HOW WE BUILD

Foundation

• 4,000 PSI poured concrete with fibermesh. PSI measures how much pressure concrete can take before it fails. Fibermesh mixes reinforcing fibers throughout the pour, which controls the hairline cracking that comes as concrete cures.

• Vertical and horizontal rebar. Steel through the foundation walls in both directions, so the wall resists the sideways pressure of the soil pushing against it.

• Form-A-Drain integrated drainage system. PVC drainage runs at both the interior and exterior footers with cross-overs between them, so water has somewhere to go before it reaches the wall.

• Stone backfill. Stone drains; clay soil holds water against the foundation. Backfilling with stone keeps water moving down to the drainage system.

• Watchdog waterproofing membrane. A waterproof barrier applied to the exterior foundation wall, not a damp-proofing coating.

• Oversized sump crock with pump. Our standard sump pump pit is large enough for two pumps, with one pump included. Larger capacity means the pump cycles less often and has more margin during heavy rain.

• R-10 rigid foam board on exterior foundation walls. It insulates the foundation and physically protects the waterproofing during backfill, which is when waterproofing usually gets damaged.

• 8-foot poured concrete foundation walls and 4 foot walls at garage and porch. This gives you a full-height basement with usable headroom.

• Vapor barrier beneath all concrete. Prevents moisture from the soil from moving up through the concrete slab

• 1 standard 32” x 16” hopper-style foundation window. Provides natural light and air flow to the basement if needed.

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Four separate systems, all doing the same job: keeping water away from the structure. A wet basement is the single most expensive problem a house can develop, and it is almost always a foundation-stage decision.

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Framing and structure

• Finger-jointed premium engineered studs, 16" on center. Engineered studs are built from shorter lengths bonded together, which makes them straighter and more dimensionally stable than solid lumber; they don't warp, twist, or bow the way a green 2x4 or 2x6 does. Straight studs mean flat walls and drywall that doesn't crack at the seams. These studs cost more than any 2x6 stud on the market.

• 2x10" or I-joist floor joists, 16" on center. Deeper joists spaced closer together mean stiffer floors with less bounce and fewer squeaks. 11-⅞” I-joists are used on the second floor of two-story homes when applicable.

• Weyerhaeuser patented exterior-grade structural wood throughout. 1/2" Structurwood on the roof, 7/16" on the walls, and 3/4" Edge Gold premium subfloor decking. Edge Gold is engineered to resist swelling when it gets rained on during construction (which it will) so the subfloor stays flat under your finished flooring.

• Engineered roof truss system. Trusses are designed and manufactured for the specific loads of your roof rather than framed on site.

• Tyvek house wrap. A weather-resistive barrier behind the siding that blocks bulk water and wind while letting the wall assembly dry.

• CertainTeed Landmark limited lifetime dimensional shingles, with water and ice guard in all roof valleys and at eave ends, the two places roofs leak first.

• Multi-tiered elevations and high-pitch rooflines. These are design decisions with a maintenance payoff: steeper pitches shed water and snow faster, which means less standing water on the roof and less long-term wear.

• Garage common walls sheathed in OSB and sprayfoamed & fiberglas batted.  The wall between your garage and your living space is structural, not just drywall on studs.  We treat them as Cold walls as if the garage door is always open. 

• Basements designed for clear headspace and future finishing. Mechanical runs are planned so the ceiling stays open, which means finishing the basement later doesn't require moving ductwork.

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The materials are only half of it

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Premium materials installed carelessly perform like cheap ones, so we don't take the installation on faith. Every phase of construction is inspected by our own professionals, with a full punch list, before the crew responsible for that phase is paid. That's what makes sure the materials in your house actually do what they're supposed to.