Why build a wooden house when brick is more permanent?

Question

Why do so many wealthy countries have so many wooden clapboard houses when brick is more permanent and requires less maintenance? You hardly see wooden houses in UK and there are loads in US.

Answer 1

Brick is much more expensive as a building material than wood and drywall. Contractors are pressured to build a great amount of houses quickly with as little cost as possible.

Also, many houses here in the US are less than 30 years old, while ones in the UK, i'm willing to bet are much older and thus built with more traditional more sturdier materials meant to last.

Answer 2

Building A Wooden House

Answer 3

Hi, depending on the age of the property and the extent of the work you wish to do. If you are knocking plaster back to the bare brick and installing old timbers to restore an old property to its former glory, I recommend loading them into the walls by means of a 6 inch bearing if possible into the wall masonry. Have them jacked up well with an ACRO prop, this can be hazardous, make sure the props are nailed into a scrap piece of wood lightly nailed at the top so these props cannot to fall on anyone, or damage your new beams. Point them/brick them in. Once the cement has set move the props over to the next beam. If you use Blue Circle extra rapid early set it will set in 20 minutes in a warm house. You may need to pack the beams with slates, and 'point' them in. Use a 3:1 cement mortar mix to pack them in well, with a cement with rapid or early set properties. And then plaster around the holes you have made. It is important not to knock the walls about too much so as to cause damage to the outer face of the structure, so be careful and aware thet the walls may crack, or external pointing may drop out as you work on the building. Also your neighbour may not like you knocking the masonry about. This question is a bit open ended as there are different types of walling and you may have 2 feet thick solid stone walls and a detached cottage, on the other hand you may be in a 1990's semi detached house where it would be a different kettle of fishes! If you are unsure of the type of walls you have, call in a builder. You may have a soft blockwork wall, or timber framed inner skin with a cavity-who knows? If you have a modern property, adding beams will de value the house, and create a problem for the next occupier. So try not to make too much in the way of a radical change, which is not 'modern' or with it. This will lead to a permanently fitted beam ceiling, whilst not necessarily structural, they would be as permanent as any other.

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Answer 4

Wooden houses are quicker and cheaper to build. To build a wooden house in the UK would be high maintainance because of the more frequent rainfall and wood would have to be imported to build houses in sufficient quantities.
I think wooden houses look good if kept in good condition and I like the cozy feeling on being inside one. My in-laws in the States live in wooden houses and I like their homes - all snug.
Myself wouldn't mind a wooden house in the UK if it was half the cost of brick built one. The brick house prices in UK are well over inflated to the point of robbery that it would take a life time of work laden drudgery to pay off for a modest small home.
The USA are way better.

Answer 5

In the US, poured concrete walls are becoming the standard. They're much stronger and safer than brick or wood and the cost is comparable to wood, but less than half the cost of brick. If you build a brick house in this country, you first put up the wood or concrete walls, then add the brick facade over it. That's double the materials, more than double the labor, and hence, more than double the cost. Most of us prefer to put our money inside the house and in the landscaping than into the walls when our budgets are limited.

Answer 6

In California, its illegal to build a house out of bricks. They fall apart during an earthquake. Brick is more expensive. You have to put mortar on each brick. Its time consuming.

Answer 7

I would add to the above, that timber frame houses are far more envionmentally friendly than brick houses (which take a lot of carbon to produce) so the answer to your question is convoluted economics, tradition and lack of foresight in the developers' minds.

P.S. Lots of people self-build these days, and a high proportion of them use timber frame.

Answer 8

Here in Japan they do it because it hurts less if a wooden house collapses on you in an earth quake (they also flex more so are more likely to withstand it). I wouldn't want a brick one falling on me.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

There are various reasons for building wooden houses instead of brick houses.

1. Wooden houses are cheaper, hence easier to finance and affordable to a lot of people, 2. Quicker to build, 3. Cheaper to insure (because they are cheaper to build), 4. Much safer in earthquek areas, i.e. less damaging to people, 5. comformity to or Uniformity in style and types in a given areas, 6. Builders and financiers make quick profits, etc., etc.

Drowback: Easier to be destroyed by natural desasters. Hence, non permanent. In cold areas, they are more expensive to heat them, i.e. lose a lot of heat, unless insulated. Make a lot of noises when one moves around (but good natural alarm to intruders!)

Brick houses are: 1. More expensive to build, 2. Take a lot of time, 3. Affordable to a few people, compared to those who can afford wooden houses, 4. Insurance primium is higher, 5.Difficult to be destroyed completely by natural disasters, 6. Permanant,. etc., etc.

Drawbacks: Require more maintance; More damaging to people in desaster areas, etc.

General benefits: Wider choice for people, according to their affordability.