Moscow: Not much for finish work

One thing that I noticed a lot in every part of Russia that I finished was the lack of finish work. Finish work is things like floor board trim, or grouting tile, or putting end caps on plastic components. I noticed this mostly in small shops, cafes, anything built by none corporate or government institutions or people, and in people’s homes. While most things were solidly built they weren’t built to be polished and finished well. This wasn’t the case in new corporate owned stores, night spots, restaurants, or business centers, and it certainly wasn’t the case in old soviet structures. Just in all the other 80% of the structures that people actually live and work in.

The first place I noticed this was in my sister in-law’s apartment. It is a very comfortable apartment. They have good security, it is well built, and the utilities seem to work well so all the basics are covered. But when you look at the floor you see that were you would expect a nice or even basic floor board, held in with finishing nails, instead you find there is a plastic piece with a wood grain sticker on it. This is held in by bright large un-hidden screws and has obvious connection pieces where two sections come together, as if this wasn’t cheap enough the end is missing an end cap. Next in the kitchen the counter was decent looking but when it ends, it just ends. There is nothing on the end of the countertop you can see the exposed particle board. So that was my first experience with contemporary Russian Finish work.

Many other things were of the same mentality. Buildings utilities were connected building to building with aerial wires rather than under ground utilities. Hallways in a large building would use multiple suppliers for the doors so none matched. Missing transition pieces abound. The list goes on and on. It isn’t that people aren’t capable of doing the work. In old buildings and upscale new buildings I didn’t notice such disregard for aesthetics. Lobbies of business centers, restaurants, new train stations, airports, and other important structures all are comparative to their western counter parts. I wonder then why even people with some extra money just don’t seem to care.

I talked to a few people about it and they seemed unconcerned. I was given two main reasons. The first, this is just the way it is. Ok. The second, why would construction companies spend money on making it nice when they know that the people that move in are going to redo it.

This is funny to many on many levels. First it shows how far some of the basics have to come for Russia to catch up with the west. Second I would expect people to want more, but I think 80 some years of Soviet indoctrination keeps Russians from playing the keeping up with the Jones game. Though I have heard of people wanting to buy cars as a status symbol their homes don’t seem to be used this way. It is too bad really because when the money and time are expended some of the building in Moscow was really cool. Some of the quality of what can be done is as good as I have seen anywhere and it has a great Russian twist to it. Like any other country they tend to use different colors and styles that are unique. So my hope is that as the economy improves and people have more money this will change, because I bet the designers in Russia could give those in the west a run for their money if they had more opportunity and people would pay for the finish work.