My wife and I are hoping to build a small (600-900 sq ft) house just north of Zihuatanejo this winter. (If we can sell our townhouse here.)I’ve been learning a bit about construction methods that involve building a house with “Lego-like” pieces that are made of styrofoam or polystyrene. Once the house is built, concrete is poured into the Lego-like pieces and fills up all of the spaces.While I was learning about this, a friend of mine was in Barra de Navidad. When she returned, she told me about seeing buildings made of styrofoam. So I know the method is avaiable in Mexico.Does anyone here know anything about the cost of this building method in Mexico? Suppliers? Anything?
Posted by Richard Ferguson on September 11, 1996-2006 :
In Reply to: House Construction Methods In Mexico posted by Ernie Gorrie on September 02, 1996-2006 : :
I was in Barra de Navidad last winter, and rememberseeing a different use of styrofoam. I remember seeing a large sheet of styrofoam board with wiremesh on each side. The impression that I had was that the board was put in place in the wall, andthen mortar would be stuccoed on each side of thestyrofoam. This would be fast and easy, but I donot think that it would be a particularly strongconstruction method for an earthquake-pronecountry. I believe that a more standard (andstronger) practice would use concrete block wallswith concrete pillars and beams containing rebar.I suggest that you chat with some people thatbuild in concrete in California, about how tobuild a simple house with simple materials on site, that would be plenty strong.Remember that most concrete in Mexico is mixedon site by hand, so the quality and strengthmay not be consistent.
