in other words: Houses in Mexico are well done.In USA are disposable.
Mexico City (Ciudad de México) could be the capital of Mexico and an amazing town surrounded by mighty hill ranges. To see this town you can choose the best choice hotelbye . The city's site is unquestionably breathtaking. Two spectacular snow-covered volcanoes, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, tower over it using their more of 5,000 meters. Mexico City also keeps numerous reminders of their past and those are things that entice the tourists. The whipping center of Mexico City is Zócalo - the Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Square) - where in fact the country's first constitution was proclaimed in 1813 and now could be one of the most visited place of Mexico City since it's one of many world's largest squares. In Mexico City you can also visit: the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Templo Mayor.
Pedro, I was visiting some towns in Mexico, From the looks of driving around, even our worst communities are better than what I saw and besides, brick, mud and stone cannot flex during an earthquake vs mostly wood homes in America. That is why during lets say, a 5.8 earthquake might make aunt Martha's favorite disk fall and break but destroy entire buildings in Mexico and other 3rd world nations and hence killing hundreds of people. As far as a cardboard building, cannot help you there; never in my life would I think that a county inspector would pass the required permits needed to build something like that. I wonder if you would even need a fire alarm in one. Are you sure certain you were in America not still in Mexico while trying to jump over the border.
Price!!! Im building a house in Mexico. Its the first house I have ever built so im learning a lot. But let me tell you from my experience. Building out of brick and cement is a lot more expensive and difficult than wood. If built right, a brick house can last for centuries. A brick house can have all the look of a wood house too. Which is what most american like and are used to. The cost though, is greater for the bricks. Brick houses are still build in the US, but not too often.
The WHY would be lumber is MUCH more expensive and not as available in Mexico... AND other countries. As others point out, for the MOST part, US construction techniques are MUCH safer and stronger, particularly in earthquake zones. In the Philippines, we had to build the first story of our home from concrete blocks due to cost... BUT I added a great deal of rebar so it would survive the local earthquakes and typhoons. And NOT all homes in the USA are cardboard and wood... I built a hay-bale house for a guest house 4 years ago on our ranch and it should last for 50 years.
