Why aren't more homes built with brick? (Overland: new home, neighborhoods)

[dickelfan]

We will be moving to KC area at the beginning of the year and we've noticed that a majority of the homes built now aren't built with much brick. Looks as though they are mostly stucco or even siding. Just curious if there is a reason for this in KC? In Texas the majority of homes are almost completely brick.

Here is an example http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...28-92692?row=2

Thanks

[kcmo]

Siding and stucco have become more popular everywhere. It's just cheaper. Housing is so cheap in Texas that they can have upgrades like brick and still have the cheapest houses in the country.

KC developers make a KILLING in JoCo because they throw up some real crap and people buy them up like they are built with the better materials. If people are buying them the way they are at the prices they have them at, there is little incentive to offer a lot of upgrades till you get into the very upper tier of homes. By upper tier I mean quality, not price.

Plus, St Louis uses all the brick around here and won't share with KC .

[TabulaRasa]

Are you looking in KC or in suburbs?

A lot of new construction is cheap.

[thriftylefty]

I grew up in KC in a two story brick house with a brick basement floor and walls. My grandfather worked in brick factory. I cannot imagine what it would cost to build a house like that today with the old baked dark red bricks. I 'm guessing the insulating advantage of bricks against the heat in Texas out weighs the cost.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by dickelfan

We will be moving to KC area at the beginning of the year and we've noticed that a majority of the homes built now aren't built with much brick. Looks as though they are mostly stucco or even siding. Just curious if there is a reason for this in KC? In Texas the majority of homes are almost completely brick.

Here is an example http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...28-92692?row=2

Thanks

You can find more made out of brick in some of the OLDER neighborhoods, generally at least 30-40+ years old will have a bit more in the way of brick exteriors. Newer construction unless at a high price point will not have the high end craftsmanship and materials in general, that is true across the board these days in many areas of the US. Be aware of shoddy construction on stucco houses as they can develop cracking and other problems due to freeze/thaw cycles and the local climate. High end houses with this material that are built very well will probably not have that issue. Majority of properties will generally have vinyl siding.

[TabulaRasa]

If you want brick, go vintage construction. KC has lots.

[aliasfinn]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Siding and stucco have become more popular everywhere. It's just cheaper. Housing is so cheap in Texas that they can have upgrades like brick and still have the cheapest houses in the country.

KC developers make a KILLING in JoCo because they throw up some real crap and people buy them up like they are built with the better materials. If people are buying them the way they are at the prices they have them at, there is little incentive to offer a lot of upgrades till you get into the very upper tier of homes. By upper tier I mean quality, not price.

Plus, St Louis uses all the brick around here and won't share with KC .

Bricks are worth $$$$.
Thieves have been stealing them from those old buildings.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by dickelfan

We will be moving to KC area at the beginning of the year and we've noticed that a majority of the homes built now aren't built with much brick. Looks as though they are mostly stucco or even siding. Just curious if there is a reason for this in KC? In Texas the majority of homes are almost completely brick.

Thanks

Are the new construction homes actually brick construction or are you just looking for brick veneer? A lot of KC new construction has stone veneer, which is typically a little more expensive than brick veneer, but is quite obviously more en vogue for new home buyers here.

And much of the new construction "stucco" is not stucco at all (which is a shame because stucco is a product very well-suited to KC climate, as evidenced by the thousands of 80-100 year old stucco homes throughout midtown, northeast, Brookside and Waldo), but synthetic stucco, dryvit or stucco paneling, all of which a worthless at best.

[dickelfan]

We've mainly been looking online at the Overland Park area, homes in the 400-500K prices. We weren't sure if it had to do with the colder weather.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by dickelfan

We weren't sure if it had to do with the colder weather.

It does not.