BRITISH vs AMERICAN Homes (Moved from UK to USA)
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- Опубликовано: 24 фев 2023
- Welcome to 10 Differences BRITISH vs AMERICAN Homes (BRITISH EXPATS)
We moved to the USA from the UK 2 years ago!
British vs American Homes
We hope you enjoy the new video style.
In this video, we discuss the differences between
1. Size
2. Functionality of the homes
3. Kitchens
4. Bathrooms
5. Parking
6. Garages
7. Getting your Post/Mail
8. Climate Control (Air conditioning vs Radiators)
9. Gardens vs Yards
10. Carpet vs Hardwood floors
We this isn’t an exhaustive list but just some fun things we’ve noticed in the 2 years of living in LAS VEGAS USA.
We know it varies by state, so let us know what it’s like in your US State
10 Differences Between BRITISH and AMERICAN Homes (BRITISH EXPATS)
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Depending where you live , you may get your mail delivered right to your door,...or to a mailbox by the curb at the end of your driveway!
Size difference is the most surprising. I prefer large, multi-stored, ultra-modern homes.
Same!
After living in America for over 40 years, and now being in UK for over 20, I still have culture shock. I don't think I'll ever get use to how things are in the UK. But I do have a detached house with garage and parking for 4 cars. Also have a very large yard. One thing in the US, you can get sinks with drainers :)
We live in an older American home (built in 1908). The kitchen is smaller than newer homes and it is completely separate from the living area. The kitchen sink has the drainboard built in. We have no pantry. However, we do have plenty of cupboard space and room enough for two people to be cooking at the same time. We have a large living room and a formal dining room. There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Originally the home had only three bedrooms and one bathroom. The garage is not attached to the home. And we do have a garden with flowers, terraces and many trees. We have lived there almost 50 years. This year will be our 59th wedding anniversary.
Having temperature control in homes in the US must be so nice.
Back in the UK - during hot summers I can barely get to sleep due to how hot its is (summer 2022 was brutal)
However, when I went to Philly just this last summer, even through the temperature was 35 degrees some days - due to the aircon in the hotel - it felt perfect (I know if it was the UK - I Wouldn't have been able to get to sleep due to the lack of aircon)
and yes I can confirm that the radiator system in the UK is awful and very slow
I remember coming back from a trip from Ireland years back and the house was 9 degrees. it didn't properly heat up until the next morning.
needless to say temperature control in US homes (and hotels) are way better than that in the UK
We love how we manage the temperature in our home here. Warm when it is cold and quick to warm up too, and cool in summer.
Great video, however, as for the mail, yes it does come to your house here in the US. Most homes have mailboxes in front of their houses. Few developments are now starting to put a centralized mail are like in your neighborhood but it's not as common as it sounds. Apartment complexes do have the centralized Mail area with everyone's mailbox right there. Great video and thanks for sharing. Love it ❤️
Thanks! Good to know. We did wonder how mail comes in other places. We miss the mail not coming through our door. We would prefer even if it came to a mailbox in front.
When I was a kid lived in Brooklyn …got the mail through the door too
The washer is in the kitchen in the UK because that's where the plumbing is. In France & Spain they tend to be in the bathroom - again for the access to water and drains.
That actually makes a lot of sense. I am thinking about my family homes in France, it has been a while but I do think I recall the washer being in the bathroom.
I much prefer having a dedicated utility/laundry room for the washer/dryer. Although, more of the newer UK homes are having this dedicated utility now.
I had the washing machine in the bathroom in a former home, but that was because I did a complete renovation and planned for this to happen. I did a light refresh in my current home, but the bathroom is too small to have a washing machine.
Recently discovered your chaneel. I am also from UK, London. I went to visit las vegas last year specifically summerlin including the shopping centre. I really loved it.
Glad you loved Summerlin!
Kitchens in the US have always been a central gathering room but sectioned off like all other rooms. In the 1980's the open concept started and the kitchen was really emphasized and designed to be a central gathering place with ease to serve in the seating areas, such as a family room, or counter. Mail is still pushed through the door slot in many older US homes. With the growth in the population and the US Postal Service's struggle to keep up, they have centralized mail delivery in the newer and larger developments. Regarding carpet, all US homes use to be carpeted in every room but that has changed in the last 20 years. Most people are opting for area rugs in bedrooms and living areas instead because they can be easily cleaned and changed out whereas carpet had to be maintained and was expensive to replace.
Rich people live in houses like this couple is talking about not the average Americans. Don't think the average family has 3-5 bathrooms I may know a handful that have 3 full baths. I'm in the Midwest and typical in my area is 3 bedroom brick ranch 1-2 full baths & 1/2, a basement where most have the laundry set up, lucky ones have a mud room that include first floor laundry typically connected with the entrance of an attached garage. Some family/great room add on, almost all have a detached or attached 1 1/2- 2 1/2 car garage
Average size home 1000'- 1500' sq ft. Homes average price $200,000-250,000
My mail box is attached to my house right outside my door, the neighbors are on a post at the edge of the porch. But some areas the postman just drives past so the posts are at the edge of everyone's driveway. And in newer built neighborhoods some have a section at the front entrance with lock boxes and the postman only stops at the front and can deliver everything in one stop. I hope that gives you a different perspective. Not everyone is rolling in money and is living in those mansions they say are average homes.
The most amazing graphic was when you likened the size of a UK apartment to the size of a US integral garage. 😳
I know! Crazy, doesn’t seem possible that would be a home in the uk.
@ANTSEL You would think that some of the homebuilding companies in the UK would borrow some of the design ideas from the US... At least they could prevent laundry from mixing with food prep.
Haha, very true! The more I think of it, having a washing machine in the kitchen seems so odd.
These videos are really helping me decide so thank you!
Glad these videos are helping
Great video!
Welcome to the USA. Your video is really enjoyable. That is quite a long walk to your mailbox. I've never seen that type of arrangement before in the eastern United States except in very rural areas of farms. It must be something that's done in the west because of the size of the communities to save the mailman time
Thank you so much. We are learning the walk to the mailbox is unique to where we live. I guess we get our extra steps in this way.
Midwest also has mailboxes on the house unless you are in a huge development.
@@andiavery3753 in the rural parts of upper Michigan you often see rows of mailboxes nailed to a felled tree because everyone in that area still live on homesteads and the long driveways in the country are often blocked with snow in the winter so it's just quicker to have it all in one place for the mail carrier (I thinks that's the correct US term). I'm over in Europe for several months of the year at my other house and the US kerbside mailbox at my Fl home is annoying as it fills up too quickly with junk mail which the post office will not stop delivering despite my telling them I'm away. They also won't store "real" mail until I get back. Forwarding doesn't work either as that triggers a change of address which obviously I'm not changing. My neighbours are useless at emptying the box and storing it as they always forget. I much prefer the door slot.
In America there are places that get mail through the door. There are video on you tube with pets attacking the mail. Most places in the US have a mailbox in their front yard. You can never this how “fill in the blank “is in the US because every place is different. A lot people have beautiful gardens in their back yard. Las Vegas is in the dessert. Not much grows there.
Agreed!
I live on the Big Island of Hawaii (NOT Honolulu). Single story homes are really common here. My personal home has absolutely NO steps in it. One walks to one of my lanais (covered patio/terrace) and from there directly into the house. It's really rare to have a foyer or entrance hall.....which means there's no closet near the front door!
My lot is over 15,000 sf (1,394 m2). I have a pool and nine producing fruit trees PLUS areas to grow a garden. I also have a large area for my two large dogs! What I don't have and would LOVE to have is an inside laundry room - I have to go into the garage to do my laundry. That's pretty common in homes built prior to 2000. What I do have have, though, is GREAT weather year round so I do not need heating and rarely use my A/C. And since we have so much sunshine, I don't have an electric bill since I produce more electricty than I use and I send out to the grid my excess electricity from my solar batteries.
When I was working in Switzerland, I had the opportunity to spend time in my co-workers houses. What I remember most is the sheer amount of stairs! The kitchens were tiny and shut off from the rest of the living areas. Between each course, my hostess had to wash the silver ware and plates so we could continue with dinner! But the houses were charming (low ceilings made me feel I would bump my head and the narrow steps and the way they twisted upwards made me claustrophobic!)
Yes, parking is an issue in our new build estate in Dartford
I have watched a lot of comparisons between the two countries over the years and something else to add might be the refrigerators. There is a actual style called American style fridge. Just a thought
Oh yes! Great point. Refrigerators are so much larger here. In the uk that is not so common unless you have a large enough kitchen to accommodate it. Something to add in a follow video. Thanks. 😊
We emigrated from UK to Canada and couldn't believe the type of house you could get. The house I grew up in with six of us could fit five times into my Canadian house. We're used to it now but our English visitors are blown away. I still miss bacon and high Street shops . Great vid. You nailed it
Thanks! I often think about if we were to move back to a UK home. Its bizarre that they never seemed small at the time.
Every time we go back to the UK, we make sure to enjoy a good bacon sandwich!
@@ANTSEL I think you'd love Canada but congrats on your move. Your lives will definitely be better..
Canada is on our list to visit at least, just need to think where to start! Never know, it could be somewhere for the future 😊
@@ANTSEL Vancouver I'd start with. It's closest to you
@@ANTSEL: my sister lives in the Greater Toronto Area and much of it is very suburban. The actual city, though, is lovely and on a more intimate scale than NYC.
I saw your video on one of your fellow former countrymen' youtube page and you look like you are in North Las Vegas. I live up here as well. (the home in the background of a couple of your shots looks like the style of my home.) I am glad you like it here. I moved up here with my sister and disabled brother in law from Los Angeles a year ago. Absolutely love it up here. If you get a chance, visit the Ice Age Fossil State Park up here(near the end of Decatur-if you hit the mountain, you have gone too far). $3.00 per person(or a season pass for all of Nevada State Parks). Best deal in Las Vegas! Tell them John Sent you. (I walk the park every day)
Houses are similar to what you have described here in Georgia.
Love your videos! It has always been a dream of mine to move to the US! Slowly convincing the family! 🙏🏼🤞🏼👍🏼
Pros definitely out weight the cons!
This year it has been so wet and cold, I've honestly never been so ill!
The whole family has been ill it feels for two months running now!
Just praying for summer to roll around!
Hi Alex, Thank you!
That's really not great about you and the family being ill for so long. What is interesting, Ant and I were just discussing how often we get ill and just realised we haven't been ill since moving here. The last time we were both really ill was when we visited England last year!
Here's hoping you convince the family to move in 2024 :)
Thank you 🤞🏼
Genuine hardwood substantially increases a home value in the US. This can be a deciding factor when choosing new flooring.
Agreed! Buyers definitely prefer hardwood in the USA.
We say bathroom like Americans in Yorkshire. It's just Southerners who say it with an R. I also learned that washing machines go in the bathroom in Germany which makes so much sense
My sister townhouse in Illinois has a letterbox she has to walk too. which is rare. Mine is old fashioned mailbox next to door that a mail man has to walk to because i live in a triplex condo building. But a lot Americans live in detached houses (60%), so they have a mail box. Where mailman doesnt even get out of car. Now amazon deliveries get dropped off at door not mailbox. I did live in a detached house with a mailbox next to door where mailman had to walk too but it was a very old house.
I put hardwood floors in my house and I hate them. They look fabulous but they are actual hardwood floors and they’re easily damaged and scratched and they are cold. You are not getting up and walking across the hardwood in your bare feet in the winter. If I had to do over again, I would get a good qualitythick carpet
7:21 this is a common thing out in western housing communities. Most people out east tho still have a box right by the driveway. So you still have to leave the house but not ur property. I lived in Arizona and Nevada for years and even in cali it’s common. Probably has something to do with the heat and the extra work the post workers would have to put in walking door to door in that heat.
There are places in the US where the post comes through the door. It's common in cities.
Literally itching to move my family out of the UK, as a black family the US was not on my list however I’m so fed up with the UK now it’s now on the cards. Do you have a video around why you chose Nevada? Las Vegas is not somewhere I expect people to live, obviously people do, so interested in why you chose LV. Thanks.
Hi! We love living here. The US is very diverse in what it can offer, that you can always find the right place to live. Nevada was definitely not somewhere we planned on moving to. We were meant to move to California, but after the pandemic work had suggested Las Vegas. So we did, thinking we would not like it but ended up really liking it here. We have lots of video from when we started our move.
This is the video where we spoke on why:
ruclips.net/video/wfLsdhXEapQ/видео.htmlsi=l20Nfbt4IXxe5vv8
Thanks!
HOA fees is a surprise but then the community pool, tennis lifts and gym are fantastic.
Indeed! but as you say the amenities are often great.
I think that HOAs are the work of Satan. I would rather live somewhere that does not foist amenities on me that I wouldn't use. I also don't care to be told what colour I can paint my house or that I can't have plants in the front garden. That is dictatorship by dollar store despots.
It seems not having a door to the en-suite is not very common.
Hi were lucky we can put 3 cars on our drive then we have car spaces just across the walk way 😊 but yes parking in the Uk for a lot is a nightmare 😊
Sounds great! We have definitely adapted to the US size home.
Give me an American home any day!
Outlets in the us has 2
I think so many of these comparison videos imply to foreigners that ALL American homes are huge. Of course, they have gotten bigger and bigger over the years and, for many Americans, they are more than they can actually easily afford - but there often is nothing new but smaller available. And who doesn't like the freshness and reliability of a new roof, new air conditioner, new windows, etc? I live in an 863 sq. ft. two-bedroom built in the 1970's. Before that, I lived in a 1,096 sq. ft. two-bedroom built in the 1980s, and before that in a 980 sq. ft. two-bedroom built in the 1950s. All had rotten kitchens LOL. Two had the washer and dryer in the kitchen. Small, affordable, NEW places, though, just aren't being built in the US.
Which homes do I prefer? Hmmm. I've watched a lot of British videos about homes. I like NEW British homes for their interiors and OLD British homes for their exteriors - but there isn't enough variety of exteriors in new British developments. Same for newer American neighborhoods - but there is more variety of exteriors in a new American development (more elevations). It really is a toss-up. I like the "typical American home" exactly as much as I like the "typical British home" - but each home has differences I appreciate. And of course, there's a huge difference between the beige stucco cubes of Las Vegas and the neo-colonials or brick Georgians of Chicago.
Thanks for sharing. That is very true, that there is a perception that all US homes are huge but like you say this is not the case for everyone.
We would struggle with a British sized home now, lol as we have really adapted to the space we have. Although British homes have. a very cozy feel, which is also nice.
@@ANTSEL I think we can all get used to anything, I suppose. I've had bigger homes and appreciated the roominess and particularly the storage. But other than rental apartments I had a long time ago, I'm now in the smallest place I've ever actually held a mortgage on - and I'm quite used to it. In fact, I like the lower energy bills LOL! I do like the views one gets, looking out the windows onto quiet streets or lush gardens in England. I have absolutely no view here - just a stuccoed block patio wall in the back and a stuccoed side of a building in the front.
@@ANTSEL: Britain is just about the only country in Europe where the homes are actually getting smaller. I am older and grew up in a huge south east London Edwardian pile, with plenty of room for my parents and we four children. I was never able to buy a house in London, but did find spacious flats.
No not the whole Country ..I’m in NY (not the City) comes to the door mailbox 📫 by my door
I'm surprised you didn't mention the window screens that we have in the US to keep the bugs out when you open the windows. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. I have been told that the UK does not use window screens, which seems crazy to me, especially since most UK homes do not have air conditioning. Since you have to open the windows in the summer, why would you want to have bees and other bugs coming into your house? Not to mention, if you have an indoor cat, screens are a great way to keep them from getting outside.
We don't have much occasion to open the windows in the UK - ours is an indoor country. 😂😂😂 Cats come and go as they please with the danger being mostly from traffic.
Who chooses UK houses?
Having a mailbox a block away is very unusual in the US
Yea.. we have definitely realised that since posting this video.
I expect the major difference between UK and US houses is that US houses commonly have basements.
The mail comes to your house in 90% of the 🏡 in the US lol.
What?! No fair that we in vegas need to walk to get ours lol
We knew many places have the mail box at the front on the house, or front yard, but not coming through door the like in the uk.
@@ANTSEL most people have a mail boxes but some houses do have mail dropped off through door.
Wonder why US has a housing crisis? I prefer small compact size homes in hogher density neighborhoods where i can use piblic transportation instead of cars.
Team Carpet 🙋♂️
Nevada is not a gardening state. Its a 🏜️
Thank you. It is actually very refreshing to have someone comment that loves the UK but does not immediately dislike us for preferring the USA :)
The UK has its positives and we are happy that people do love living there. Thank you again and we wish you well too.
Gee it almost sounds like American is waaaay better
UK homes: concrete cement and affordable, can stand any weather condition and built to last
US homes: wood and expensive, can't stand harsh weather conditions and easily damaged
UK WINS
Homes in the U.S. are not all wood and are not exceedingly expensive in every state. You actually get a lot of amenities with some homes. Most homes are built with climate of the area you live in mind. You find more brick on the East Coast and in the Midwest because it gets colder. But newer construction doesn’t use as much brick because structurally it’s gets damaged more easily and requires more skilled brick workers to build. But a concrete home like the U.K. would be an oven in the Las Vegas desert and would be crumbled to rocks in an earthquake in California.
Agreed! We are not entirely sure why they believe all US homes are made of wood and thats UK homes are "affordable". Many in the UK would disagree and confirm the struggles of buying their first home.
Also we are not aware on any normal home in the UK that is made of cement. We have apartment blocks that are cement but normal houses can be made from timber, brick, and much older homes stone and mud. So we have no idea where they have got their facts from.
Sources? Living experiences in both countries to make such statements?
@@ohshetz8478 Europeans have been making homes out of wood ever since they came to America due to it's large number of forest and a lot of them are manufactured houses as well that looks like toy houses instead of real homes.
I still think UK definitely wins on this one, UK homes might be small but they are built to last
Europeans have been making homes out of wood ever since they came to America due to it's large number of forest and a lot of them are manufactured homes that looks like toy houses due to it's affordability.
I still think UK still wins on this one, UK homes might be small but it's built to last
yes, vast majority of uk homes are miseranle mouseholes. you need to spend a fortune to remodel if can happen! english cooking is non existant that's why the non existant kitchens.....they do not care about how aesthetics can make you feel good in a house, for them it is just a house......uh!