If you Google “new Victorian homes” or ask of it the question, “can you build Victorian houses today,” the world wide web will tell you absolutely, “yes.”  Lies.

Ghosts of the Victorian Era

Truth be told – the beautifully restored or crumbling edifices of Victorian homes in our cities or towns are the last of their kind – doomed denizens of a distant day. Who are you to question Google? one might ask. After responding with a laughter emoji, I might reply to the above question – and larger issue – with the following…

Architects are Ambivalent
Architectural schools are not teaching Victorian designs anymore. I was prompted to give this idea some more though by a TikTok influencer who happens to be an architect. He seemed to be scapegoating contemporary craftsmen, saying that the ability to construct Victorian homes has been lost to the modern generation of trades people. Even if this be true, architectural schools do not spend their time and resources on teaching designs of previous eras, except for historical purposes and how they may have influenced more practical designs in the modern era.

Craftsmen are Clueless
Craftsmen, by and large, have not retained the knowledge of how to build Victorian architecture anymore. Yet, Mr. Architect wasn’t wrong. For reasons unknown to me, our forefathers and mothers in the trades by and large didn’t see fit to pass on the secrets of Victorian home building to their progeny.

Supplies are Substandard
The materials used to build Victorian houses don’t exist in mass produced forms anymore. For those who follow property-based themes on social media, a viral meme about the difference between modern lumber versus lumber used 100 years ago has been widely disseminated. The density, quality, and even measurement of a 2X4, 100 years ago, bears little resemblance to the porous and warped mass produced lumber found today in our big box lumber yards.

Funds are Finite
Middle class to upper middle class Americans cannot afford to build Victorian homes anymore. IF the materials could be produced in sufficient quantity and IF an architect would be found to design a Victorian house in the old way and IF people in the trades could be procured to build that design; you and I probably wouldn’t be able to afford it. So, gaze wistfully upon the remaining Victorian homes as you drive by them. They are truly unique works of art and worthy to be restored and maintained, well. After having lived in both a 100 year old home and more modern homes, I can attest that the warmth and comfort provided by an old home more than makes up for the amenities enjoyed through more modern construction.

Better than that, just buy one!