Responsible Design

Selecting a building site is one of the critical design decisions you will make about your new home. There are many ways to plan your building site so that the outcome is a more efficient house that will reduce its impact on the environment around it.

The home-building industry in America has had a long and profitable love affair with wood-framed houses. Quick, easy and inexpensive, this building material remains popular.

However, today's building materials are not what they used to be…

…A two-by-four used to measure two inches by four inches and was made from a seasoned, hunk of lumber. Today, we settle for a half-inch shaved off each dimension and wood that was too young and soft to be harvested.

…Walls used to be too hard to put a fist through, but, now, if one leans too hard on a modern wall, one might just fall through into the next room.

…Materials that are used to construct your home's structure are nothing more than a mirage of composites pressed together and layered with a thin wood coating. All of these new materials have been marketed to the consumer to be "just as good" as the REAL thing.

…Unless wood is treated regularly with chemicals, termites consider it their local McDonalds.

…Builders are easily and quickly erecting houses that look pretty after the painters and landscapers get finished, but, unfortunately, these homes have no structural integrity and can easily succumb to a tornado or hurricane.

…There is true value in building with insulated concrete forms [ICF]. Concrete homes have a proven track record of withstanding the ravages of tornadoes, hurricanes and fires when all of the wood houses around them are in ruins. A typical ICF home has a significant amount of rebar and concrete built inside of the walls. This adds a strength and quietness that you simply cannot find in a wood-framed house.
Click to learn more about ICF.

…While the quick and easy advantages of wood may remain, the actual costs of wood-framed homes are not economical. With a little forethought and planning, your home can be more than just "living space," it can be a safe shelter that will protect your family and withstand the test of time.