Constructing a house

[popcornbird]

Wow. How interesting! Here in California, constructing brick homes just isn't safe, because bricks don't do well in earthquakes, so our homes are built with a wooden frame, and the foundations are built in a way that the house would 'sway' along with the earth during an earthquake. Earthquake zones need 'lightweight' homes. Greatly reduces the risk of a building collapsing during a tremor. Our newer homes are usually wooden frame, but concrete on the outside, so they look lovely. Its amazing how homes are built differently in different places, in accordance to the environment.

[carole]

It would be the same here in NZ, as we too are on the Earthquake belt as is California., interesting thread.

[gemini9961]

LUT!! Here's the pics I promised you. This first one is the front of my house. I don't have any pics from construction since we bought it when it was almost complete. The frame like I said is concrete block. They then put stucco on the front only to give it some texture and to look better. You can't really tell in this picture that the is stucco there.

These 2 are of the back of the house. In the first one you might be able to see the outline of the concrete blocks. They didn't stucco the back or the sides. Either way, it's a concrete block frame and of course wood interior and then drywall. Since I live in Florida concrete block homes are pretty safe with all the wind a hurricane can produce. We have wood frame homes around, but I'd rather have a concrete block home. Here's the pics.


So that's our house.

[gini]

Originally posted by gemini9961
LUT!! Here's the pics I promised you. This first one is the front of my house. I don't have any pics from construction since we bought it when it was almost complete. The frame like I said is concrete block. They then put stucco on the front only to give it some texture and to look better. You can't really tell in this picture that the is stucco there.

These 2 are of the back of the house. In the first one you might be able to see the outline of the concrete blocks. They didn't stucco the back or the sides. Either way, it's a concrete block frame and of course wood interior and then drywall. Since I live in Florida concrete block homes are pretty safe with all the wind a hurricane can produce. We have wood frame homes around, but I'd rather have a concrete block home. Here's the pics.


So that's our house.

Am I correct that they use the concrete block in Florida to keep the homes cooler because of the humidity?
I love the trees in your back yard - and your home is lovely.

[gini]

Lut, your home is so lovely. It looks as though great care went into its construction.

We do have brick homes in California but this is earthquake country and they do not stand up as well to shaking as a wooden constructed home.

My own home is all wood.........built in 1912.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Thank you so much for the pics, Gemini!! I have never seen a concrete house before! This is so interesting . Is that one of you doggies in the right corner??
Our houses here are all "all-brick",as we almost never have eathquakes here (thank God!!)

Gini: yes, we talked and talked for ages with our architect about how we wanted the house to be! He is an old schoolfriend of Bernard! Many meetings ended in talking about "the good old days" .
The undertaker was our brother-in-law. He died last year of lungcancer. His wife still cries when she comes here, as this was one of his last projects....

[ramanth]

Wood frame here. The house I grew up in was built in 1986 if I recall correctly. I'd have to dig out the photo album and scan in some pictures.

Lovely construction Lut! At least you'll be safe from the Big Bad Wolf.

[gemini9961]

Gini: I am not sure about the concrete for humidity, more likely for hurricanes. Harder to blow over a concrete home vs a wood one. We don't need to sway with the earth shaking like in CA. I can tell you though, last year experience with the hurricanes, when we lost power for a few days so no A/C it was sooooo hot and humid in the house I don't think it mattered much us having a concrete home. It was awful!! Perhaps a stone house might have been better in that situation. Thanks for the comment about it being a lovely house. Husband hates the trees because it's hard to maintain grass with no sun coming in and because heaven forbid one falls on the house.

Lut: Yep, that's Maggie in the corner.

[carole]

Mudbrick and straw houses are becoming more popular here too, although you won't find a lot of them yet, they are great for the environment and super good for your health.
If I ever build I will be looking into a mudbrick possibly.

If anyone is interested here is a link all about their construction.
http://www.solidearth.co.nz/links.htm

[abbersmom]

Mine is a wood frame home...we just finished putting on a steel roof (the kind that LOOKS like asphalt shingles) & now we are in the process of replacing some of the old siding & repainting