>>>>Most new houses in the US are built of wood frames. They then have some kind of "skin" added (a soft sheeting that provides some insulation and waterproofing). Then, the exterior layer, which may be aluminum or vinyl siding, stucco (like my house), or any of a number of other materials is applied. Very few new houses have actual brick or stone--instead, they use a brick or stone facade.
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>>>>That said, commercial and industrial buildings are generally built of block or steel.
>>>>
>>>>Tamar
>>>
>>>Around here, some folks build their homes with a post and beam framework and use hay bales for the walls, covered with something like stucco on the outside and plaster inside. Supposedly very energy efficient. I think the idea originated in Canada.
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>>Have you seen that system of building with like large, hollow, polystyrene "duplo" blocks (very quick) then infilling the blocks with ready-mix concrete? Amazing. You could get a house up in less time than it takes your kid to build a Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts
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>No, but my husband might know about it. (He's the development side of a home-building business.)
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>Tamar

There was a piece in the NY Times Sunday magazine a few weeks ago about the (something) Brothers, a Philly-based company that is one of the biggest home builders in the country. They specialize in "McMansions" (a word they despise -- they prefer "estate homes") -- half million and up. It was a mini education about the business side of the home-building business.