Residz Team 4 min read
I have friends who had one criteria on their shopping list for a house. It had to be built in brick.
I was fascinated to watch them reject many well-priced and delightful weatherboard cottages that would have had me signing a deposit cheque on the spot, before they settled on a modern brick home with less character than those cottages but, admittedly, less maintenance.
So, if you’re in the market to build or buy a home, will you choose brick or weatherboard, or even consider concrete?
Here we look at the fors and against of each.
Weatherboard
Pros:
As I said earlier, weatherboard homes are often charming, and have long been considered ideal for the Australian climate.
Weatherboard homes are usually cheaper to buy or build. Weatherboard is a lightweight material, which reduces transportation and labor costs.
It is quick and easy to install, which can speed up construction time. If you buy an original condition home (many made of weatherboards) to renovate, as we did, it’s a relatively straightforward process (it certainly demolishes easily).
For this reason, the weatherboard home can be more easily repaired if it’s damaged.
Weatherboard is available in different colors and styles, and you can immediately change the look and feel of the property by painting or replacing the boards.
Finally, weatherboard homes have good insulation properties. According to The Architects Diary this is because they have air trapped in between the boards, which regulate either heat or cold to help maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.
Cons:
Weatherboard homes may be at greater risk of damage from bushfires. Double brick will provide better fire protection than weatherboard or brick veneer on a timber frame.To assess the bushfire risk of the property you live in, or want to buy or rent, make sure you download the PEXA Property Report.
Weatherboards are susceptible to moisture and rotting if not installed correctly, or if they’re submerged in floodwaters.
Inspection company Abis says timber that has been saturated may take 6 to 12 months in a well-ventilated situation to fully dry out depending upon timber thickness and density. Higher density timbers, such as hardwood, will take longer to dry.
Weatherboards can be subject to termite damage, especially where there is dampness.
Weatherboard requires regular maintenance, including painting and sealing, to prevent damage.
Sunshine and heat can crack or warp weatherboards, and over time and with full exposure to Australian conditions the timber will degrade if it’s not looked after.
Brick
Pros:
The three little pigs taught us all the biggest benefit of building in brick, and that is that brick is a durable material that can last for centuries.
It has high thermal mass, (meaning it can absorb and store heat) which may help keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter.
Brick is resistant to fire. Building materials manufacturer Locker says brick is a great option as a bushfire-proof material. They point to the ability of bricks to withstand temperatures exceeding 500° C and their use in heat intensive environments such as reactors, furnaces and kilns.
(An interesting side note is that brick performs better in a bushfire if plastered. Plaster itself is fire resistant and helps to protect the underlying masonry). There are also specially designed fire bricks.
Bricks are resistant to pests and weathering.
They require minimal maintenance, and the color of bricks does not fade easily.
Brick is recyclable and can be reused.
Cons:
Brick can make a home more expensive to buy or build. Being a heavy material, transportation and labor costs are higher.
It is a time-consuming material to lay, which can increase the construction time.
Brick alone has very little insulating power. According to ehow.com.au, traditional structural brick walls were built using two layers of brick, tied together at intervals with bricks turned sideways, and included a small airspace between the layers. This can slightly increase the insulation value of a brick wall.
Bricks can crack under high-pressure or vibrations.
The cost of bricks can be expensive, depending on the type of brick.
Concrete
Pros:
According to Cements, Concretes and Aggregates Australia (CCAA), 70% of the world’s population lives in a structure that contains concrete.
Being a strong and durable material that can last for a long time, it’s said that concrete houses have a building life expectancy of centuries. If built correctly, concrete is relatively low-maintenance.
An article in HGTV says the thermal mass of the walls and the tight seals at joints enable concrete homes to excel at keeping conditioned air in and extreme temperatures out.
And, like brick, it is resistant to fire, pests, and weathering.
Cons:
Concrete is a heavy material, which increases transportation and labor costs. While you have a higher initial building cost, it’s a low maintenance material once built.
According the CCAA, concrete needs to be made close to where it is used as it generally only lasts 90 minutes before it starts to harden. However, it cites this as a positive as it means most materials are sourced locally.
It can be prone to cracking under extreme conditions, such as earthquakes.
Concrete is not an environmentally friendly material and has a high carbon footprint. CCAA says the industry has worked to reduce CO2 emissions by using what would otherwise be waste products such as fly ash and slag to deliver energy efficient buildings.
Summary
Deciding whether to buy a brick, concrete, or weatherboard house depends on your personal preferences, budget, and the location and climate of the area you are planning to live in.
As you can see, the initial cost of the house may be cheaper, depending on the material used, but the maintenance costs over the time you own the house is a factor well worth considering.
More research with Residz
Residz specialises in all sorts of research that can help renters, buyers and sellers find out information about property.
Photo by Lynnette Greenslade on Unsplash