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Exposed Concrete ceilings and walls in new condos??

toto

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I have been looking at some newer condos and noticed that there seems to be a trend - exposed concrete ceilings and walls. Is this a look people want or is it a cost cutting measure by developers? Or both? Every unit I walked into with an exposed concrete ceiling looked unfinished, cold and drab. Not "loft" like, at all, as developer's marketing pitches suggests. Might have to start looking for a unit in an older building.
 
i think it is a cost saving strategy masquerading as a new trend. next step would be unpainted walls and concrete floors claiming to be chic :p

buy what you think is nice, instead of what developers try to convince you what is trendy.
 
i think it is a cost saving strategy masquerading as a new trend. next step would be unpainted walls and concrete floors claiming to be chic :p

buy what you think is nice, instead of what developers try to convince you what is trendy.

Went into a place that had polished concrete floor, raw concrete ceiling and columns. Uglyyyy!
 
Went into a place that had polished concrete floor, raw concrete ceiling and columns. Uglyyyy!

it is common practice in my home country to sell units like these. Everything is unfinished, no paint on the wall, no flooring, no kitchen appliance. However, consumers actually prefer such bareback units because they can renovate according to their own taste, not the developers's, and the cost savings are passed on (finished condos would be more expense).

but in Canada, I doubt buyers benefit from the savings, particularly when it is advertised as lofts, you might need to pay a premium, LOL.
 
i think it is a cost saving strategy masquerading as a new trend. next step would be unpainted walls and concrete floors claiming to be chic :p

buy what you think is nice, instead of what developers try to convince you what is trendy.

Agreed. Many seem to like the look and that's fine (concrete walls are sometimes called "feature walls") but it's sure not to my taste.
 
i think it is a cost saving strategy masquerading as a new trend.

i'd have to agree with you and others here.
same way as how they're marketing linear kitchens as being space saving and needed in 'small spaces'; yet if i look at some older plans/units from early 2000's that was 850 sf, they had U-shaped kitchen, 2 baths, larger LR/DR and bedrooms that similar and larger units being sold in the past few years.
 
Unfinished concrete can be done well or badly. I have unfinished concrete for part of my ceiling and I think it looks great. For classic examples of it being done well in interiors, of course you can check out the later architecture of Le Corbusier in the 1950s that was the inspiration for brutalism. Done badly, though, it just looks like a job left undone.

The crazy thing though, as I think others have pointed out, is that developers, including Context in my case, offer unfinished conctrete ceilings as an "upgrade" that costs you a premium. If that isn't total marketing BS I don't know what is!
 
It's a marketing strategy. This way they can advertise with catch phrases like "Handyman Special" or "Renovator's Dream" or "Neutral Decor" or "Builder's Look" or "Ready for your personal touches" or...well, you get the idea! ;)
 
Those older condos from the early 2000's (or late 90's), in addition to u-shaped kitchens and lots of (often dark) floor space, also had carpet or vinyl floors, 8' stippled ceilings, punched windows with high sills, raised panel kitchen cupboard doors, bathtubs with metal skirts, and a resale value of about $400 psf vs $650 psf for the trendy 'soft lofts' that the anti-concrete people here seem to despise.
 
your point ?!?!?

Those older condos from the early 2000's (or late 90's),
in addition to u-shaped kitchens
much more ergonomic and added storage/counterspace

and lots of (often dark) floor space,
walls can be taken down unless structural

also had carpet or vinyl floors,
cosmetic and still available in new builds. hardwood or laminate, which is so common in the new builds, can always be added

8' stippled ceilings,
cosmetic and still common. many of the 1990s/early 2000s condos have dropped ceilings which can added another foot of height

punched windows with high sills,
they're not so bad ... more energy efficient than floor-to-ceiling for our colder climates

raised panel kitchen cupboard doors,
cosmetic and still available in new builds

bathtubs with metal skirts,
still very common in new builds

and a resale value of about $400 psf vs $650 psf for the trendy 'soft lofts' that the anti-concrete people here seem to despise.
so the trendy buyer is paying a 55% premium for mostly cosmetic changes that can be always renovated.
i'd rather have 25% more space, spend up to $100 psf for renovations (which is pretty good quality) with money to spare
 
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If the concrete is poured well, it could be a nice modern industrial looking feature, suitable for a loft.
However, builders have found it a cost savings and try to market it as a trendy or loft-like feature.

I have seen some condos or so-called lofts where there's exposed concrete everywhere, which makes the place look dark, gray and bunker-like.
Also the the concrete forms must be done very well to have a clean smooth surface with very little pot marks. The Westside Gallery Lofts by Plazacorp is an excellent example of poorly done interior concrete work -- very rough with lots of potmarks and holes, even in the floors.
Some builders use plywood forms which creates a nice woodgrain texture on the surface. I've seen this done at Parc Lofts and it looks pretty good.

When floors are exposed concrete it should be either polished or acid stained and sealed to have a proper surface. Polishing is an expensive and labour intensive process as it involves grinding and polishing the surface with diamond pad equipped equipment. The result is a perfectly smooth finish like stone.
Acid staining is good way of colouring the concrete as it is a chemical reaction that penetrates the concrete which creates a durable finish that brings out subtle variations and veining like stone, and great for those who don't like the concrete gray colour.
Concrete floors are also an excellent base for a poured epoxy floor. Epoxy floors looks really slick and modern and it is also extremely durable. It also has a nice warmer feeling when you walk on it. I have seen a modern loft which everything inside was white and had a glossy white epoxy floor and it looks really sharp. It's definitely not everyone's taste, but I really like it.

Any exposed concrete surface should thoroughly cleaned and sealed, if not the concrete will dust off constantly no matter how much you vacuum or wash it. That happened to my last loft which was a nuisance. It's also not good for those who have asthma or other respitory conditions.

Developers will often include in the sales documents a disclaimer mentioning that holes, potmarks, colour variations and other blemishes are normal and perfectly acceptable for exposed concrete.

I have moved on from the exposed concrete trend, unless I have come across a really cool hard loft space. Nothing beats a smooth finish plaster ceiling.
 
If the concrete is poured well, it could be a nice modern industrial looking feature, suitable for a loft.
However, builders have found it a cost savings and try to market it as a trendy or loft-like feature.

I have seen some condos or so-called lofts where there's exposed concrete everywhere, which makes the place look dark, gray and bunker-like.
Also the the concrete forms must be done very well to have a clean smooth surface with very little pot marks. The Westside Gallery Lofts by Plazacorp is an excellent example of poorly done interior concrete work -- very rough with lots of potmarks and holes, even in the floors.
Some builders use plywood forms which creates a nice woodgrain texture on the surface. I've seen this done at Parc Lofts and it looks pretty good.

When floors are exposed concrete it should be either polished or acid stained and sealed to have a proper surface. Polishing is an expensive and labour intensive process as it involves grinding and polishing the surface with diamond pad equipped equipment. The result is a perfectly smooth finish like stone.
Acid staining is good way of colouring the concrete as it is a chemical reaction that penetrates the concrete which creates a durable finish that brings out subtle variations and veining like stone, and great for those who don't like the concrete gray colour.
Concrete floors are also an excellent base for a poured epoxy floor. Epoxy floors looks really slick and modern and it is also extremely durable. It also has a nice warmer feeling when you walk on it. I have seen a modern loft which everything inside was white and had a glossy white epoxy floor and it looks really sharp. It's definitely not everyone's taste, but I really like it.

Any exposed concrete surface should thoroughly cleaned and sealed, if not the concrete will dust off constantly no matter how much you vacuum or wash it. That happened to my last loft which was a nuisance. It's also not good for those who have asthma or other respitory conditions.

Developers will often include in the sales documents a disclaimer mentioning that holes, potmarks, colour variations and other blemishes are normal and perfectly acceptable for exposed concrete.

I have moved on from the exposed concrete trend, unless I have come across a really cool hard loft space. Nothing beats a smooth finish plaster ceiling.

absolutely correct !

i have no objections to exposed concrete if it's done right.
the issue though is, the majority of the time, it is not.

as you've said, most builders don't spend the time and money to do it right ... just a cost savings and marketing trend feature.
 

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