It seems that bricks and mortar are the still the foundation of the Australian home ownership dream.
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A 2017 behaviour and attitudes study commissioned by industry association Think Brick Australia showed that while 64 per cent of Australians live in a brick home, even more (75 per cent) of the people surveyed are looking at choosing brick exteriors when building a new home or adding a major extension to their home; a statistic that has been consistently high for many years.
Brick is by far and away our preferred building material – more than six times as many houses are built of brick than weatherboard, and there are eight times as many brick homes than fibre cement (fibro).
Fly over any Aussie city and it will be a sea of brick in all shades. Most of us have grown up with brick houses; it’s almost part of our DNA.
- Jai Sanderson, General Manager Marketing,PGH Bricks & Pavers
According to Jai Sanderson, General Manager Marketing for the PGH Bricks & Pavers business at CSR Limited, Australians have always loved a brick home.
“Fly over any Aussie city and it will be a sea of brick in all shades. Most of us have grown up with brick houses; it’s almost part of our DNA”.
Indeed, 88 per cent of people surveyed said they grew up with the impression that brick is best, while 84 per cent agreed with the statement that you can create a contemporary home with face brick, showing that brick has evolved with our design sense.
As Aussies become more and more conscious of their carbon footprint (and also their energy bills) prospective homeowners are seeing the eco-benefits of brick, with its superior heating and cooling attributes.
Additionally, Australians believe that brick offers more possibilities to create a unique look (87 per cent) and that brick gives a better return on investment (73 per cent).
“Right now there has never been so much choice using brick and exploring brick-inspired design possibilities for Australians embarking on their journey to build their dream home,” Mr Sanderson said.
“Bricks are no longer just bricks.
“From sophisticated neutrals in smooth whites, off-whites, concrete greys and charcoals; to industrial chic and contemporary rustic looks in sandstocks and recycled -look bricks, there is an option for every home,“ he said.
While separate houses still account for most homes in Australia (72 per cent), there’s been a large increase in other forms of dwellings such as flats, apartments, semi-detached, row housing or town housing, which now make up more than a quarter of Australian housing. Still, most of this higher density residential development is made from brick.
