While a stick built home may share some characteristics of a mason built home, the way in which the two are constructed, differs greatly. To help you decide which type of construction you want for your new home, here is a short guide:
What is a stick-built home?
A stick-built home is one that has been constructed with a frame, in the standard way. With more opportunities for design flexibility when using the stick-build method for smaller or custom-built homes, some construction contractors favour this method.
A stick building frame typically consists not just of the base structure of the building, but also makes up the floor supports and the roof, and is assembled on-site from separate pieces of wood.
What is a mason-built home?
Relying primarily on concrete instead of lumber for the main core of its construction, a home built using masonry may look from the outside as if it’s made from solid brick, but the walls will be reinforced with concrete. With a thicker design, mason built structures offer better insulation.
Which should you choose?
While it’s easy to assume that all stick-built homes are of a high quality, it really does depend on the construction company you choose. A home constructed from lumber may look unique, but is by no means guaranteed to be of better quality than a mason-built home, despite its outward appearance.
Masonry construction gives a home a much more solid base than a stick-built one, and this can be of real importance for anyone living in an area prone to natural disasters, many of which can have a devastating impact on homes and lives in general. Not only that, but masonry makes a home much more energy efficient and insulates it from noise in a way a stick-built home will simply never be able to. Due to the nature of their construction, masonry buildings need a lot less maintenance from the homeowner, and can still offer the hardwood features inside, that stick-built homeowners may miss.
That said, homes constructed using masonry techniques do cost a little more, but the cost saving advantages associated with it (such as energy efficiency and reduced maintenance), usually provide more than adequate compensation.
Which type of construction is more environmentally friendly?
If you’re seeking to reduce your carbon footprint as a homeowner, having a home built using masonry will mean that a lot less trees are needed, and the materials used come from well-stocked quarries. Additionally, it takes roughly the same amount of time to build a masonry home as a lumber home, so the construction process won’t use any extra energy.
While ultimately, the choice may come down to cost or simple preference, most professionals in the construction industry will recommend that you choose a mason-built home. Their durability is hard to ignore, and this also means that such homes should retain their resale value, should you need to sell it in the future.