Deciding on building materials wherever you are in the world can be overwhelming when building a home from the first stone. There is a lot to contemplate during the home building journey, here are some insights to choose your construction and building materials in Malaysia!
What Do I Need to Consider?
Upfront Price and Product Lifespan
If you are drawn to building a pocket-friendly home, your initial reaction may be to choose more inexpensive materials to build your home. While the more costly alternatives aren’t perpetually the most suitable fit, cheaper materials do favor to require more constant replacements. That’s what it’s necessary to think about the material’s lifespan in addition to the upfront material price.
If material A is RM 30 per unit, but material B costs RM 45 per unit and holds both to satisfy your stylistic expectations, you may be leaned to choose material A. But if material A will need to be repaired in 3 years, while material B will need to be repaired in 6 years, material A will actually be more costly in the long run. These are important determinants to consider if you intend to stay in your custom home for many years!
Energy Efficiency
More inexpensive materials are usually less energy efficient. Think about how much insulation is rendered by the materials you pick for walls, windows, doors, and roofing. Sometimes, choosing a more expensive material will compensate for the costs in future energy conservations because you will use less electricity and gas to chill and heat your home.
Aesthetics
Which sections of the home do you desire to highlight? What sorts of materials are also aesthetically pleasing? Consider the natural and manmade environment circling you. This is a matter of personal inclinations. In choosing building materials, it is up to you to reach an equilibrium between visual attractiveness, energy efficiency, and price.
Weather and Climate
Some places are rainier than others, some have 4 seasons some only have 2. In a humid climate like Malaysia, you need to choose the building material that can withstand the constant heat, the rain in the monsoon season, and the radical heat change whenever the draught comes around.
Environmental Effects
Conventional building materials are more common and its easier to acquire. Is there any consideration you want to make towards the environment when you start building your house?
Sustainable building materials like :
- Bamboo
- Precast Concrete Slabs
- Cork
- Straw Bales
- Recycled Plastic
- Reclaimed Wood
- Reclaimed or Recycled Steel
- Plant-based Polyurethane Rigid Foam
They are now more readily available than ever because we live in an era where environmental consciousness is piquing. They are also being mass produced so the price is getting cheaper and cheaper by the minute.
Remember, consider everything with care because the only party who will have to literally live in the decision you make is you and your loved ones.