Older South Florida houses were built to last, and many have. But they were built with the materials and habits of their time, and some of those matter a lot today: for what a renovation will run into, for what has to be tested, and for how much material leaves the lot if the house comes down. Here's what we find, starting with the walls and working down.
The shell
The block walls and the tie beam
8 inch concrete block
The outside walls are standard 8 inch concrete block, usually with stucco outside. The block is hollow, with some cells filled with concrete and steel at the corners and around openings.
A concrete tie beam on top
A poured concrete beam runs along the top of the block walls, tying them together and carrying the roof. That beam is above the ceiling, so the block wall is usually about a foot taller than the room inside. A house with 9 foot ceilings often has about 10 feet of block.
Window openings of the era
Jalousie and awning windows were very common in South Florida houses of this period. Many have been replaced, but the openings and their concrete sills are still the originals.
Why the shell matters
On a teardown, the block shell is where most of the weight is. Its length and height drive the cost more than square footage does.
Inside the walls
Plaster, furring strips and wood partitions
Plaster on the block
The inside face of the outside walls is often finished with plaster, sometimes right on the block and sometimes on lath fastened to thin wood furring strips, 1 by 2s or 1 by 3s nailed to the block.
Wood framed interior walls
Most interior walls are 2 by 4 wood studs with plaster on lath, which is heavier and messier to remove than modern drywall. Some bearing walls are block.
What this means for a remodel
Opening a plaster wall makes a lot more dust and debris than drywall, and running new wiring or plumbing through block walls takes more work than through wood.
Under your feet
The slab, the footings and the floors
A slab about 4 inches thick
Most houses sit on a concrete slab roughly 4 inches thick in the living areas. In many older houses, the slab was poured separately from the strip footings under the block walls rather than as one monolithic pour.
Terrazzo
Terrazzo floors are common in mid-century South Florida houses, often hiding under carpet or tile. Some owners restore them. In a demolition, terrazzo adds thickness and weight to the slab.
9 by 9 floor tile and black mastic
Asphalt and vinyl floor tile from the 1940s through the 1970s, often in 9 by 9 inch squares, should be treated as possibly containing asbestos until tested. The black adhesive underneath can contain it too, and it's tested separately.
Overhead
The ceiling and the roof
Wood rafters and board decking
Roofs are usually wood framed. Many older roofs are decked with wood boards rather than plywood, which shows up as soon as the roofing comes off.
Low, hipped roofs
Ranch houses of the era typically have low pitched hip roofs. Some have barrel tile, and some mid-century houses have flat or low slope roofs.
Tile is heavy
Barrel tile and concrete tile are much heavier than shingles. On a teardown they go out with the concrete, not with the wood.
Ceilings added later
Plaster ceilings are original in many houses. If someone added a textured popcorn ceiling in a later remodel, it should be tested for asbestos before anyone disturbs it.
Easy to miss
The garage that became a bedroom
The block wall is still there
The wall between the house and the garage was usually block. A lot of older Florida houses had the garage converted into a room years ago, and that block wall is still inside, now looking like any other interior wall.
A different slab
The old garage slab can sit lower or be thicker than the house slab, and the old garage door opening is usually filled in with block or framing.
Check the permit history
Many garage conversions were done without a permit. That matters for a sale, an insurance claim or a renovation, and it's worth a look before you buy.
Below ground
Septic tanks and old pipes
Septic, even after sewer came
Many houses of this era were built on septic. When a neighborhood got sewer later, the house was connected, but the old tank may still be in the yard. Whether it was properly abandoned depends on who did the work.
Cast iron drain lines
Houses built before about 1975 often have cast iron drain pipes under the slab, and many are failing after decades. It's one of the most common problems buyers run into.
What a teardown has to deal with
Before demolition, the sewer is capped or the septic tank is pumped and abandoned under permit, so the lot is ready for what comes next.
What it means
Renovating or tearing down a 1950s house
| Item | If you renovate | If you tear down |
|---|---|---|
| Block shell and tie beam | Solid and worth keeping in most cases. New openings in block take engineering and work | The biggest share of the debris. Wall length and height drive the cost |
| Plaster walls | Messy to open. Plan for dust control and patching | Heavier debris than drywall |
| Floor tile, mastic and ceilings | Test before you sand, scrape or demolish anything | Test before demolition. Regulated asbestos comes out first |
| Cast iron drains | Have them scoped with a camera before you buy or renovate | Removed with the slab, or capped if the slab stays |
| Septic tank | Confirm whether you're on sewer or septic, and the tank's condition | Pumped and abandoned under permit before work starts |
| Flood zone | A big renovation can trigger the 50% rule and require elevating the house | A new house is built to current flood rules from the start |
Every house is different, and plenty of 1950s houses were remodeled more than once. What's actually there only shows up when someone opens the walls.
Before you decide
Where to go next
Renovate or tear down?
How to weigh a remodel against a new house on an older lot.
The 50% rule
If the house is in a flood zone, this can decide the question for you.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How were houses built in South Florida in the 1950s?
Most were single-story concrete block houses: 8 inch block walls with a poured concrete tie beam on top, stucco outside and plaster inside, wood framed interior walls and roof, and a concrete slab about 4 inches thick. Terrazzo floors and jalousie windows were common.
What is a CBS house?
CBS stands for concrete block and stucco. The outside walls are concrete block with a stucco finish, which is how most South Florida houses have been built since the mid-1900s.
Do 1950s Florida houses have asbestos?
Many do. Floor tile from the 1940s through the 1970s, the black adhesive under it, some roofing materials and textured ceilings added later can all contain asbestos. The only way to know is to test before anything is disturbed.
Why is the block wall taller than the ceiling?
Because the concrete tie beam that holds the roof sits on top of the block, above the ceiling. The block wall is usually about a foot taller than the room inside.
Is there terrazzo under the carpet in my old Florida house?
In many mid-century South Florida houses, yes. The only way to know is to lift a corner of the carpet or tile in a closet. Some owners restore it, and others cover it again.
Does my 1950s house still have a septic tank?
It might, even if you're on sewer now. Many houses of that era were built on septic and connected to sewer later. The old tank may still be in the yard, and whether it was properly abandoned depends on who did the work.
Do older Florida houses have cast iron pipes?
Houses built before about 1975 often have cast iron drain lines under the slab, and many have corroded after decades. A camera inspection before you buy or renovate shows their condition.
This article describes what's typical of 1950s South Florida houses. Every house is different, and many were remodeled over the years. Testing, inspections and a site visit are the only way to know what's in a particular house.