Concrete Homes? (custom home, scorpions, subdivision)

[Debbie B F]

I've been reading about poorly built new houses in many places in Arizona. Did I mis-understood that implications? Via search, I didn't see anything regarding concrete houses (I did see concrete "fences"). Do they exist?

What would you say that majority of the houses in Arizona are made out of? Wood stick built? Mud? Concrete?

Makes me wonder if we decide to move to Arizona, would we find many good "well-built" homes? Or, would we be better off building a ICF home?

In case any of you are not familiar with ICF---it is abbreviated as Insulating Concrete Form. I'm sure that ICF can be googled.

One more question: How in the world do snakes and scorpions enter the house without knowledge? Do they generally enter old houses that has cracks, would that be it?

[ZonyPony]

Mud?

[ZonyPony]

Originally Posted by Debbie B F

I've been reading about poorly built new houses in many places in Arizona. Did I mis-understood that implications? Via search, I didn't see anything regarding concrete houses (I did see concrete "fences"). Do they exist?

What would you say that majority of the houses in Arizona are made out of? Wood stick built? Mud? Concrete?

Makes me wonder if we decide to move to Arizona, would we find many good "well-built" homes? Or, would we be better off building a ICF home?

In case any of you are not familiar with ICF---it is abbreviated as Insulating Concrete Form. I'm sure that ICF can be googled.

One more question: How in the world do snakes and scorpions enter the house without knowledge? Do they generally enter old houses that has cracks, would that be it?

Mud?

[MotleyCrew]

Rammed earth? I love concrete and wish we could have built our home here with it. Some of the custom homes are ICF constructed homes, but most of the tract builders use wood. I have not seen any mud, rammed earth homes here yet.

[altus2006]

Originally Posted by MotleyCrew

Rammed earth? I love concrete and wish we could have built our home here with it. Some of the custom homes are ICF constructed homes, but most of the tract builders use wood. I have not seen any mud, rammed earth homes here yet.

There may be some on the Navajo reservation up north.

altus2006

[sablebaby]

Snakes and especially scorpions will enter through any number of cracks in a home, just like any other insect. It doesn't matter what age the home is, there will be a way they get in.

Most homes here are made out of straw. Just kidding. They are made of wood, chicken wire, and stucco. Some older homes are block or brick.

[michael krotchie]

Yep sablebaby has it right, in Arizona wood/wire/stucco is pretty much king. You'll find the occasional brick and block, and for custom homes you'll also see rammed earth a bit.

I know of some builders who used to use block and steel studs in their subdivision homes, but that was several years ago. Those homes still fetch higher prices today!

If you can afford it, ICF may be a better way to go.

[mglindo]

Check this out.

Monolithic Dome Institute

[esselcue]

Maybe you meant "adobe" when you said mud. Adobe brick is used occasionally and is a very good building tool but is not at all the norm.

[Debbie B F]

My apology for using the word "mud". I did not mean to be offensive.

After taking a look at the adobe picture, that would be the accurate description.

Thank you all for answering my questions.