> Historically, for example, log cabins are popular in the woods because logs are plentiful [...] I wouldn’t build a masonry house in the forests.
Why not? Perhaps the US is different, but in mainland Europe you'll find plenty of brick houses in the forest.
Yes, historically you'd build a log cabin out of materials found on-site, but is anyone doing that anymore? Presumably you'd want logs shipped from elsewhere, if only to get ones that have dried out already.
At that point, why would it be prohibitively expensive to choose other building materials?
Why not? Perhaps the US is different, but in mainland Europe you'll find plenty of brick houses in the forest.
Yes, historically you'd build a log cabin out of materials found on-site, but is anyone doing that anymore? Presumably you'd want logs shipped from elsewhere, if only to get ones that have dried out already.
At that point, why would it be prohibitively expensive to choose other building materials?