Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Which is more energy efficient--frame or block/cement constructed new home?
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Old 04-13-2016, 10:57 AM
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dotti105 dotti105 is offline
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My husband and I owned a Construction Company and did home development for 20 years here in Florida before moving west to Utah. (too bad we didn't know about CDDs, I guess we weren't as smart as the Morse family!) We built both block and frame. But when we built our own homes, in whihc we were to live, we always built frame. The reasons mentioned thus far are correct. They can and do put more insulation into the frame homes. They vinyl siding used here has basically a lifetime finish.

Stucco is beautiful, but in the Florida sun it fades something fierce. It will need to be repainted, it is only a matter of how long you choose to wait to paint. The cracks are a fact of life with concrete. It will crack, and it will need to be patched.

After Hurricane Andrew ( I think it was Andrew) the building codes for the state were changed to provide for greater structural strength in the roof and the way in which the roof is attached to the structure.

Both block and frame are rated the same with regard to withstanding hurricane force winds. In some ways the frame is actually better in that it will have some flexibility and can sway instead of collapsing.

No one should really worry about the construction here in The Villages. It is actually done to very high standards.

The differences in Block vs Frame are relatively minor and should be made based on personal preference.

We chose frame, again, of course. I am happy to know that we will never have to repaint. Edgar comes every 6 months and does the exterior wash and it looks like new again. I am all about minimal maintenance in the home in which we plan to live for the rest of our lives.