Starkville
Builders
662-769-0090
mike@builtthebest.com
At Starkville Builders we specialize in new home construction utilizing the ICF building method. This method of building provides:
Superior Strength - ICF homes have been tested to withstand winds in excess of 200 miles per hour.
Superior Efficiency - ICF homes cost 40-70% less to heat and cool versus conventional construction, depending upon climate.
Superior Sound Insulation - Outside noise is practically nonexistent in an ICF home.
Superior Stability - ICF walls will not separate from the foundation in shifting soil environments.
A Cleaner Living Environment - Because of lower air infiltration rates, ICF homes allow far less dust, pollen and other air-borne contaminants to enter the home, which creates a cleaner, healthier environment in which to live.
Wondering What ICF Homes Are?
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) are forms or molds that have built-in insulation for
accepting reinforced concrete that are used to build superior concrete
structures, including homes. ICF
construction benefits from the structural integrity and raw strength of
concrete, poured inside thick extruded polystyrene forms to provide safer,
better sound insulated, and more economically heated and cooled homes. These homes are high quality, affordably
maintained homes built with proven superior technology. Once you have built, or
lived in, an ICF home, you will undoubtedly never go back to the flimsiness of
a stick framed house. The difference in
quality is similar to the difference between the Hoover Dam and a dam built by
a beaver.
The first patent application for an ICF
was registered in the late 60s, but only in the last decade have many
homeowners, builders and architects come to realize the superiority of the ICF
home. It is estimated that by the year
2015, 15-25% of all new homes built will be built utilizing ICF building
methods. While the rumor of the
extremely high price of ICF construction still persists, the fact is that ICF
homes are more than affordable – the energy savings alone make the ICF home
more affordable than conventional methods, not to mention the peace of mind you
will have living in a home that has been proven to withstand winds in excess of
200 mph.
The ICF building process is actually
fairly simple. Once the home site has
been prepared, we begin construction with a relatively normal, slab on grade,
monolithic foundation. The only
difference in our slab is that there is rebar extending 2-4 feet out of the top
of the slab approximately every four feet around the outer perimeter of the
slab. We then build the exterior walls
of the structure by placing ICF forms around the edge of the slab. The rebar extending from the slab goes inside
the ICF forms and ties the slab to the exterior walls, providing a unified structure. Once the forms are in place, rebar is placed
vertically every four feet in the forms and tied to the rebar extending from
the slab. Rebar is also placed
horizontally in the forms continuously around the structure at four foot height
intervals. The form walls are then
braced appropriately and concrete is pumped into the forms. Once the concrete sets, the exterior walls of
the house are basically complete – no need for any plywood decking or house
wrap vapor barrier or insulation. Your
exterior veneer, be it wood, brick, vinyl or stucco, attaches directly to the
exterior of the ICF forms. Sheetrock is
secured directly to the interior surface of the ICF forms and the remaining
interior walls are framed with 2X4 lumber or metal studs as with conventional
construction. Our
Image Gallery contains cross section diagrams
that show how the walls attach to the slab and roof as well as actual
photographs of an ICF home while under construction in the
We
are proud to be an ENERGY STAR Partner/Builder, offering new homes that have
earned the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are
substantially more energy efficient than homes built to the minimum code
requirements. Our ENERGY STAR new homes are independently verified by a
third party Home Energy Rater to ensure that they meet or exceed ENERGY STAR
efficiency guidelines. Learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified homes at
http://www.energystar.gov.