Land, style, flooring… building a new house involves many essential steps. And the choice of material is important! Concrete, wood, brick – there are many building materials, and they are not always easy to compare. In addition to aesthetic considerations, the choice must also be determined by the technical performance of each material: But it is difficult to declare a winner! In fact, with the right equipment, all materials now allow for the construction of low-energy buildings (BBC) compliant with the
2012 thermal regulations (RT 2012).
So, which material should you choose for building your new house? To guide you, here is an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each.
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Content
- 1 Concrete: Building a house
- 1.1 Advantages of concrete
- 1.2 Weaknesses of concrete 2 Concrete
- cellular: a highly insulating building material
- 2.1 Strengths Advantages of cellular concrete
- 2.2 Disadvantages of cellular concrete
- 3 Building a new house with classic bricks
- 3.1 Advantages of classic brick houses 3.2 Negatives of
- classic brick 4 Honeycomb brick
- or Monomur® brick: improved performance
- 4.1 Advantages of honeycomb brick
- 4.2 Disadvantages of honeycomb brick
- 5 Building a new house with stone
- 5.1 Positives of stone houses
- 5.2 Disadvantages of stone as a building material
- 6 Wooden house: An increasingly fashionable construction
- 6.1 Advantages of wooden houses 6.2
- Disadvantages of wood as a material
- Building 7 Construction of a house with a metal frame
- 7.1 Advantages of houses with metal frames
- 7.2 Weaknesses of metal frames
- 8 And eco-materials in all this?
- 9 Conclusion
Concrete: building a traditional block house
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Advantages of concrete
Concrete block, cinder block, or rubble, whatever the name given, concrete is an essential building material. Its affordable price
and ease of implementation make it the most used material for building detached houses in France.
Concrete is very robust and has excellent fire and frost resistance. Often criticized, its environmental impact is not so bad. The production of blocks requires little energy, and the production and distribution network is significant, which reduces CO2 emissions from its transport. Finally, composed of gravel, sand, cement, and water, it is a 100% recyclable
material.
Weaknesses of concrete blocks
Concrete construction, however, requires the establishment of an effective ventilation system. – Indeed, this material is not capable of regulating humidity. Its low thermal performance also requires the installation of effective insulation.
However, new generation blocks are now appearing on the market. They incorporate foam insulation within their cells. But this increase in performance comes at a cost. Expect to pay between 40 and 60 €/m² for a house made of classic blocks, and between 60 and 90€/m² for insulating concrete blocks.
Cellular concrete – a highly insulating building material
Strengths of cellular concrete
Composed of cement, lime, sand, water, and aluminum dust, cellular concrete contains thousands of air bubbles that provide excellent insulation
. Its performance often allows for the absence of additional insulation. Naturally airtight, aerated concrete does not retain moisture inside the house, preventing the development of mold.
Like conventional concrete, cellular concrete has a low carbon footprint. 100% recyclable, it requires little energy for its production. Again, the production and distribution network is sufficient to reduce transport times to the site. This limits CO2 emissions.
Disadvantages of cellular concrete
Cellular concrete has the drawback of a soft implementation. Its lightness makes it easy to handle, but its installation requires a specific skill
. Finding a professional can then be more complicated.
More expensive than conventional concrete, it costs between 70 and 120€ per m², depending on the wall thickness.
Building your new house with classic bricks
Contemporary brick house — LOGIS STYLE
Advantages of classic brick houses
Brick is a natural material
made from clay and used in construction since ancient times. Naturally breathable, it provides good regulation of internal humidity, preventing the development of mold. It is also a healthy material free of chemicals that does not emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Coming from local resources, brick also allows for limited transport time. Additionally, it is 100% recyclable, thus becoming an integral part of a sustainable development approach. Finally, brick is an easy-to-implement and very economical
building material. Expect to pay between 10 and 15€ per m², excluding installation and insulation.
Negatives of brick
However, all these qualities hide a significant flaw. In fact, the thermal and acoustic insulation performance of brick is low. The installation of interior or exterior insulation
is therefore essential to achieve the energy performance required by current regulations.
For example, brick is now competing with a more efficient product: honeycomb brick or Monomur® brick.
Honeycomb brick or Monomur® brick: superior performance
Advantages of honeycomb brick
More efficient in terms of insulation due to its honeycomb structure, Monomur® brick (or honeycomb brick) becomes more effective. Its main advantage is that it requires no insulation
in temperate climatic regions. In fact, its thermal inertia allows the walls to retain heat in winter and stay cool in summer.
Disadvantages of honeycomb brick
Its higher price, around 40 euros per m² excluding installation, is however to be considered as it also includes insulation!
However, it is necessary to take into account its carbon footprint
, which is higher than that of conventional brick. The production of Monomur® bricks requires high-temperature firing (1,000 °C), which is far from environmentally friendly.
Building your new house with stone
Stone House — Etui TY BREIZ
Positives of stone houses
Limestone, granite, sandstone, marble, stone is a building material used ancestrally. Its main advantage is its extreme strength
. In fact, stone is a weather-resistant material, resistant to the elements or fire. It is also a noble material, which gives undeniable character to a home. The success of facing stones, which recreate this rough effect, is enough to convince us.
In addition to being noble, stone is also a healthy and natural material
, free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and can be reused indefinitely. This material fits perfectly into a sustainable development logic. There are also many local quarries in France, allowing for a short and low-emission transport circuit.
Disadvantages of stone as a building material
On the performance side, however, stone has a mixed balance. While its inertia
protects against excessive temperature fluctuations, when cooled, walls struggle to warm up and vice versa. Effective insulation is therefore essential. It is also recommended to install a VMC to ensure good ventilation.
Another drawback – its price
. Type of stone, size, transport, many factors can significantly vary the cost of a stone house. Average cost is 400€ per m², installation included, but excluding insulation and waterproofing. Use a regional extruded stone to reduce costs.
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Wooden house: an increasingly fashionable construction
Bioclimatic Wooden House Kubiq — Contractor’s office Carnac Morbihan Brittany
Advantages of wooden houses
In recent years, wooden construction has seen a strong enthusiasm. In fact, light and easy to work with, wood easily adapts to any type of terrain and offers many architectural possibilities. Classic or design, the wooden house or MOB consists of a wooden frame to which insulated wood panels are attached. The elements are prefabricated in the factory before being transported to the site. As a result, implementation is significantly reduced compared to a masonry house.
naturally resistant and warm with high environmental performance. Environmentally friendly and renewable Other techniques, stacked from solid wood or beam piles, also offer quick and clean construction sites.
Regardless of the process used, wood remains a material that consumes little energy for processing. Additionally, it has the ability to store CO2 as it grows and to keep it trapped when cut. Finally, this healthy material does not emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, it is imperative to choose wood from sustainably managed forests (FSC or PEFC label), as imported exotic species should be banned.
Disadvantages of wood as a building material
The obvious drawback of a wooden house is maintenance
. This material is sensitive to moisture and UV rays. Proper treatment is therefore essential to ensure its longevity. However, if properly treated, a wooden house will stand as well as a cinder block house.
On the price side, changes are significant, especially depending on the technique used and the size of the house. Expect to pay from 600 to over 2,000€ per m²!
Construction of a house with a metal frame
Thomas Metallo Construction
Advantages of houses with metal frames
With its multiple development possibilities, the construction of independent houses with metal frames is gaining ground in France. From traditional pavilions to designer architect houses, the metal frame easily adapts to any style
. Its lightness also allows for construction on any type of soil.
Like wooden frames, metal frames are generally prefabricated and assembled in the factory. They are then transported to the site where implementation is quick
. Walls can be easily mounted by attaching panels to the outside of the structure, while the inside is used to accommodate technical conduits or even insulation.
Even container houses, repurposing containers at the end of their life, are becoming increasingly successful. Again, however, the main advantage is the speed of implementation, as containers are pre-cut in the factory before being assembled on site.
Weaknesses of metal frames
The main disadvantage of constructing a house with a metal frame lies in the high conductivity of steel
. Good insulation is essential to ensure compliance with current and future standards. While internal insulation is possible, external insulation is often recommended. It allows for better wrapping of the house, thus avoiding thermal bridges. It also prevents the loss of living space, a criterion that is all the more essential in the context of a container house.
Building a house with a metal frame often allows for savings of around 10-20% compared to a masonry house. Expect to pay around 1,000€ including VAT.
And eco-materials in all this?
Although less known and less common in construction, eco-materials or bio-sourced materials have undeniable advantages that deserve to be examined. Soil, hemp, flax, or straw, with excellent insulating properties, can be used in the construction of individual houses with high ecological performance
.
Produced by local productions, these materials are part of a very virtuous short circuit. Free of chemicals, they allow for the design of healthy and environmentally friendly buildings. While these companies are currently mainly reserved for self-construction that does not always meet current standards, constant innovations offer great prospects for the future. Bricks or hemp panels, concrete made from flax fibers, we hope these eco-materials have not finished developing to make themselves known!
Conclusions
As we have seen, each building material has its own qualities and flaws. However, you will be able to guide your choice based on the location of the site. In fact, with the risk of increasing your estimate and the environmental impact
of your new house, avoid building with limestone if your site is free of it.
The aesthetics will also be taken into account, some prefer houses in a classic style, while others will bet on originality. Be sure to hire a qualified professional, with a 10-year guarantee that protects you against the risks of malfunction. And as always, do not hesitate to compete by comparing various quotes! Read more on Maisonea