different all over and are complementary to the climate of the area.

You're seeing 'dark wood everywhere' in kitchens most likely because the programmes are a few years old by the time they reach you over there. The trend now is for lighter cabinets. We are less keen on carpets because of germs etc and because our central heating is really efficient! Most people want some form of hardwood, and carpet is right now out of fashion.

I can't think of anyone I know who would prefer a wardrobe to a closet. Even friends in the UK! Wardrobes take up far too much space and are often ugly.

The PP who said her friend in the US just lets his dog out and it runs around the neighbourhood? Maybe that's in rural deep south, but cities and towns in the US tend to be much more strict on off-leash and loose dogs than in the UK and that dog would be taken to the pound very quickly in most areas. There are specific fenced dog parks for dogs to go off-leash in, usually the size of a small field.

We have one of those open plan homes that so many in the UK seem to hate. The difference is that because it's in the US, it's a big open plan - our main floor is 2000sqft+ and someone sitting one one side of it would have to shout for someone on the other side of it to hear them. There are steps and arches and half-walls and a giant fireplace to give some differentiation between the rooms too.

Of course we have flower beds and grow vegetables - no idea where or why this wouldn't be allowed, unless it's a shared garden and they don't want people growing food in it? I actually have heard something about the rain barrels though, and that might be a thing in drought areas, of which there are many - it could be that there is so little rain (as in my city) that they really do need all of it to sink into the ground and not be taken up in a barrel.

Yes open plan is common, yes forced air is common as it reverses to air con in the summer, expensive to run as no mains gas (ours ran on diesel). Yes often more bathrooms but only newer homes, gardens vary but are often tiny in cities though, closets are built in as standard, yes toilet flush is different and horrid short baths only suitable for kids. Waste disposal units grind up food waste and it goes into the drains - we composted instead!

Remember in dramas they have far bigger homes than real life people in those occupations can afford, especially in cities!

Waste disposal in UK too. Wouldn't be without it

https://insinkerator.emerson.com/en-gb?utm

If you want some better perspective, watch the Simon reeve documentary on California (on iPlayer) people are living in (yes in) bridges because they can't afford housing

We also have washing m/c in bathroom and fly screens at the windows.

We have both lived in different countries and don't want to do without the accustomed luxuries.

Our old flat had a waste disposal unit too. It scared the crap out of me.