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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHAT DO BUILDERS USE IN THEIR OWN HOMES? CONCRETE FORMS ARE THE ONLY WAY TO GO, SAY PENINSULA BUILDERS
Williamsburg/Newport News, VA ? ?If you want to feel safe and secure in your home and save big on energy, there?s only one way to go,? says Lloyd Stephens, Stephens Builder Inc., a local custom builder serving Newport News and Williamsburg. Stephens is a user and advocate of a growing trend on the Peninsula ? building with the Arxx Wallsystem, an Insulated Concrete Forming (ICF) system that offers strength, energy savings, speedy construction and a variety of ?invisible? advantages. The Arxx forms provide insulative value and contain many construction layers in one product. They are reinforced with steel bars, and then filled with concrete for strength that is light years beyond stickbuilt construction.
Potential homebuyers can also feel confident in the system, since Stephens used it to build his own home. ?My firm has done several projects with Arxx in the past three years, but the most important one to me is my own two-story home,? he said. ?For the safety and security of my family, I wouldn?t build with anything else. He noted that as a builder, Arxx speeds the construction process and eliminates several steps. ?Skilled masons are hard to come by, so with Arxx I?m less dependent on tradespeople,? he said.
Brian Rowe of Rowe Building & Development agrees that for structural integrity, the Arxx Wallsystem far surpasses conventional cement block. Rowe builds custom homes all over in York County ? Williamsburg and the Peninsula, and was the first builder in the area to use the Arxx Wallsystem about seven years ago. ?Using the Arxx system is an excellent way to deal with the shrink/swell soils in the region. It basically provides an above-ground, steel-reinforced foundation on top of a conventional footing,? he said. ?It is the strongest system on the market today.? Rowe is about to start on an entire ICF house, but has built Arxx foundations in developments such as Fieldcrest, Governor?s Land and Fords Colony. Along with energy savings, his customers like the ULC/UL Fire Resistance Rating of 2 ? 4 hours. ?It?s very fire retardant, which homeowners feel secure about and it can often save you on your home owners insurance,? Rowe said.
The only visible difference in the Arxx Wallsystem can be seen when they are being stacked on the construction site ? these large polystyrene forms may look a little odd. But once completed, the homestyles and exteriors are classic. "With Arxx I had the design freedom to create a beautiful home perfect for our lifestyle," said Stephens. "You can easily apply any exterior finish or siding you want." His own ICF home has brick at the lower level and vinyl siding above. But what amazed Stephens after just a few months were the energy savings. "Our last home was conventional wood and was 1,600 sq. ft. Our new home with Arxx walls is 4,500 sq. ft. and the energy costs are about the same, maybe slightly higher in the summer," he said. "The thermal performance of the forms and the concrete act to stabilize temperatures, as we found when we returned from a 10-day vacation and the house was still comfortable."
Tim Cote of Classic Custom Homes has heard such a buzz about the ICF building method, he was compelled to research it. Cote has just completed an Arxx training program and just installed the wallsystem on a basement ? that of his own home. Though energy savings and ease of installation are important to Cote, he was also concerned with having a dry basement. ?The Arxx waterproofing system is impressive and superior to others on the market,? he said. He also believes that Arxx is a solution for homeowners who are concerned with the hurricane force winds that have been known to hit the Chesapeake Bay and coastline. ?If you can endure one Nor?easter with the Arxx walls, which can withstand winds up to 250 miles per hour, it has paid for itself instantly,? he said.
With all the natural disasters occurring recently across the nation, leaving homes damaged by fire or high winds, Stephens and his family feel safe. "We have a strong sense of security ? our home is virtually bullet-proof. Whatever goes on outside, we feel protected from it."
For more information about the wallsystem, visit www.arxxbuild.com.
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For more information about Arxx in upstate South Carolina and adjacent counties, visit www.maxxbilt.com. |
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