Last fall a homebuilder in Montana made the news by building a whole house using only products manufactured in the USA. And he’s spreading the message to other builders.
That sounds like a great idea. But is it?
When I first heard that you can get all the parts needed to construct a house from American manufacturers I thought, that is what we should all start aiming for.
A website called Made in USA Forever lists the Top Ten Reasons to buy American. They range from environmental concerns to working conditions to keeping jobs for the next generation.
It all sounds pretty convincing. Until I look at the other side of the argument.
According to some folks, buying foreign products helps our economy. Now that’s a surprising argument!
But as I read through it I realized a simple truth. Not being an economist, not even having taken economics in college, the intricacies of these arguments quickly get over my head.
So, what to do? I figure if you can find an American-made product of equal quality that isn’t more expensive, buy it. If you want to pay extra for the higher quality that some made-in-the-USA items offer, go for it.
And if you want to build an All American House, check out that Montana builder’s list for a head start.
