A Nashville construction worker is going viral right now because he’s issuing a serious warning: you probably shouldn’t buy any house built after 2020. TikTok user Max (@sktndie) is telling everyone, “Do not buy a house [made after] 2020,” citing frightening evidence of structural shortcuts in modern residential building. This isn’t just a hunch; Max walked viewers through a newly framed house, showing exactly why he thinks these speedy constructions are a huge risk for homeowners.
The evidence Max presented in his video, which has already racked up over 590,000 views, is genuinely stomach-dropping. As he tours the job site, he points out critical flaws that suggest major quality control issues. You can clearly see uneven corners and support pieces that aren’t properly aligned. Even worse, he showed “connected” sections of framing that had visible, gaping space between them, suggesting they aren’t actually touching or supporting each other fully.
Max claims these flaws are directly related to the rushed pace of modern construction. He starts his video by stressing, “Most of these houses go up in four days. No joke.” He explains that crews will pour the foundation but won’t even wait a day for it to cure before they start framing the structure above it. That kind of speed is terrible for long-term stability.
Houses today can’t be trusted
At the end of the day, Max says the builders will just “slap some cheap drywall” right over the frame, hiding all those structural issues from the unsuspecting buyer. He’s pretty clear in his caption that if you need something sturdy, maybe even something that’ll “last you a few tornadoes,” you need to look elsewhere. Max’s personal opinion is that “Fast production doesn’t always mean good production,” and he thinks “you gotta do it yourself” if you want a quality build.
This warning comes at a time when the housing market is totally unpredictable. While the cost of a new home has shot up significantly in recent years, with states like New York, Illinois, and North Dakota seeing annual increases of over 6%, sales volume is still strong. New single-family home sales actually went up by 20.5% in August, 2025, per Brobible.
However, the market is primarily driven by existing owners. NBC News reports that first-time home buyers only make up 21% of new purchases, which is a historic low. Experts suggest that many people who would normally own a home by now are still waiting to buy one.
While Max’s video is alarming, it’s important to remember that construction shortcuts aren’t entirely new; poor building practices have been an issue for decades. This is why many experts strongly recommend getting an independent inspection during the homebuilding process itself. Doing this helps ensure the house is safe and prevents unscrupulous builders from covering up problems, just as Max suggested.
We can’t just assume older homes are automatically better, either. Newer homes are required to meet certain safety standards that older homes never had to worry about. Plus, older houses often have serious problems waiting to happen, like outdated electrical work, failing ductwork, and old piping that is prone to failure over time.
You should know that buying an old house almost always comes with hefty renovation costs, too. The U.S. Census estimates that the median new owner of an old home spends roughly $3,900 every year just on maintenance and home improvements. So, on top of making sure the old owners move out, you have to deal with poorly made homes.
Published: Dec 2, 2025 11:57 am