Yes, there is cheap material used in some place, often sunny, and the standard of construction wouldn't cut it in eastern Europe now. Especially in Suburbland (Charleston, Hungtington WV). But most houses are quite solid and can last a long time.
The main issue is carpentry technique/knowledge, and tooling. My genetic grandfather was a construction worker in Ohio for a long time (from his 30s to his 60s i guess), mostly worked with wood, and was baffled when he came to France in late 2000s and my father showed him his woodwork/construction techniques (he is a film carpenter/painter/decorator), which are far from the best. He then started a 3rd cabin in his property (so we could visit him), and you can really tell the difference in quality after merely 2 month and some emails exchanged.
Yes, there is cheap material used in some place, often sunny, and the standard of construction wouldn't cut it in eastern Europe now. Especially in Suburbland (Charleston, Hungtington WV). But most houses are quite solid and can last a long time.
The main issue is carpentry technique/knowledge, and tooling. My genetic grandfather was a construction worker in Ohio for a long time (from his 30s to his 60s i guess), mostly worked with wood, and was baffled when he came to France in late 2000s and my father showed him his woodwork/construction techniques (he is a film carpenter/painter/decorator), which are far from the best. He then started a 3rd cabin in his property (so we could visit him), and you can really tell the difference in quality after merely 2 month and some emails exchanged.