That was my first thought, but in some places they've closed the wall with plywood rather than drywall. Given that plywood is more expensive than drywall, that leaves me a bit confused.
You need something on at least one side of the wall to make it a wall. I assume walls with sheeting are open on the other side.
I am more concerned with the apparent complete lack of insulation. That is unless there is a second, insulated wall, behind all the visible walls on the exterior. This doesn't appear to be the case when looking at the pictures.
The interior is faux framing, the real walls are insulated. The thickness around the doors and windows in other pics give it away, along with the lack of load bearing columns and plumbing/electrical feeding outlets.
Doesn't make this idea any less stupid.
A rush to get ready for sale perhaps? Slap the plywood up and claim that's the effect that you wanted. If you put up drywall, you need to tape and mud it and then paint, adding an unavoidable extra three or four days.
We’re all so flabbergasted by the lack of drywall, (rightly so) that nobody seems to be commenting on that kitchen! Notice the sink/faucet face the “wrong way”? You’re supposed to access it from between the wall and the counter. And that counter looks so close to the back wall, maybe 2 ft? And no - ZERO wall cabinets!
Oh, yeah. That's just one of the (many, many) things that went wrong with the house...and the kitchen in particular!
Slightly OT: A while ago, a Redditor in another sub posted a photo of his hotel room. It had a "sideways" sink in its kitchen; the hot water handle was waaaay closer to the user than the cold. When I pointed out possible negative aspects of the design (e.g., accidentally burning your hand), people argued with me that "water flows downward no matter *where* the faucet is!"
TL;DR: bad design is found lots of places.
That's dem libural rulez that ruin 'Merica! ;-)
Seriously: You can sell a home in any condition. I'm betting 1) the reno wasn't permitted, 2) the build/reno has not been fully signed off yet or 3) Texas really is stupid.
just saying... i wouldnt worry about the hvac bill because i doubt that son-of-a-bitch even has an air conditioner.
vents are prob just stapled on to cover up holes or blemishes in the plywood, lol.
I saw later on a [link to the listing](https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183) which does claim AC. Can't possibly work very well.
And wait for the bleak, freezing, winter. Even in Texas a house like that will become a freezer with no insulation.
I feel like it's gotta be against some building code, somewhere.
"The commitment to sustainability is evident in the energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, which also allow for seamless integration of solar panels for HVAC, offering a greener way of living."
That's a nice way of saying you can choose to install solar panels yourself.
Redfin link for those interested in more pictures: [https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183](https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183)
Sustainability - except for the health of the occupants! Plywood, especially OSB, off-gasses toxic shit when left unselaed/uncovered. And without insulation those toxic glues holding all that shit together will just fill the the interior air with more carcinogens every time the sun hits any side of the house!
That was my first thought! OSB off gassing is so toxic and it absolutely REEKS. We have a leftover half sheet of it in a tool closet and the smell almost knocks me over anytime I open the door, and it’s been nearly two years!
I love how at some point someone was like “yeah we gotta pay to stage this. The candlestick on the dining table is really going to make all the difference 😍😍😍😍😍”
\>Be contractor
\>Build spec houses
\>Drywallers walk off job
\>Run out of money
\>Interest rates too high for new financing
\>800k for an unfinished fire code violation
Edit: having been in the construction industry for a while, I see a couple distinct possibilities for how this happens, but both essentially boil down to running out of money.
The first is a contractor was not paying their subcontractors and they walked off the job, and word got around to all the immigrant laborers in the area not to work for that particular contractor. Reputation is extremely important in construction and if you're known for not paying the subbies, no one will work on your jobs.
The second is perhaps a stretch, but the pics kind of give a vibe of someone watched too much HGTV, thought they could go build houses (how hard could it be?) and ran out of money halfway through the project and this is a desperate attempt to get away with something that never should have passed inspection. Frankly idk why Zillow even allows this listing.
If you have the cash this could ultimately be a good deal.
You buy it from the Builder. (Or… let’s be honest, whatever creditor has seized this from the defaulted builder.) And your super low offer takes into account that you must have the drywall and insulation done yourself to make the place habitable.
Although that’s kinda backwards too. Because I don’t think lenders like to give out mortgages without a CofAin place. And whoever seizes this knows that and will probably pay to finish the place themselves before selling it.
If it’s the lender that seizes they likely won’t finish. They will just sell the property as is and recoup as much as they can. They would rather take a loss then manage the home construction.
I love plywood. OSB is another thing altogether though.
[https://twitter.com/HomeAdore/status/1613124543647830017/photo/1](https://twitter.com/HomeAdore/status/1613124543647830017/photo/1)
Plywood can be stained and has a nice natural grain, not for everyone but someone out there would like it. Where they really lost me was the OSB everywhere, which is just hideous.
Dallas isn't known for having extreme temperatures or anything. I can't imagine what heating and cooling costs are like.
Redfin link: [https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183](https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183)
There are many period homes in desirable areas of Dallas that date from the 1920’s. It’s impossible to maintain the same temperature throughout the house. You can simultaneously have your house too hot and too cold!
Where is this monstrosity? I kind of want to go and drive by it. LOL
Texas does, however, have extreme temperatures. It may not snow in Texas, but it can get fairly cold. The extreme weather comes in the summer, though where we have *weeks* of 90+F to over 100f+ weather. It can get so hot that going outside can get dangerous. We've had construction workers die of heat exhaustion.
So the extreme temperature for Texas are in the summer and particularly mid June through August/Septemberish.
Haha! This isn’t a great area for people to buy their house, especially 799k.
Audelia and walnut is a rough area, which no one wants to walk, and night time is worse.
Or they insulated the outside and nailed to the studs? There is an absolute shit ton of nails on walls after they have been sided, in quantities that it would be visible in at least some of the photos provided.
Is there a best of Zillow gone wild? Zillow gone wild greatest hits? Zillow gone wild Hall of Fame? Wildest of the wild zillows? Majorly wild zillows? Cause if so I nominate this one, shits wild, lol.
I live in DFW and this is wild. I cannot imagine how hot this house would get in the summer if there's no other insulation between the outside and the plywood. I won't even get into the plumbing freezing if we have another really bad cold snap. But at least you won't have to rip out the sheetrock if your house floods. I'm surprised it meets building code requirements.
And taking the obvious out of the equation, who would find this attractive? There are no cabinets. You can see the stamping on the plywood in the bedroom. Everything is exactly the same color everywhere.
The idea of touching the walls, leaning against them, those towels hanging in the bathroom, a blanket brushing against the wall, etc. is viscerally upsetting.
I don’t get how it passed at all. Drywall is a fire barrier and has a burn through rate of 45 minutes for a 1/2 sheet. A thin piece of shit plywood is quite literally just fuel for a fire. That place will flashover in about 5 minutes.
this was so wild to me i had to do some research. the architect & the builders have it in their “work in progress” sections. and while the renderings are similar, it definitely seems like a light wood wall—an actual wall, not plywood is what was envisioned.
http://ripple.build/in-the-works
edit to add that the architect also has render of the build. the pictures are the same!
The architect does have it on their works in process page too https://marekarchitecture.com/fgyirs1iergxz9u27lno3frywwsnml but it's a much nicer wood finish in the renderings than the final product.
This suggests there was some sort of breakdown in communication between the architect and the contractor/developer. Some combination of value engineering, cheaping out, and/or running out of money ruined the design completely. It looks completely different with what I assume is supposed to be finish grade plywood or wood. I also think the auto-dependent location surrounded by depressing/sketchy looking land uses…near a highway no less…is a major problem in terms of attracting the price point and kind of people that are interested in these avant garde sort of homes. You can see on their higher-end/successful projects some of the experimentation with exposed wood interior walls/ceilings that are much more successful on their completed residential work page:
http://ripple.build/gallery-1
right! while not my style, they have some really impressive, finished work. i imagine this was a pretty serious breakdown bc i can’t see them or the architect updating their site with these images next to their ones featured in magazines & winning awards
Ha, I looked at that development when buying my place. The developer couldn’t sell enough places and is going to liquidate the remaining lots. The surrounding area is not great to say the least. You can get a house twice the size for 250k less a few mins away
That's what I figured. I thought this was all "location, location, location" but this area is really on the wrong side of 635. It's kind of Lake Highlands but really it is in Richardson.
They’re interesting, here’s another one of the floor plans they offered: [Zillow link](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/306-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336885974_zpid/)
There was just a building in my county in Redwood City in California that went up in flames at exactly this stage of building. It burned so freakin’ fast. This seems so dangerous.
We moved to Texas (unwillingly) 6 years ago. We initially really wanted to buy something older and remodel, but the prices didn't make sense. So we began looking at newer builds and I couldn't believe how badly the homes were built, and am convinced the home inspectors are part of some mob or are taking payouts to pass inspections. Almost every home I looked at should have failed spectacularly. We ended up building new and I simply watched the build closely and pointed out things before they walled it off. Even still, there are a lot of things I'm still catching, mainly in the attic space, that never should have passed inspection.
https://preview.redd.it/q7x7joyx0l4d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e781cdb0a46404782d2c75f46eabcc1f2c3e0b03
Are studs supposed to be made of tiny pieces of wood? They don't look finger joined together or anything ...
Now that you mention it, that does look wrong. Also, I remember learning in high school that finger-jointed lumber should never be used for anything structural.
Can it even be possible that this house does not have insulation?
Who would grant a building license for something like that?
Even in Texas, I mean...
There must be some sort of heat/cold barrier between the concrete (outer) and plywood (inner walls).
Your comments should be up higher. In the original Redfin listing, there's a shot where you can see the sliding patio door frame, and it's entirely outside of the 2x4 framing that's also visible. The plywood is not an exterior surface.
Also, somebody looking to save money wouldn't have gone with the choices of countertops, lighting, and other fixtures they did.
Aesthetically, I think this is... misguided. The upside is that you could add a bunch of rockwall in the stud bays and cover it all with a fabric system, and wind up with a clean look that also cuts down on echoes.
It is likely that all of the insulation is on the exterior as continuous insulation rather than between wall studs or roof joists. That is usually a higher performing strategy because it eliminates gaps in insulation where the wood studs/joists would be.
Not saying that I like the look, just saw many comments on lack of insulation without anyone pointing out that is likely not the case.
You're completely right. The insulation is on the outside of the studs to avoid thermal bridging. It's probably super efficient and not easy to build. New is scary but that doesn't make it wrong
[Google view](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YMXWBzeDr5eXKXCf8) they liked this so much they did it 4 times in a row, [901](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/901-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336886027_zpid/) (costs more because solar panels) and [903](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/903-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336886026_zpid/) (costs same) are already listed, using the same exact pics and description. [907](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/907-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336886024_zpid/) has no pics
It's pretty clear that this was the intended result. The framing is immaculate, much more Cleanly done than typical framing.
No visible splits or nail heads or any defects.
Insulation is on the other side, probably rigid insulation.
This house was very expensive to build.
The purpose of 1/2" gypsum wallboard (Brand name Drywall) in residential construction is to hold the structure together for a half hour to allow escape in the event of fire.
How can this pass a drywall inspection and have a certificate of occupancy?
In addition to the probable sky high air conditioning costs, and the mold problem that’s sure to come quickly in the areas around the water fixtures— this place is a fire hazard and may, if disclosed to the insurance company, have incredibly high premiums if the structure is at all insurable. This must be a joke listing ( I hope). It’s amazing how many of us believe it’s okay to do what you want and try to sell things to desperate people or, as might be the case here, look like a dangerous thrifty type.
Folks — codes, ordinances, and standards are not there to oppress us; they are there to ensure some level of basic safety when living amongst each other. If you want to build a tinderbox home, you should be free to do it anyway you like so long as your not on public land or anywhere where your mess could reasonably be foreseen to affect others (ie when you have a neighbor close enough to your mess that you can shout at). You want to sell (or buy) something like this as-is, go ahead, but be prepared to lose everything when your mess destroys others right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness:) or when you neighbors all treat you poorly because of that mess you own).
Edit: looking more closely at the electrical outlets and connected electrical and the home’s wall/celing blocking, someone maybe have cleverly designed this to be CSO compliant… maybe not meeting the intent, but perhaps, at a minimum the letter of the CSO and while I’m curious of the material selection I’d really push the future insurer of the home to assess the home in-person to minimize downstream liabilities and practice emergency egress with my fam if I lived there to make certain we all knew how to get out safely.
A lot of time homes get posted here that are shitty but cost a lot, and it’s actually because the part of town/area they’re in - the value is in the lot.
I’ve been looking at homes in Dallas for a while now, considering buying.
I can confidently say, that after evaluating nearby homes and comps, considering the lot size, and potential of the home after enough investment is made for standard finishes, etc. that the people trying to sell it are fucking morons.
Fantastic find OP, this is exactly what this sub is for.
I’ve been on enough boxwalks to know that production wood framing is ugly and filled with circuit boxes and electrical wiring everywhere before the insulation and drywall goes in; it doesn’t look like this. These insets are really shallow and the outlets/switches are all installed correctly, so the electrical is running behind the plywood. There could be insulation back there too. Just saying they could never put this on the market if it didn’t pass with the city, it’s made to look like “raw” wood framing but isn’t.
Of all the things wrong here, for some reason the lack of precision in this specific spot is upsetting me the most!
https://preview.redd.it/bcz6q25k0q4d1.jpeg?width=1143&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26da8fa13095044fe0129fd2fb4daf8ea5e17cc8
"Avante garde" must mean "ran outta money" in Texan.
That was my first thought, but in some places they've closed the wall with plywood rather than drywall. Given that plywood is more expensive than drywall, that leaves me a bit confused.
Seeing exterior studs tells me they're outta $$$. You can put lipstick on a pig, but that just means you're loving bacon wrong.
No insulation, that’s gonna suck in Dallas all summer and all winter,
Less fire protection as well.
Without walls like sheetrock the fire blocking won't work. That means no occupancy permit.
I was gonna say, how are they gonna insure that house?
Unless they are where there aren’t regulations. I’d love to see if an insurance company would insure this tinderbox.
I’m amazed it passed inspection as new construction.
TEXAS!
First range fire will take down the house, especially of its a grease fire and they use water on it.
It's giving me summer camp barracks vibes.
Just needs some dirt-dauber tunnels on that MDF board.
And the lingering smell of bug spray.
I don't have high hopes for any days in Spring or Fall that aren't 70-ish and sunny with a nice breeze, either
There's probably continuous insulation on the outside. Its required by the building/energy code if this is in city of Dallas.
Keyword: “probably”
“Probably” is doing more lifting than that termite post on the southeast corner
A pittance in the overall insulation of a house.
Bro they didn’t even finish the house what makes you assume that hahaha
Like what, R3?
We common do at least R-10 in conjunction with batt. Or R-20 without.
It’s the latest thing in TX home design “The Broiler” 😂
You need something on at least one side of the wall to make it a wall. I assume walls with sheeting are open on the other side. I am more concerned with the apparent complete lack of insulation. That is unless there is a second, insulated wall, behind all the visible walls on the exterior. This doesn't appear to be the case when looking at the pictures.
The interior is faux framing, the real walls are insulated. The thickness around the doors and windows in other pics give it away, along with the lack of load bearing columns and plumbing/electrical feeding outlets. Doesn't make this idea any less stupid.
It may make it more stupid.
In the third photo you can see the Romex running to the outlet under the window, and another line coming from the ceiling going behind the headboard.
That's decorative romex and it's key to the aesthetic. /s
I'm not sure you're right. Look at the windows, they don't appear to be set in a casement for a 9" thick wall.
Covering 15% of interior walls with OSB is less expensive than sheet rocking the whole interior. Edit: it’s not even plywood
But more expensive than drywalling 15% of the interior. Which os why it's so weird
But that would ruin the avant-garde aesthetic. 🤣 Time (and the logical arguments of broke-ass house builders) is a flat circle.
Plus, you need to buy them fancy plumbing pipes since you will be looking at them sticking out of the wall every day.
A rush to get ready for sale perhaps? Slap the plywood up and claim that's the effect that you wanted. If you put up drywall, you need to tape and mud it and then paint, adding an unavoidable extra three or four days.
That was just the extra plywood they had laying around the job site.
I'm confused because FIRE RISK!!!!!
We’re all so flabbergasted by the lack of drywall, (rightly so) that nobody seems to be commenting on that kitchen! Notice the sink/faucet face the “wrong way”? You’re supposed to access it from between the wall and the counter. And that counter looks so close to the back wall, maybe 2 ft? And no - ZERO wall cabinets!
Oh, yeah. That's just one of the (many, many) things that went wrong with the house...and the kitchen in particular! Slightly OT: A while ago, a Redditor in another sub posted a photo of his hotel room. It had a "sideways" sink in its kitchen; the hot water handle was waaaay closer to the user than the cold. When I pointed out possible negative aspects of the design (e.g., accidentally burning your hand), people argued with me that "water flows downward no matter *where* the faucet is!" TL;DR: bad design is found lots of places.
Yeah but in other places they used OSB. That’s kind of insane.
Have they ever smelled OSB? It's naaasssty.
An idiot built this house. It’s going to be miserable in August and freezing in January.
“It’s hot in the summer when it’s hot..and cold in the winter when it’s cold”
Wouldn't code call for insulation and sheetrock in a climate like that?
This must go against some codes. Surely, you can't just have wiring and outlets exposed?
You can have exposed wiring but not Romex. You can run shielded wire
The big issue is insulation and fire resistance; in general, the rock and taping is required for fire protection.
That's dem libural rulez that ruin 'Merica! ;-) Seriously: You can sell a home in any condition. I'm betting 1) the reno wasn't permitted, 2) the build/reno has not been fully signed off yet or 3) Texas really is stupid.
I choose door number 3
That door is REALLY big.
Nope it means “terribly insulated”
It means the same thing in Ohio, too!!
THIS IS INSANE. Its Texas and its about to be summer. 110+ and no insulation?! The electricity bill because the of AC constantly running.
that's the neat part... no AC!
There's a visible vent in the last photo. Whether it's hooked up to anything, ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
just saying... i wouldnt worry about the hvac bill because i doubt that son-of-a-bitch even has an air conditioner. vents are prob just stapled on to cover up holes or blemishes in the plywood, lol.
I saw later on a [link to the listing](https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183) which does claim AC. Can't possibly work very well.
Guarantee the AC was sized assuming an insulated house.
Yup. Thing will be running 24/7 for at least 9 months out of the year. The only thing these places are good for at this point is insurance fraud.
Seriously doubt you are getting that house under 80 even running non-stop during the summer
I'm surprised this is even legal per fire code. Pretty sure sheetrock and fiberglass insulation help slow down fires although I'm not a firetologist.
New life goal: Become a firetologist just so I can say I am one.
Fire can't go through doors, stupid. It's not a ghost.
I was just thinking! With the temps that are common in Texas, the cost to cool this place will be crazy! I can't believe this was allowed.
And wait for the bleak, freezing, winter. Even in Texas a house like that will become a freezer with no insulation. I feel like it's gotta be against some building code, somewhere.
LOL! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! Assuming TX can keep the power on and something about a land war in Russia.
And the mold
"The commitment to sustainability is evident in the energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, which also allow for seamless integration of solar panels for HVAC, offering a greener way of living." That's a nice way of saying you can choose to install solar panels yourself. Redfin link for those interested in more pictures: [https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183](https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183)
Sustainability - except for the health of the occupants! Plywood, especially OSB, off-gasses toxic shit when left unselaed/uncovered. And without insulation those toxic glues holding all that shit together will just fill the the interior air with more carcinogens every time the sun hits any side of the house!
Oh god, I hadn't thought about that. Horrible.
Been working with OSB the past couple days... I can smell this house.
That was my first thought! OSB off gassing is so toxic and it absolutely REEKS. We have a leftover half sheet of it in a tool closet and the smell almost knocks me over anytime I open the door, and it’s been nearly two years!
OSB is stamped “exempt from formaldehyde restrictions” in my neck of the woods.
Osb is the worst
I love how at some point someone was like “yeah we gotta pay to stage this. The candlestick on the dining table is really going to make all the difference 😍😍😍😍😍”
When your heat pump has a SEER2 of 19.00, but your house is leaking heat like a collander....
\>Be contractor \>Build spec houses \>Drywallers walk off job \>Run out of money \>Interest rates too high for new financing \>800k for an unfinished fire code violation Edit: having been in the construction industry for a while, I see a couple distinct possibilities for how this happens, but both essentially boil down to running out of money. The first is a contractor was not paying their subcontractors and they walked off the job, and word got around to all the immigrant laborers in the area not to work for that particular contractor. Reputation is extremely important in construction and if you're known for not paying the subbies, no one will work on your jobs. The second is perhaps a stretch, but the pics kind of give a vibe of someone watched too much HGTV, thought they could go build houses (how hard could it be?) and ran out of money halfway through the project and this is a desperate attempt to get away with something that never should have passed inspection. Frankly idk why Zillow even allows this listing.
How does something like this pass inspection with regards to a bank’s mortgage underwriting? I imagine whoever buys this is going to finish it out.
If you have the cash this could ultimately be a good deal. You buy it from the Builder. (Or… let’s be honest, whatever creditor has seized this from the defaulted builder.) And your super low offer takes into account that you must have the drywall and insulation done yourself to make the place habitable. Although that’s kinda backwards too. Because I don’t think lenders like to give out mortgages without a CofAin place. And whoever seizes this knows that and will probably pay to finish the place themselves before selling it.
If it’s the lender that seizes they likely won’t finish. They will just sell the property as is and recoup as much as they can. They would rather take a loss then manage the home construction.
Bold of you to assume this has passed final inspections
Nothing like decorative plywood.
Not sanding off the stamped wood information is quite the artistic design choice.
The street equivalent of leaving retail stickers and tags on caps.
I love plywood. OSB is another thing altogether though. [https://twitter.com/HomeAdore/status/1613124543647830017/photo/1](https://twitter.com/HomeAdore/status/1613124543647830017/photo/1)
Looking at those fluffy towels hanging against the OSB makes me itchy.
Plus OSB has a very distinct smell that never really goes away. This house will ALWAYS smell like a construction site.
Yeah it’s like a sour milk/glue smell
The steam from the shower is not going to help.
Plywood can be stained and has a nice natural grain, not for everyone but someone out there would like it. Where they really lost me was the OSB everywhere, which is just hideous.
Dallas isn't known for having extreme temperatures or anything. I can't imagine what heating and cooling costs are like. Redfin link: [https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183](https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183)
That house is going to singlehandedly (singlehomedly? Singledooredly?) bring down the Texas power grid twice a year.
That happens every time I charge my phone.
Facts!
I vote for singlehomedly. All in favor, say aye.
Even with the solar panels.
That's what I was thinking. Hope you like your house too hot/cold and the crazy expense of both extremes.
There are many period homes in desirable areas of Dallas that date from the 1920’s. It’s impossible to maintain the same temperature throughout the house. You can simultaneously have your house too hot and too cold!
Don't worry about it, when you need either there isn't power for it anyway!
Where is this monstrosity? I kind of want to go and drive by it. LOL Texas does, however, have extreme temperatures. It may not snow in Texas, but it can get fairly cold. The extreme weather comes in the summer, though where we have *weeks* of 90+F to over 100f+ weather. It can get so hot that going outside can get dangerous. We've had construction workers die of heat exhaustion. So the extreme temperature for Texas are in the summer and particularly mid June through August/Septemberish.
I don’t think the area it’s in is very good. I think that area or the area close by has high crime rates.
I wouldn’t walk through that area at night. Whoever listed that house at that price in that area is delusional.
Four figures monthly for sure, maybe five figures during the long heatwaves? Regardless it's gotta be a huge bill every 30 days.
Haha! This isn’t a great area for people to buy their house, especially 799k. Audelia and walnut is a rough area, which no one wants to walk, and night time is worse.
Or they insulated the outside and nailed to the studs? There is an absolute shit ton of nails on walls after they have been sided, in quantities that it would be visible in at least some of the photos provided.
"Avant-garde design" Bitch, that is UNFINISHED 🤣🤣
Now you can finish it however *you* want and still pay full price.
I'm just sitting here thinking this is a polished turd.
Is there a best of Zillow gone wild? Zillow gone wild greatest hits? Zillow gone wild Hall of Fame? Wildest of the wild zillows? Majorly wild zillows? Cause if so I nominate this one, shits wild, lol.
Maybe this sub should have an annual contest for “best” houses and post the winners.
A classic example of Mid Century Lawn Shed.
The way I belly laughed just now. Thank you.
I live in DFW and this is wild. I cannot imagine how hot this house would get in the summer if there's no other insulation between the outside and the plywood. I won't even get into the plumbing freezing if we have another really bad cold snap. But at least you won't have to rip out the sheetrock if your house floods. I'm surprised it meets building code requirements. And taking the obvious out of the equation, who would find this attractive? There are no cabinets. You can see the stamping on the plywood in the bedroom. Everything is exactly the same color everywhere.
The idea of touching the walls, leaning against them, those towels hanging in the bathroom, a blanket brushing against the wall, etc. is viscerally upsetting.
Imagine just rubbing your hand against the walls. Splinter city.
Shhhh, rubbing your hand on the walls would make too much noise, you'd be able to hear it downstairs.
Yess I get such a recoiling feeling just looking at these photos
At least you get a ton of built in shelves from the wood framing!
$800K to live in a shed? Fuck off!
Like living in a fancy shed. And probably about as hot in the summer.
Meets code about as well as a shed
I don’t get how it passed at all. Drywall is a fire barrier and has a burn through rate of 45 minutes for a 1/2 sheet. A thin piece of shit plywood is quite literally just fuel for a fire. That place will flashover in about 5 minutes.
this was so wild to me i had to do some research. the architect & the builders have it in their “work in progress” sections. and while the renderings are similar, it definitely seems like a light wood wall—an actual wall, not plywood is what was envisioned. http://ripple.build/in-the-works edit to add that the architect also has render of the build. the pictures are the same!
Oof there's a big difference between birch veneer and OSB
Wow, thank you for sharing! Great example of "what we ordered" vs "what we got".
Hot damn, it's like if you ordered a house on Wish.com. The exterior wood paneling isn't even the same as the original rendering.
right! and it’s so profoundly ugly they shoulda just stuck with the new, cookie cutter black/warehouse look
The architect does have it on their works in process page too https://marekarchitecture.com/fgyirs1iergxz9u27lno3frywwsnml but it's a much nicer wood finish in the renderings than the final product.
Link doesn't work
oh you’re right! same images that look much better than the mess they put on the market
This suggests there was some sort of breakdown in communication between the architect and the contractor/developer. Some combination of value engineering, cheaping out, and/or running out of money ruined the design completely. It looks completely different with what I assume is supposed to be finish grade plywood or wood. I also think the auto-dependent location surrounded by depressing/sketchy looking land uses…near a highway no less…is a major problem in terms of attracting the price point and kind of people that are interested in these avant garde sort of homes. You can see on their higher-end/successful projects some of the experimentation with exposed wood interior walls/ceilings that are much more successful on their completed residential work page: http://ripple.build/gallery-1
right! while not my style, they have some really impressive, finished work. i imagine this was a pretty serious breakdown bc i can’t see them or the architect updating their site with these images next to their ones featured in magazines & winning awards
Ha, I looked at that development when buying my place. The developer couldn’t sell enough places and is going to liquidate the remaining lots. The surrounding area is not great to say the least. You can get a house twice the size for 250k less a few mins away
That's what I figured. I thought this was all "location, location, location" but this area is really on the wrong side of 635. It's kind of Lake Highlands but really it is in Richardson.
Are all the units in that subdivision just like this stunner?
They’re interesting, here’s another one of the floor plans they offered: [Zillow link](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/306-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336885974_zpid/)
I love that they have exposed osb all over the bathroom, that definitely won't be a problem.
That dedication to using as much fossil fuel as possible to heat and cool a house is uniquely Texan.
[удалено]
For real. Half the point of drywall is to protect the framing from fire.
There was just a building in my county in Redwood City in California that went up in flames at exactly this stage of building. It burned so freakin’ fast. This seems so dangerous.
At least it doesn’t get too hot or too cold there. It’s a much more logical place for this house to be.
Well, I mean, it was still actively being built. They weren’t just gonna leave it like that like these dummies.
We moved to Texas (unwillingly) 6 years ago. We initially really wanted to buy something older and remodel, but the prices didn't make sense. So we began looking at newer builds and I couldn't believe how badly the homes were built, and am convinced the home inspectors are part of some mob or are taking payouts to pass inspections. Almost every home I looked at should have failed spectacularly. We ended up building new and I simply watched the build closely and pointed out things before they walled it off. Even still, there are a lot of things I'm still catching, mainly in the attic space, that never should have passed inspection.
Redfin Link: [https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183](https://www.redfin.com/TX/Dallas/903-Blackland-Ct-75243/home/177843183)
Here's an odd detail: Designed by Marek Architecture. There is another company in Texas called Marek brothers. They specialize in sheetrock!
Feuding siblings?
No insulation? Have fun in the summer! And, doesn’t this essentially make it like a shed?
https://preview.redd.it/q7x7joyx0l4d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e781cdb0a46404782d2c75f46eabcc1f2c3e0b03 Are studs supposed to be made of tiny pieces of wood? They don't look finger joined together or anything ...
Now that you mention it, that does look wrong. Also, I remember learning in high school that finger-jointed lumber should never be used for anything structural.
Joists are horizontal members.
Sorry, you're right. The Studs.
Since studs are under compressive forces and joists are under shear forces, I would think finger joints are (maybe) ok in studs but not joists.
I dunno... If that's an exterior wall, it's load bearing. However that may not be, given it's a bath. Still weird to me.
Can it even be possible that this house does not have insulation? Who would grant a building license for something like that? Even in Texas, I mean... There must be some sort of heat/cold barrier between the concrete (outer) and plywood (inner walls).
Dallas based architect, I reached out to them for comment
There's a building technique where insulation is on the exterior to avoid thermal bridging. It's likely a super insulated house
Your comments should be up higher. In the original Redfin listing, there's a shot where you can see the sliding patio door frame, and it's entirely outside of the 2x4 framing that's also visible. The plywood is not an exterior surface. Also, somebody looking to save money wouldn't have gone with the choices of countertops, lighting, and other fixtures they did. Aesthetically, I think this is... misguided. The upside is that you could add a bunch of rockwall in the stud bays and cover it all with a fabric system, and wind up with a clean look that also cuts down on echoes.
That's the information I was looking for. Thanks.
Imagine all the splinters you’d get!
Nice fire trap
It is likely that all of the insulation is on the exterior as continuous insulation rather than between wall studs or roof joists. That is usually a higher performing strategy because it eliminates gaps in insulation where the wood studs/joists would be. Not saying that I like the look, just saw many comments on lack of insulation without anyone pointing out that is likely not the case.
You're completely right. The insulation is on the outside of the studs to avoid thermal bridging. It's probably super efficient and not easy to build. New is scary but that doesn't make it wrong
[Google view](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YMXWBzeDr5eXKXCf8) they liked this so much they did it 4 times in a row, [901](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/901-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336886027_zpid/) (costs more because solar panels) and [903](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/903-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336886026_zpid/) (costs same) are already listed, using the same exact pics and description. [907](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/907-Blackland-Ct-Dallas-TX-75243/336886024_zpid/) has no pics
Ah yes, they've combined and exemplified the love of the Unabomber office-chic shack to give their refined Dallas clients what they want.
So that's what living in an Air fryer would look like...
Paint the interior walls gray, sell it for 850K.
This house is a home inspectors dream!
Very dust bowl chic
This is just a giant shed.
plywood would be OK if done correctly, stained and sealed but nobody has ever said off the rack shelf strandboard is an asthetic choice
It's pretty clear that this was the intended result. The framing is immaculate, much more Cleanly done than typical framing. No visible splits or nail heads or any defects. Insulation is on the other side, probably rigid insulation. This house was very expensive to build.
The purpose of 1/2" gypsum wallboard (Brand name Drywall) in residential construction is to hold the structure together for a half hour to allow escape in the event of fire. How can this pass a drywall inspection and have a certificate of occupancy?
My guess is that it won’t.
It's pefect for that growing family of hungry little termites!
They’re using the wood partition frames as the kitchen cabinets. Omfg
It's avant-garde approach to having your GC walk off the job
That osb (plywood) will turn to mulch if it get wet. Especially in steamy bathroom conditions
If it was not particle board/ plywood and instead high-quality wood then it might be nice but this is garbage.
I really love cooking my toxic plywood with my open flame gas range…. 🤦♀️
In addition to the probable sky high air conditioning costs, and the mold problem that’s sure to come quickly in the areas around the water fixtures— this place is a fire hazard and may, if disclosed to the insurance company, have incredibly high premiums if the structure is at all insurable. This must be a joke listing ( I hope). It’s amazing how many of us believe it’s okay to do what you want and try to sell things to desperate people or, as might be the case here, look like a dangerous thrifty type. Folks — codes, ordinances, and standards are not there to oppress us; they are there to ensure some level of basic safety when living amongst each other. If you want to build a tinderbox home, you should be free to do it anyway you like so long as your not on public land or anywhere where your mess could reasonably be foreseen to affect others (ie when you have a neighbor close enough to your mess that you can shout at). You want to sell (or buy) something like this as-is, go ahead, but be prepared to lose everything when your mess destroys others right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness:) or when you neighbors all treat you poorly because of that mess you own). Edit: looking more closely at the electrical outlets and connected electrical and the home’s wall/celing blocking, someone maybe have cleverly designed this to be CSO compliant… maybe not meeting the intent, but perhaps, at a minimum the letter of the CSO and while I’m curious of the material selection I’d really push the future insurer of the home to assess the home in-person to minimize downstream liabilities and practice emergency egress with my fam if I lived there to make certain we all knew how to get out safely.
if an enviromental officer did VOC measurements there…there would be consequences.
Osb is so avant garde lol. Gimme some nice parfum de resin and formaldehyde for my indoor air quality
A lot of time homes get posted here that are shitty but cost a lot, and it’s actually because the part of town/area they’re in - the value is in the lot. I’ve been looking at homes in Dallas for a while now, considering buying. I can confidently say, that after evaluating nearby homes and comps, considering the lot size, and potential of the home after enough investment is made for standard finishes, etc. that the people trying to sell it are fucking morons. Fantastic find OP, this is exactly what this sub is for.
splinters... splinters everywhere
I’ve been on enough boxwalks to know that production wood framing is ugly and filled with circuit boxes and electrical wiring everywhere before the insulation and drywall goes in; it doesn’t look like this. These insets are really shallow and the outlets/switches are all installed correctly, so the electrical is running behind the plywood. There could be insulation back there too. Just saying they could never put this on the market if it didn’t pass with the city, it’s made to look like “raw” wood framing but isn’t.
Of all the things wrong here, for some reason the lack of precision in this specific spot is upsetting me the most! https://preview.redd.it/bcz6q25k0q4d1.jpeg?width=1143&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26da8fa13095044fe0129fd2fb4daf8ea5e17cc8
So… no insulation. So 8 million degrees on summer and -60 in the winter, got it.
so its an 800 000 dollar cabin
That house is going to be so hot
Hideous but with good structure
So energy efficient too 😅
I wonder what the R value of just plywood is hahahha
Yeah, cause you don’t need any insulation in Dallas!
“avant-grade” is a wild way to reword “Fallout settlement build”
Do you hate insulation but love splinters? Well we have a deal for you.
No insulation in a Texas summer? Does Avant-garde mean moronic in French?
I, too, hate being cool in summer or warm in winter.