Guest Malvoe Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 If you get a chance, check out the cinder block abomination being built on Algregg St (borders Fiesta to the north), two blocks west of Fiesta/Studewood. No windows on the front, left, or back of the "house", but oddly, several facing the east. Seems like the front door is the only door at all. Looks terrible. Yikes. Between that place, the abandoned house next door, and the crappy townhouses across the street, I feel bad for their neighbors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 They are building cinder block houses down the road from me off 304 south of 71 (Bastrop). I have been following the progress of the construction since I have never seen cinder block houses being built before. As far as I can tell, these houses will look just like adobe houses when completed, and I see nothing wrong with that look. My only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Isn't cinder block a fairly common building material? Usually hidden by stucco or brick veneer on the outside and plaster on the inside? The building where I work is probably 3/4 cinder block but hardly any is visible.Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapillionWyngs Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Isn't cinder block a fairly common building material? Usually hidden by stucco or brick veneer on the outside and plaster on the inside? The building where I work is probably 3/4 cinder block but hardly any is visible.Marty May I polietly ask what cinder block is made of? Is it concrete? (Probably not!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 The only experience I have with cinder block constructed homes is in Mexico and they seem quite well built. I agree that perhaps they will have a stucco facade, for some of the wealthier homes in Mexico seem to follow that style. As far as the windows goes, your guess is as good as mine. I'd have to look at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Malvoe Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Trust me, go check it out. Your optimism will evaporate quickly. It looks terrible, whatever they might choose to coat it with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeightsGuy Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 It may not look pretty in the beginning stages, but cinder block and tin can make for a stunning home. For comparison, take a look at one on west 23rd a few blocks west of Shepherd/Durham on the south side of the street. That will give you an idea of what a "cinder block" house can look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 May I polietly ask what cinder block is made of? Is it concrete? (Probably not!)A usually hollow building block made with concrete and coal cinders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgs1419 Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Malove is right. I saw that thing on the way home from Fiesta the other night and it scared me. I made my kids look away.I am a big fan of block houses with contemporary styling and used properly, cinder block can be a great building material. In this case, however, it is just plain ugly. I hope they put a tall fence out front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Malove is right. I saw that thing on the way home from Fiesta the other night and it scared me. I made my kids look away.I am a big fan of block houses with contemporary styling and used properly, cinder block can be a great building material. In this case, however, it is just plain ugly. I hope they put a tall fence out front.Gee. Now youre making me curious as to the home and I'm tempted to drive by it in the near future. Alot of things can be surmised by how the house (or any other building) is constructed with aethestics in mind. The small windows and the lack of ingress and egress options are a bit telling. Are you sure a drug dealer isn't moving into your area?Either that or someone that has some really bad taste issues, and I'm not refering to their choice of food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Malvoe Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Ah, see, jgs1419 knows. My GF and I were walking by the place the other day, and stopped for a good 10 min just to try and figure out what they were doing. Really weird, ugly, place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heights_yankee Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Isn't cinder block a fairly common building material? Usually hidden by stucco or brick veneer on the outside and plaster on the inside? The building where I work is probably 3/4 cinder block but hardly any is visible.MartySorry but stucco just doesn't seem to work long term in Houston. Everyday I drive by any number of stucco houses/townhomes that are cracking, molding, or generally just look bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 That's because its usually applied by low-wage limited-skilled workers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Malvoe Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 I made my kids look away.Btw, that was hilarious.I drove by again last night. I don't thing there are any plans to cover up the cinder blocks. they used one row of white blocks around the entire house as "decoration". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapillionWyngs Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 A usually hollow building block made with concrete and coal cinders.Thank you. I was partially right! Imagine that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgs1419 Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 The blocks are certainly the finish material. They are "split face" and have the aesthetically appealing faux stone face on the exterior side. I'll try to slide by and take a picture today after work so nobody has to get too close to that thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeightsGuy Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 The blocks are certainly the finish material. They are "split face" and have the aesthetically appealing faux stone face on the exterior side. I'll try to slide by and take a picture today after work so nobody has to get too close to that thing."aesthetically appealing faux stone face"That's all you needed to say, it must be a homemade job of some sort and not pro-designed modern block and tin construction. I'll have to drive by on the way home tonight. If you have the chance though, you really should check out the place on 23rd, beautiful structure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Anybody have a photo of this house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiko Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Anybody have a photo of this house? Here are some. I walked by it on Saturday with my kids - it made them cry but I managed to take some pictures. Sorry for the poor quality of my cellphone camera. Any possibility that this is some kind of garage? The dumpster parked out in front had a lot of carpet padding that appeared to be from the house on the left. Maybe some collector or hobbyist bought the house and wanted a big, cheap garage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double L Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 It doesn't look that bad. I think it looks original and the Heights is known for unique housing.Is the quality of life any worse in a cinder block house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 That place is abomidable. Seems like someones horrible attempt at a cinder block mod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Concrete Blocks are the way to go in Houston. It's termite proof and will stand up to hurricanes a lot better than stick houses. FYI, usually they fill up the hollows in the concrete block with concrete and put steel rebars. This is very strong construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Concrete Blocks are the way to go in Houston. It's termite proof and will stand up to hurricanes a lot better than stick houses. FYI, usually they fill up the hollows in the concrete block with concrete and put steel rebars. This is very strong construction.I don't think anyone was arguing the homes durability, but it's bad design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 I don't think anyone was arguing the homes durability, but it's bad design. ...the perfect house for the conspicuous drug dealer and/or gangbanger with a penchant for minimalist bling. It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't look computer-generated. I've always liked cinder block, but this isn't what I had in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Malvoe Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 It has 4 total windows and the "front" double doors face the house to its right. Oh yeah, the roof is bright red, and on the left side, they ran out of gray cinderblocks so there are 2 different color grays. Other than that, it's peachy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 i had dreamed up something a little worse than what the pictures depict, but still...! i would say that from really far away (and perhaps if one was nearsighted sans glasses) it would look sort of midcentury with the roof tilt and minimal front-facing windows - that being said, it also could appear to be a cinderblock-reinforced cardboard home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Butt ugly house! Someone should burn that sucker down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Butt ugly house! Someone should burn that sucker down! It doesn't look like it would burn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Any possibility that this is some kind of garage? The dumpster parked out in front had a lot of carpet padding that appeared to be from the house on the left. Maybe some collector or hobbyist bought the house and wanted a big, cheap garage?Is cinder block construction cheaper than stick framing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Usually no its not cheaper as you have to fur out the interior to put insulation and sheetrock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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