[Shimpy]

I've lived in 5 different block homes in Fla. since 1953 and am now in a frame house. I notice that this frame house is like a Thermos bottle. Once it gets cold inside it stays that way for many days unless we let the outside warm air in. That tells me that the insulation is very good compared to the block homes in the past.
The siding in this home gets pressure cleaned once a year for $50. The block home needed sealed and painted about every 5 years for a couple thousand.
I don't feel quite as secure if a major hurricane hits though. Don't believe that we are so far inland that a storm would weaken to a tropical storm. We had hurricane Wilma hit us in Boynton Beach Fla. It came ashore on the west coast of Fla. and GAINED strength coming across the widest part of Fla. to the east coast, about 180 miles. It was so large that it hung out over the Gulf and Atlantic and got stronger not weaker. We are in the narrowest part of Fla. and although it would be very rare it could happen.

[JP]

I think block homes would have a lot more mold growing between the insulation and the block since there will be all kinds of temperature variation there. I've seen it up north and would think it would be the same here.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

We had hurricane Wilma hit us in Boynton Beach Fla. It came ashore on the west coast of Fla. and GAINED strength coming across the widest part of Fla. to the east coast, about 180 miles. It was so large that it hung out over the Gulf and Atlantic and got stronger not weaker. We are in the narrowest part of Fla. and although it would be very rare it could happen.

I have never heard of a hurricane that did not diminish in wind strength after making landfall. That is also true of Wilma.

The official NOAA report on Wilma states that it struck Florida's west coast with maximum sustained winds of 105 knots (Cat 3.) After crossing the state, it emerged on the east coast with maximum sustained winds of 95 knots (Cat 2.)

The actual quote is: "Wilma strengthened over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and its winds reached about 110 kt as it approached Florida. Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be near 105 kt (category 3 intensity) when landfall of the center occurred in southwestern Florida near Cape Romano around 1030 UTC 24 October. Continuing to accelerate and now moving at a forward speed of 20 to 25 kt, the hurricane crossed the southern
Florida peninsula in 4.5 hours, with the center emerging into the Atlantic just southeast of Jupiter around 1500 UTC. Maximum winds had decreased to near 95 kt (category 2) during the crossing of Florida."

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL252005_Wilma.pdf

Highest sustained wind speed in nearby Orlando for Wilma was 35 knots.

Wilma did strengthen again after it got out over open water.

Note that I am not saying that a hurricane could never penetrate to The Villages, but that hurricanes lose strength when they move over land.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by birdiebill

When deciding on type of construction, many factors come into play, but which are more energy efficient? The frame construction or the block/cement construction?

We previously owned a block home in TV, and we currently have a frame home. Our current home seems to be more energy efficient.

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

I've lived in 5 different block homes in Fla. since 1953 and am now in a frame house. I notice that this frame house is like a Thermos bottle. Once it gets cold inside it stays that way for many days unless we let the outside warm air in. That tells me that the insulation is very good compared to the block homes in the past.
The siding in this home gets pressure cleaned once a year for $50. The block home needed sealed and painted about every 5 years for a couple thousand.
I don't feel quite as secure if a major hurricane hits though. Don't believe that we are so far inland that a storm would weaken to a tropical storm. We had hurricane Wilma hit us in Boynton Beach Fla. It came ashore on the west coast of Fla. and GAINED strength coming across the widest part of Fla. to the east coast, about 180 miles. It was so large that it hung out over the Gulf and Atlantic and got stronger not weaker. We are in the narrowest part of Fla. and although it would be very rare it could happen.

We have a poured concrete Villa. Now approaching 6yrs. Sealed and touched up a few very small, almost minute cracks after first year. Check around the outside walls every two or three mo. Only two new occurrences to date.
Have pressure cleaned spouting and driveway etch but not walls. The walls don't appear dirty and my thinking is that pressure cleaning them might cause more problems than necessary (chipping. And water infiltration).
Am quite pleased with condition of the outside walls to date .

[dotti105]

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.

[GaryW]

Originally Posted by Allegiance

Is a poured cement roof out of the question?

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

HIGHLY OUT OF THE QUESTION

The weight would be your issue,, weighing in roughly at 2 tons per yard. structurally there would be issues,,, A lightweight mix would have to be used to pump such a thing,,, then there would be issues forming it on the house. Cost would be very high also.

If I where building another house, it would be formwall all the way. Or as known in The Villages poured wall. The walls are pumped solid all the way around. The only way to go. Or out of the villages a Poly Wall.

But window upgrades and insulation upgrades will save you money.

But I think the OP has gotten alittle off hand.

[tuccillo]

My previous home was built with ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms). The forms are made with several inches of foam on each side and it serves as the insulation. The core is poured concrete with rebarb. The entire wall structure is poured in one day. Drywall is directly attached to the foam insulation. I have seen one commercial building in The Villages being constructed with ICF.

Originally Posted by GaryW

HIGHLY OUT OF THE QUESTION

The weight would be your issue,, weighing in roughly at 2 tons per yard. structurally there would be issues,,, A lightweight mix would have to be used to pump such a thing,,, then there would be issues forming it on the house. Cost would be very high also.

If I where building another house, it would be formwall all the way. Or as known in The Villages poured wall. The walls are pumped solid all the way around. The only way to go. Or out of the villages a Poly Wall.

But window upgrades and insulation upgrades will save you money.

But I think the OP has gotten alittle off hand.

[GaryW]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

My previous home was built with ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms). The forms are made with several inches of foam on each side and it serves as the insulation. The core is poured concrete with rebarb. The entire wall structure is poured in one day. Drywall is directly attached to the foam insulation. I have seen one commercial building in The Villages being constructed with ICF.

That is the way to go. Most of the commercial building here are block or Tilt Panels. That is basically the same as poured wall.
Just the walls are poured on a massive leveled out bed of concrete, then lifted into place as one unit.

[dewilson58]

What's good enough for The 3 Little Pigs, is good enough for me.

[mulligan]

They are currently using straight up formed and poured concrete for some homes in most size categories in TV.

[Chatbrat]

Don't understand why they are allowed to do exterior wall framing with 2x4, In NJ the builders who had to meet insulation requirements used 2x6 for their framing

Another cost factor is painting stucco-was told if you et 7 years with builder line paint you're doing good

[tuccillo]

A lot of homes in the warmer states are framed with 2x4. This allows for nominally R-11 insulation, which is apparently within code in FL. I assume NJ requires R-19, which requires 2x6 framing for enough space. You generally need to custom build a home if you want something beyond the building codes and lowest cost. For example, open or closed cell spray foam insulation.

Yes, block homes will need to be repainted at some point. Choose a top of the line paint and it should last a long time.

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

Don't understand why they are allowed to do exterior wall framing with 2x4, In NJ the builders who had to meet insulation requirements used 2x6 for their framing

Another cost factor is painting stucco-was told if you et 7 years with builder line paint you're doing good

[HoosierPa]

One of the first things we plan to do when we move in our TV home full time later this year is have our windows tinted on the side of the home where the sun hits it all day long. It makes a huge difference with interior comfort (and fading of furniture)

[ldj1938]

If we have a hurricane your plastic home will become a kit! We went through Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and what used to be wooden frame homes became slabs for new homes. It's worth it to buy a cinder block home!