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ruiiuic c r.uiric, rn.r
Series Appliances
Style Thats In High Demand
For more information visit
www.GEAppliances.com/products/caf.
Circle no. 157 or http://builder.hotims.com
appliances
TM
DISHWASHERS
Brand Used in Past 2 Years
Brand Used Most
Quality
LAUNDRY APPLIANCES
Brand Familiarity
Brand Used in Past 2 Years
Brand Used Most
RANGE HOODS
Brand Familiarity
Brand Used in Past 2 Years
Brand Used Most
RANGES/COOKTOPS
Brand Familiarity
Brand Used in Past 2 Years
Brand Used Most
REFRIGERATORS
Brand Familiarity
Brand Used in Past 2 Years
Brand Used Most
GE Caf appliances, are the perfect combina-
tion of commercial appeal and affordability.
With GE Caf, you can turn an ordinary kitchen
into a modern eatery. Smooth stainless steel
and robust handles and knobs give them the
sought-after style of a commercial kitchen.
With innovative features and a wide variety
of appliance options including a new line of
cooktops and wall ovens, GE Caf gives you
an edge over other builders.
Thats why GE Appliances rank #1 among
readers in BUILDER magazines annual Brand
Preference Survey within 5 separate appliance
categories: dishwashers, laundry, range
hoods, ranges/cooktops and refrigerators.
No other appliance manufacturer can boast
that kind of overall customer satisfaction and
brand familiarity among pros everywhere.
Youre Not Just Building Them
A KitchenYoure Opening Their
New Favorite Restaurant
Commercial products were the inspiration for
every GE Caf appliance. By integrating these
appliances into new kitchen construction,
builders not only provide homebuyers a
place where theyll love to cook, but also a
stylish kitchen theyll love to show offat an
affordable price.
When you spec GE Caf appliances, the
kitchens you build will stand out from the
competition. With broad product lines to
accommodate any layout, youll find the
perfect choice for every project, at a great
price point.
Whether you are building for a large or small
family, GE Caf has what you need to turn
your kitchen into an exciting caf.
Follow GE Appliances on:
if youre going to build an energy-efcient home...
GE's Homes Inspired by ecomagination program gives you the resources to build a fully loaded,
high-performance home with more than just ENERGY STAR
energy manager
with Brillion
technology
Appliances enabled with
Brillion technology*
CFL or LED Lighting
Homes Inspired by
ecomagination program hotline:
866.209.1906
website: ge.com/yourhome
ENERGY STAR qualified
GeoSpring
GE WattStation
electric vehicle
charging station*
*optional program offerings
available 2012
Circle no. 271 or http://builder.hotims.com
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18 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
Editors Notes
Denise Dersin
editor in chief
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While the average person
in the U.K. uses 40 gallons
of water a day and an
average Chinese person
uses 22 gallons, the
average American family
of four uses 400 gallons.
Water,
Water ...
It may seem ubiquitous to many
of us, but in some areas of the
U.S., it is already in extremely
short supply.
Y
ou may have seen
lately that actor
Matt Damon and
other celebrities
have been publiciz-
ing an important
causea global wa-
ter shortage that
now afects one out
of every three people worldwide. The crisis has
reached dire proportions in Africa, where Da-
mons Water.org foundation has focused much
of its attention. But few Americans realize that
there is a water crisis in the U.S., as well.
According to the EPA, 36 states will expe-
rience water shortages by 2013, even under
non-drought conditions. And a study by the
National Resources Defense Council says
that 14 of those states will face extreme
shortages by 2050. But, that study says, no
state will be completely unafected. Counties
in all 48 contiguous states are at risk.
Part of the reason we are running out of
water is due to the countrys growthour
population doubled between 1950 and 2000.
But during that same period, the demand for
water more than tripled. Why? Our lifestyle
has changedmore homes have dishwashers
and clothes washers and we use them more
often. While the average person in the U.K.
uses 40 gallons of water a day and an average
person in China uses 22 gallons, the average
American family of four uses 400 gallons.
Think you dont use that much? Research
shows that by the time we leave the house in
the morning for workafter showering,
brushing teeth, making cofee, etc.weve
each already used more than 30 gallons.
Heres how daily usage breaks down: 70 per-
cent of residential water use happens indoors,
and 30 percent goes to outdoor activities, such
as watering the lawn and washing the car.
Indoor use further breaks down this way: toi-
lets, 27 percent; clothes washers, 22 percent;
showers, 17 percent; faucets, 16 percent; leaks,
14 percent; and other uses, about 5 percent.
We can all use a little less water in our
homes. Simply turning off the water while
youre brushing your teeth can save up to eight
gallons of water a day. But as home builders,
youre in a position to do much more. Youve
already made tremendous strides in your
homes energy ef ciency. Why not take one
more step toward water ef ciency? Decreasing
residential usage can really make a diference.
Nearly half (48 percent) of all metered water
consumption is used by single-family homes.
The great thing about conserving water is
that taking small steps reaps big rewards. The
biggest benefits result from scale. Many
homes using 15 percent less water produce
more benet than a few homes achieving net-
zero usage. Its not necessary to put compost-
ing toilets in your homes. Just by using
ef cient xtures, you can cut graywater pro-
duction to about 16 gallons per person per day.
Much of that graywater (water that goes
down the drain from tubs and sinks) is a re-
sult of inef cient hot water delivery systems.
Shorter plumbing runs from water heaters to
points of use would make a huge diference.
Hands-free fixtures keep water from con-
tinuing to run when its not needed. There
are simple things that can be done outside, as
well. Sprinkler controllers and rain sensors
can keep overwatering to a minimum.
More information can be found at the
EPAs Watersense website. Much like Energy
Star, Watersense is a voluntary partnership
and labeling program. Since 2006, it has cer-
tied thousands of faucets, toilets, and show-
erheads, and 53 million of these products
have been installed, saving 125 billion gal-
lons of water and $2 billion in water bills.
If we learned one thing during the move
to energy-ef cient homes, it was that change
was easier to accomplish if new products of-
fer something better than the status quo. To
that end, Watersense labeling requires that
products must ofer equal or superior perfor-
mance while using 20 percent less water.
The best news is that many buyers are al-
ready on board. A J.D. Power survey showed
reduced water use was No. 2 in consumers top
ve reasons to buy a green home. So, go for it.
Lets not let it become Hollywoods next cause.
Write back to: ddersin@hanleywood.com
Whether its remodeling or replacement, Marvin has a solution. The broadest range
of products combined with the most energy efficient options available means
theres no better partner for exceeding your clients needs. Its all part of four
generations of innovation and craftsmanship backed by an unwavering commitment
to service and support from local retailers. Get a closer look at our extraordinary
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Only at pros.myMarvin.com/catalog
201 2 Marvin Windows and Doors. All rights reserved. Registered trademark of Marvin Windows and Doors. 1-800-268-7644
Circle no. 185 or http://builder.hotims.com
Circle no. 204 or http://builder.hotims.com
Circle no. 231 or http://builder.hotims.com
Forum
Comments posted in the Builder LinkedIn Group.
anthony lococo, traditions home im-
provement service: In many markets
modular homes will [become more prevalent].
We are still in a transitional mode as many
builders, buyers, and salespeople think that
simply tweaking the McMansions and prod-
ucts from the past will bring back true produc-
tion levels. I have been saying for years that a
smaller, smarter, open, and greener product is
on the horizon. ... I feel the median average by
2020 will be somewhere between 1,400 and
2,000 square feet. We will see a lot more multi-
use spaces that blend into each other. We will
be trending toward anything over 3,000 square
feet [being] a one-of custom product as pro-
duction builders will not have a protable mar-
ket for them. Pre-crash, all of the production
builders I knew of were getting all of their
trusses prebuilt with all of the exterior walls
coming from a panel shop and arriving via at
bed. So we are arguably halfway there, as a
modern home is a big puzzle that a semi-
skilled carpenter can assemble. The days of
cutting in a roof, like I did in my younger
years, are over for the most part.
Response to Forward Thinking, The Evolution of
the Future of Housing posted in the Builder
LinkedIn Group by Anthony LoCoco.
randy dugan, zeta communities: [In] the
BIM Handbook, Chapter 1, pages 8 and 9,
there is a graph that indicates inef ciencies in
construction as compared to other industries
since 1964. It is a fascinating read. All other
industries trend upward on the chart. Con-
struction is flat-lined, basically saying the
construction industry keeps doing the same
thing over and over and expecting a diferent
result. With the industry itself in turmoil, I
suggest that now is the time to analyze and
learn that the modular form of building can
and will be more efective for [general contrac-
tors]. Also it is not always about how much
per foot. There are many other benets that
contribute to the IRR of a project and not just
how much. My comments here relate to the
true modular industry.
Selected responses to Rich Binsaccas article Pipe
Leaks, (November 2011, page 74).
mike crosen, crosen homes: I am a big
believer in trying to pump the house up to test
before the house is sheetrocked. Most of the
leaks I have had are from rough-in subs. I also
mark every plumbing wall with blue spray
paint so the drywall and trim contractor are
Circle no. 274 or http://builder.hotims.com
BETTER PLANNING.
FROM THE GROUND UP.
How do you build a
better business?
Planning. And with Bradco,
youll fnd everything you need to
plan and build better. From roofng
to siding, decking to doors, we offer
the convenience of one-stop shopping
for Americas top brands. And we
deliver on time every time, on the
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products and services you need to
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Plan on it.
ROOFING | SIDING | WINDOWS | DOORS | DECKING | METAL | TOOLS
able to look down and see where the pipes
align. Simple things to do [that] take ve min-
utes per house and can save a lot of money and
head scratching later on.
tom mcgowen: I concur with Mike on pres-
sure testing plumbing supply lines and Freon
lines, as well as marking with paint prior to
drywall. I usually color-code mark with paint
for HVAC supplies, exhaust fans, and primary
drain lines with one color (black); all plumb-
ing manifolds including drain and vent pipes
(blue); and all electrical outlets and audio con-
nections (green). It helps the drywall, trim,
and cabinet installers once they know what to
look for. It does take more time depending
upon the size and complexity of the homes but
also works for positive marketing to custom-
ers in terms of attention to detail; and we get
it right the rst time, minimizing repairs dur-
ing construction. ... It may seem a little over
the top to many, but every little thing helps
these days to keep costs down and keep build-
ing times shorter.
Response to Are fully furnished and decorated
model homes going away? posted in the Builder
LinkedIn Group by Michael Kruszynski.
elise platt, e.a. platt & co.: It has been my
experience (30 years plus) that merchandised
models come under re at every downturn.
They should not. They are still the absolute
best sales and closing tool ever ... .
Anytime we have done a no-model neigh-
borhood, our extra dollars drop in half.
The nationals will not stop doing models, so
if they are in your market, you are behind the
eight ball if you dont. I am a big proponent of
virtual models as long as they are custom and
match your future merchandised models. The
trick is to get your model merchandiser at the
beginning of your home planning stage ... . Use
your special trim package in the virtuals, use
your cabinets, use your hardwood.
Once the sticks start to go up for the houses
you have sold, you need to build a model, pref-
erably merchandised or at least partially so.
Once houses are up, the virtuals are best used
to show specic diferences in plans.
callback In our December issue, the photo
credits on pages 53 and 55 were reversed. We
apologize for the error.
Do you have a comment or
question? E-mail Denise Dersin at
ddersin@hanleywood.com.
Circle no. 258 or http://builder.hotims.com
Circle no. 269 or http://builder.hotims.com
sits on top of the worlds largest salt flat, Salar
de Uyuni, in the southwestern part of the
country. For $133 per night, guests can stay
in a double room, furnished with two salt beds.
I love it when visitors come to this place for
the first time, tour guide Pedro Pablo Michel
Rocha told The Daily Mail. They cant get over
the fact that everything is made out of salt,
and Ive even seen a few people lick the
furniture to make sure.
Free House,
Assembly Required
One mans trash is another mans treasure
and then yet another mans house, and not a
bad one, at that. When Argentinas economy
collapsed in 2001, Alfredo Santa Cruz of
Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, was forced to try to
eke out a living looking through garbage heaps
for anything he could sell. Inspired by the
seemingly unlimited supply of discarded
plastic bottles, Cruz decided to put them to
use; 24,000 bottles later, he had an entire
house built of recycled plastic containers.
Thanks to an interlocking method that Cruz
developed, the bottles create sturdy,
waterproof exterior and interior walls, stairs,
and even furniture. To boost the structures
fire resistance, many of the bottles are filled
with water or sand. Since completing his
home, Cruz has started a crusade against
homelessness by teaching free courses on
building plastic bottle homes, which he
estimates have been attended by some
20,000 people.
For the Birds
Whats in a name? Well, that depends on who
you ask. In the case of Turkey, Texas, town
residents will tell you that their towns named
pays homage to the wild birds settlers found
there. But as the nation
white, for cost reasons, Braaten says. In my
dads eyes, painting wood is a big time no-no.
Fashionable Foliage
Milan may be one of Europes fashion capitals,
but the well-tailored city is also one of the
most polluted on the continent. Appropriately,
architect Stefano Boeri has found a way to
mitigate the areas environmental woes in
fabulous style. His Bosco Verticale, a
27-story residential tower, will essentially rise
as a vertical forest. The towering structure
will be encased on all sides with minimalist,
geometric balconies filled with trees and
plants. The greenery will not only help to
absorb the citys CO
2
and scrub the air of dust
particles, but also will serve residents directly
by shielding the building from radiation and
noise pollution. In addition, the tree-lined
patios will provide passive solar benefits, as
the plants will shade units during the summer
months, and then shed their leaves to allow
light to stream in during the winter. And, the
in-house landscaping will be supported by a
system that filters and reuses the buildings
graywater.
Salt, Please!
Looking for a flavorful spot for your next
vacation? Stop by Bolivias Hotel de Sal
Playaa 15-room hotel made entirely from
salt. And we really mean entirely. Everything
from the walls its made of to the furniture
guests sit on to toilets and light fixturesis
made of blocks of the popular seasoning and a
cement-like compound made of salt and
water. The structure was built in 1993 and
Sightlines
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Foreclosure Farming
As if Las Vegas didnt have enough problems
thanks to the housing bust, Sin Citys latest
nightmare comes from a group that has found
a way to make money from the seemingly
endless supply of distressed properties:
marijuana growers. As it turns out, the dark
windows and lack of activity that accompany
foreclosed homes make for ideal growing
areas for the illegal plants. And in many
places, bank repossessions have disrupted
communities to the point that they no longer
have neighborhood stalwarts that know the
usual comings and goings of residents and
would notice suspicious activity. As a result,
big-time growers have bought distressed
properties on the cheap and converted them
into greenhouses, sometimes with timed
lights in the front rooms to make it appear as
though the home is inhabited. Last year,
Nevada authorities shut down 153 indoor
growing operations and seized 13,000
plants, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Thats compared with only 18 growing sites
and 1,000 plants found in 2005.
Miniature Mansions
Looking for new design ideas with plenty of
attention to detail? Check out the awe-
inspiring creations of Seattle-based home
builder Heather Braaten. LEGO home builder,
that is. But while her houses may be made out
of plastic toy blocks, her jaw-dropping
thoroughness has the mark of genius.
Throughout her designs, tiny closets are
fitted with folding doors and filled with plastic
clothing on small hangers; refrigerator doors
and drawers open and close; and even the
laundry rooms toy washing machine is
outfitted with a little box of soap. The designs
are so elaborate that a single project can take
up to three months to build. Much of the
inspiration for her designs, she says, comes
from things built by her woodworking dad,
who apparently also instilled a deep-rooted
concern for authentic use of materials. I
always feel a little guilty when I make the trim
work or wood paneling in my miniature homes
See a video about the
plastic bottle house on
your smartphone.
Instructions on page 8.
(see page 27)
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 25 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
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2011 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, Wiser, EVlink, EcoXpert, Juno, Square D, and APC are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies.
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to intuitively control household
energy use through smart grid
connections, system set
points, and color-changing
screens that communicate
pricing and usage alerts.
Electric vehicle charging solutions.
EVlink
charging stations
charge 2 4 times faster than
a standard (110 volt) home
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the Wiser energy management
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monitoring and control. Plus,
when installed by a certifed
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W S
8
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Circle no. 222 or http://builder.hotims.com
Visit us at IBS 2012 and at the Hanley Wood
Builder Concept Home
42 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
Builder Imagine Homes
Location San Antonio
Tactic An advertising campaign
designed to differentiate product
Medium Model-home
demonstrations, print brochures,
website
Price range $250,000 to
$275,000
Impact Sales up in 2011 and
expected to double in 2012
related to campaign and new
communities
E
verybody wants to see the choco-
late bunnies in the attics of Imag-
ine Homes models. Realtors,
particularly, like to take their cli-
ents up the stairs to special plat-
forms where they can marvel at the
miraclechocolate Easter Bunnies up in the
rafters, not a droopy, melted ear among them
despite spending more than half a year in at-
tics in San Antonio.
The bunnies in Imagines attics, which are
sealed and insulated with spray foam insula-
tion, help show buyers how the companys
homes are diferent from foreclosed homes
and its competitors products. They also spark
conversation about other energy-ef cient fea-
tures included as standard in the homes.
A picture is worth a thousand words, says
Jim Bastoni, an owner of Imagine Homes.
And having the customer experience how
comfortable its homes attics are in the dead of
summer is worth a lot of words, too.
Nobody else shows you the attic, Bastoni
says. We ask them, How long do you think
the bunny would last in your attic? And they
can touch the foam [insulation] and imagine
how hot it is on the other side.
Bastoni took the bunnies beyond the attic
in an advertising campaign that shows an
intact bunny in the Imagine Home attic with
a thermometer that shows 80 degrees along-
side a photo of a melted-into-a-blob bunny in
the attic of a competitors home with a ther-
mometer showing 130 degrees.
We sneaked into the attic of a competi-
tors home and installed the bunny to get
the photo, explains Bastoni. It only took 10
minutes for the mercury to climb and the
bunny beside it to melt. The advertisement
has helped dispel the idea among consumers
that all homes are the same, and that the
only diferentiator is price, he says.
Imagines salespeople also explain how
its homes energy-ef cient features translate
into smaller utility bills. Sometimes the
company ofers to prepay the buyers utility
bills for two years to bring attention to how
small those bills are likely to be. That gets
buyers thinking about how much less money
every month they will be spending, leading
them to consider spending that extra cash on
more options in the home.
We did better this year than last year,
and we attribute it in no small part to the
bunny and also that San Antonio is a healthy
market with job growth, Bastoni adds. He
expects those factors will continue to help
sales in 2012, too, but new neighborhoods
will play into that as well. Imagine is open-
ing ve new communities with higher price
points, from an average of $250,000 to
$275,000 now to about $325,000. He expects
the company will come close to doubling
business next yearfrom the 70 to 80 house
range to up to 150. The banks are very sup-
portive of us, Bastoni says. We are a small
company, but we are protable.
Imagine is dreaming up more ways to
show, rather than tell, how different its
homes are. It has a new campaign that also
demonstrates the impact of sealed, insulated
attics. It shows the frosty roof of one of its
homes on a cold morning next to a competi-
tors house on the same morning, with no
frost. The point is to show that the competi-
tors house is leaking heat.
Then theres the one explaining that
you dont shop for a car anymore with ns
that gets six miles per gallon of gas, or a
black and white television, like your
grandparents did. Yet people still buy hous-
es with the same components in their
grandparents homealuminum windows
and fiberglass insulation. This aint
your grandfathers house. Announcing
spray foam insulation in every home, the
ad says.
Its about education, says Bastoni. And
the rst part of education is to get the custom-
ers attention and focus. teresa burney
TACTICS
Bunny Business
Chocolate bunnies tell a quick tale of how Imagine Homes is better
than its competition.
Illustration by Barry Falls
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Circle no. 202 or http://builder.hotims.com
44 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
C
o
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Rising Up The TransForm system allows
construction of higher insulated walls.
GAME CHANGER
Too Big to Fail
A gigantic concrete mansion aspires to be the ultimate energy saver.
Green Bay, Wis. , a 17-year-old manufacturer
that Huf acquired and serves as chairman.
For this project, TF developed a form sys-
tem called TransForm, a hybrid between in-
sulated concrete forms (ICF) and removable
forming systems. What makes TransForm
unique, explains TFs CEO Kirk Brown, is
that it fully insulates the outside of the con-
crete wall with a thick layer of foam while
coating the inside of the wall with only a
-inch layer. This exposes the thermal
mass of the concrete to the inside of the
structure while isolating it from the outside
temperature extremes, Brown says.
He adds that the thermal mass of the con-
crete acts as an energy storage battery re-
sulting in extreme reductions in energy
consumption. And a water/antifreeze mix
running through tubes embedded in the
concrete allows for active core management
using geothermal and solar for primary heat-
ing and air conditioning.
The house has internal walls over 30 feet
tall held in place by plastic studs and external
A
72,000-square-foot chateau be-
ing built on 550 acres in the Mis-
souri Ozarks is doubling as a
laboratory for a concrete form-
ing system whose manufactur-
er and the homes owner believe could have
broader applications for disaster-resistant and
energy-ef cient construction.
The concrete colossus, called Pensmore, is
located in Highlandsville, Mo., between
Branson and Springfield and near Joplin,
which last May got leveled by an E-5 tornado.
The house, which has received extensive
press coverage, is the brainchild of 60-year-
old Steven Huf, who made his fortune sell-
ing software for medical, defense, and
intelligence applications.
Huf wants the homewhere his family
will live once its completed in 2013to be
nothing less than a model demonstrating the
value of long-term durability and life-cycle
cost efectiveness. He is collaborating with a
number of green construction companies, one
of which is TF Concrete Forming Systems in
walls over 80 feet tall held up by steel frames.
Those heights, says Brown, arent achievable
with block-based ICF systems. Helix wire -
bers, provided by a company called PolyTorx ,
fortify the concrete mix while making the
walls more pliable and resistant to earth-
quakes, blasts, and tornadoes.
Construction, which began in 2008, is tak-
ing a long time to complete because Huf is
only employing a single crew and has been
experimenting with diferent things, says
Brown. He notes that the recent construction
of an 8,000-square-foot church in Nevada took
only two weeks to lay in the TransForm walls.
Brown is reticent about costs, but esti-
mates payback from energy bill savings to be
in the ve-year range, and the annualized
return on investment after 10 years at 10 per-
cent to 15 percent. john caulfield
To see a slideshow on Pensmore
and the TransForm wall
system, go to http://go.hw.net/
bol-too-big-to-fail.
with the doors that customers want, and the
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Whether you need one door or one thousand, Therma-Tru
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*Visit us at www.thermatru.com for
more details on our warranties.
Visit us at The International
Builder Show
Booth W2571
Feb. 8-11, 2012
Orlando, Florida
Circle no. 194 or http://builder.hotims.com
46 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
B
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Project The Cottages at
Johns Island
Location Charleston,
S.C.
Builder The Mungo Cos.,
Irmo, S.C.
Date opened for sale
August 2010
Unit size 1,369 to
2,135 square feet
Price range $159,900
to $195,900
Sales to date 54
Total units at build-out
64
Charleston Charm Tall, skinny houses at
reset prices sell well in the Low Country.
SUCCESS STORY
Sea Island Sells
Reset prices help an island cottage community move fast.
tential bargains in a good location, went
shopping for some distressed assets on the
island, says Lee McLoud, the companys divi-
sion president for Charleston, Myrtle Beach,
and Savannah, Ga.
Mungo targeted a development called The
Cottages of Johns Island where the developer
was left with a stalled subdivision after other
builders had backed out of lot-buying deals.
We chased it, says McLoud. We found
it and probed and prodded and probed and
prodded and nally, through a personal con-
nection, got to the developer.
Mungo bought the 64 remaining lots in the
community and started selling skinny, deep,
tall homes there in August 2010. By the end of
October 2011 it had sold 54 houses, a pace of 3.6
a month in a market where most builders
have been happy selling two a month, says
McLoud, adding that the community was
A
handful of years ago, before the
housing fall became the hous-
ing crash, only the fairly well-of
could aford a home on Charles-
ton, S.C.s Johns Island.
A quarter of an hour or less across the
Intracoastal Waterway from historic
Charlestons downtown, and minutes to the
beaches of Kiawah, the barrier island has
both location and Southern charm dripping
from the wide-spreading branches of its
historic oak trees.
Its in an area where nobody would have
built anything even remotely afordable, and
everybody had big ideas about what their
land was worth, says Steven W. Mungo,
principal of The Mungo Cos. , an Irmo, S.C.
based builder.
Then home sales in the area nearly
stopped, and Mungos leaders, smelling po-
likely to be sold out by the end of 2011.
The company was thrilled, he adds, to get
that kind of sales pace in a niche situation
like that, where we were able to provide a
product and a price point that hasnt been
seen in that submarket in a while.
Because Mungo was able to buy the lots
for less, homes in The Cottages start at
$150,000 and were closing at about $186,000
on average after upgrades. Before the market
meltdown, builders were hoping to get
roughly $225,000 for each home there.
The new price point made the units af-
fordable for the many buyers who hadnt
had an option for new construction within
a quick commute to Charlestons down-
town. The only other desirable new-home
options are out in the Summerville sub-
urbs, a 30-plus minute commute, says
Mungo. We got all these people who want-
ed to live near downtown but couldnt af-
ford it, he says.
But the houses ofer more than location
and price point. The designs are a functional,
appealing take on the cottage. Their narrow,
deep footprints are pure Charleston, where
historic homes were often narrow for several
reasons, including the fact that property
taxes were based on the width of lots.
Mungo had already been selling the plans
at The Ponds, a master planned community
in the Charleston suburb of Summerville.
The designs started life as attached town-
homes in its Raleigh, N.C., market. When the
company moved the designs to South Caro-
lina, it gave the faades a Charleston Low
Country look and detached them.
The six oor plans stretch from 1,368 to
2,135 square feet with base prices from
$159,900 to $195,900. However, most buyers
are opting to nish out the third-oor attic
space on several of the models into a bonus
room, a sizable upgrade, helping to boost the
sale prices.
Three of the models feature detached,
single-car garages in the back reached via
old-fashioned dual concrete strip driveways.
Three others, on lots that arent wide enough
to allow a driveway, have the garage built
into the front of the homes.
The Cottages helped Mungo attain the
rank of fourth largest builder in the Charles-
ton market, behind three national builders.
When we can duke it out with the nationals
with all the capital theyve got, we are doing
well, says Mungo. teresa burney
Join Elite, Earn Rewards and Perks...icc.com/BUILDER
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multiple generations. And Uponor creates
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reliably deliver water to every area of
those homes.
With a 20-year history in residential and
commercial applications, Uponor AquaPEX
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high-quality and durability. Uponor AquaPEX
is exible, so it eliminates unnecessary
connections and potential leak points. It will
not pit, scale or corrode like copper and
resists freeze damage that can plague rigid
CPVC. And because it is made free of metals,
Uponor AquaPEX naturally conforms to
upcoming lead-free plumbing requirements,
so you can feel condent that the homes you
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Circle no. 189 or http://builder.hotims.com
See new ones at IBS, booth #W4001
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Solutions are here.
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Circle no. 245 or http://builder.hotims.com
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 55 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
2012 PRODUCT PREVIEW
Great Expectations
A sneak peek at products youre likely to hear about this year.
J
anuary is a wonderful time of the
year. It represents new beginnings,
hope, and optimism. For builders,
architects, and contractors, it also
raises the hope that this year might
bring to light some truly innovative prod-
ucts and materials that can be incorporated
into their homes. Weve done some digging
and found a number of selections that hold
some promise.
The economy is still oundering, so re-
search and development eforts have been
few and far between. But some companies
are still moving forward. Kolbe & Kolbe Mill-
work is introducing its Ultra Series Terra-
Span lift-and-slide doors, which measure 10
feet tall. The doors, ofering a design pressure
rating of 45, meet wind zone 4 testing stan-
dards. Akzo Nobel Paints, which produces
the ubiquitous Liquid Nails brand, has added
an acoustical sealant that reduces sound
transmission in various types of wall sys-
tems. And Hurd Windows and Doors debuts
its new Ultra-R direct-set window that uses
Heat Mirror technology to achieve an im-
pressive center of glass R-value of 20; the
windows total unit R-value is 9.
A few of the products listed will be at this
years International Builders Show in Febru-
ary; weve included their booth numbers.
Check them all out, though, to see if any of
them will make your year a little brighter.
1
1. Outside Slider
Ultra Series TerraSpan lift-and-
slide doors measure 10 feet tall,
but they still meet impact testing
criteria Level D, wind zone 4
testing standards, and offer a
design pressure rating of 45.
Doors are made with extruded
aluminum exteriors and a range
of interior wood species. They
can be ordered with a maximum
of 10 panels in widths up to 6
feet. Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork.
715-842-5666. www.kolbe-
kolbe.com. Booth no. W3729.
Circle no. 2.
56 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
4. Reflex Action
The companys Arbor kitchen
faucet features the Reflex pull-
down system, with a resistance-
free hose that easily extends and
retracts. Offered in a transitional
design, the unit has a multi-
function wand, a high-arc spout,
and a 1255 Duralast cartridge
that provides a smooth feel for
the life of the faucet. It also
comes with a pause button for
performing tasks outside the
sink. Moen. 800-289-6636.
www.moen.com. Circle no. 5.
2. Guard Duty
AvantGuard entry doors may
appear to be made of cherry
wood, but they are a weather-
resistant, man-made product.
The manufacturer uses a digital
printing process that applies an
authentic wood look to pre-
textured fiberglass slabs. Doors
are finished with an automotive-
style coating that offers five
years of maintenance-free
protection. Masonite. 800-895-
2723. www.masonite.com.
Booth no. W3701. Circle no. 3.
2
5
3
4
5. Evolutionary Chain
Inspired by products that are
commonly found in Europe, the
Evolution Series 9000 tilt-and-
turn aluminum window offers the
dual-action functionality of a
hopper and a casement. The tilt-
in feature provides a 4-inch
opening at the top for indirect
ventilation, and the swing-in
casement operation provides
full-opening ventilation and easy
access. Crystal Window & Door
Systems. 718-961-7300. www.
crystalwindows.com. Circle no. 6.
3. Diamond Life
Part of the Diamond Series, this
4-inch light is the newest
addition to the manufacturers
line of LED recessed downlights
for new construction and retrofit
projects. It has a deep-set,
2-inch lens and offers 530
lumen output. The Energy Star
rated product provides up to
50,000 hours of performance
and can be installed in any
manufacturers housing. Nora
Lighting. 800-686-6672. www.
noralighting.com. Circle no. 4.
See a video
about the
Diamond
Series of
lights on your
smartphone.
Instructions
on page 8.
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For more information, visit mohawkooring.com/builder or call toll-free 877-275-6642
C A R P E T | WO O D | L A M I N A T E | T I L E | R E S I L I E N T
Circle no. 276 or http://builder.hotims.com
58 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
6. Water Saver
Allia is a new fireclay dual-flush
toilet line that complies with
various stringent water-use
standards across the country,
including California. Offered
with coordinating sinks, the two-
piece toilet (shown) features a
traditionally inspired look. Its
outfitted with an oak hardwood
cover and seat and has an
elongated bowl and a gravity-
fed, siphonic-jet flush. ROHL.
800-777-9762. www.rohlhome.
com. Circle no. 7.
7. Seal Tight
The Seal Grip family now
includes a primer/finish for
multipurpose interior needs. A
low-VOC product, the primer
offers good stain-blocking
properties, dries in about an
hour, and sands easily. Its also
resistant to chips, peels, and
blisters, and wont crack over
caulk. It cleans up with soap and
water. PPG Architectural
Coatings. 800-441-9695.
www.ppgpittsburghpaints.com.
Booth no. W3417. Circle no. 8.
8
9
6
7
8. Value Proposition
The Ultra-R direct-set window
uses Heat Mirror film technology
by Southwall Technologies to
achieve a center of glass R-value
of 20. The film is coated with
nanoscale metal particles that
reflect heat back to its source,
improving insulation, blocking
UV rays, and reducing noise.
With a total unit R-value of R-9, it
is 33 percent lighter than triple-
pane products. Hurd Windows
and Doors. 800-433-4873.
www.hurd.com. Circle no. 9.
9. Sound Off
Well-known adhesive brand
Liquid Nails adds an acoustical
sealant to its lineup of products.
An elastic sealant designed to
reduce sound transmission in
various types of wall systems,
the product is made with low-
volatile organic compounds, has
low odor, and can be cleaned up
with water. Its nonflammable
and adheres to most surfaces.
Akzo Nobel Paints. 800-634-
0015. www.liquidnails.com.
Booth no. W5648. Circle no. 10.
Circle no. 238 or http://builder.hotims.com
ADVERTISEMENT
DAP has launched a new product line targeting residential building
and remodeling professionals. The DAP Spec Line is the first full line
of sealants and adhesives designed specifically to help professionals
meet industry specifications for each job by including the required spec
as part of the product name. With numeric labels that match proven
industry specification standards, professionals can now easily select the
best product for each job.
Product Simplicity With The DAP Spec Line
To make selection even easier, the DAP Spec Line prints Performance
Facts right on the product, similar to the layout of a nutrition label. The
Performance Facts include the amount and coverage per cartridge,
recommended use, features, specifications and other product details.
Another innovation can be found on DAP
Eco-Efcient
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and two energy-saving cooking appliances. Call
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Registered trademark//TM Trademark of Whirlpool, U.S.A., KitchenAid, U.S.A. Jenn-Air, U.S.A. or Maytag Corporation or its related companies. 2012. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are owned by their respective companies.
You want sustainability? Weve got it.
Circle no. 282 or http://builder.hotims.com
Te Lubrizol Corporation is a global leader
in the development of piping solutions
for residential, commercial and industrial
applications. With a strong reputation for
leadership and innovation in construction
polymers, and as the #1 specied CPVC
construction material in the U.S.A., Lubrizol
was the natural choice as piping systems
supplier to Te New American Home.
BlazeMaster
Fire Sprinkler
Systems: Most Specied
For A Reason
Te New American Home features
BlazeMaster, the most specied non-metallic
re sprinkler system in the world, used in a
MULTIPURPOSE system A unique
re protection solution that uses a singular
cold water piping run that serves as both
the re sprinkler and cold water plumbing
systems. Te system combines lightweight
BlazeMaster re sprinkler pipe and ttings
with FlowGuard Bendable pipe and
FlowGuard Gold ttings. Using an easy,
reliable and fast solvent weld joining system,
the resulting assembly is stronger than the
pipe or tting alone.
FlowGuard
Bendable Piping
System: A Smarter Solution
Te MULTIPURPOSE re sprinkler
system features one-of-a-kind, highly reliable
FlowGuard Bendable Multilayer Composite
Pipe to attach the main cold water run to
the xtures and for the hot water. Tis pipe
combines the corrosion-resistant benets
of industry-leading Lubrizol CPVC with
the strength and durability of aluminum to
oer the ultimate piping option. FlowGuard
Bendable piping is ideal for wholehouse
plumbing or a variety of specialized
applications, including water service lines,
underslab, shower risers, and island sinks.
Available in coils or in straight lengths,
FlowGuard Bendable piping is kink-
resistant yet can be bent easily. Tis unique
combination of exibility and rigidity results
in reduced installation time and lower
installation costs.
With the industrys largest network of
technical support specialists, Lubrizol is able
to provide the necessary training and technical
support needed to ensure pros choose the best
systems to t their needs.
Lubrizol Delivers Piping Solutions
For Todays Building Challenges
ADVERTISEMENT
Be sure to visit The New American Home
to see Lubrizol piping technologies at
work or visit www.lubrizolcpvc.com for
more information.
Circle no. 160 or http://builder.hotims.com
MODERN
The White Box contemporary
returns with an abundance of glass
and a priority on performance.
By Rich Binsacca ///
Photography by James F. Wilson
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 71
MARVEL
THE NEW AMERICAN HOME 2012
72 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
ou see its interior before you even enter the
house. In a clever contemporary twist on a
distinctly Southern vernacular, visitors
walk the length of a deep, covered lanai to
the front door, passing full views of the
family room, kitchen, and dining room
through oor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors
akin to the display windows of a downtown
department store.
Except that these full-height windows
slide wide open on most Central Florida
days, blurring the lines of indoors and out-
doors and providing alternative routes into
the house so that the actual front doora
checkerboard of warm, rich wood that de-
liberately contrasts with the predominant
gray stone and glass of the houseserves as
an art element as much as a point of entry.
Welcome to The New American Home
2012, celebrating a 29-year collaboration be-
tween Builder and the Leading Suppliers
Council of the NAHB in conjunction with the
annual International Builders Show (IBS).
The homes public face to the street is no
less impressive and certainly more exposed
than a traditional porch approach. Derived
from the classic White Box model of modern
design in the mid-20th century by archi-
tect-builder Phil Kean, the front of the ap-
proximately 4, 200-square-foot house
features several expansive windows, one
framing an open-riser stone staircase with
a clear glass balustrade that almost disap-
pears during the day but is dramatically
displayed at night.
I tend to lean toward modern design, but
its more challenging than traditional styles,
says Kean. If you miss, it really looks bad.
Theres nowhere to hide your mistakes.
The oor plan and interior nishes fol-
low the modern moves of the exterior and
are equally exposed and awless. Straight,
clean lines and hard, geometric surfaces
create the perfect canvas for colorful art ele-
ments, area rugs, and soft furnishings. A
stone oor that appears at rst glance to be
bleached wood planks extends into every
space of the main level, including the cov-
ered courtyard entry.
And yet the house is far from cold or im-
personal. Flush, dark-wood cabinets add a
measure of warmth and provide welcome
contrast. But the abundance of windows
Y
The New American
Home 2012
Location
Winter Park, Fla.
Size 4,181 square feet;
bedrooms: 2; baths: 4;
powder rooms: 2
Builder/Architect
Phil Kean Design Build,
Winter Park
Interior designer CRT
Studio, Winter Park
Landscape designer
Redmon Design Co.,
Maitland, Fla.
Green building
consultant/verifier
NAHB Research Center,
Upper Marlboro,
Md. (NAHBGreen
certification)
Furnishings/
Merchandising
Furniture Brands Builder
Services, Conover, N.C.
Technology integrator
ZIO, Winter Park
Structural designer
FDS Engineering
Associates, Maitland
Surveyor Henrich-
Luke & Swaggerty,
Lake Mary, Fla.
Site work Southern
Fields, Windermere, Fla.
Electrical contractor
Y2K Electrical Systems,
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Producer NAHB,
Washington, D.C.
Media partner Builder
magazine, Washington
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 73
Floor Plan Unlike a lot of
residential architects, Phil
Kean works from the inside
out, crafting spaces best
suited to the lot conditions
and orientation instead of
conjuring a front faade
and working inward. That
approach is reflected in how
this plan blocks the western
sun with the back wall of the
gallery (1) and the three-
car garage (2) and puts the
hub of activity in an interior,
north-facing courtyard to
keep it private and cool. The
main level is mostly public
space, save for a guest suite
(3) and secluded office (4).
Upstairs is all for the owners,
including a trio of balconies
and a cleverly concealed
laundry room (5) within the
master bathroom.
Loft
17 x 11
MBR
17 x 12
Mechanical
room
Laundry
Workout
room
17 x 13
Gallery
15 6 x 41 6
SECOND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
5
G
D
14 x 17
F
20 x 18
Lanai Pool
Patio
Deck
B
15 x 12
Home
office
15 x 12
Studio
11 x 15 6
E
WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
2
3
4
1
74 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
reecting daylight of the white surfaces
from multiple angles, throwing it deep into
each room, makes the home comfortable
and livable.
For times when solar heat gain is a con-
cern or, more likely, privacy is a priority,
sheer fabric screens and darker solar shades
roll down behind and in front of the win-
dows, respectively, to compensate. Its a
very open plan, but it lives very privately,
says Kean, noting the clever entry court-
yard that is a main hub of activity and yet
completely shielded from public view. It
was an ideal solution for this lot and
location.
But will it sell? Modern single-family
isnt exactly mainstream, and a buyer who
can aford the $3.5 million price tag of this
house represents a relatively small pool to
the majority of builders.
Yet the homes walkable proximity to
downtown Winter Park (a historic commu-
nity just north of the IBS 2012 host city of
Orlando, Fla.), its perfect proportions and
similar scale among its neighbors, and its
high level of nish, as well as its higher level
of energy and resource ef ciencies, enhance
its sales potential.
In his market, in fact, Kean and his
team have carved a successful if not high-
volume niche with mostly modern homes.
They expect that an empty-nester or other
childless couple, perhaps from overseas or
seeking a seasonal retreat, will nd their
way to this one.
The design reects a segment of the mar-
ket that appreciates what this house ofers
and has the lifestyle for it, says project man-
ager Alex Hannigan. I dont think there will
be a lack of buyers for this house.
PRODUCT
SPOTLIGHT
FLOORING
Originally intended for
terrazzo tiles, the floor of
the main levelextending
from the false entry
of the front elevation
through the lanai and into
every interior spaceis
made up of 4-inch-wide,
vein-cut natural limestone
planks that perfectly suit
the clean, straight lines
of the homes modern
design. The stone sections
are installed to duplicate
the look of wood , with
slight variations along
the surface and seams,
while their natural veining
and marbling deliver
subtle color variations
and piece-to-piece and
linear movement across
the floor expanse.
Specs: Manufacturer:
Daltile ; Model: Chenille
White Vein-Cut Natural
Limestone; Dimensions: 4
x 36 x ; Circle no. 11.
TK
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 75
Staircase The homes open-riser
stone staircase is a signature
element, appreciated from inside
and out. A transparent glass
balustrade makes it appear to
WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
float in space, while the stairs
location at the edge of the family
room keeps it from intruding on
the open floor plan and traffic
patterns. Its also an iconic and
ironic counterpart to an adjacent
elevator, a contemporary must-
have for aging owners. A series
of niches at the base of the stairs,
which are reminiscent of the
front-door design, display colorful
art elements.
76 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
S
t
o
c
k
A
r
t
C
r
e
d
i
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e
k
a
y
G
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e
s
H
e
r
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JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 77 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
S
t
o
c
k
A
r
t
C
r
e
d
i
t
T
e
e
k
a
y
G
o
e
s
H
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e
Gallery Confronted with
a west-facing elevation
that must deal with harsh
afternoon sun and a four-
story condo across the
alley, Kean recalled a client
who wanted an art gallery
designed into his house and
used that idea to inspire
this space. Its cool without
being too cool, he says.
Its not trying too hard
to be anything more than
what it is. An atypical first
impression as you enter
the front door, the gallery
also offers a wet bar and
powder room at its far end.
PRODUCT
SPOTLIGHT
STONE
Even behind $300,000
worth of donated artwork,
the stone veneer of the
gallery walls stands out.
Recalling mid-century
Prairie-home design, the
custom-fabricated cut
and color of the stone was
developed specifically
for this house. While most
prominent on the walls
of the gallery, its also
featured on the exterior
faade to effectively
break up the white-and-
glass mass and identify
the entry to the lanai. The
summer kitchen, privacy
walls, and a few interior
walls also benefit from its
dimensional feel among the
otherwise smooth-finish
surfaces of the house.
Specs: Manufacturer/
Installer: Environmental
Stoneworks ; Model:
Osceola Prairie Stone;
Circle no. 12.
78 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 79 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
PRODUCT
SPOTLIGHT
SOLAR ARRAY
An innovative thin-film
system to generate
solar electricity adheres
directly to the EverGuard
TPO roof from GAF ( circle
no. 14), which eliminated
bulky metal frames
and fastener penetrations
through the roof deck.
But renewable energy,
including flat-panel solar
thermal collectors from
HTP ( circle no. 15) on the
homes top-most roof, is
just the icing on a superior
building envelope. The
main level is built using
insulated concrete forms
from Logix ( circle no.
16), while engineered
structural framing by
Nordic Engineered Wood
( circle no. 17) frames
the upper level. Metal
connectors from Simpson
Strong-Tie ( circle no. 18)
create a continuous load
path through the frame,
while Icynenes ( circle
no. 19) open-cell spray-
foam insulation delivers
air-sealing and thermal
resistance. Solar array
specs: Manufacturer:
United Solar ; Model:
PVL-68; Dimensions:
2849mm long x 394mm
wide x 3.3mm thick;
Rating: 68 watts per
section, 80% power
output. Circle no. 20.
Owners Retreat The entire
upstairs is devoted to the
owners. The stair/elevator
landing leads to a workout room
(complete with a full bath) and a
comfortable private loft, which
serves as a transition to the
master bedroom beyond (left).
Engineered hardwood floors from
Mohawk Industries ( circle no. 13),
formulated to eliminate emissions
from urea formaldehyde
adhesives and finished with a
Scotchgard coating, replace
the stone planks of the main
level, delivering a similarly sleek
but slightly warmer, natural
walnut surface.
Loft What may appear to be
wastedor at least gratuitous
living space (above) actually
serves a very practical purpose
in the grand scheme. At the head
of the stairs, the loft buffers the
master bedroom from the public
spaces below. And its adjacent
balcony shields the array of thin-
film solar collectors on the south-
facing roof from street view
while providing easy access for
their occasional maintenance.
80 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
Inside Out The key to Keans design
was a seamless transition between
indoors and outdoors, especially on
the main level where public spaces
could easily expand and flow into
the lanai and beyond. He found what
he wanted with the 10-foot-tall
sliding glass doors with telescoping
panels that create wide-open
expanses and unobstructed views.
The dining room, shown above, also
showcases Keans ability to create
well-defined uses within an open
floor plan.
PRODUCT
SPOTLIGHT
GLASS
DOORS
Almost everywhere you
look along the lanai, youll
see these doors. Standing
floor-to-ceiling and fitted
into flush-mounted floor
tracks, they almost
disappear. And even more
so when theyre open, as
the 4-foot-wide panels
telescope into each other
to create openings of
almost 20 feet across.
The perpendicular panels
of the corner unit
enclosing the dining room
(left) securely lock into
each other, and their
metal frames and impact-
resistant insulated glass
can withstand the
elements. Specs:
Manufacturer: WinDoor
Inc. ; Model: Series 8100,
90-degree pocket bypass
sliding glass door;
Dimensions: 4x10;
Circle no. 21.
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 81 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT SPLIT-SYSTEM HVAC
Drawing duct work to the studio from a conventional central forced-air system proved problematic, so
Keans team turned to a self-contained, mini-split system to condition and ventilate the indoor air. Usually
specified to allow tenants of high-rise buildings to manage their own indoor climates (and costs), the sleek,
ceiling-mounted unit relies on a small, quiet outdoor compressor concealed behind a wall on the far side of
the studio. It delivers a high level of pollutant filtration, dehumidification, and both fast-acting and energy-
efficient cooling. Specs: Manufacturer: LG ; Model: VRF Air Conditioner; Dimensions: 1200mm square;
Capacity: 5500 BTU/hr cooling, 6100 BTU/hr heating. Circle no. 23.
Separate Spaces Outside the
main floor plan, Kean created
a studio (below left) designed
to contain an artists mess or
keep the clients of an at-home
business from intruding on the
main house. Its full bath also
can be accessed from the pool.
The summer kitchen (below
right) provides a full range of
appliances, headlined by a
barbecue grill with nearly 800
square inches of grilling surface
from the Fire Magic line by R.H.
Peterson ( circle no. 22). The view
back toward the lanai shows the
balconies serving the master
bedroom (above the lanai) and
the workout room (left, above the
studio). Their north- and east-
facing elevations help keep them
comfortable year-round.
82 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 83 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
Master Bath This space is
deceptively narrow. At both ends
of the bath, a custom closet
system from Closet Factory
( circle no. 24) reveals a wealth
of storage space that expands
the capacity of the Timberlake
cabinets ( circle no. 25). One
set of closet doors leads to a
full-size laundry room. A narrow
Mechanical Room Normally, a
homes mechanical room is a tight
closet in the garage or a humid attic,
but this one earns mention not just
for its size (176 square feet) and
finish, but because its the homes
nerve center. A conditioned space
accessed through the master
bath, it contains the bulk of the
key components to the efficient
operation of the house while giving
service techs ample space to work.
PRODUCT
SPOTLIGHT
MECHANICALS
Thanks in large part to
an airtight and insulated
building envelope,
including a rainscreen
barrier from Pactiv
behind the stucco to shed
incidental moisture and
ventilate vapor ( circle
no. 27), the homes
mechanical systems are
able to optimize their
intended efficiencies.
The centralized system,
contained in a conditioned
space, features a
pair of Lennox high-
performance forced-air
furnaces supplemented
by the companys energy
recovery ventilator and
PureAir air filters ( circle
no. 28). The space
also contains a high-
voltage load center and
structured wiring control
hub from Eaton ( circle no.
29) and an impressive
tower of components for
the myriad electronics
that help run the house,
among other gear.
band of south-facing clerestory
windows above the dual vanity
delivers daylight to mitigate
lighting energy demand (albeit
from efficient LEDs), while the
tub and shower operate entirely
from electronic touchpads from
Kohler ( circle no. 26), featuring
programmable light scenes and
music (right).
84 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
PRODUCT
SPOTLIGHT
SOLAR
SCREENS
There are times of the
year (or day) when the
north-facing lanai needs
a break from the heat
and humidity. Motorized
rolldown solar screens,
fitted into each bay of
the lanai and in front of
the gallery windows,
block up to 41 percent
of the daylight and UV
light and fully enclose
the insulated lanai to
maintain its comfort level
as a usable living space.
Whats really cool is
that, from the inside, the
screens enable nearly 60
percent visibility through
the mesh to maintain
the view of the pool.
Specs: Manufacturer:
Phantom Screens ; Models:
Executive series Twitchell
SuperScreen 17/17
and E-Screen 7510 Mesh.
Circle no. 32.
Front row (seated; l-r): Phil Kean,
president, Phil Kean Designs, Winter
Park, Fla.; Brad Grosberg, vice
president, Phil Kean Designs. Back
row (l-r): Marc Krebs, site manager,
Phil Kean Designs; Rob Turner,
president, CRT Studio, Winter Park;
Jeff Bankert, executive producer,
NAHB Digital, Washington, D.C.;
Mark Pursell, senior vice president,
Exhibitions, Marketing & Sales,
NAHB, Washington; Tucker Bernard,
director, NAHB Leading Suppliers
Council and The New American
Home, Washington; Bill Nolan, TNAH
2012 task force vice chairman; Alex
Hannigan, construction manager,
Phil Kean Designs; not pictured:
Chuck Edwards, TNAH 2012 task
force chairman.
To learn more
about this home,
go to www.
buildersshow.
com, and click on
The New American
Home 2012 link on
the home page.
Poolside Dining While
motorized solar screens can
be drawn down to preserve
the comfort of the lanai and
the gallery during extreme
conditions, the deckplanks
formed from a heat- and
water-resistant rice husk
composite by RESYSTA
(circle no. 30)remains cool
enough for an outdoor eating
experience served by the
summer kitchen (see page
81). Propane-fired heating
towers from Napoleon (circle
no. 31) also provide light to
create an attractive ambience
in the evening hours.
TNAH 2012 Project Team
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 85 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
The New American
Home 2012
Sponsors and
Contributors
LEADING SUPPLIERS COUNCIL
Products supplied by members
of the Leading Suppliers Council
of NAHB are selected by the
project team to reflect the latest in
technology and style.
American Gas Association
(natural gas services/support)
Broan-NuTone (ventilation, central
vacuum, ironing center)
BSH Home Appliances (built-in
coffee maker)
Closet Factory (custom closets)
CMHC International
Napoleon (patio heaters,
fireplace)
Nordic Engineered Wood
(structural engineered lumber)
DuPont Building Innovations
(solid surfaces)
Eaton Corp. (load centers and
circuit breakers, high-voltage and
structured wiring, A/C disconnects,
standby generator, spa panel, surge
protection, energy management
system, electric vehicle charging
station)
Environmental Stoneworks
(stone veneer and installation)
GAF Corp. (TPO roofing)
HPBA
R.H. Peterson Co. (outdoor
kitchen)
Icynene (spray-foam insulation)
InSinkErator (waste disposers, hot
water dispensers, water chiller)
JELD-WEN (interior doors)
Kohler (plumbing fixtures)
Lennox (solar-powered and
conventional HVAC equipment)
Lubrizol Corp. (CPVC plumbing
system, fire sprinkler piping)
Lutron Electronics (lighting
controls)
Mohawk Industries (flooring)
Daltile (natural stone and
porcelain tile)
Overhead Door Corp. (garage
doors and openers)
Pactiv (rainscreen/air barrier,
window and door flashing, synthetic
roofing felt)
Phantom Screens (pest/solar
screens)
PrintComm (printed material)
Progress Lighting (interior and
exterior lighting)
Rinnai (tankless water heater)
Schneider Electric/Renewable
Energies Business (solar PV
inverter)
Sherwin-Williams Co. (interior and
exterior paint)
Simpson Strong-Tie (metal
framing connectors)
Timberlake Cabinetry (cabinets,
built-ins)
Tyco Fire Suppression & Building
Products (fire suppression system)
Whirlpool (appliances)
Gladiator GarageWorks
(garage storage system)
Jenn-Air (kitchen appliances)
Maytag (laundry equipment)
LOCAL CONTRIBUTORS
The New American Home would
not be possible without the support
and hard work of local suppliers,
installers, and consultants.
Acme Glass
Aggressive Appliances
A&L Craftsmen
All Star Concrete & Masonry
American Door & Millwork/
American Builders Supply
Architectural Elegance
Atlona Technologies
Bluworld
Brads Painting Plus
Capri Cork
CEDIA
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
Clare Controls
Collis Roofing
DEDON
The New American Home 2012 is open for free guided tours during
exhibit hours of the International Builders Show, with free round-
trip shuttle service from the Westwood Entrance of the West
Concourse of the convention center. Parking is severely limited so
driving is discouraged.
Digital Projection
Doors in Motion
Draper
Dynamic Epoxy Coatings
East-West Pavers
EcoSmart Fire
Elevator Solutions
Elk Products
Emtek Products
Energy Technology Services
Fiberstars
Firefly Design Group
FireRock Fireplace
Florida Association of Native
Nurseries
Florida Home Carpet
Florida Native Plant Society
ForeverLawn
Four Seasons Gas
Garner Window & Door Sales
Garys Quality Mirrors & Glass
General Motors
Girem Tile Work
Gunite Works
Gutter King
Hanson Hardscapes
Harmar
Hart & Cooley
Heat Transfer Products
Holloway Plumbing Co.
iPort
Keller Outdoor
Kleen Sweep
Krown Lab
Logix Insulated Concrete Forms
Maschmeyer Concrete/
Block/Steel
Massey Services
MC Construction Resource
Group
Milestone AV Technologies
Millenia Bath
Mobotix AG
Orange County Environmental
Orlando Pools By Design
Pentair Pool Products
Premier Roofing
R.K. Edwards
Regency Fireplace Products
Residential Building Supply
Residential Renovations
RESYSTA North America
Robin Wade Furniture
Schluter Systems
Signature Art Glass
Simplex/Grinnell
Sonance
South Central Pool Products
Southern Window Design
Speakercraft
SportsArt Fitness
Stark Construction
Stewart Filmscreen
Stone Crazy
StrucSure Risk Management
Group
SurgeX
Tecno-Glass Corp.
TECO Peoples Gas
Thomas Lumber
Triad Speakers
Trinity Tile Group
United Solar
Universal Engineering Services
Universal Limited Art Editions
Walk on Wood
WatersEdge
WinDoor Inc
Ziegler Air Conditioning Sales
& Service
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Environmental StoneWorks is the ONLY
national manufacturer and installer of stone
veneer so you have one point of responsibility
from start to nish for all your projects.
For this reason, Environmental StoneWorks
was selected as the stone veneer provider of
choice to complete the aesthetic vision of
Te NAHB 2012 New American Home.
Environmental StoneWorks collaborated
with the projects architects and designers to
create a stone veneerunique in both shape
and colorthat simply did not exist in the
market before this project.
Osceola Prairie Stone was created and
manufactured in Atlanta, GA, one of
Environmental StoneWorks ve national
manufacturing facilities and installed by its
own local, highly trained, and skilled craftsmen
whose installation techniques ensure complete
satisfaction and maintain a safe job site. No
matter how beautiful the stone may be, if its
not installed right, it wont look right. Not
only did Environmental StoneWorks exceed
the architects manufacturing and installation
expectations, but architectural plans were
redesigned to include additional internal and
external walls to showcase the beautiful stone.
Simply The Best Choice
For Any Project
Environmental StoneWorks continued
investment in technology, safety programs,
equipment, and people makes it the best
choice for any project. With bonding
capabilities up to $4 million and over 30
years of industry-leading experience,
Environmental StoneWorks is a reliable
partner for any general contractor, builder
or architect. In addition, all products are
ICC-ES certied and conform to the latest
AC-51 specications.
Environmental StoneWorks products are
regionally designed and manufactured, which
reduces cycle times and delivers excellent
customer service and support from start to
nish. Regional coverage also helps builders
to earn valuable LEED credits.
Environmental StoneWorks delivers more
value to its builder/architect customers
and actively supports the industry through
its involvement in MVMA, NAHB, AIA,
Built Green and many other local industry
associations.
Be sure to visit Booth W3014 at the
2012 NAHB International Builders Show
February 811 and see for yourself the
exciting new products that are helping
builders and architects alike realize their
vision from start to nish.
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For more information visit www.estoneworks.com
or call 1-800-891-5402.
Circle no. 151 or http://builder.hotims.com
ADVERTISEMENT
A key aesthetic feature to The 2012 New American Home is the
exterior stone facade. Manufactured specifically for this project, the
stone provides a very modern feel even though its design was inspired
by stone used in the classic architecture of the 60s and 70s.
The same Osceola Prairie Stone was used on the built-in
BBQ and kitchenette as well as the surrounding 6' perimeter
wall, which acts as the perfect canvas to highlight the
texture of the plants and foliage.
The exterior stone was expanded into the gallery/dining area. The
stones color variations and texture provide a wonderful backdrop
for the artwork.
90 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
ECONOMIC FORECAST
STILL WAITING
FOR THE V:
FORECASTERS
PUSH
HOUSINGS
RECOVERY TO
2013
BY JOHN
CAULFIELD
S
ince 2008, handicapping the
housing industrys recovery has
been mostly wishful thinking.
Predictions about the markets
rebound were dutifully made,
results came nowhere near expectations, and
then projections got nudged forward 12
months in an article of faith that housings
battery would eventually recharge.
As a new year begins, hardly anyone be-
lieves that housingwhose portion of the
GDP is less than half of what it has been his-
toricallycan carry Americas economy on
its shoulders. But the predictive pattern lives
on, as several forecasters now see 2013 as the
magic year when starts and sales nally real-
ize substantive growth (see charts, page 93).
There was cause for optimism that condi-
tions were improving a few months ago, as
builder confidence rose in November on
news of upward bumps in starts, sales, and
residential permits the previous month. The
latest data also showed the countrys unsold
and shadow housing inventory receding.
WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
But the market has made teasing gestures
toward recovery several times before, only to
disappoint again. And seeing brighter days in
2013 requires some mental gymnastics when:
Home sales in 2011 were expected to plum-
met to record lows;
One-quarter of 25- to 34-year-oldsthe core
of the rst-time buyer cohortis living with
parents, 15 percent cant nd work, and many
are drowning in college loan debt, which at
$859 billion in November exceeded Americas
total credit-card debt; and
The nations unemployment rate is likely
to hover above 8 percent two more years.
The housing market will get a little better
next year [2012] and a lot better in 2013, but
thats not saying much, says IHS Global In-
sights U.S. economist Patrick Newport, be-
cause 2011 [had] some of the worst numbers
weve ever seen. Robert Curran, Fitch Rat-
ings lead home building analyst, notes that
many of the soothsayers who are hopeful
about 2013 predicted the same thing for 2009,
2010, and 2011. Im a big believer in pent-up
demand and that people who want to buy
homes eventually will. But economists are
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 91
Unemployment Rate (%)
PMI Group Macroeconomic Advisors Federal Reserve
(reports forecasts as a range) National Association for Business Economics
Fitch Ratings Wells Fargo Securities
10%
9.5%
9%
8.5%
8%
7.5%
7%
2011 2012 2013
Gross Domestic Product (% change)
Metrostudy Freddie Mac Federal Reserve (reports forecasts as a range)
National Association for Business Economics Wells Fargo Securities
Fannie Mae
4%
3.5%
3%
2.5%
2%
1.5%
1%
2011 2012 2013
92 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
looking for a V-shaped recovery when a jaw-
toothed recovery with some modest improve-
ment is more likely.
Nevertheless, some forecasters can envi-
sion GDP growth thats just strong enough to
stimulate job creation to where consumers
get back into the home buying arena, and
builders start building again in less-anemic
numbers. A gravy boat, with its gradual undu-
lation and narrow spout, is the vessel that
symbolizes these analysts projections.
SIGNS OF LIFE
Many factors could derail whatever fragile
recovery path the U.S. economy is on right
now: Europes financial turmoil, Chinas
manufacturing slowdown, ongoing conict
in the Middle East, political gridlock in
Washington, D.C. Analysts and economists
acknowledge these uncertainties, as well as
their own past forecasting ubs. But many
still believe improvement in housings for-
tunes is in sight because:
Selling conditions are
normalizing.
In late 2011, existing-home prices were still
falling, and 70 percent of homes sold last year
were in the afordable to median-price range,
estimates NAHB Chief Economist David
Crowe. But there have been signs that prices
in general are leveling of. Were righting
the wrongs of the past, and house valuations
have mostly been resolved, asserts Mark
Zandi, Moodys Analytics chief economist.
What remains unclear is the extent fore-
closures will continue to disrupt supply and
demand, or how a rising clamor for rental
housing will impact prices. Instead of [new-
home] construction being a leading force
driving economic recovery, this time it will
likely be the caboose, says Jonathan Dien-
hart, director of published research for Han-
ley Wood Market Intelligence .
Yet, overall inventory is shrinking. Were
seeing significant recycling of distressed
property, states Doug Duncan, Fannie Maes
chief economist. Unsold inventory in Central
Florida, for example, is down to eight
months supply, from 33 at the recessions
nadir, says Gregg Logan, managing director
for Robert Charles Lesser & Co. (RCLCO) .
Logan notes that in Naples, Fla.the
worst market of under 1 million people for
foreclosuresLennars Heritage Bay commu-
nity sold 200-plus homes in 2011. When prices
are stable, buyers lean toward new homes, say
industry watchers, which can be a bonanza
for builders in markets where new product is
scarce. The Census Bureaus annualized esti-
mate for new unsold completed homes nation-
wide stood at 162,000 in October, a record low.
In California, only 21,500 single-family homes
were built in 2011 (versus 24,500 multifamily
apartments), according to the states Con-
struction Industry Research Board .
This supply shortage is widening the
price gap between new and old homes. At
some point, the disparity will become too
hard for builders to resist, predicts Richard
deKaser, deputy chief economist for Boston-
based The Parthenon Group , and co-author of
the National Association for Business Eco-
nomics (NABE) annual economic outlook .
VLADIMIR: ONE CAN BIDE ONES TIME.
ESTRAGON: ONE KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT.
VLADIMIR: NO FURTHER NEED TO WORRY.
ESTRAGON: SIMPLY WAIT.
VLADIMIR: WERE USED TO IT.
Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
Indeed, Robert Dietz, NAHBs assistant vice
president of forecasting and analysis, calcu-
lates that new-home construction will reach
42 percent of normal activity by the fourth
quarter of 2012, and 61 percent by the fourth
quarter of 2013.
Household formation is getting
back on track.
During the recession, Americas population
grew at an annual rate of around 8 percent.
But household formation fell of a clif, to be-
tween 400,000 and 500,000 per year. Job and
income insecurity often lead people to con-
serve money by doubling up, observes Brad
Hunter, chief economist for the market re-
search rm Metrostudy . But household for-
mation is bouncing back; Hunter predicts it
will increase by nearly 7 percent to 800,000
in 2012, and to 1.1 million in 2013.
Newport and Duncan insist that demo-
graphic forces will inevitably pull housing
out of its funk. And Crowe believes demand
for housing could average 1.5 million per year
over the next decade. Starts need to ramp
up, says Duncan.
Federal policy will favor
homeownership.
The consensus is that the Federal Reserve
will, in deKasers words, keep the pedal to
the floor, and sustain its accommodative
monetary policies for at least two years. Joel
Prakken, cofounder of Macroeconomic Ad-
visers , expects the Fed to hold the prime
lending rate at zero percent through at least
2013. Normally, this would be good news for
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 93 WWW. BUI LDERONLI NE. COM
the housing industry. But Zandi isnt seeing
much evidence of a thaw in banks lending to
builders or home buyers. And where, asks
Duncan, will the urgency to purchase a
house come from if interest rates stay low
and home prices keep falling?
The job market will improve.
More than one-quarter of employed adults
recently surveyed by Fannie Mae feared los-
ing their jobs in the next six months. That
uncertainty, though, masks the fact that the
U.S. has been adding jobsalbeit at an erratic
and mediocre pacefor more than a year.
Analysts hang their starts and sales projec-
tions on expectations that the economy will
strengthen enough to consistently generate
at least 150,000 new jobs per month. Their
arguments were buttressed by a drop in the
unemployment rate to a two-and-a-halfyear
low of 8.6 percent in November, driven by
private-sector hiring. By [2012], we should
see the strongest expansion of job growth in
years, asserts David Berson, chief economist
for PMI, a private mortgage insurer.
Once more people start returning to work,
consumers are going to feel more secure, and
their condence will go up, says Frank Noth-
aft, Freddie Macs chief economist.
MANY CAVEATS
While this recuperative scenario is enticing,
not everyone buys into it yet. As Builder
prepared this article, California-based John
Burns Real Estate Consulting lobbed a bomb
into the party with its forecast that home-
ownership would fall to 62.1 percent of all
households by 2015, and not get above 67 per-
cent for another decade.
A month earlier, Jay Brinkmann, chief
economist for the Mortgage Bankers Associa-
tion , wrote that the odds of a more robust
housing market accelerating the economys
overall growth are very low, and that the
nation would endure another year of frus-
tratingly slow economic growth and stub-
bornly high unemployment.
Even the optimistic Zandi says all bets
are of for housings recovery if GDP growth
stays below 2 percent. At our current
[growth] rate, dont expect banks to be exu-
berant about lending to real estate, warns
Richard Wobbekind, associate dean at the
University of Colorados Leeds School of
Business and co-author of NABEs outlook.
Wobbekind and other industry watchers
foresee an uneven housing recovery. Colora-
do is forecasting 15 percent growth in home
starts for 2012, he says. But the housing mar-
ket in Floridawith its 10.3 percent unem-
ployment rate and still-signicant overhang
of unsold homescould take longer to sort
itself out. Were one of the poster children
for what went wrong, laments Sean Snaith,
director of Central Florida Universitys Insti-
tute for Economic Competitiveness .
Logan of RCLCO cautions that the nations
housing sector wont truly be xed until some
real things get resolved, such as what the sec-
ondary mortgage market is going to look like
(Duncan and Nothaft dont think there will be
any decisions about Fannie and Freddie until
after the next presidential election); and
whether the country is actually moving away
from being an ownership society.
If were adding one or two million house-
holds per year, and theres increasing pent-up
demand and immigration growth, where
will those people live? asks Logan. His fel-
low prognosticators, no doubt, are trying to
gure that out, too. B
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Sales (in thousands of units)
New Existing
PMI Group
11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 13
Fitch Ratings Mortgage Bankers
Association
Moodys Analytics Fannie Mae
Housing Starts (in thousands of units)
Single-family Multifamily
(As of Nov. 30, 2011)
1,500
1,200
900
600
300
0
Moodys
Analytics
11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13
IHSGlobal
Insight
NAHB FannieMae
HanleyWood
Market
Intelligence
FitchRatings
13 11 12 13
Stop by the NAHB Education booth in the West Concourse,
Lobby Level at the NAHB International Builders Show .
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Plumbing xtures
Cabinets and built-ins
Appliances
Windows
SUPPORTING
HVAC and
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Solid surfaces
Flooring
Entry doors and trim
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Hearth & Home
Technologies
Fireplaces
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Insulation and roof
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Paints and stains
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Water heaters
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Circle no. 272 or http://builder.hotims.com
Design and Construction /// Edited by Rich Binsacca /// www.builderonline.com/buildsmart
How-To . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 118
How-To . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Redline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Callback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
S
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:
S
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o
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Illustration by Pete Sucheski
Continuous Load Path
You dont have to live in a
high-wind or seismic-
prone area to benefit from
a continuous load path.
Properly applying a variety
of metal framing
connectors from roof to
foundation enhances the
quality, durability, and
energy efficiency of your
homes and the safety of
your buyers.
1 Truss to Top Plate MTS12
metal straps are specifically
designed to connect the trail
of a roof rafter or plated truss
to the top plate to mitigate
truss uplift.
2 At Openings Properly
fastened, CS20 metal straps
tie the header to the cripple
stud and wrap the first king
stud to the top plate to bolster
a window or door opening
against lateral and shear
forces.
3 Mudsill SP4 stud-to-bottom
plate straps are rated for up
to 110-mph wind speeds with
10d nails. Threaded hold-
downs can be spaced 4 feet,
6 inches along the mudsill,
more than a foot wider than
standard anchor bolts.
1
2
3
JANUARY 2012 BUI LDER 117
118 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012
For more construction technology
articles, go to www.builderonline.
com/construction.
4. Notch the Planks
Cut 2-inch-square, -inch-deep notches into
the underside of the first deck plank (offset
from the deck joists) to provide a secondary
and incidental drainage avenue. Set the first
plank(s) inches away from the house to
allow drainage and ventilation. To avoid
moisture wicking and an extra bit of drainage
and ventilation, fasten the exterior cladding
-inch up from the top of the deck planks.
3. Install the Ledger Board
Through-bolt a one-piece ledger board so
that its bottom edge rests on the lower
Z-channel and its upper edge meets the
underside of the drip edge. Make sure the
bolt heads will not intrude into the bottom
edge of the drip edge. Bend the upper drip
edge to at least a 90-degree angle, and tape
the end-slits of the housewrap flap, allowing
the length of the flap to rest unsecured over
the drip edge.
2. Add the Edges
Fasten a continuous galvanized Z-channel
under and along the entire length of the lower
flap of housewrap. If you have to piece the
channel, overlap the two sections at least 8
inches and caulk the joints. Use flashing tape
to cover and seal the vertical end slips. Fasten
a continuous 6-inch-wide, L- or Z-shaped
galvanized metal drip edge 3 inches under
and along the entire length of the upper flap
(overlap and caulk joints, if necessary).
1. On the Side
Install housewrap and/or another air-
moisture barrier (and perhaps a layer of self-
adhering bituthene behind it) to create a first
line of defense against water intrusion. Snap
a chalk line to mark the top and bottom edges
of the deck ledger board. Slit the housewrap
along those lines and up a few inches at each
end to create narrow flaps that will overlap
the drip edges.
T
heres a reason so few builders and
deck contractors properly flash
deck ledger boards: Its a pain. Not
only do home buyers rarely in-
quire about or inspect such a spec,
but by the time any latent defects from water
and moisture penetration crop up (if they
ever do), the builders warranty has long
since expired.
If thats your rationale, then good luck.
But if you want to build to a higher standard,
one that not only protects you from the cost
of callbacks but also delivers a quality-built
and durable house, then it might be worth a
little extra time and training to get this de-
tail right.
The goal is to divert runof over the top of
the ledger board instead of allowing water
to get behind it. Like all ashing details, it
requires a layered approach designed to
shed water away from the homes structural
elements. rich binsacca
HOW-TO
Deck Ledger
Flashing
Keeping water away is the key to
a well-built deck.
Illustrations by Harry Whitver
Inside. Outside.
All Around the House.
More than moulding. More than plywood.
Discover the world of ARAUCO value-added
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Circle no. 254 or http://builder.hotims.com
120 BUI LDER JANUARY 2012 Illustrations by Harry Whitver
4. Salvage
The lingering recession is boosting
teardowns, but theres gold in them thar
homesif you spend the time to
deconstruct them for salvage or recyclable
material. Experts in the field recycle up to 80
percent of an older homes wares, from brick
to windows to plumbing fixturesand may
earn a tax credit and/or a few extra bucks for
their efforts while all but eliminating
dumpster rentals and tipping fees.
3. On-Site Recycling
In more remote recycling markets, consider
C&D processing on site. Small-scale grinders
for wood, drywall, and cardboard (the third-
largest waste contributor) are a larger
investment in a jobsite recycling effort, but
might well pay for themselves by eliminating
hauling and dump fees. A wood chipper can
also create landscape mulchand perhaps
create a side business serving other builders
to further offset the investment.
2. Source-Separate
In sophisticated C&D recycling markets,
builders who separate recyclable materials
rather than commingling make it easier and
less expensive for recycling centers to
process the waste. The key is to match the
size and number of containers to the waste
being collected, and to each phase of work, to
make it simple for crews and subs to support.
Putting multiple and mobile containers where
the waste is being generated also is efficient.
For more construction technology
articles, go to www.builderonline.
com/construction.
HOW-TO
Waste
Management
Reducing C&D waste can also
lower your construction costs.
1. Reduce
The best way to manage C&D waste is not to
create it. To that end, its critical to know
what materials make up the bulk of the
waste. By weight and volume, wood and
drywall alone account for more than 60
percent of all jobsite waste. Practices and
products, including advanced framing and
engineered components and detailed
framing and panel layouts on 2-foot modules,
can reduce miscuts and unnecessary scrap.
R
esidential construction and de-
molition (C&D) waste comes to
nearly 60 million tons annually
in the U.S., more than 10 percent
of the total domestic waste
stream. Upstream, about 40 percent of the
raw materials consumed in the U.S. are used
in construction. One result: Increased tip-
ping fees at a landll near you.
Builders looking to save some money
and perhaps even generate some revenue
have committed to waste management
practices that address how much material
comes on the jobsite (and in what form), how
it is used, and whats done with the scrap.
And its not just for those going for green
building certification, where a baseline
waste management plan is required and a
little extra efort can earn additional points.
Even if a waste management plan isnt pre-
scribed, its still easy to implement and de-
livers tangible benets, says John Peavey of
the NAHB Research Center in Upper Marl-
boro, Md. rich binsacca
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Circle no. 226 or http://builder.hotims.com