The problem in today’s building materials market is not only large manufacturers, but consumer’s continually shocking inability to ask basic questions. By making low integrity products manufacturers have created a race to the bottom whereby the measure against alternatives is only one thing: cost. It may seem silly to say that you get what you pay for, except for one simple fact – it is often true.
We are increasingly subject to faulty construction and it is a direct result of racing to the bottom when it comes to product optionality. Why do we want to pay $4-6 per s/f on the envelope, which protects us and all that we hold dear from the elements, while we will happily pay $15-20 per s/f for flooring?
WHAT HAPPENED?
Large manufacturers dragged us into their low integrity world and marketed cheap as being not only acceptable, but the way to go. If you need an analog think about the clothing industry and in particular performance wear. You can buy a synthetic base layer for 1/3 the cost of a wool one. Two years later the synthetic garment doesn’t work like it used to and it smells terrible. The wool one, by contrast, has given up nothing. Now factor in design obsolescence. Manufacturers want products to stop working, because in today’s environment they know you will come back and buy more; whereas in the past pride came from what lasted not what was bought yesterday and will be thrown out tomorrow. If the clothing analogy is too far-fetched think about the phone you stare at most of the day. It is equally apt in the explanation.
We vehemently disagree with this practice; and we offer a solution to those who are able to appreciate value.
In contrast to another age old adage: ‘they don’t make em like they used to’ we are here to say you can actually do better if you are willing to appreciate quality…..like ‘they’ used to.
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