Brick Vs Siding

Brick siding even brick veneer is costly and difficult to install.

Brick vs siding.

Instead bricks line the outside of the house frame making them a type of siding rather than a load bearing wall. Contemporary brick buildings aren t constructed from bricks. Traditional brick siding is installed one brick at a time and requires an expert in brickwork to do the job properly which can be difficult to find these days. Brick veneer siding and or faux brick siding is a lightweight more affordable alternative to full brick siding that delivers the look of the real thing.

Over time the mortar joints might need to be repointed but if the brick is installed correctly this rarely happens. Brick is usually installed as a veneer not a part of the structure and is water permeable. Brick is naturally insect and moisture resistant in a way that wood siding is not. Brick costs about 6 to 12 per square foot while vinyl siding costs about 2 to 3 per square foot.

Unfortunately while the bricks themselves are usually extremely durable the mortar that holds the bricks may not always hold up as well. According to the marshall and swift residential cost handbook which is used by appraisers an all brick home appreciates at an average rate of 6 percent immediately after it is built. Brick will increase it slightly more than vinyl. The disadvantage to brick is that it is pricey especially if installed correctly.

When you get new siding it will increase the value of your home. According to the brick industry association a 2 500 square foot brick home typically costs 6 to 7 percent more than vinyl. The average sized home can cost between 25 000 and 55 000 for standard brick siding and 27 000 to 80 000 for standard stone. Brick is more expensive.

Material alone regular hardi siding runs approximately 1 15 sf where artisan runs 2 40 sf and brick runs anywhere from 2 50 5 00 sf depending upon the brick you choose. Bricks tend to be more expensive than other exterior products such as vinyl siding. Both brick and stone are considered to be on the expensive side of building materials. There are six standard size brick per sf so this range will allow for an allowance of 0 42 0 83 per brick.

This siding needs to be installed over a waterproof membrane. Bricklaying can be back breaking and time consuming work. Get vinyl unless the buyers really want brick then let them get new siding on their own.