There is a great range of construction types, today more than ever.
However; there are three to four main types.
- Wood (The most popular one in US)
Wood is easy to acquire when moving to the wild. All you need is to cut some trees and some tools to start building. It needs very little to non support to start building. Constructions of wood can be even moved from one place to another.
It's easy to isolate for cold climates. Actually wood it's already an isolator.
Wood is excellent for module homes, log building, cabins.
One single man can set up an entire home in a very decent amount of time.
- Concrete
In a concrete home, you can poor water all you want, wash your walls and floor as if there is no tomorrow. You can walk over your roof and even prepare parties with family and friends. A concrete home doesn't get burned. It's hard to destroy.
Concrete is excellent for durability, your construction doesn't get destroyed because of fires. It can save your life. It's very good for bad weather; except for snow. It's bad for isolation. However; this can be worked around.
To build with concrete is heavy work. Concrete creates muscles very quickly on its workers. One single man very unlikely will be able to build an entire home on his own; only because the job is hard.
The materials are rarely found in site. They can actually be very expensive. Also to carry the materials is extremely expensive due to transportation.
- Still
Still is even much more expensive than concrete. No wonder it's reserved for bridges and monuments. However; container homes can be counted as part of this group.
Adobe
Another traditional one not included in the main categories is Adobe.
Adobe is basically mod. To say you are going to build with mod sounds like a too poor form of construction. However; it has kept the attention in the last years due to Climate Change.
All you need to build is soil, straws and water. Actually, this is not really true.
Adobe is made out of soil, straws and water. But that type of construction is extremely weak All it takes to destroy it is rain.
Under such conditions it's impossible to build. But the true is that traditional Adobe isn't just mod and straws. It also requires layers of plaster. This is why you see so many white homes among indigenous people. This is actually a special type of plaster. And the houses are pretty decent.
The results are very similar to concrete. Adobe homes can be extremely beautiful, affordable and the most important; climate friendly.