Building a wood house?

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Afgan

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Why only unhealthy concrete houses are built here? With no regulations nor norms regarding asbestos or other harmful substances.

Why not wooden ones? That are supposed to be cheaper, lighter and much healthier to live and breath in?

Shortage of lumber? Termites? Fear of an easy burglary and arson? Other reasons?
 
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suarezn

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Hmmm, let's see...good wood is a lot more expensive than concrete, we have hurricanes, hot weather so propensity for fires, etc, etc, etc...You can use cheap wood and it may be cheaper, but then you're just providing a feast for termites.
 
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Anastacio

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Well treated and legally harvested timber is very expensive. I also don't think they have the skill in the country to work with precision with timber on such a speedy, large scale. If they ever did bring in the skill it would be expensive also.
When you see what Germans can do with timber housing it is beautiful, can't see that same work ethic or skill developing here.
Whack one block ontop of another and render it so no one can see the sloppy job is the way here!
 
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dv8

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one: wood is very expensive. i am talking about something nice and good quality that would withstand the weather.
two: the weather is a major issue; it is hot a humid so in order to keep the wood in good shape you would have to treat it regularly.
 
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Afgan

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dv8 said:
two: the weather is a major issue; it is hot a humid so in order to keep the wood in good shape you would have to treat it regularly.
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Florida is lot more hot and humid. However only wood houses ( one-two family, not high rises of course)
 
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dv8

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and do they last? i thought those houses fell apart as if made of cards with every hurricane...
my suegra has a wooden ceiling in her house. twice the price of cement but extremely beautiful exposed beams. maintenance treatment required thou. shame bacause dv8 likes a lot...
 
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Afgan

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dv8 said:
and do they last? i thought those houses fell apart as if made of cards with every hurricane...
...
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Sosua does not have hurricanes. Also depends on what houses. Wood houses can be bigger and havier than most typical Dominican casas. Not a little plank shed.

Air quality and health in a wood house and a concrete house is totally different. I am surprised that no one here feels it.
I am not aware of any asbestos law in DR. And asbestos causes cancer. Even tiny amounts. We do not want cancer.

If not possible - very sad!
 
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DavidZ

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Afgan said:
Florida is lot more hot and humid. However only wood houses ( one-two family, not high rises of course)
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What??? What Florida are you talking about? I don't think there's been a wooden house built in South Florida since Hurricane Andrew...

And what does asbestos have to do with concrete?
 
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dv8

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sosua does not but many other places do.
it is not obligatory to use asbestos. houses in here are built with cement blocks and concrete, where is asbestos in that?
what i am disappointed in is lack of brick houses. i like bricks.
 
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Afgan

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dv8 said:
it is not obligatory to use asbestos. houses in here are built with cement blocks and concrete, where is asbestos in that?
QUOTE]

Asbestos is added in the production of concrete blocs and in concrete. It is a very cheap construction material. Also is commonly used here in all insulation building works.

Since it was banned in the civilized world huge amounts of accumulated/produced asbestos stock were damped into this country.

It was discussed widely in the media.

The law that is needed in this country most urgently - to ban or regulate asbestos. Asbestos=cancer.

But it will never be adopted - too much money at stake.
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Luperon

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Afgan said:
dv8 said:
it is not obligatory to use asbestos. houses in here are built with cement blocks and concrete, where is asbestos in that?
QUOTE]

Asbestos is added in the production of concrete blocs and in concrete. It is a very cheap construction material. Also is commonly used here in all insulation building works.

Since it was banned in the civilized world huge amounts of accumulated/produced asbestos stock were damped into this country.

It was discussed widely in the media.

The law that is needed in this country most urgently - to ban or regulate asbestos. Asbestos=cancer.

But it will never be adopted - too much money at stake.
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concrete block sold in the DR has asbestos in it? is this true?
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dv8

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if they had we would all have cancer by now, don't you think so? i don't believe a word of it.
 
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DavidZ

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Afgan said:
dv8 said:
it is not obligatory to use asbestos. houses in here are built with cement blocks and concrete, where is asbestos in that?
QUOTE]

Asbestos is added in the production of concrete blocs and in concrete. It is a very cheap construction material. Also is commonly used here in all insulation building works.

Since it was banned in the civilized world huge amounts of accumulated/produced asbestos stock were damped into this country.

It was discussed widely in the media.

The law that is needed in this country most urgently - to ban or regulate asbestos. Asbestos=cancer.

But it will never be adopted - too much money at stake.
Click to expand...

Where do you come up with this stuff...and why???
Click to expand...
 
Y

Yachtmaster

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Afgan said:
Why only unhealthy concrete houses are built here? With no regulations nor norms regarding asbestos or other harmful substances.

Why not wooden ones? That are supposed to be cheaper, lighter and much healthier to live and breath in?

Shortage of lumber? Termites? Fear of an easy burglary and arson? Other reasons?
Click to expand...
WTF?! What makes wooden houses that are prone to mold and rot in a humid climate healthier to live in??
 
C

Chip

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Afgan said:
Why only unhealthy concrete houses are built here? With no regulations nor norms regarding asbestos or other harmful substances.

Why not wooden ones? That are supposed to be cheaper, lighter and much healthier to live and breath in?

Shortage of lumber? Termites? Fear of an easy burglary and arson? Other reasons?
Click to expand...

Please show your references about widespread use of asbestos here.

Also, what is more unsafe about a concrete home than wood. In most cases the concrete home is safer.
 
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Yachtmaster

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suarezn said:
Hmmm, let's see...good wood is a lot more expensive than concrete, we have hurricanes, hot weather so propensity for fires, etc, etc, etc...You can use cheap wood and it may be cheaper, but then you're just providing a feast for termites.
Click to expand...
The fire issue is important. Given the fact that most apartments and houses in the DR have bars on the doors and windows making a rapid escape difficult, I would much rather be living in a concrete building than a wooden one.........
 
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Chip

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Anastacio said:
Well treated and legally harvested timber is very expensive. I also don't think they have the skill in the country to work with precision with timber on such a speedy, large scale. If they ever did bring in the skill it would be expensive also.
When you see what Germans can do with timber housing it is beautiful, can't see that same work ethic or skill developing here.
Whack one block ontop of another and render it so no one can see the sloppy job is the way here!
Click to expand...

On the contrary there are many wooden "casas de campo" that are finely built.

Remember, even though they don't build most homes out of wood there's a carpenter to be found on every street corner.

Furthermore, he can build you a furniture set that will last 50 or more years if properly maintained. And it's cheap. Try that with anything from Ikea.
 
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