- When compared to other traditional building supplies, concrete blocks add a considerable expense to a home construction. While the price of materials varies from region to region, concrete blocks typically cost two to three times as much as a more traditional wood construction.
- In a typical wood construction, wooden support beams offer plenty of space between one another for the installation of insulation. Concrete block, however, offers only two small holes which may be--but are not always--filled with insulation material. For this reason, homes of concrete block construction are generally found in warm climates such as Texas and Florida or temperate environments such as the American mid-South. Northern or cold environments often offer too harsh of a climate for the limited amount of insulation in concrete to be effective.
- Although brick homes are often considered to appear stately, refined and sophisticated, many people consider concrete blocks to be utilitarian and unsightly. Unlike wooden coverings such as clapboard, concrete can not be easily covered with siding or other visual enhancements, making the unsightly appearance more difficult to conceal. Some homeowners simply choose to paint the bare concrete blocks, leaving them exposed to passersby. Others who live in concrete homes choose the more expensive option of having the concrete blocks covered in a special stucco material to enhance its appearance. Bare concrete is typically found in lower-and middle-class Southern neighborhoods while stucco covering is more prominent in middle-and upper-class areas.
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