framing cost today, steel vs wood

[Ccat]

What is the cost of framing a typical 1000 sq ft house today, steel vs treated lumber (on a concrete foundation, ie not raised wood foundation.)

Supposedly, framing material price increases have abated but is it enough to make any difference?

Thanks,

Ccat

[Rob Tucker]

Comparison of wood vs steel costs is somewhat complex, time sensitive and subjective.  Wood is sold basically in one "gauge" and steel is sold in several gauges.
The bottom line though, in my fifty years of building experience, is that wood is always the worse possible value for the money.

[kalakoa]

I live in a wooden house that's almost 200 years old. Wood is fine if you don't have termites.

[Durian Fiend]

Steel will be more expensive for both materials and labor.

[Rob Tucker]

You get what you pay for.

[Punatang]

The bottom line though, in my fifty years of building experience, is that wood is always the worse possible value for the money.


Thanks for the advice.  What, in your experience, is the best possible value for the money, here in Puna, at this point in time?  

[terracore]

"As of 2022, the median homeowner tenure in the US is 12.3 years. This means that half of all homeowners stay in their homes for less than this time, and the other half stay for longer.

Average length: The average length of homeownership in the US is around 8 years. This number takes into account all homeowners, regardless of how long they stay in their homes, and can be skewed by a small number of people who stay in their homes for a very long time."

The Great Pyramid has been attributed to Khufu and it's stood for almost 4,000 years. Scholars are still debating if he lived long enough to see it completed.

I know that the pyramids weren't built for residential housing, just gloss over that for the next sentence. I, like Khufu, am pretty sure that whatever I build or buy is going to outlive my tenure. So while I know stick homes are inferior to some other types of housing, I'm not going to live long enough to care. Nobody expects a wood house to last forever, but with proper maintenance they usually outlive the builders.

[Rob Tucker]

Out living your wood frame home  is one thing.  A family accumulating equity in a home is another.  According to HUD the average lifespan of a wood frame home in Hawaii is 33 years... just a bit longer than most mortgages.  This is why we have so much poverty here.  Kids are inheriting nearly fully depreciated properties. 
When I have time I will post more on where the best home building values lie.  The last few years have been devastating to construction costs.

Mahalo,

[Durian Fiend]

I've been considering what to do for home maintenance/repair in the years to come, before I die and my daughter inherits the place.
My metal roof will probably be ready for replacement within 20 years. The metal catchment tank is already a concern.

With regards to the structure, I built my own single wall home using the CCA treated wood available back in the early 90's. All of that lumber still looks essentially brand new 30 years later. Absolutely none of it shows the slightest sign of needing replacement anytime soon.

However, If were to build a new home today and had the money for the materials and labor to construct a steel framed home, that could likely be my choice.

[Ccat]

I've been considering what to do for home maintenance/repair in the years to come, before I die and my daughter inherits the place.
My metal roof will probably be ready for replacement within 20 years. The metal catchment tank is already a concern.

With regards to the structure,  I built my own single wall home using the CCA treated wood available back in the early 90's.  All of that lumber still looks essentially brand new 30 years later. Absolutely none of it shows the slightest sign of needing replacement anytime soon.

However, If were to build a new home today and had the money for the materials and labor to construct a steel framed home, that could likely be my choice.

I understand that CCA treated wood is no longer available.  Also that single wall construction is also banned.  (I like single wall for Hawaii. Very practical. Why did they eliminate it?)

Is borate treated wood as durable?