Building a house can be a stressful project to manage. With all of the moving pieces involved, it can be hard to decide on the ideal materials to use for each and every aspect of construction. At Truoba Modern Home Plans, we believe that choosing your materials early on in the process is a great way to start developing a unified aesthetic for your home and narrowing down those overwhelming options.
So, what should you consider when you’re picking building materials for your house? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping around for that ideal look and feel.
- Durability
What kind of climate zone do you live in? Do you live near water or in a fire-prone area?
Depending on what weather the outside of your house will have to absorb, you’ll want to consider a variety of materials that can withstand difficult conditions.
- House Occupancy
Are you leasing out this home to many tenants or are you living alone? Houses with higher volume occupancies will stand up better if reinforced with solid materials like brick and concrete, whereas houses with single occupants can be built with more fragile materials like wood and glass balustrade.
- Budget
Budget is a key factor in deciding what materials to use for your house, but materials are not a good facet of house construction to skimp on, as cheaper materials are more likely to show wear and tear quickly. If cheaper materials demand constant replacement in the short term, their long-term costs might end up eclipsing the amount of money you initially saved. Keep note of the finishing on your product – if your chosen material does not come finished, finishing may end up as an added cost later on in the construction process.
- Steel vs. Brick vs. Wood
When it comes to the walls, beams, and load-bearing structures in your house, you’ll be choosing between these materials. While steel is the most reliable and can hold up to inclement weather patterns, heavy use, and long-term occupancy, it is also the most expensive of your options. Brick is another durable choice but brick laid in areas that could be exposed to water could lead to mold growth. Wood is far more lightweight than brick and steel, but it is also the most prone to damage over a long-term occupancy; in areas prone to damage from fire, water, and/or wildlife, wood can prove to be difficult to maintain.
- Aesthetics
Lastly, what style do you like? When you’re walking around your neighborhood, what features of the exterior stand out to you? On some level, this is the most important consideration, as you’ll be spending many days, months, and years pulling up your driveway and coming face to face with the exterior of your house. Are you drawn to wooden cottages? Sleek, modern, Brutalist concrete? Exposed brick?
These are just a few things to consider as you begin the process of designing your house.
