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Construction Materials and Building Methods
ElaineCONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS
Many people have asked about the kinds of materials that are generally used for building down here in Uruguay, but gradually the straightforward answer to that is changing. With more modern and varied approaches being adopted for the high-end real estate of Punta del Este and the popular coastal regions, these trends MAY start to trickle down to other smaller centres (although nothing is known to happen rapidly here in Uruguay, least of all change!).
I think the most common method of construction is a steel-reinforced concrete frame with a double brick/concrete block wall with a cavity (often left unfilled). The foundations for these steel reinforced concrete frames differ from the continuous trench foundations in Europe. Here foundations consist of deep holes dug under each of the vertical framing members. These hold pre-formed steel rod structures which are then then filled with concrete. Just below ground level, horizontal steel/concrete members are cast, joining onto each foundation and onto the vertical pillars rising out of each hole resulting in a very rigid arrangement of interlinked reinforced concrete beams. In other parts of the world this approach is used only on large buildings, however here this seems to be the common approach even for small scale construction.
As opposed to the US, the use of wood frames for houses in Uruguay is rare (outside of seaside towns). There are many reasons as to why - - Traditionally contractors stick to the methods they know and leave woodwork skills to carpenters.
- Cost plays a role as locally made bricks or concrete blocks are cheap, however imported timber, chipboard and plaster board are expensive. For example a sheet of 8' x 4' 15mm sterling board (compressed wood chippings) can cost you 40 U$S but you can buy 12 wire-cut bricks for 1 U$S!
- Uruguay is a quite a damp country with a changeable climate, these factors cause a great deal of condensation and can cause moisture to build up in numerous unexpected spots. Also, as is explained below Uruguayans are not yet adept at insulation and waterproofing techniques and so wooden structures run the risks of damp rot, various fungi and also beetles and wood worms.
Another rather common question from American or Canadian expats is regarding basements. In my experience basements are not common here, although not non-existent. In some agricultural areas and older towns I have seen the equivalent of "wine cellars", but these are not the norm. In asking why there are no basements I got two responses. The first being, what is the point in having dark underground rooms...the second being more practical in that many areas of Uruguay incur sudden heavy downpours of rain in the winter (and there are also many lakes, rivers and coastal areas) so basements can be prone to flash floods. As a result not only are basements rare, but it is not strange to find houses built on top of meter high piles of hardcore to help guard against sudden flooding!
Roofing is one of the more diverse aspects of Uruguayan construction. They usually come in two varieties: The lighter variety uses metal sheeting (usually mounted on triangular or rectangular purlins made of 5mm steel rods). This seems to be the preferred approach. The favoured materials seem to be galvanised steel sheeting, aluminium sheeting or concrete/fibreglass/asbestos sheeting. Some of the metal sheeting now on offer comes with pre-bonded insulation on the underside which would reduce rain noise and so make it bearable for domestic buildings. The heavier variety is cast concrete with steel reinforcements and a waterproof coating or concrete tiles on top.
Flat roofs (with a slight slope for rain water to run off) appear to be more common than pitched roofing, though pitched roofing does exist. The pitched roofs are concrete, the same as flat roofs, however instead of a horizontal form they'll use two angled forms. The main types of residential roofing I've seen here are metal laid over wood beams, thatched straw roofs, and concrete as described above. Where the roof pitch is steep, the favoured material seems to be reed thatch which is available in handy rolls. For heavier pitched roofs it seems interlocking concrete tiles are viewed as upmarket. These are laid on battens and supported by timber rafters. However there seems to be a tendency to underestimate the weight of roof tiles or overestimate the carrying capacity of the timbers which can result in a sagging effect. Suspended ceilings (where the supporting heavy beams of a pitched roof are left exposed inside the house) are rare.
In terms of plumbing - copper pipes are not common and plastics are generally used instead (ranging from abs, poly, and other hard plastics). I have been told that pipes (like many things) don't last very long in Uruguay. Again this probably boils down to the "buy it cheap to save money" mentality that has you replacing things regularly. Hot water pipes last on average 15 years and cold water pipes about 20 or 25 years, after which you have to tear everything out and replace them.
When it comes to prefabricated materials it depends on where your construction site is. I believe products such as reinforced concrete beams are available in Montevideo, Punta del Este and the upmarket east coast regions, but in rural areas or further north only the basics are available. Outside of these larger hubs there is also very little by the way of power tool and plant hire facilities. This dependence on (in some case preference for) hand tools, combined with a limited choice of materials means two things - 1) to reach the right standards requires a watchful eye (preferably a knowledgeable one!) at all times, and 2) be prepared to have things take much longer than you first expect! Then again, many would argue that both of these issues are equally present event with mechanised equipment and decent materials! With the exception of very large construction projects the cement is mixed on site and poured by hand (in fact I have even seen this for big projects like apartment blocks!). Methods are basic, it is poured in to buckets and reaches upper levels via a rope winch. It is very rare to see a truck deliver cement to a residential house site (maybe in Punta del Este but elsewhere its unheard of).
When it comes to construction in Uruguay, there is a fairly average and generic approach to almost any project - with the exception of some very expensive projects seen in the foreign investments along the cosmopolitan coastline. General attitudes are conservative and contractors do things the way they have always done them. Therefore if you have new ideas (or even average Northern ideas!) be prepared to have to fight for them - even with your own paid contractor! Many foreigners have had to argue their point in even wanting to insulate their houses - not a common concept here (along with heating and air-conditioning - both of which are seen as a waste of money).
Uruguayans aren't notoriously forward-looking. They look to save time and money in the here and now, but don't necessarily think about 5 (let alone 10 or 20!) years down the line. In this way many contractors will aim to keep costs down by buying lower quality materials, or in some cases just not buying materials at all (such as insulation). If you were to buy a new water heater or have new pipes installed in the US or Europe you would expect them to hold up for a decent amount of time. Whatever that period of time is at home, you can expect to halve it, or probably more! I was always shocked when repairmen came to fix something they had repaired only a month or 2 months before and they simply shrugged their shoulders and said that its normal for things to break without reason in Uruguay - their solution is to just keep fixing it again and again and again!
When a friend of mine wanted to replace his water heater for the THIRD time in a 17 month period, he decided to buy one for double the price in the hope of increasing the lifespan. His sanitario (plumber) could not understand this decision repeatedly telling him there were cheaper alternatives. Grudgingly the more expensive tank was installed and a year later this one works perfectly. His plumber is still not convinced of its worth! This is the mentality you face on a daily basis about everything from pipes, to insulation to fittings and fixtures. Don't expect that if it looks the same as it does at home that it actually is the same. If you build with sub-standard materials you can't expect more than sub-standard results - the problem is that good quality materials will cost quite a lot here and the general presumption is that you want the cheapest option. You will have to make the decision early on in your project if you are building with a long-term or short-term perspective - the former will require constant monitoring of what products and methods are used, the latter will undoubtedly result in cracks and leaks within the first year. To ask questions or start discussions on anything about building or renovating in Uruguay visit our Construction & Renovation Forum.
Construction Materials and Building Methods
Total Uruguay Expat eBook
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