Benefits of Concrete Homes

Why build with concrete? Simply put, it's a better way to build a better home. Here are some of the tangible benefits of building with concrete (click the links for more information):

That's the Beauty of Today's Concrete

There's more than one way to build your concrete home; insulating concrete forms, concrete masonry, aerated concrete, tilt-up concrete, and precast concrete. With volatile wood prices, logging's high environmental price tag, and a growing shortage of high quality lumber, concrete offers a variety of products and construction techniques to provide cost effective, quality alternatives to wood-frame home construction.

All of these systems share the same basic virtues of concrete — beauty, strength, durability, low maintenance, energy efficiency, environmental friendliness, and peace and quiet. The concrete building technique that is right for you depends on the labor force and predominant building practices in your area. Whatever your choice, you can rest assured that your beautiful concrete home is built to last.

Information provided courtesy of the Portland Cement Association.

Beauty That's More Than Skin Deep

Security That's A Solid Investment

Solid Construction + Better Insulation = Lower Utility Bills

Concrete's Low Maintenance = Ownership Made Easy

The beauty of a concrete home is that it requires far less work on the part of the homeowner to keep it looking like new. The three most common causes of exterior wall maintenance are termites, rotting, and paint peeling or fading. Concrete homes are rarely, if ever, affected by termites or rot. Contemporary concrete homes have either wood siding, stucco or brick facade, concrete textures, or other concrete products as finishes; all do not require paint.

This translates into a concrete home costing less to own than a wood-frame or wood veneer home.

Standing Up To The Elements
Part of maintaining a home over the course of its lifetime involves repair of damage from such elements of nature as rain, wind, and termites. A concrete wall is more resistant to the wind and rain of hurricanes, tornadoes, and other major windstorms. When Hurricane Andrew roared through South Florida, concrete homes protected families far better than their wood-frame counterparts. Homes built with concrete walls can also be designed to withstand the destructive forces of earthquakes.

Termites and dry rot are more subtle than hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes, but they can be just as costly. While an infestation of termites can cause severe structural damage to a wood-frame house, the structural walls of a concrete home are safe from their destructive efforts. Dry rot is actually a disease, common to timber and caused by fungi. Dry rot does not affect concrete and is not a worry for the owners of a concrete home.

Timeless Designs
Whether a Victorian gingerbread home or a Colonial mansion, concrete homes are quiet, easy-to-maintain and safe from fire, hurricanes, termites, and wood rot. Concrete also can be used to create classic, low maintenance floors with patterns similar to classic stonework but with a look all their own.

Fire Prevention
Concrete homes are more resistant to fire than wood-frame homes. This gives your family a better chance of avoiding injury due to fire. Even if a concrete home does catch on fire, the damage does not seriously affect the structure of the walls, making repair a simpler task.

Today's Concrete Home
The concrete home building systems available today have evolved to the point where you can design your home to require minimum maintenance while providing maximum protection. In addition, it will still look new for years after it is built.

Concrete...The Natural Building Material

The Peace And Quiet Of Concrete

Savings That Add Up Year After Year

Buying a home is probably the single largest investment you'll ever make. Invest wisely. A beautiful concrete home will pay you back in terms of operating cost, resale value, and quality of living. Over the long run, benefits like energy efficiency, disaster and fire resistance, and durability reduce the cost of owning a home. Reduced noise and more even temperatures mean quiet comfort that you can enjoy year round.

Lower Utility Bills
Concrete homes save energy in two ways. The mass of the concrete slows down the passage of heat or cold moving through the wall. With the same insulation, a concrete home stays warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Also, concrete walls are more air-tight than wood-frame walls. Since leaks account for a large percentage of energy loss in the home, concrete homes enjoy savings in energy consumption. That adds up to lower utility bills. A survey, conducted by Dr. Peter VanderWerf at Boston University, found that using insulating concrete forms (ICFs) reduces energy used for heating by about 44 percent and for cooling by about 32 percent.

Reduced Insurance Premiums
Concrete homes resist fire. They're stronger than wood frame homes and safer during tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Insurance for concrete homes is often 15 percent to 25 percent lower. One insurance agent in St. Louis, Missouri, offers discounts on homeowners insurance policies of up to 25 percent for ICF homes. No one, however, can put a price on the peace of mind that comes with owning a concrete home.

Quiet Comfort
Concrete homes make the world go away; a haven from traffic and the neighbor's leaf blower. The mass of a concrete wall makes it an effective barrier to sound. Although some sound will penetrate the windows, a concrete home is often two-thirds quieter than a wood-frame home.

The Quality Payback
Concrete homes cost a little more than wood-frame homes. But lower energy bills and insurance premiums can offset the slightly higher mortgage payment. The real payback is in quality; the intangible benefits of a quieter and more comfortable home.

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