Concrete Homes
Once relegated to driveways, sidewalks and basements, today concrete is experiencing new growth and popularity as a better way to build a better home.With limitless design plans ranging from Victorian to ultra-modern, concrete can be used to build quiet and comfortable homes of timeless beauty that are built to last, have a higher fire rating, and will remain a low maintenance, energy efficient solid investment.
Long favored in states like Florida, Nevada and California for their strength, durability and insulating properties, concrete homes are gaining popularity in the Northeast Tennessee/Southwest Virginia region.
Lakeside Ready Mix has provided concrete construction training to some of the premier contractors in the region, and in two years, nearly two dozen concrete homes have been built locally.
During the construction process, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) are put in place to form the home's exterior walls and are then pumped full of concrete. Two inches of Styrofoam that surround the forms stays in place, forming a layer of efficient insulation that is ready to accept any exterior and interior finish. Flooring systems utilizing concrete are also available, creating a quiet and energy efficient home.
Concrete construction streamlines the framing process by eliminating the need to lay cinder block or schedule a masonry crew. Concrete construction also eliminates the need for wood studs and rolls of insulation. Forming can generally be completed within two to three days, and can utilize nearly 100 tons of concrete in the process.
Construction costs for a concrete home can be up to 10% more in the beginning, but that initial cost is soon absorbed during the first two years of the home's life through energy and maintenance savings.
Suggested links:
www.cement.org/homes
www.nudura.com
