Introduction
The choice of housing is usually determined by different factors. Climatic and weather conditions include some of the elements that inform potential homeowners. Observably, a cost benefit analysis of diverse housing alternatives must be conducted. Presently, people have recognized the need to erect different kinds of buildings.
These include both the concrete and wooden houses. However, it is crucial to note that the costs involved are an important factor in informing this decision. This essay compares the choice between wooden or concrete houses in Saudi Arabia. Some of the issues discussed include cost, compatibility and sustainability with the country and weather conditions, time efficiency and environmental friendliness.
1st Point: Cost
There are obvious disparities between the wooden and concrete houses in Saudi Arabia. Homeowners consider the cost effectiveness of various architectural designs for their houses. Cost considerations play significant roles in the decision for proper housing. Observably, this also includes the basic materials to be applied in the construction process. Saudi Arabia is located within a desert.
This area has a lot of sand and other natural material for concrete building. These materials are exploited and used directly or indirectly. It is apparent that it is easier to obtain the materials for constructing concrete buildings. Ideally, a desert environment lacks the natural capacity to support the practice of forestry. Therefore, forests are less likely to develop within the desert area. It is imperative that Saudi Arabia has no sufficient wood sources.
Building a wooden house in Saudi Arabia would prove very expensive for most people. This is unlike the concrete buildings. There is a very high cost of importing timber for construction into Saudi Arabia. Notably, very few neighboring countries or states have the potential to produce enough timber for exports. This makes it hard and expensive for people to construct wooden houses. Sand is readily available within Saudi Arabia.
This means that people can locally extract sand and use it for the preparation of concrete material. The people have applied locally available technology to initiate these processes. Apart from sand, there are other concrete materials such as stones and processed cement. Consequently, several cement-processing plants are located within different regions of the country. All these factors play a significant role in lowering the cost of constructing the concrete houses.
The wooden houses lack adequate resiliency and resistance to last for a long period. Generally, they are more susceptible to abrasion, breakage and destruction. Majorly, these emanate from the harsh environmental conditions within the desert in Saudi Arabia. However, the concrete houses prove to be more resistant.
They are very resistant to abrasion and other destructive occurrences that might emanate from the desert environment. It is, therefore, deductable that there are negligible or lower maintenance costs involved. This is unlike the case of wooden houses that require a lot of attention, surveillance and maintenance initiatives. These elements might also increase the general expenses involved in the design and operation of wooden houses in Saudi Arabia.
There might be limited or lack of adequate labor for the construction of wooden houses. The condition emerges because the desert faces a great level of timber scarcity. The scarcity of human resource increases the expenses used for hiring labor. Contrarily, the masons involved in the construction of concrete houses are readily available. This trend remains observable across the entire Saudi Arabia. There is minimal labor costs involved in the process. This makes the concrete houses cheaper to construct than the wooden houses.
2nd Point: Compatibility and Sustainability with the Country and Weather Conditions
Saudi Arabia has variable weather conditions. There are different seasons within a year. These variable weather conditions affect physical structures in different ways. It is important to note that the country and weather conditions might affect the sustainability of the houses. Evidently, the concrete houses prove to be more durable and resistant to all weather conditions. Agreeably, they last longer and serve their basic purpose in an effective manner.
However, this situation is not applicable for the case of the wooden houses. These variable weather conditions make the wooden houses more vulnerable to rapid destruction. The concrete houses are more compatible and sustainable to the country and weather conditions. Wooden houses are more likely to be destroyed through various processes. These processes originate from different weather and environmental factors.
Physical processes cause breakages and destructions in the wooden houses. In addition, other notable chemical process might lead to gradual destruction of the wooden houses. Principally, these emanate from different environmental changes causing weather alterations and interactions.
These factors make the owners of such houses to incur additional and high maintenance expenditures. Indicatively, this is not the case for the concrete houses. The composition of concrete is more durable and resistant to these weather changes. They can be occupied even during periods of adverse weather. Additionally, they are also suitable in Saudi Arabia because they help to prevent excess heat and cold from reaching the occupants.
There are many weather-generated agents with negative impacts on the wooden houses. Certain animals such as ants, insects and rodents occupy human habitats. Wooden houses are mostly targeted in this aspect. Perhaps, unlike the concrete houses, wooden ones provide a readily available source of food for these ants.
They are more susceptible to destruction from the action of such animals. It is notable that the concrete houses are very sustainable within the desert conditions. The hard concrete surface acts as a critical guard and protection against the harsh weather conditions that prevail from the outside desert environment. Excessive and strong winds predominant within the Saudi Arabia desert environment might have detrimental implications on the wooden houses.
There is a high probability of the wooden house being swept away by wind. This is majorly because the wooden house foundations might not be as strong and firm as the concrete ones. Foundations made from concrete material are very strong, firm and remain rooted to the ground.
In this regard, they are most suitable for desert conditions that experience extensive and huge wind flows during all periods. Building wooden houses within such places would be dangerous to the life of occupants. Generally, the concrete houses are more appropriate within desert areas like Saudi Arabia. The wooden houses are not sustainable within such areas.
3rd Point: Time Efficiency
There are many challenges associated with building wooden houses in Saudi Arabia. These challenges lead to the development of major inefficiencies. These might relate to the habitats and other processes taking place within the houses.
Apparently, the concrete houses built within Saudi Arabia have limited cases of inefficiency as compared to other wooden ones. The wooden houses require a lot of time and concentration. These must be undertaken during the construction and maintenance stages. Normally, the house owner might need to utilize the services of an expert during the construction process.
These initiatives always result into longer durations of consulting and hiring the appropriate personnel to complete the construction activities. Unlike the case of the concrete houses, the trained personnel are easily accessible. It is crucial to note that one might not even require integrating or outsourcing for the services of building experts. This saves a lot of time in the construction of these concrete buildings.
As compared to the concrete houses, the wooden ones are easy to clean and maintain in a sanitary manner. In fact, the wooden one just needs to be wiped in order for the house to be clean and sanitary. Depending on the type of the concrete finish of a specific surface, it may be challenging to sanitize the concrete house. From these observations, it is noteworthy that the wooden houses are important and leading in times of time saving.
However, this is only true during the cleaning operations. The concrete houses would need a lot of water to clean or sanitize. These also require several personnel and energy input. These factors combine to influence the length of time spent in attaining the maximum level of sanitation within these houses. The materials for constructing concrete houses are readily accessible within the country. This means that a lot of time is saved during the procurement and construction procedures.
The building contractors do not have to travel for longer distances to search for these materials. There are also minimal cases or instances of imports. The overall implication is that it is more time saving and efficient to develop a concrete house in the Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, this is the opposite case for the wooden houses within this region. Timber meant for construction of these houses must be imported into Saudi Arabia.
This means that there must be adequate periods allocated for identification, invoicing and negotiation initiatives. These also involve the normal procedures undertaken in procurement, including the clearance schedules within the customs duty departments. Therefore, sufficient time must be slotted for all these operations to be achieved. These usually lead to the realization of gross time inefficiencies.
4th Point: Environment Friendly
Wooden houses prove to be more environment friendly as compared to the concrete houses. However, this argument only serves certain aspects of the wooden houses. For instance, they help to cushion the occupants or inhabitants from the harsh climatic and weather conditions within the desert.
Most people consent that it is usually more comfortable to reside within the wooden houses. Particularly, this relates to specific places with poor environmental conditions such as the deserts of the Saudi Arabia. The concrete houses are more prone to negative climatic situations. These houses usually make the occupants more vulnerable to these harsh conditions within their external environments.
There have been negative arguments from most environmental conservationists about these wooden houses. According to these conservationists, wooden houses are made from timber. This practice results into massive deforestation that leads to the development of severe environmental impacts.
Some of the impacts already noted and highlighted include the increased rates of global warming and ozone depletion. In this context, it is notable that the wooden houses are not environmentally friendly. In this regard, the concrete houses appear to be more environmentally friendly.
Conclusion
It is evident that the concrete houses do not encourage or propagate the impacts of global warming. Since man is part of the larger environment, the wooden houses provide a very conducive and moderated environment for habitation. The concrete houses are usually sensitive to the weather changes that emanate from the external environment.
In most circumstances, they are not as environment friendly as the wooden houses. Notably the concrete houses have several advantages as compared to the wooden houses constructed within Saudi Arabia. In summary, it is better to construct the concrete houses in Saudi Arabia rather than the wooden houses.