We went through a similar debate when we bought our older home a few years back. The house had solid brick walls, and honestly, at first, I was pretty excited about the authenticity and charm factor. But once we moved in, reality hit pretty quickly—solid brick can be a real pain when it comes to insulation and moisture control.
Our first winter there was rough. We noticed drafts everywhere, and heating bills were through the roof. Turns out the previous owners hadn't done much to update insulation or sealing because they wanted to preserve that "historic charm." So we ended up having to spend quite a bit on interior insulation upgrades and sealing around windows and doors anyway.
On the flip side, my brother-in-law built his place around the same time using brick veneer. At first glance, you'd never know it wasn't solid brick—the veneer looked fantastic. And since he was able to put more money into proper insulation and vapor barriers from the start, his energy bills were way lower than ours right off the bat. Plus, he hasn't had any moisture issues or cracking yet (knock on wood).
I agree with what someone else mentioned earlier—installation quality is key. I've seen some veneer jobs that look amazing even after several years, but I've also seen some that started showing wear pretty quickly because of poor installation practices.
In terms of resale value, I think it really depends on your neighborhood and what buyers there prioritize most. Around here, people seem more interested in comfort and efficiency than historical accuracy. When we eventually sold our place, buyers appreciated the upgrades we'd made for energy efficiency more than the fact that it was solid brick construction.
So yeah...solid brick definitely has its appeal if you're going for authenticity or historical accuracy. But from my experience, veneer can be just as good (or better) if you invest in quality installation and use those savings wisely elsewhere in your build or remodel.
We faced a similar choice when renovating our place. Initially, I leaned toward solid brick for the durability factor, but after researching insulation and moisture issues, veneer started looking more practical. Ended up going with veneer and investing the savings into better windows and insulation. Honestly, zero regrets—energy bills are reasonable, and it still looks great. Like you said though, installation quality makes or breaks it...seen some pretty rough veneer jobs around town.
Solid points on veneer, but gotta say, real brick still has advantages veneer can't match—especially long-term durability and resale value. I've seen poorly maintained veneers start looking shabby after just 10-15 years. If you're planning to stay put long-term, solid brick might still pay off.
When we built our first custom home, I went back and forth on brick veneer vs. solid brick for weeks. My husband thought I was nuts, but I just couldn't shake the memory of my grandparents' house—solid brick, built in the 50s, still looked fantastic decades later. On the flip side, my parents had veneer installed around the late 90s, and while it initially looked great (and saved them some cash), by the time they sold their place about 15 years later, it was definitely showing its age. Some bricks were chipped, others faded unevenly... it just didn't have that timeless feel.
In the end, we bit the bullet and went with solid brick. Yeah, it cost more upfront and was a bit more hassle during construction, but every time I pull into our driveway now, I feel like we made the right call. There's something comforting about knowing it'll probably outlast us—and maybe even become someone else's nostalgic memory someday.
Your grandparents' house sounds a lot like my aunt's place. She had an old solid brick home built sometime in the 60s, and even after decades of rough weather, it still looked incredible. When we were planning our custom build, though, we ended up going with veneer. Honestly, I still second-guess that decision sometimes. It was mostly budget-driven, but also because we thought modern materials had improved enough to stand the test of time. Now hearing your experience, I'm a little worried ours might age poorly too.
Did you do anything special to maintain your solid brick exterior, or is it pretty much maintenance-free like everyone says? We've been considering some sealants or treatments to protect our veneer, but I'm not sure if they're worth it or just marketing hype...
