[mdtancsa]

I think quality is something at least there is choice on. But even then, the lowest quality of materials now seems way above anything my 1940s war-time-four that I grew up in in Willowdale. It was just tarpaper "brick" over the frame. We didnt feel "poor" or anything as thats what all the houses were. I was lucky to buy my first house in 97 at the bottom of the market in Waterloo. An 1890s house on a 133x66 lot. House was absolute mishmash of "left over parts" as one contractor friend of mine described it. My wife and I saved up and did a full teardown in 2016 (again as luck would have it) at a low point in construction costs. My general contractor said it would now be 3x to do the same project due to labour and material costs. But, going through the process I could do anything I wanted. Fresh timber, or timber that was properly aged. Steel beams, or wood. You can choose "quality" it just is gonna cost. But that 3x jump (not even taking into account land costs) pre-covid vs post covid is.... eye popping.