Block, Poured or Stick homes
 

Will be new to Florida so when shopping for our first home in The Villages next spring, I have questions. What is the general AND preferred construction of homes in The Villages. I would think that poured and block would be the better options for strength & insulation...

Yes, these are things that keep me up at night ... :024:
Thanks for your inputs, Will

Think about the fable of the Three Little Pigs”

Block is stronger construction for sure. With block you lose a very small amount of square footage of the home. With block you need to keep an eye on the surface for cracks as they can let water in. If you have cracks you need to fill ASAP and paint over.
With the Vinyl, it needs an annual washing due to collection of mold/mildew. Vinyl over time can fade some and have blotchy areas.
Probably some pros and cons I am missing with both but this is a start.

I personally think: block is sturdier, quieter, cooler in the summer & warmer in the winter, less prone to termites, less prone to wood rot, possibly less prone to mold & mildew, less likely to burn completely down. So, safer, quieter, less expensive to heat & cool, healthier. Block has many wooden elements, so not exempted from all problems associated with wooden structures.

The opposite. Wood is better for insulation and the structural strength is the same as block.

There are pluses and minuses to both kinds of construction. Google is your friend.

Tornado made it clear
 

If you were here when the tornado hit the villages and destroyed around 2,000 homes it became very obvious the difference between stick built and concrete block. Believe me concrete block stood up a lot better.

Thank you for all the replies...

I have more confirmation on which way I should go. Thanks.

I wouldn't think that the block proponents are living in precast solid concrete with rebar reinforcement. I've laid enough block in my day to know that every mortar joint is a potential crack, leak, weakness. I've seen low speed cars on a parking lot bust holes in block. In TV Block is now a luxury item for those willing to build their dream home of a bigger size, but I find it hard to say it's necessary because a pre-built home isn't good enough. It's only necessary if you think you can't make it through without that bigger room you need to warehouse your junk until you die.

My precast home is plenty big for retired people and I call it a vault because all winter the temp inside ranged from 68 to 70 with no heating or AC. That said....stick built is not an option unless that's your only option.

Precast wasn't an option in TV until a couple of years ago.

The construction standards are the same.

If it was obvious that block homes withstood winds better than stick built, it's an anomaly or perhaps the homes weren't built to standards? I don't know when the hurricane was, but Florida's building standards for withstanding hurricanes, has been around for a long time.

True but I said the block proponents are making out like you ain't got nothin less you got block.....kinda like their golf courses and electric golf carts. I'm offering valid points and NOT only what I want to be right to make me look superior.

There is a saying in construction "if the roof goes, so goes the house." When a hurricane or tornado destroys your roof, the home is now open to the elements. If large amounts of rain persist throughout the storm, the home will have water damage even if the walls are still standing. Windows and doors are also weak points of a home. If blown out, the home could also experience water damage. This is the main reason insurance companies charge higher rates for homes with older roofs and insist on replacement at 15 years. This is also the reason a homeowner receives a discount if their windows and doors are hurricane proof. Construction of the walls have little to do with the equation. A concrete block wall may still be standing at the end of the storm, but it will experience severe damage.

So your saying we're all screwed and just don't move to Florida....problem solved by the insurance agent. Or are you saying don't move here because I need my Tee Time? The guy seems to want to be part of TV but you offer doom and gloom? Why?

I an a contractor. I'm saying, the story of the three little pigs does not hold true in real life. If a major tornado or hurricane comes through, it will cause major damage to ALL STRUCTURES, large or small. I would hate to see anyone trying to ride out a storm because they believe the "Big Bad Wolf" cannot do any harm to their concrete structure. We are adults, put down you fantasy books and live in reality.