ᐅ Solid Construction - Choosing the "Right" Type of Masonry Unit
Created on: 5 Jan 2019 00:31
B
BauMixx
Hello everyone,
First of all, I have to admit that I am quite a layperson when it comes to construction and apologize in advance if my question seems a bit basic.
My wife and I have purchased a plot of land in Baden-Württemberg and are now planning to build a solid single-family house, fully basemented, with a detached double garage next to the house. During our initial talks with various builders, we encountered very conflicting opinions regarding the question: Which type of block do you recommend for building the house?
The construction will definitely have a 36.5 cm (14.5 inches) wall thickness WITHOUT external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS). It does not necessarily have to be a KfW 55 or even KfW 40 energy-efficient house. Unfortunately, the recommendations ranged widely, with arguments varying between "we recommend the hollow clay block (Hochlochziegel)" and "we have always built with aerated concrete (=Ytong)" and have never had moisture problems with it.
Regarding clay blocks, the T10 block was repeatedly mentioned. Reasons given in favor of the red clay block included:
- better indoor climate
- lower moisture absorption by the block (if it gets wet during construction, it doesn’t absorb as much)
- more natural, as it is fired clay
- less residual moisture than aerated concrete
- better sound insulation
For the white aerated concrete block, the advantages listed were:
- cheaper than red clay
- better thermal insulation
- easier to work with
- no red dust when drilling holes
- better stability since there are no fragile webs that can break out
Please excuse my somewhat simplified summary, but this roughly reflects the builders’ statements. We would be very grateful for any input regarding the choice of block. (If relevant: We do not necessarily want to install a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, but are considering trickle vents in the window frames and air extraction in wet rooms and the basement. We have not made a final decision on this yet.)
Thank you in advance for your experience and advice.
First of all, I have to admit that I am quite a layperson when it comes to construction and apologize in advance if my question seems a bit basic.
My wife and I have purchased a plot of land in Baden-Württemberg and are now planning to build a solid single-family house, fully basemented, with a detached double garage next to the house. During our initial talks with various builders, we encountered very conflicting opinions regarding the question: Which type of block do you recommend for building the house?
The construction will definitely have a 36.5 cm (14.5 inches) wall thickness WITHOUT external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS). It does not necessarily have to be a KfW 55 or even KfW 40 energy-efficient house. Unfortunately, the recommendations ranged widely, with arguments varying between "we recommend the hollow clay block (Hochlochziegel)" and "we have always built with aerated concrete (=Ytong)" and have never had moisture problems with it.
Regarding clay blocks, the T10 block was repeatedly mentioned. Reasons given in favor of the red clay block included:
- better indoor climate
- lower moisture absorption by the block (if it gets wet during construction, it doesn’t absorb as much)
- more natural, as it is fired clay
- less residual moisture than aerated concrete
- better sound insulation
For the white aerated concrete block, the advantages listed were:
- cheaper than red clay
- better thermal insulation
- easier to work with
- no red dust when drilling holes
- better stability since there are no fragile webs that can break out
Please excuse my somewhat simplified summary, but this roughly reflects the builders’ statements. We would be very grateful for any input regarding the choice of block. (If relevant: We do not necessarily want to install a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, but are considering trickle vents in the window frames and air extraction in wet rooms and the basement. We have not made a final decision on this yet.)
Thank you in advance for your experience and advice.
BauMixx schrieb:
Reasons for choosing red included, among others: [...]
For the white brick, the promotion was:Every brick / wall construction type has—simply because they differ in certain characteristics—pros and cons, most of which appear to be objective, understandable, and sometimes significant arguments. However, overall, the following applies:
michert schrieb:
Unfortunately, the discussion tends to become almost religious.... and sometimes even among those who start with this factual observation, it continues with ...michert schrieb:
If someone argues with hazardous waste, you should mentally switch off.No, if they are arguing, then not.My mantra, as in all posts on this topic area, is: "If you have found that you 'get along' well with company X, but they routinely build with brick A, then don’t let them practice on your house how they deal with brick B." Of course, you can also narrow down your choice by who prefers the brick / wall construction with the best datasheet values. But for that criterion, you should assign fewer points than for "does the owner give the impression of a reputable dealer." Take advantage of the fact that with regional suppliers, your access to actual reference homeowners is also short. Pay most attention to statements from comparable reference homeowners (similar age and income group as well as family situation to your own) and choose those who have built according to current standards (> 2014) and where any defects would already be apparent considering the age of the building.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
BauMixx schrieb:
Developer You mean a building contractor. A developer sells you a house built on their own land.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Take advantage of the fact that with local providers, your access to specific reference homeowners is shorter as well. Focus mainly on the feedback from comparable reference homeowners (similar age and income group as well as family situation roughly matching yours) and choose those who built according to current standards (> 2014) and those where defects typical for the building’s age would already be visible. It’s all just theory, right? Because how are you supposed to get those references? In practice, it’s usually much more difficult than on forums.
Bookstar schrieb:
It’s pure theory, right? Because how are you supposed to get the references? In practice, it’s usually much harder than on forums… In practice, it’s not that difficult. After all, I didn’t casually offer this tip without experience—I have gained regular practice in this kind of research, including through questions here in the forum. Along the way, I often come across providers who are impressively transparent for potential clients searching for references.
For me, “references” are not folders full of thank-you letters that differ from love letters only by the absence of a ribbon (Dr. W. and Mrs. from L. say: “Mr. M. and his architect K. built us the most beautiful house in the world”). Rather, they are real photos of customers’ homes with postal codes and town names—then a search engine with aerial images fills in the rest—and/or corresponding galleries of construction site photos. I would say, with open eyes, you can see quite a bit.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Similar topics