ᐅ Which Building Material – Objective Comparison or Matter of Belief?
Created on: 16 Sep 2018 21:40
M
matze007Hello everyone,
I have been working for a while now on building my single-family house. Since we have no preference regarding the construction material, we requested quotes for both solid (masonry) construction and timber frame construction.
Now we are in the position to objectively compare the building materials and choose our favorite. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as expected, because each material has its pros and cons, and of course, every builder strongly recommends their preferred material.
Therefore, we would like to get the opinion of the experts here in the forum. We are interested in which option you would favor and why.
The offered materials for the exterior walls are:
#1 – Solid house
= Ytong aerated concrete blocks, 36.5cm (14 inches) thick, without additional insulation.
#2 – Solid house
= Hollow clay bricks with additional external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS).
#3 – Timber frame construction
= Wall build-up: 100mm (4 inches) wood fiber insulation board, cavity insulation with cellulose (thermal conductivity coefficient 0.040 W/mK), 180mm (7 inches) timber stud construction, 15mm (0.6 inches) wood-based panel, installation cavity, 12.5mm (0.5 inches) gypsum fiberboard.
What might also be relevant for the evaluation:
- The house will be built in a rural area without significant traffic exposure.
- It has a large glazed area on the south side.
We would really appreciate any input from your side.
Many thanks,
matze007
I have been working for a while now on building my single-family house. Since we have no preference regarding the construction material, we requested quotes for both solid (masonry) construction and timber frame construction.
Now we are in the position to objectively compare the building materials and choose our favorite. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as expected, because each material has its pros and cons, and of course, every builder strongly recommends their preferred material.
Therefore, we would like to get the opinion of the experts here in the forum. We are interested in which option you would favor and why.
The offered materials for the exterior walls are:
#1 – Solid house
= Ytong aerated concrete blocks, 36.5cm (14 inches) thick, without additional insulation.
#2 – Solid house
= Hollow clay bricks with additional external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS).
#3 – Timber frame construction
= Wall build-up: 100mm (4 inches) wood fiber insulation board, cavity insulation with cellulose (thermal conductivity coefficient 0.040 W/mK), 180mm (7 inches) timber stud construction, 15mm (0.6 inches) wood-based panel, installation cavity, 12.5mm (0.5 inches) gypsum fiberboard.
What might also be relevant for the evaluation:
- The house will be built in a rural area without significant traffic exposure.
- It has a large glazed area on the south side.
We would really appreciate any input from your side.
Many thanks,
matze007
Bookstar schrieb:
Neither. I would choose brick without external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS).That’s what I was about to say. It’s simply the standard in our area.
Reading threads on this topic – here and elsewhere – inevitably leads to the conclusion that it is a matter of "personal belief" when it comes to finding the "right answer," and this applies not only to exterior walls. Every building material has its advocates, and some of them dismiss alternatives outright as poor quality (or vice versa).
Reading threads on this topic – especially here – quickly brings me back to my mantra, which I want to repeat: the choice of material – none of which is either a cure-all or a disaster by itself – should not be made "absolutely" (i.e., solely based on the technical properties of the building material). Instead, the decision should be approached from the perspective of the contractor.
In my view, the "relatively" best material is the one that the contractor knows best. Each material requires different connections to other building components. Therefore, my advice is: if the contractor is most familiar with material X, let them use it, even if material Y performs better on some technical specification in comparison.
This advice applies similarly to timber frame walls: do not pressure the supplier – which is possible with smaller carpentry companies – to deviate from the wall “recipe” they know best and handle most confidently.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Reading threads on this topic – especially here – quickly brings me back to my mantra, which I want to repeat: the choice of material – none of which is either a cure-all or a disaster by itself – should not be made "absolutely" (i.e., solely based on the technical properties of the building material). Instead, the decision should be approached from the perspective of the contractor.
In my view, the "relatively" best material is the one that the contractor knows best. Each material requires different connections to other building components. Therefore, my advice is: if the contractor is most familiar with material X, let them use it, even if material Y performs better on some technical specification in comparison.
This advice applies similarly to timber frame walls: do not pressure the supplier – which is possible with smaller carpentry companies – to deviate from the wall “recipe” they know best and handle most confidently.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
I agree with 11ant: if you already know which builder you want to work with, then choose the construction method preferred by that provider.
Otherwise, I would recommend visiting various newly built houses: where do you feel most comfortable? What do you like the most? Then decide on a construction method and look for a builder who specializes in that approach.
For us, it was always clear that we wanted a timber house; we prefer the indoor climate compared to masonry buildings. Accordingly, we only looked for timber house manufacturers.
Rationally speaking, every construction method has its pros and cons. Ultimately, you need to decide what matters most to you:
- Build with a specific general contractor/builder (then follow 11ant’s reasoning)
- Decide on the type of house you want (then find a builder who offers that)
- If you don’t care, request quotes for all options and choose the one that appeals to you the most
Otherwise, I would recommend visiting various newly built houses: where do you feel most comfortable? What do you like the most? Then decide on a construction method and look for a builder who specializes in that approach.
For us, it was always clear that we wanted a timber house; we prefer the indoor climate compared to masonry buildings. Accordingly, we only looked for timber house manufacturers.
Rationally speaking, every construction method has its pros and cons. Ultimately, you need to decide what matters most to you:
- Build with a specific general contractor/builder (then follow 11ant’s reasoning)
- Decide on the type of house you want (then find a builder who offers that)
- If you don’t care, request quotes for all options and choose the one that appeals to you the most
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