DURABILITY

A concrete built home can provide the best environment for a modern family. Therefore it is very important to find out as much as possible about the home before you buy.

You like the look of the house - the garden is fine, the living room is large and the master bedroom has an en-suite. But how is the house constructed?

Because practically all types of home have an external wall of brick or block they will look the same - the only way you will be able to differentiate therefore, is to ask the builder. Up to 85% of homes are constructed using brick and block. However, with the pressures of demand and a shortage of bricklayers, some builders have looked to prefabricated timber and steel frame construction as a possible solution to their problems. These homes have a timber or steel frame filled with insulation, held in place by plasterboard on the inside and brick and block infill on the outside. Critically, with this type of construction the frame supports the roof and floors.

It is claimed that these new forms of construction take less time since most of the construction work is done off site. However solid traditionally built concrete homes are also fast to build and the key difference is that they will perform significantly better in a number of ways, not least from a durability perspective.

As an island we are particularly exposed to wind and rain and this is reflected in how we build. In Ireland there is a tradition of using durable materials such as concrete or stone which are long lasting and maintenance free. By so doing we can avoid dry rot and wet rot which can greatly reduce the life of a building. Rotting problems can also be caused by flooding or by leaks from tanks or water pipes and by leaks in wet areas, such as around shower bases in bathrooms. Using concrete components completely does away with durability problems and ensures and extremely long lasting and maintenance free structure.

It's worth remembering that many brick and block houses built in Ireland during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are still standing, while lightweight prefabricated designs are relatively new and untested.

Selling agents won't necessarily tell you how the home is built: but we think it's your right to know - so why not ask?

Durability is not the only issue - the different construction methods used throughout the building will have a big impact on what it feels like to live there. Issues such as noise, heat retention, energy efficiency, fire resistance and flexibility in design may be important one day - and the only time to consider them is now, before you buy.