The brick is not load bearing. It's merely there for show. As a result, brick is sometimes less expensive than other veneers. The actual rationale for framed housing is that plumbing and electricity are far more easily installed in wood framing than in any other sort of masonary. Brick or stone walls can be added to or changed at will without disturbing what's under them. They're durable and attractive. Framed houses are more expensive because they require special tools for construction and do not come with pre-cut windows or doors. In addition, the quality of workmanship varies from poor to very good, so prices tend to be higher for framed homes. However, brick or stone walls can be added to or changed at will without disturbing what's under them. The main advantage of a framed house is that the interior can be completely renovated while the exterior remains the same. This is not possible with most other types of housing. If you want your home to look new for as long as possible, get it refaced. The old surface can be taken off and a new one put up in its place. This keeps down maintenance costs too! Framing houses also allows for greater design flexibility than other housing types. You can have different shapes on each floor of your house, for example, rather than having to make everything square or rectangular.