So, the preconstruction process is complete. The homeowner signed off on the design for their custom home, the engineers stamped the plans, and the government issued the permit. Now, the office briefs the field and turns the project over, construction can begin.
Crafting the Foundation
Everything starts with the foundation. Here in Florida, especially in Brevard County where we primarily build, most foundation systems are monolithic slabs on grade. In other words, the concrete contractor forms the slab in one pour, and it sits directly on top of dirt. To pour the slab, we have to first accomplish a few tasks. Immediately after receiving our permit, surveyors pin the corners of the house and set an “FFE,” or finished floor elevation. The FFE, dictated by the plans, is the elevation of the very top surface of the slab.
Constructing the Walls with a Home Builder Brevard County
Afterwards, the grading crew arrives and prepares the lot, scraping off organic material and building up the grade to create a pad of dirt. Before leaving, they’ll compact the pad to prevent settling in the future. An engineer visits the site to test the compaction, they provide our office with a report, and we submit it for review.
Framing and Roofing Process
Once the appropriate building department approves the compaction report, let’s say it’s Melbourne in this case, our concrete contractor can begin building the form boards, digging out the footers, and placing rebar. The form boards are critical as they outline the perimeter of the slab, so they’re reviewed by a surveyor for accuracy, and then submitted to Melbourne for approval. Melbourne is simply checking to see if the survey matches the plans we submitted for our permit.
Achieving Dry-In Milestone
The project is now ready for the plumber’s ground rough, which involves installing all the plumbing that runs through the slab. The electricians stop by to connect their Ufer ground to rebar in the footer, and install any floor receptacles. If you opt to have floor receptacles installed in your custom plan, we’ll need to confirm their locations.
Interior Progress: Building the Inside
When the footers are filled and the trades are finished with their ground roughs, the pest control contractor sprays the entirety of the pad for termites. Our concrete contractor returns to cover the pad in plastic sheeting. The plastic accomplishes a few things, but is especially helpful in Florida to prevent washouts from heavy rainstorms.
Ensuring Structural Integrity with a Home Builder Brevard County
After a few more inspections with Melbourne, we’re ready to pour concrete. While the pours typically last for an hour or two, leveling and finishing the slab requires the better part of a day. Once completed, we let the slabs sit for four days before loading any material, just to prevent any cracking. During this time, we’ll occasionally water the slab to assist the curing process.
Finishing Touches: Completing the Construction
Concrete blocks, sand, and mortar mix then arrive on site in preparation for the block masons. Concrete block is the standard for most houses in this part of Florida. Block is sturdier than a wood-framed home, and is the safer bet for coastal areas with higher wind zones, like on the barrier island in Satellite Beach. At DiPrima, every single story home is constructed with concrete blocks. Our block masons follow the material delivery, and begin their work. Although it depends on the crew, it takes approximately three to five days to complete the exterior block walls on an average sized house, like those in Laguna Village or Casa Bella.
Certifying the Build with a Home Builder Brevard County
Now, the framing carpenter marks the locations of the trusses on the upper-most course of the block. This determines where the concrete contractor is to place the hurricane straps, which are strips of metal locked into the block that prevent uplift of the roof in a strong wind. The concrete pump truck returns once more to pour concrete inside of the block walls, covering vertical pieces of rebar and filling lintels, forming a cage-like structure of solid concrete within the walls of the house.
Welcoming The Homeowners
By now, both the trusses and the lumber package should be delivered and waiting on site for the framing crew. The carpenters first build the load-bearing walls before flying and setting the trusses with a crane. With a crew of four, the carpenters can set and secure the trusses to the block in just several hours. Then, they can begin to deck the roof. DiPrima, being a custom builder with a greater focus on quality than quantity, uses ⅝” plywood standard, often regarded as an upgrade over our competitor’s ½” plywood or oriented strand board. Finishing the roof takes several days, and the crew is subjected to the elements. After the final sheet of plywood is fastened in place, the carpenters move on to the inside of the house. The crew will lay out the floor plan, nail foam board to the block walls, build the interior partitions, add reinforcement to the trusses, and buck around the windows once they’re installed. During this time, the trim carpenter will often spend a day setting the exterior doors, and the roofers will apply the underlayment material to the decking, achieving “dry-in,” essentially a complete envelope.
Dry-in is a major construction milestone as it’s critical to achieve before starting the more delicate work on the inside of the house. Afterall, it would be impossible to hang drywall in the rain.