Why are wooden houses more common in the U.S when block/brick houses are more common in Europe?
In: Culture
1) Wood is very very cheap. You therefore get a larger house for your money building it out of wood.
2) Wood is just as durable as Stone for most weather catastrophes (though it has to be maintained a bit more). A tornado will rip apart a stone or brick house just as fast as it will a wooden one. It is really only fire that brick and stone fair far better against.
3) Wood actually is far superior to stone or brick in areas prone to earthquake.
Lots of wood, more space than European cities, less demand for houses that last generations. At least, that’s my understanding!
Wood is really, *really* cheap in the US. It is easily the least expensive and quickest way to build a house.
Concrete block houses are more common in hurricane-prone areas that have strict codes.
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