Building with cinder blocks

[Joseph Weisenbloom]

So I just got back from Mexico and I noticed nearly all the houses are built with cinder blocks. Which made me think why aren’t many houses in the US built with cinder blocks? 

It seems easier to contruct, less materials needed, potentially cheaper and more durable. I am not well versed on construction and I am sure cinder blocks wouldn’t work in some climates in the US. That being said for example in a city like Houston that gets flooded ever 10-20 years this seems like a no brainer as opposed to wood framing and drywall. 

Maybe a dumb question but why aren’t we building with cinder blocks?

[Nik Moushon]

The biggest reason the use that material down there is they dont have the lumber industry that we do. So its actually cheaper in a lot of regions to use CMU vs wood. Also, the climate is a big factor. The CMU will keep the houses cooler longer in the day and warmer longer at night. 

In the USA they are used more often in certain areas. Florida still uses them a lot, even for residential, bc of the hurricanes. But other than that you will find commercial/public still uses it pretty often. Wood is just cheaper and quicker for residential.