What To Consider When Choosing Custom Home Building Materials

To get a good custom home design you need quality construction materials. Hence home building materials are the foundation of a good functioning building. Choosing the right material has a major effect on the construction. Any material that is used during the construction process is referred to as building material. It includes wood, concrete, cement, steel, brick, clay, metal, and much more. The building material you choose will affect the property’s durability, endurance, aesthetics, as well as maximize its resale value.

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For this reason, one should be careful while choosing construction and building materials. The simple way to select the material that suits your building requirements is by determining the stability, maintenance, look, and budget. There are plenty of material types available in the market for construction purposes and making the best decision can be a daunting process. You need to consider certain factors to ensure that you get the best building material for your custom home.  

What To Consider While Choosing Home Building Material

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It can be challenging to choose the right materials to build a custom home. There are few things you need to keep in mind before and during the construction process, including:

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1.Upfront cost and life expectancy

If you want to build your custom home within your budget, your first reaction is to go for the low-cost material. While the more expensive options don’t always best fit your requirements, but cheap materials often require replacement further done the line. Expectancy along with the upfront cost of the new building materials is what you need to keep in mind.

If material A costs $6 per unit but material B costs $ 8 per unit and both meet your stylistic requirements, you would go for material A. But if material A will need to be replaced every 3 years, while material B needs to be replaced in 5 years, then in the long-run material A is more expensive. You need to consider these important things if you want to stay in your custom home for many years with very little worry.

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2.Energy efficiency

Cheaper building material has low energy efficiency. Consider how much insulation the wiring in your household is. Sometimes, choosing more expensive material will offset the cost of saving energy in the future. Using energy-efficient material will consume less electricity, gas, and heat.

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3.Aesthetics

Which parts of the home do you need to highlight? What type eco-friendly building materials do you find pleasing? Consider the environment near your home. Of course, your taste matter just as equally as other important factors. While choosing your custom home building material, you need to maintain a balance between appearance, practicality, energy efficiency, and cost.

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4.Climate

Another crucial factor in choosing the quality material is climate. Factors like the average temperature, rain, snowfall, amount of light, and ventilation are some points to check. The construction material you opt for should positively respond to California’s climate change. As the climate change, the characteristics of materials also evolve and respond.

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5.Maintenance

Always go with materials that are easy to maintain and manage. Maintenance will aid to preserve the building's appearance for a long time. Good environmentally friendly building material often requires less maintenance in comparison to the standard and cheap material. One needs to study the life and quality of the material to ensure exceptional building construction, as this adds value to the property in the long run.

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6.Performance

Choose materials that have the potential to sustain and handle the building load. While determining the roofing material, for example, check the building structure that supports the roof material to complete the building. The material should also make it possible for you to live comfortably with no unfavorable effects such as chemical emissions from materials.

Commonly Used Materials

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Building material has its pros and cons. Understanding these advantages and disadvantages will allow you to weigh against your project goals. By this, you can distinguish which is the best types of building materials for your custom home construction.

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Steel

Steel is an incredibly popular building material as it is beautiful, efficient, and strong and light in weight. These and many other features of the material make it an ideal product for custom home building. Unlike wood or iron, steel building materials can withstand termites, fire, and moisture. Besides, it lasts longer than other alternative building material.

Steel can be used for wide, open designs as it maintains the structural integrity of the building. It is a malleable material that gives builders the freedom to craft distinctive and elegant shapes. Steel offers great consistent that aids in spectacular craftsmanship.

However, using steel as compared to other products like wood can be expensive. A good structural engineer will ensure safe construction and help prevent unnecessary expenses.

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Concrete

Concrete is the combination of cement and aggregates of sand, stone, and water. This mixes into a form which dries and gets hardened and can be used in building walls, supporting beams, and sidewalks.

The type of building material used in construction is both durable and strong, making it an ideal option for laying the strong foundation of a newly build custom home. It can easily handle the weight of the above structure. It is a low-maintenance finishing material, lasting for the long term and withstanding natural elements.

Additionally, concrete buildings are energy efficient, as they can passively transfer heat absorbed during the daylight and release it during the night. Concrete requires different skills in comparison to wood or metal. You need to go with a trusted, skilled, and experienced construction team to ensure the building is completed correctly and can withstand the test time. Compared to wood and metal, concrete can be a bit expensive. However, all these pros make it an ideal option to use for building your custom home.

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Wood

Wood has been in use for years to build shelter and other structures. Despite the technological advancements and inventions of synthetic materials, wood is still one of the preferred products for building projects.

It’s been in preference as it is available at reasonable prices. It acts as an insulator, keeping the warm air in and cold air out. Wood has a lower carbon footprint than other building materials and uses less water and energy.

However, wood has a few limitations. It isn’t an ideal material for supporting a lot of weight. Unlike some synthetic materials, wood lasts only for a few hundred years as it begins to decay with time. Even fire, moisture, and termites can affect your wood structure.

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Stone

Stones are non-metallic hard materials. Stones used in construction are great for residential building as they have a high drainage capacity. So, if you are planning to construct a house in high rainfall region, the stones can be convenient to use.

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Brick/Masonry

As mentioned above concrete is used to fix in as one structure, masonry uses many smaller units together to build one structure. Common masonry uses clay bricks, concrete blocks, stone, and more.

Masonry is a load-proven bearing material and can be reinforced with a steel beam for extra support. It is also available in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. The material offers great protection against fire, wet conditions, and pests.

In addition, masonry also has disadvantages. The bricks, stones, or blocks are comparatively heavier in comparison to other materials. Compared to wood, steel, and concrete, masonry is more expensive.

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Modern Home Building Material

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If you are thinking of a modern custom home, these six materials are ideal options for your next construction project:

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ICF framing

ICF is abbreviated as insulated concrete forms. These are concrete walls sandwiched in between two foam insulation forms. These blocks appear like a puzzle and interlock to create a highly insulated home. California homes created with this modern building material are energy-efficient, pest-resistant, and can withstand any weather condition.

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Synthetic shingles

There’s been an extensive increase in the quality of synthetic shingle materials. There are many benefits of synthetic shingles as they are durable, weather-resistant, cost-effective, and they appear like any other roof. For this reason, home builders and construction material companies continuously promote this synthetic material when advising on the best material to build a house.

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Fiber cement

The siding of the home is another essential part. As there are plenty of siding options, fiber cement siding is one of the most popular building materials among builders and homeowners. Much like synthetic shingles, fiber cement can resemble the look of stone, wood, & more. However, unlike traditional building materials, these are more durable, resistant to rust, fire, and pests, and ideal for any weather type.

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Permeable paving

If your home construction site is in an area of heavy rainfall, then you have to consider integrating a permeable paving system for driveways. These paving systems allow for easy collection of rainwater. So, it is beneficial to have a sidewalk or driveway that absorbs water as fast as it does through the ground. Even this type of system will eliminate standing waters, flooding, reduce runoff, and prevent water damage.

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Engineered quartz

Engineered quartz contains ninety-five percent ground quartz and five percent polymer resins. This high-end building material gives a luxurious look and is non-porous, heat and scratch-resistant. This material is both durable and requires low maintenance.

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Light hardwood

If you need a unique and modern look then you can go for naturally white or bleached hardwood. Being one of the most efficient building materials, light hardwood will give a contemporary or clean aesthetic to your home. If you like this option, the white ash and white oak are two species of trees that will fit any budget.

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What Are the Qualities of Home Building Material?

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While designing a custom home, cheap construction material will never equal well-made material. An article by Build Magazine “Materials Matter: 5 Reasons to Use High-End Building Materials” states that paying for high-end material results in a quality home that meets your every need now and into the future. Other reasons why you should choose quality building materials for your new home include:

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1.Watertight warranties

When you go for cheap construction materials, you won’t get a warranty or it is limited in scope. But when you choose quality materials then you need to check the long-term warranties against defects and failure.

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2.Proven track records

When you buy high quality building materials, there are chances they are tested extensively to deliver the best in strength, durability, and functionality. Many ecologically building materials have been scientifically tested in the lab to meet the marketing claims. You can get a large number of real references to prove this. But when you go with the cheap options available, the outcome isn’t always the same.

3.Better for project timelines

Not selecting quality materials can affect the home worksite. Some of the products you purchase will not be suitable for a quality-built home and you’ll have to send it back to the manufacturer. If this occurs, it will delay the progress of the overall project.

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4.More eco-friendly

If you choose quality building materials there are chances that they are made in an eco-friendly manner. These natural building materials will last longer and you won’t have to replace them often. It will save both your money and effort in long run. What’s more, manufacturing ecological building materials decrease the emission of harmful gases, so if you care for the environment then it is ideal to go with natural products that are safe to use.

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Question To Ask While Choosing Home Building Material

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Below are important questions that you need to ask before choosing building material for your custom home:

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Is it right for your region?

You may like certain material but it doesn’t mean it is perfect for your climate or region. The wood siding looks elegant and natural, but if you are in a region that experiences heavy rainfall, such weather can damage it. Even termites in warm climates in the southeast! Before you finalize any material, make sure it’s hard enough to meet the climate condition of the region.

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Is it readily available?

The more different your building material is, the harder it is to find and may take time to be delivered at your construction site. If you have specific timeline in mind for your project completion then you have to select the building material that fits the timeline.

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Can it be delivered?

You need to confirm with local building supplies in advance whether the material can be delivered easily. It’s crucial to keep in mind the things like driveway width, overhead utility lines, and – if you are building in a remote place- the size, condition, and roads are other factors.

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How long will it last?

Concrete, steel, wood, and vinyl are some of the longer lasting building materials used today. They are easily available and durable. If you are going for a building material that is sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, or new in the market, then you need to get a review from the builder.

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