Anna Glypta Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 There is an old saying in England which says 'an Englishmans home is his castle'...I can only presume that's a universal notion....even for our friends across the pond! There has been a lot of talk about timber being readily available, and being a cheap material with which to build...and I accept those arguments. But it makes no sense to me, even though that's the case over the pond (and I refer specifically to hurricane prone areas, as opposed to earthquake prone areas) I find it a bit strange that there seems to be a sense of resignation and almost inevitability, that if it's built of timber, and it's flattened by a hurricane it will be cheap to rebuild in timber, and a sense of 'so what?' The plain fact being that a brick built structure will withstand far more adverse weather than a timber structure. It's fairly obvious to me. (no doubt someone will say, I'm not a structural engineer so how would I know!) Has nobody ever told the story of the three little pigs? Yes I know it's far more expensive to build, but I'm guessing that it would be far less expensive to insure than a wooden structure in a 'danger' area. I'm perfectly willing to be proved wrong about that notion, from someone who 'knows'. Going on the premise that availability of materials and ease of rebuilding and cost, surely it would be better if we all lived in mud huts?..Of course that's a nonsense, but I hope you see my point! As I've said previously, it's not even so much the house which gets flattened, it's all those treasured possesions, which we all keep and can't be replaced by insurance or money. I see pictures and news reports of areas that have literally been wiped off the map, and completely flattened by these violent storms that happen. I really feel for people who own, and or lived in these places. But I do feel that the materials used is part of the problem! Now I'll just await the 'you're thick'...'you don't understand'...and 'You're just arrogant' comments. Bishops house built 1500 out of wood and still here despite wars, hurricanes and blizzards . Kelvin Flats built out of steel and concrete during 1960s and pulled down/fell down less than 30 years later. I don't really think you've got a clue what you are talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buck Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I'll just add my little bit to the get Pete Morris theme. Firstly I still can't understand his worrying about all of us ignorant Americans. We build in wood because we like it. It handles weather extremes better than stone or brick. We are a mobile people. When the jobs aren't working in one area, we move to another, and if we want a new home we buy wood because its quick to build on. Some of us even build our own. Remember the pioneers existed at the closing end of the 19th Century. Any place in the country can get a tornado. We had a massive one here in Connecticut on October 3, 1979 which did tremendous damage, but only 2 deaths and neither of them from collapsed houses of which there were many. The US government sent mobile homes to house the homeless while their homes were rebuilt, often partially from wood salvaged from their old houses. Even earthquakes sometimes happen away from the West Coast. We had a 4 pointer two weeks ago which damaged some homes. I have never found my home insurance to be high, neither has a cousin who lives in Westbrook right on the ocean front. We often spend summer days swimming within 30 feet of the house. Pete, you can't opine on something you've never experienced. Listen, for a change, to people who know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bloke Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I'll just add my little bit to the get Pete Morris theme. Firstly I still can't understand his worrying about all of us ignorant Americans. We build in wood because we like it. It handles weather extremes better than stone or brick. We are a mobile people. When the jobs aren't working in one area, we move to another, and if we want a new home we buy wood because its quick to build on. Some of us even build our own. Remember the pioneers existed at the closing end of the 19th Century. Any place in the country can get a tornado. We had a massive one here in Connecticut on October 3, 1979 which did tremendous damage, but only 2 deaths and neither of them from collapsed houses of which there were many. The US government sent mobile homes to house the homeless while their homes were rebuilt, often partially from wood salvaged from their old houses. Even earthquakes sometimes happen away from the West Coast. We had a 4 pointer two weeks ago which damaged some homes. I have never found my home insurance to be high, neither has a cousin who lives in Westbrook right on the ocean front. We often spend summer days swimming within 30 feet of the house. Pete, you can't opine on something you've never experienced. Listen, for a change, to people who know. To be fair, I would just like to point out that it is because of the posts that the likes of PeteMorris make, people who are 'in the know' then come forward with interesting posts such as this, and the rest of us who are not 'in the know' then become wiser. Without such posts, some of us may remain ignorant! We are never too old to learn and none of us know everything about everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eater Sundae Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 There is an old saying in England which says 'an Englishmans home is his castle'...I can only presume that's a universal notion....even for our friends across the pond! There has been a lot of talk about timber being readily available, and being a cheap material with which to build...and I accept those arguments. But it makes no sense to me, even though that's the case over the pond (and I refer specifically to hurricane prone areas, as opposed to earthquake prone areas) I find it a bit strange that there seems to be a sense of resignation and almost inevitability, that if it's built of timber, and it's flattened by a hurricane it will be cheap to rebuild in timber, and a sense of 'so what?' The plain fact being that a brick built structure will withstand far more adverse weather than a timber structure. It's fairly obvious to me. (no doubt someone will say, I'm not a structural engineer so how would I know!) Has nobody ever told the story of the three little pigs? Yes I know it's far more expensive to build, but I'm guessing that it would be far less expensive to insure than a wooden structure in a 'danger' area. I'm perfectly willing to be proved wrong about that notion, from someone who 'knows'. Going on the premise that availability of materials and ease of rebuilding and cost, surely it would be better if we all lived in mud huts?..Of course that's a nonsense, but I hope you see my point! As I've said previously, it's not even so much the house which gets flattened, it's all those treasured possesions, which we all keep and can't be replaced by insurance or money. I see pictures and news reports of areas that have literally been wiped off the map, and completely flattened by these violent storms that happen. I really feel for people who own, and or lived in these places. But I do feel that the materials used is part of the problem! Now I'll just await the 'you're thick'...'you don't understand'...and 'You're just arrogant' comments. Re bibs. The 3 little pigs is a STORY, that's all. It doesn't have much bearing in the real world now Insurance companies are not charities, and never have been. If they found they were paying out a lot more for wooden houses, then premiums would have already shot up. If homeowners have found that insurance costs have gone up for wooden houses, they'd have stopped buying them. If this were the case, then it would already have already happened. It has not happened, ergo it is not an issue. As others have touched on, its a lot to do with geology, but also, particularly historically, mostly to do with the availability of building materials. In Britain, that mostly came down to bricks, stone or timber for walls, and slate, stone, tile or thatch for roofs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppins Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 To be fair, I would just like to point out that it is because of the posts that the likes of PeteMorris make, people who are 'in the know' then come forward with interesting posts such as this, and the rest of us who are not 'in the know' then become wiser. Without such posts, some of us may remain ignorant! We are never too old to learn and none of us know everything about everything! True, some posters that add to a thread can make it more interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteMorris Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Bishops house built 1500 out of wood and still here despite wars, hurricanes and blizzards . Kelvin Flats built out of steel and concrete during 1960s and pulled down/fell down less than 30 years later. I don't really think you've got a clue what you are talking about. Hmmm...Ok..I bow to your far superior intellect. I might just add, didn't we build castles out of brick? They're still standing hundreds of years after they were built?...But I know nothing of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Glypta Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Hmmm...Ok..I bow to your far superior intellect. I might just add, didn't we build castles out of brick? They're still standing hundreds of years after they were built?.. Not many brick castles around here. ..But I know nothing of course! That's probably the first accurate thing that you've posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cressida Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 New mexico , Santa Fe, my wife and l keep thinking of that area, NON of the above problems. Thanks, I shall pass on that information to 'The Rat' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llamatron Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 It's always occured to me when a hurricane strikes in America, it wipes out whole communities, and it's very very distressing. But,.... shouldn't someone tell them, wood probably isn't the best choice of building materials where there is a likelyhood of hurricanes and other adverse weather conditions? Yep, I know bricks cost more, and roofs get blown off brick buildings..etc...But surely wood isn't a good choice, when you can feasibly lose everything! Just a thought Its a great suggestion for a place like the uk where hurricanes are rare. You don't really want that much rubble and rebuild costs when it happens regularly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteMorris Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Not many brick castles around here. That's probably the first accurate thing that you've posted. Ok, split hairs if you like...stone then! If you've nothing constructive to say, then don't bother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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