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Materials repairs , but there are several government and banking incentives to buying concrete as well . For instance , concrete homeowners may qualify for Energy Efficient Mortgages ( EEM ) allowing borrowers to qualify for a larger loan amount due to the ongoing energy savings that result in much lower energy bills .
Some of the biggest savings , however , are likely to be seen in the dramatic drop in monthly insurance premiums . Many insurance companies already offer lower rates for concrete homes because they produce far fewer claims arising from fire , wind and water damage , or pests . As insurance becomes scarce and costs surge , homebuyers will have no choice but to walk away from deals on wood-framed homes . This could be the crux for a major shift in residential home building . Especially if the right design can make sense for a home builder ’ s bottom line . “ Like with anything else , it just takes one person to figure out a way to make it profitable and everybody will jump in ,” concludes Mark . “ When it comes to residential concrete homes , I think we ’ ve finally reached that point .” ■
Greg Rankin
Greg is a freelance writer based in Houston . He has more than 20 years of experience writing about construction and engineering , and the concrete sector .
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