Florida doesn't care. California though... (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on 2015-03-28 07:48 (#5YCQ) Nearly all homes in Florida are concrete block. Of the remainder, all the newer ones are **poured** concrete. Yeah, you can slam a big truck into the house and it won't matter. Maybe 1% is wood frame.California is all wood frame. It keeps the firefighters employed I suppose. California will love these new termites. Re: Florida doesn't care. California though... (Score: 1) by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2015-03-28 08:11 (#5YDT) Concrete block structures don't fare well during earthquakes... They require extensive retrofitting and typically need a massive steel support structure before they are allowed to be re-occupied. Wood structures survive far better, without nearly so much extra effort. HurriQuake nails are one very inexpensive upgrade that can help wood structures, substantially.With California's many extensive wooded forests, most of the firefighters will remain employed, no matter what materials homes are built from.
Re: Florida doesn't care. California though... (Score: 1) by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2015-03-28 08:11 (#5YDT) Concrete block structures don't fare well during earthquakes... They require extensive retrofitting and typically need a massive steel support structure before they are allowed to be re-occupied. Wood structures survive far better, without nearly so much extra effort. HurriQuake nails are one very inexpensive upgrade that can help wood structures, substantially.With California's many extensive wooded forests, most of the firefighters will remain employed, no matter what materials homes are built from.