In 2017, the Masonry Institute of Iowa invested in having an INITIAL COST OF CONSTRUCTION study done to show that masonry, as a building material, is cost effective!

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The objective of this study was to develop a construction cost model to accurately evaluate the relative construction cost of a multi-family building constructed using six different construction materials.  The concept of multi-family would include traditional apartment type buildings, condominium style buildings, student housing, elderly housing, and others.

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The building model chosen for the project was a 4 story multi-family residential structure encompassing approximately 25,000 gross square feet of building area per floor.  Based on the proposed target building types.  The model is assembled using a mix of one and two bedroom dwelling units.  The combination of the two different layout considerations would more realistically address the variety of construction configurations commonly found in the multi-family dwelling marketplace. The façade of all of the models was constructed using brick to be uniform in appearance.

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The following construction types and alternates were evaluated:

•  Conventional wood framing with wood floor system (Type VA Construction)

• Light Gage Steel Framing with cast-in-place concrete floor system on metal form deck (Type IIB Construction) 

• Load bearing concrete masonry construction with precast concrete plank floor system (Type IIB Construction) 

• Precast concrete walls and precast concrete floor system (Type IIB Construction) 

• Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls and precast concrete plank floor system (Type IIB Construction) 

• Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls and ICF concrete floor system (Type IIB Construction)

As the results of the study show - MASONRY IS A COST EFFECTIVE BULIDING MATERIAL!

 

TO READ THE FULL RESULTS OF THE DES MOINES STUDY, CLICK HERE.

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