According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (IACHI), brick structures are built to last 100 years or more. Throughout Europe and on other continents, homes, castles and other buildings made of brick have stood tall for centuries.
Stone and brick houses last the longest. If you are using wood, choose a hardwood for durability. A one-storey house will last longer because it is easier to maintain. Steel-frame techniques are also more durable for building houses than traditional stick-framing techniques and can last for 100+ years.
In Australia, the average life of a brick home is 88 years and a timber home is 58 years (Snow and Prasad 2011). Many homes last much longer than this. Decisions that are made about homes today will continue to have consequences for many decades.
Brick, with its porous surface, needs to breathe and when you put a shell (like paint) over it, it can no longer do that.
Double brick wall strength
The sturdy materials also stand up well against high temperatures, reducing the threat of a devastating fire. The durability makes sure your home is as protected and strong as possible, increasing the lifespan of the house.
Brick, stone or block structures can last for 100+ years. Some of the oldest buildings in Toronto are masonry units. Yet, in between this time it's important to take care of proper maintenance, like fixing mortar joints as needed.
To maintain protection and appearance, this sealer should have a maintenance coat every 3-4 years.
Bricks are flame retardant and noncombustible. Even if you have a fire, brick walls will keep it mostly contained to one particular room or part of the house. Brick structures can also handle high-speed objects flying into them from high winds such as tornadoes or hurricanes much better than other materials.
So, do brick houses stay cooler in the summer months? Yes. Denser, exterior building materials like brick naturally reduce the overall temperature of a home because they soak up heat and hold it longer than other materials, slowing the interior warming process in the summer and the cooling process during colder months.
The average annual growth rate for well-located capital city properties is about 7%, which means that Australia's median dwelling price should be around $1.1 million in 2030. But some properties will outperform others by 50-100% in terms of capital growth, so take these house price predictions with a big pinch of salt.
The 8th house from the lagna is the house of longevity; the 8th house counted from the 8th i.e. the 3rd house, is also the house of longevity.
Built in 1788, First Government House was the first major building to be constructed on the Australian mainland. The remains of the building's original foundations in Sydney CBD, provide rare evidence of the earliest years of British settlement in Australia andcontain the only tangible relics of 1788 still in place.
Research-wise, concrete foundations, insulated concrete form framing (ICF), and a corrugated galvanised steel roof are the strongest house materials. Foundations are usually constructed from concrete because it is our strongest building material and it's important to have a sturdy house foundation.
Using Quality Materials
It's no secret that houses built with good quality materials are expected to be sturdier and more long-lasting. A house is made up of various components, from roofing to flooring, plumbing, wiring, etc. To get the most out of your home, investing in good-quality materials is paramount.
Fired Brick – Comprised of sand, clay, lime, iron oxide, and magnesia, this type of brick is one of the longest-lasting.
Brick walls can leak due to poor construction, not mixing mortar correctly, or failing to fill in the wall joints with mortar. Pinpointing the source of the leak is best left to a spray test for accurate results.
In terms of durability, concrete slabs are somewhat prone to surface erosion, which exposes the rough aggregate underneath the refined surface. Bricks, on the other hand, can chip and crack, but the solid colouring means that any cracks or blemishes will be hard to notice without thorough inspection.
A solid brick home can be a better investment than a brick veneer house. Brick veneer homes are generally less durable, tend to have higher maintenance requirements, and though not always the case, can sometimes be put together “on the cheap” in bulk subdivisions.
Building materials like brick are porous. They soak up rain to saturate the wall with penetrating damp. Rain penetration into masonry can occur in buildings of all ages. At its most obvious, it penetrates the wall and displays as a damp patch on the internal wall.
Typically bricks last longer than concrete slabs, with the former lasting for generations. Concrete slabs usually need replacing after about 20 years, which is more than enough time when you factor in property renovations that tend to take place every decade or so.
Over time, the sunlight and constantly changing weather can lead to wear and tear in the color of your brick walls. The once dark and bright colored bricks will slowly start to look faded and worn out.
Weigh a dry brick and note down its weight then submerge the brick in water for a long period of time. Take it out and weigh it again; if the weight doesn't increase by 15%, then it's a good quality brick.
One of the primary advantages of using any recycled material, brick included, is that it tends to be less expensive than buying brand new building materials. Which makes sense, given that used bricks don't have to have the clay mined, transported, molded, fired, and then transported again.