Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5
Why are things exposed to constant rain made of wood? An 18 year old home shouldn't have railing that's falling over. Things should be made to last more than 18 years. Fences and decks shouldn't be made of wood unless one lives in Arizona.
I'd happily pay 5x more for aluminum or some other material that doesn't have to be painted every 2 years, and will still fail in under 2 decades.
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A. Most American only think about purchase price not total cost
B. Most US houses are spec homes built by contractors with every incentive to favor construction cost over long term cost. Contractors build to code which is just another name for the minimum allowed by law.
The same question can be asked for why contractors don't spec better appliances, more efficient furnaces, more insulation, steel roofs instead of asphalt, etc, etc, etc.
A year after a tornado supercell came through Alabama and the surrounding area, wiping out whole towns and killing hundreds contractors were still building spec houses without foundation anchors or hurricane straps. They are about $1 apiece a simple to install during construction but almost impossible after.
This little guy....
prevents this:
