[edmundsauto]

A better comparison would be this: would you rather have 3 suits that you wore everyday that cost a months wages, or 30 shirts and pants that cost a weeks wages but are lower quality.

(Also, IMO, houses today are much higher quality than in the past as soon as you account for safety)

[ornornor]

The answer differs whether you answer it selfishly or with the greater good in mind (resource use/waste, pollution, etc)