Why are residential buildings from the 1950s-1970s of such crap quality?

[destroycreate]

Maybe this is more specific to California apartment buildings and houses, especially in Southern California, but I've noticed that the vast majority of buildings from the 1950s-1970s are made of horrible quality and aren't standing the test of time at all, whereas buildings from earlier than that are far better/sturdier.

These buildings so often have paper thin walls, shit finishes around the windows where the metal lining looks like it's popping off, cheap popcorn ceilings, and you can hear everything from your neighbors because there's so little insulation. It's interesting because you always hear older people say that things were of better quality back then.

Does anybody else notice this in there city? Was there just a massive housing boom back then?

Literally the worst building I ever lived in (the one with the faux-brick facade):
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7793...8192?entry=ttu

[benp]

Originally Posted by destroycreate

Maybe this is more specific to California apartment buildings and houses, especially in Southern California, but I've noticed that the vast majority of buildings from the 1950s-1970s are made of horrible quality and aren't standing the test of time at all, whereas buildings from earlier than that are far better/sturdier.

These buildings so often have paper thin walls, shit finishes around the windows where the metal lining looks like it's popping off, cheap popcorn ceilings, and you can hear everything from your neighbors because there's so little insulation. It's interesting because you always hear older people say that things were of better quality back then.

Does anybody else notice this in there city? Was there just a massive housing boom back then?

Literally the worst building I ever lived in (the one with the faux-brick facade):
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7793...8192?entry=ttu

It only seems that way because the crap buildings from earlier decades have mainly already been torn down so all you are familiar with are the few best ones that have remained.

[badrunner]

Generally speaking, the quality of building stock in America falls off the cliff in the postwar period. This is especially pronounced in LA which saw tremendous growth in those decades. For single-family you go from Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Colonials to cheap cookie cutter tract housing. For multi-family you go from French Norman chateaus and palatial apartment buildings to dingbats and garden apartments.

[mhays]

In my region, school upgrades tend to refurbish what was built in the 1920s and demo/replace what was built in the 50s-70s. This is about both style and quality.

[pdxtex]

I think its just upkeep more than anything. Ive lived in new apartments where you can still hear everything. My last apartment was awesome and it was from the 60s. It was a cool triplex with huge wrap around fireplace and shared basement. It had some quirky stuff tho. Old single pane windows, giant boilers in the basement for hot water, zero ventilation besides the bedroom windows.