Ever wonder why most of the American houses are not made of concrete and brick but woods? Why is the United States not building homes using bricks even after repeated natural disasters? Despite having so many advantages, wood is used instead of bricks for several reasons.
As compared to brick houses, wooden houses are moderately easy to work with since the wood is flexible, lightweight, and more affordable. In the areas where erosion and silt accumulate, wood can be a convenient option since it is resistant to such corrosion. Moreover, wooden houses lack the knowledge and labor to take up this kind of work. For concrete and brick houses, the labor costs are extremely high, which makes them unsuitable for most.
Reasons Why Americans Prefer Wooden Houses
In the United States, one of the main features of house construction is wood. Despite the availability of more resistant materials like concrete and brick, wooden houses are constantly the favorite element in the United States construction sector.
Following are some of the reasons why Americans prefer wooden houses over others in this article:
Economy
Wood is available in great abundance in the United States. As compared to the material used in other continents, like cement and brick, the prices of wooden material are significantly lower.
Reduced Taxes
Taxes on the houses depends upon the state in which they are built. However, compared to the houses built with brick and cement, the taxes on wooden houses are much lower. Therefore, this makes more people shift towards wooden houses.
Wooden Houses are Easy to Build
You can build a wooden house without much trouble if you have the skills. In the United States market, there were several kits available. These kits had almost everything need to build a house and allow owners to construct their own homes.
However, to build these wooden houses, you must have some architectural knowledge and a crafty mind. But if you have these qualities, working with wood is not hard.
Material Availability
It is effortless to find wooden material in the United States since it has many big forests. Tree cutting takes place in these forests, and they never get out of wood. Moreover, wood is also easy to locate, work with, and repair.
Mobility
As per several studies, the mobility rate of Americans is high. They can change their houses numerous times, so building wooden houses affordably and quickly allows them to relocate without any difficulties. The high mobility also encourages inexpensive home constructions in exceedingly less time.
Origins
Europeans (precisely the British) arrived in North America at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th. This led to the need to construct several houses in a short period. Since wood allows faster house construction compared to brick and cement, it was an ideal material to use in home construction back then.
In the beginning, wooden houses were a need to build homes faster, but now they have become an identity hallmark for Americans.
Wooden houses are Safe
Wood is different from brick in several ways. It is a flexible material capable of withstanding light tornadoes and low-intensity earthquakes. But the houses in the areas that face this type of disastrous weather have a brick basement.
Moreover, it is cheaper to repair any damage your home suffers from an earthquake or tornado. It is because wood is affordable.
Conclusion
The countries like the US, where the mobility rate is high, wooden houses have become a hallmark. The easy availability and affordable prices of wooden material make it ideal to use in house construction. Moreover, wooden houses are faster to build, so you do not have to wait for several months to have your home.