Since 2004, there has been a 23.6% increase in the price of con­struc­tion, primarily due to a strained labor force and costly materials. Pro­duc­tiv­i­ty in the U.S. con­struc­tion sector is also in decline and is currently lower than it was in 1968. 

Ulti­mate­ly, the effects of these issues are felt by the end user, as housing prices increase for home buyers. High costs put a big strain on the ability to find afford­able housing that meets specific quality standards for things like dura­bil­i­ty and energy effi­cien­cy. This can also have far-reaching societal impacts on the greater housing infra­struc­ture within the U.S.

Over time, the rising costs of home building and the decline in afford­able housing options has caused a great slowdown in the growth of the con­struc­tion sector. As a result, the industry has fallen behind in adopting new and emerging tech­nolo­gies over the past 50 years, espe­cial­ly when compared to the inno­va­tion seen within other industries. 

Here are a few ways you can use the latest building solutions to create afford­able housing options and still drive down the cost of labor and materials. 

Finding the right skilled building labor for your project can often be a difficult task. And once you do find the right people for the job, the required labor costs can escalate quickly. One solution for these common labor concerns is to reduce the number of trades needed to complete the job. 

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Cutting the amount of labor needed often means using the newest, most inno­v­a­tive building materials. Not only will these materials help you reduce labor costs, but you’ll also be incor­po­rat­ing materials into your building that make it more afford­able for home­own­ers, saving money on energy con­sump­tion and main­te­nance costs. 

The Bautex Wall System is a complete structure and envelope system that allows you to complete the structure, enclosure, insu­la­tion, and air and moisture pro­tec­tion using just one trade (instead of the typical three or four). This wall system gives you faster con­struc­tion times and a more sim­pli­fied schedule, which also helps lower the overall con­struc­tion cost.

While lower con­struc­tion costs lead to lower home prices, the Bautex Wall System also passes on other long-term cost-savings to home­own­ers. They will con­tin­u­al­ly save money over time as they expe­ri­ence the benefits of reduced energy use and lowered (and sometimes non-existent) replace­ment, repair and main­te­nance expenses.

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Wood and light-gauge steel still remain popular choices for struc­tur­al walls, but in the face of rising tariffs and decreased supply, they are becoming more expensive and difficult to use in a cost-effective way. Choosing afford­able building materials that provide high levels of effi­cien­cy and also simplify con­struc­tion processes is one way to lessen costs and pass the savings onto the homeowner.

Bautex Blocks are more than just an afford­able building material. The Bautex Block is a composite insu­lat­ing concrete form that makes design easier, con­struc­tion faster and buildings more efficient.

Bautex Blocks come in one highly durable and versatile form that makes up one of the strongest concrete wall systems on the market. These light­weight blocks make con­struc­tion faster and more simple while providing tremen­dous per­for­mance benefits to homes — a cost savings that will greatly benefit homeowners.

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While recently developed building materials provide easy design solutions, they are anything but simple. Choosing products that are both well-engi­neered and cost-effective creates more afford­able housing options that offer more benefits to home­own­ers than just financial savings.

Today’s ideal home design begins with the con­struc­tion of a tight and well-insulated building envelope like the Bautex Wall System, the building solution of choice.

The Bautex Wall System is moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, disaster-resistant and pest-resistant. It also offers a higher level of energy effi­cien­cy, noise reduction and is an overall healthier option when compared to other building systems. 

This wall system’s disaster resilience is a very important feature, as natural disasters are occurring more fre­quent­ly in the United States. Bautex Blocks meet the ICC-500and FEMA standards for debris impact. The Bautex Block Wall assembly also meets the FEMA 320 and FEMA 361 guide­lines for safe rooms in storm zones with wind speeds up to 250 miles per hour.

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As con­struc­tion costs continue to rise and skilled labor becomes more difficult to find, builders need to continue looking for ways to make design and con­struc­tion more afford­able without com­pro­mis­ing the overall quality of the homes they’re building. 

By taking advantage of the latest building solutions and under­stand­ing how these products and practices can save time and money, builders can reduce their costs and create more quality housing options, giving home­own­ers more afford­able, durable, efficient choices in the market.

Contact Bautex today to find out how we can keep your next home affordable.