MexConnect.com Forums: Specific Focus: Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico: Cinder block vs brick: Page 2

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rockydog85251

Dec 2, 2009, 6:41 PM

Post #26 of 33 (6526 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Cinder block vs brick

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With all the agriculutural stuff up there providing straw....has anyone out there considered straw bale building? It's green, fairly cheap & the R factor is about 60.....

Guille
Willie

bournemouth

Dec 2, 2009, 6:47 PM

Post #27 of 33 (6520 views)

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Re: [rockydog85251] Cinder block vs brick

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How do termites see strawbale construction - does it not provide a good meal for them or can it be treated first?

rockydog85251

Dec 2, 2009, 8:22 PM

Post #28 of 33 (6503 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Cinder block vs brick

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Not sure about termites & straw... you could probably find websites that address this issue. I know that there are straw bale houses in Nebraska that are over 100 yrs. old. and there has been a surge of them in New Mexico and Arizona. I did watch one being built in Phoenix & once encapsulated in the stucco finish, not much will bother it. Very interesting process!
Willie

sakfogel

Dec 3, 2009, 4:57 AM

Post #29 of 33 (6489 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Cinder block vs brick

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Moisheh!

I lived in a concrete block home, with single pane non-tempered glass windows and terrible electrical service, which we upgraded.It was a beautiful home, and our buyers are very happy in it. I sold it and built a home on the beach.

The new house is made of 6 inch steel beams, with a gypsum /fiberglas outersheathing which has been stuccoed over. We insulated the house with 6 inches of polyester insualtion, the roof has 16 inches of insulation. The interior walls are sheet rocked. The windows are dual-pane gas-filled and vinyl ( and screens and screen doors). We have a Heatilator fireplace, and minisplit A/C.
It does not look like a tract home in the US it is a minamlist Mexican modern, but oh so comfortable to live it.

The house is solid,quiet, warm in winter, cool in summer, and does not smell like lime. I do not need a drill with a cement bit to hang a picture, and I have oultets every 16 inches.
My breaker box is huge, and the kitchen outlets have two circuits each so that the coffe pot and microwave can be on at the same time and not blow a ciscuit.
I love this house.
We imported everything from California in 2005. Most of this stuff is now available in Southern Baja.
It is beyond me why foreigners agree to having their homes built of cinder block and choose to have wooden or aluminum windows, poor plumbing, and faulty electrical systems.

You are one of the few people I know that has admitted that their concrete block home is uncomfortable. Most of the people I know are in denial. they spent a bundle so they have to make believe all is right within the walls of their homes. They get very upset when they hear how low my electrical bill is in summer.
They have to blast their A/C and still are not cool.
There are many alternatives to concrete block for building homes in Mexico.
Susan Fogel
On the beach in La Paz
Author of Margarita Mind Series of Books about Mexico
Book #1 now available: www.MargaritaMind.com

Moisheh

Dec 3, 2009, 5:15 AM

Post #30 of 33 (6486 views)

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Re: [sakfogel] Cinder block vs brick

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Susan:

We did not build this house. The roof is insulated but not the walls. Being as it can be hard to find tradespeople to build by any other method if I were to build a home I would do as follows: Build the walls of block but use steel studs, fiberglass insulation and drywall on the inside. This not only gives a good comfort level you can also fish wires in the walls to add more electricity in the future. One of our friends built this way and on days when we are using our heat pump they do not! Their house is quieter and less humid.

Moisheh

sakfogel

Dec 3, 2009, 5:26 AM

Post #31 of 33 (6480 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Cinder block vs brick

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Moisheh,
There are a few homes in my neighborhood built with a poured concrete outer wall and finished with the steel beams and insulation.
We almost did that, but felt it was overkill and akin to building two houses.
I am still amazed at Americans and Canadians that come down here, having left their brains at the border, and build a concrete block house. They somehow believe that the materials that their homes were made of in the old country , and housed them through snow, sleet, earthquakes and other storms will not "hold up" down here.
It is a learning curve for the building trade here, but quad-lock foam "legos", the steel frame, and panel W foam homes are becoming widely used.
It is sad that the Infonavit homes are still being made of block. We call them little ovens.

I looked into retrofitting my first house wiht foam insulation. I t would have to be glued to the outside and then re-stuccoed. It was a big three story house, way too expensive. Without replacing the windows it would have been a lot of money "out the window" literally.
But you might want to consider that ( foam insulation).
sun is coming up behind the mountains across the Bay of La Paz! time for bed!
Susana
Susan Fogel
On the beach in La Paz
Author of Margarita Mind Series of Books about Mexico
Book #1 now available: www.MargaritaMind.com

gloves123

Jan 22, 2010, 4:29 AM

Post #32 of 33 (5984 views)

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Re: [sakfogel] Cinder block vs brick

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Hello - New to this forum and late to this thread.

My wife and I recently purchased a small bit of land north of Puerto Vallarta.

We are complete newbies to building and just beginning research on actual construction. We'd like to build in phases, over several years, as we can afford it. Concrete platform first, then walls, then roof, then internal rooms, then windows and doors, electricity, plumbing, finishing, etc.

Based on this discussion thread, it seems as if we can purchase 1000 concrete blocks for $280 US dollars. Is that correct? or am I wrong by a 0? We are not wealthy and were planning a simple rectangle maybe 45 feet X 30 (maybe smaller) 8 to 9 foot walls/ceilings. We have friends who have built similar finished homes, with tile and everything for under $50K. I cannot figure out how to calculate how much concrete block I'll need for that unfinished first phase "box" - or oven as I see someone describes...

Second, the end of this thread discusses using steel frame and fiberglass insulation, as a better way to go. This is a new avenue of consideration for me and I'd appreciate more details on that if anyone is willing. Price, ease of building, durability, everything.

If this is the wrong forum for all these questions, please direct me to the proper place.

Thank you -

Rolly / Moderator

Jan 22, 2010, 6:01 AM

Post #33 of 33 (5981 views)

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Re: [gloves123] Cinder block vs brick

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I don't have answers to your specific questions, but I can point you to some detailed picture stories of building in México that you may find helpful.

Rolly Pirate

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