Zhanna

Hi! We are currently planning our move to New Brunswick and looking at the housing options. At first, we were very excited comparing property prices/sizes, but then I read a bitter comment from someone calling the houses in Canada ''large plastic boxes''. I tried to find out what the houses were built of on realtors' websites but they tend to omit that information. I contacted two realtors: one of them said that majority of NB houses are wooden with vinyl siding, the other one said they are ''vinyl, which is a plastic resin and impervious to rot, very low-maintenance, unlike wood and brick''.
I am now looking for the opinions of people who already live in those houses. How do they defer from traditional UK houses (size aside)? What about maintenance? Fire safety? Someone has mentioned earlier that wooden houses move and make noise in high winds (very scary). And what about reselling them?
And if anyone did manage to get a brick house, was it much more expensive?

Many thanks for any feedback!

Zhanna

Tangram

They are all the same and are perfectly ok. Warmer than any house I had in the UK.

jericho

The vinyl you referred to is only the siding ie/ from a distance it makes it look like it's timber built. Otherwise, they're made from a chipboard type material that is common across most of North America.

We had a couple of pretty impressive storms last year and dont recall feeling the house move or make any unusual noises, but the lightning/hail was certainly noisier than we'd experienced in the UK.

You have nothing to worry about though. The houses are fine. You'll see brick built houses in some parts of the country, but they're very rare.

Atlantic Xpat

You get used to living in what at first feels like a glorified garden shed. Most houses are wooden framing with wooden/vinyl/concrete siding. They stand up to extremes of hot, cold, wind and sun way better than your average UK Barratt box.

Danny B

This is a common site in BC. Abundance of trees = cheap wood = cheaper than brick homes.

Tangram

If wood is so cheap, why is furniture so expensive ?

Danny B

The wood in China is crap.

MarkG

I have noticed that, but I got used to it; then again I lived in a log cabin for my last three years in the UK .

dbd33

I live in a cabin on the top of hill, in an area used for windmills. I don't notice any movement or creaking, even wind the is such that one can barely stand in the driveway. Rain smashing on to the windows is another thing, it does get rather ship-like.

Joe_Sleepy

Amen to that! We live in a log home on a hill with an unobstructed view of the ocean. The rain hits the house as if it's going to go through it (& does on occasion). We do get the creaks & groans though.. It truly is like being on an old wooden ship... Aahh Matey!

Souvy

What would you prefer? The creaks and groans as the wood house responds to the elements, or a nasty cracking sound when a brick one doesn't?

Atlantic Xpat

Fred Drift....

What happened with the whole "Souvette knocking down walls whilst you were away in Toronto" thing? House still standing?

Joe_Sleepy

Well... As I live in a log home (not that common in Canada despite the cliche), I'd have to say the former...

Almost Canadian

Timber framed houses are the norm in the UK as well. The only difference is that they are "skinned" with brick rather than the materials found in North America. The brick skin is not weight bearing, the weight is borne by the timber framed structure.

Atlantic Xpat

Possibly for new construction, but just as possibly not. My 1970's wimpey house wasn't timber framed, nor was my Victorian Terrace.