[PoolBrews]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

The opposite. Wood is better for insulation and the structural strength is the same as block.

There are pluses and minuses to both kinds of construction. Google is your friend.

Both comments are incorrect for poured walls. Poured concrete walls are structurally stronger by a significant amount, and have a higher R-Value. Also, quoted from a site that lists all of the advantages of poured walls "The thermal mass of the walls and the tight seals at joints enable concrete homes to excel at keeping conditioned air in and extreme temperatures out. Temperature control. The tight building envelope also means concrete houses have fewer hot and cold zones and less draftiness."

My first two homes I owned earlier in life were stick built. My 3rd and 4th were here in The Villages. The 3rd was block construction, and my current home has poured walls. The difference in my heating/AC bill and the quietness of the homes were significantly better than either stick home. The poured home is noticeably better than the block home.

During hurricane Irma we had just moved into our current home. Emergency channels advised us to sleep in a centrally located room. We couldn't even hear the hurricane come through at night - yet I got up in the middle of the night and our stop sign out front was sitting at a 30 degree angle from the ground and bouncing up and down in the wind. It was amazing.

[margaretmattson]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Not sure I agree about slight cost of hvac between stick and block. We had 3 house for one year in TV. No TECO only Seco. All set at same temp designer 3 years older.

PV 1185sf,
cottage 1575sf,
designer block 2039sf.

Average Monthly with no humans designer block was $46 to 52.23 less per month

Good to know! Ours was reverse. We owned a vinyl CYV then block with same square footage. The difference in HVAC was $6 a month. The lower was the vinyl sided. Perhaps, there are other factors that come into play? Amount of shade from trees? Amount of sunlight and when? North vrs West facing? East vrs South? Ceiling height? The color of the home?.... Who knows? Interesting!

Not sure if I like the idea of not being able to hear a hurricane in a precast home. Sometimes, a roaring sound may be your only warning that a tornado has formed. Or, the hurricane has strengthened.

[RICH1]

BLOCK Home , with a North or East Sunroom .... anything else , you will Regret it!

[MSGirl]

Originally Posted by Will.S

Will be new to Florida so when shopping for our first home in The Villages next spring, I have questions. What is the general AND preferred construction of homes in The Villages. I would think that poured and block would be the better options for strength & insulation...

Yes, these are things that keep me up at night ...
Thanks for your inputs, Will

Poured concrete is the best! Totally solid! You can only find it in courtyard villas. Besides, stick, poured concrete and block, there is a relatively new product The Villages is using. In lieu of block, they use pre- poured modular concrete walls (in homes south of CR 44). Now, let that one keep you up at night😉

[Randall55]

After reading these posts, it is like I said. It doesn't matter what type of construction you choose. Each has their pros and cons.

[ldj1938]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

The construction standards are the same.

If it was obvious that block homes withstood winds better than stick built, it's an anomaly or perhaps the homes weren't built to standards? I don't know when the hurricane was, but Florida's building standards for withstanding hurricanes, has been around for a long time.

We lived in South Florida in 2002 Hurricane Andrew. Wood frame homes GONE! Concrete slab remains. Most of the concrete block homes remained. In the most severe area every thing gone. Even the Miami weather station.

[Randall55]

Originally Posted by ldj1938

We lived in South Florida in 2002 Hurricane Andrew. Wood frame homes GONE! Concrete slab remains. Most of the concrete block homes remained. In the most severe area every thing gone. Even the Miami weather station.

This was BEFORE hurricane standards. The homes were old and were not built to a standard code. It is because of Hurricane Andrew that strict hurricane standards are now enforced in new home construction. Comparing apples to oranges in this scenario.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Will.S

Will be new to Florida so when shopping for our first home in The Villages next spring, I have questions. What is the general AND preferred construction of homes in The Villages. I would think that poured and block would be the better options for strength & insulation...

Yes, these are things that keep me up at night ...
Thanks for your inputs, Will

Any type that’s in the most desirable location and has a nice private back yard.

[Edgewater2]

Originally Posted by Will.S

Will be new to Florida so when shopping for our first home in The Villages next spring, I have questions. What is the general AND preferred construction of homes in The Villages. I would think that poured and block would be the better options for strength & insulation...

Yes, these are things that keep me up at night ...
Thanks for your inputs, Will

We were hit with the 2007 tornado that went through here. Our roof was damaged, broken windows, and the patio screen was blown away. A portion of the cement wall surrounding our villa was blown away. We were told it weighed 2000 pounds. We were in a block villa. Many frame-built homes were flattened.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

The opposite. Wood is better for insulation and the structural strength is the same as block.

There are pluses and minuses to both kinds of construction. Google is your friend.

Originally Posted by PoolBrews

Both comments are incorrect for poured walls.

I build buildings for a living, so I have a clue and it's not based on anecdotal information, from a couple of homes I lived in.

& if you'll note, "poured walls" weren't mentioned in my comments. That's a different construction technique than block.

At least from what I've seen or heard in TV, there have been and are, numerous different construction techniques used.

Wood Frame
CMU
Poured Concrete
Tilt-Up
Pre-Cast Concrete

All those techniques produce a different product, with differing advantages and disadvantages. None are inherently "better".

Here's a video of a commercial building I'm doing now. It utilizes CMU (Block) walls, Pre-Cast Concrete, Poured Concrete, steel & glass. Each of the techniques/materials offer different advantages/disadvantages, depending on needs, usage, strength, cost, aesthetic value and site conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73n8QWWNOFo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4laY8rSBoi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRASHpXnJ6s

[Greatlawn]

Originally Posted by kkingston57

Can not find ant new stick built/frame homes on the coast(hurricane prone) areas. #1 reason for this fact is hurricanes

Not only misleading but wrong. I owned a stick built home built in 2004 on a barrier island, not the “coast” which is a general location, could be 10 miles inland. Other than high rise condos most living space of homes on the island was stick built. The building code is designed for major hurricanes but the island is routinely evacuated for hurricanes because of storm surge. Houses are built on anchored concrete pillars 12 ft high. I believe that requirement is now 14 ft. Ground level walls are breakaway and the space is only used for parking.

[RRGuyNJ]

Originally Posted by BigDawgInLakeDenham

So your saying we're all screwed and just don't move to Florida....problem solved by the insurance agent. Or are you saying don't move here because I need my Tee Time? The guy seems to want to be part of TV but you offer doom and gloom? Why?

They aren't spreading doom & gloom, just the facts of what happens and how most major home failures occur. Also facts on how the insurance companies in FL are running the show.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Greatlawn

Not only misleading but wrong. I owned a stick built home built in 2004 on a barrier island, not the “coast” which is a general location, could be 10 miles inland.
.

You're 100% right. I've built stick frame in velocity zones along the coast. The thinking that block/concrete/block is inherently "sturdier" than wood frame, in nonsense. But this is The Villages, everyone is an expert here, regardless of from whence they came.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by margaretmattson

Good to know! Ours was reverse. We owned a vinyl CYV then block with same square footage. The difference in HVAC was $6 a month. The lower was the vinyl sided. Perhaps, there are other factors that come into play? Amount of shade from trees? Amount of sunlight and when? North vrs West facing? East vrs South? Ceiling height? The color of the home?.... Who knows? Interesting!

Not sure if I like the idea of not being able to hear a hurricane in a precast home. Sometimes, a roaring sound may be your only warning that a tornado has formed. Or, the hurricane has strengthened.

No trees. all homes facing within degrees of same north on compass read. 8 ceilings in PV, cottage & designer vault in living/kitchen.
All three home the same ugly beige. Most don’t keep stats on three homes monthly for a year.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

You're 100% right. I've built stick frame in velocity zones along the coast. The thinking that block/concrete/block is inherently "sturdier" than wood frame, in nonsense. But this is The Villages, everyone is an expert here, regardless of from whence they came.

It certainly depends. If you were in an earthquake you certainly would want to be in a stick home. You certainly would not want to be in a tilt wall constructed house.