Whether developing a residential home or a commercial building, brick provides a comforting, warm material that is both familiar and preferred in National Association of Home Builders surveys. Despite the elegance and upscale appeal that exteriors made with North Georgia Brick products exude, brick is actually an affordable option to invest in compared to other building materials. With an exceptional combination of long-lasting value, appearance, and durability, let’s take a deeper dive into the affordability of brick!
Residential Brick Homes – When weighing the financial factors that come with selecting a building material beyond simply the cost to purchase, brick is a runaway money-saver:
- Brick exteriors require minimal upkeep which reduces maintenance costs
- Brick is incredibly fade resistant whereas paint will fade and chip over time
- Properly insulated brick homes are more energy-efficient, resulting in 20% lower energy bills annually (according to the US Dept. of Energy)
- Brick homes have a higher resale value
- Brick homes earn lower homeowner’s insurance premiums
- Brick also has a 100-year lifespan!
Even the cost to build with brick is less than other materials. RSMeans is North America’s most trusted source of construction costs for more than 70 years, providing cost researchers who track and validate building costs with a wide range of key data points. According to RSMeans, the national average total construction of a clay four-sided brick home is:
- 23% cheaper than stone
- 6% cheaper than stucco
- 2% more expensive than wood
- 3% more expensive than fiber cement
However, these other building materials can’t come close to matching the longevity of brick!
Commercial Brick Buildings – On the commercial side, brick continues to impress when compared to the construction costs of common exterior materials. According to a new study conducted for the Brick Industry Association, brick with CMU costs less than precast concrete, metal panel curtain wall, and glass panel curtain wall systems.
In fact, a three-story office building, a five- to 10-story office building, a three-story apartment building, and a four- to eight-story hospital, were more expensive on average when constructed with materials other than brick systems. Also, when it comes to keeping buildings up to code, commercial brick structures are rarely if ever demolished due to the external brick.
For both residential and commercial structures, building with brick is tremendously cost-effective when it comes to the elements and natural hazards: Brick does not burn, is not damaged by hail, can withstand wind and debris impacts exceeding 80mph, and resists the growth of mold and mildew in extreme moisture conditions. No matter what type of project you are ready to begin, the brick experts in our Cumming and Cartersville showrooms can help answer questions and assist in accurately budgeting your build. Brick is the material that will pay for itself and last for generations to come!