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If you’re looking to do a home renovation or build a new house altogether, the planning process is one of the most exciting, and stressful, parts of the project. With many of us spending more time at home than ever before, now’s the time to dream big. To help get you started, here are five tips for your next big home project, whether it’s a new pool, basement makeover, safe room addition, or even constructing a new house from scratch. Factor in your lifestyle Think about your priorities and lifestyle — do you work remotely without a proper home office? Do you enjoy cooking and entertaining? Is your backyard living up to its potential as an extension of your home? Asking these kinds of questions can help you determine the most beneficial focus for your next project. Educate yourself A home makeover is a big investment, and any decisions you make will hopefully last for years to come. So take some time to learn about materials, processes, and new innovations you can incorporate in your designs. You can make smarter purchasing decisions by finding out the answers to key questions, such as: How long will it last? Is this material resistant to [...]

Five years after Hurricane Michael struck in October 2018, the storm’s aftermath goes far beyond the $25 billion worth of damage it caused. This catastrophic event had a far-reaching impact, touching every aspect of life for those affected. Let’s look at the storm’s effects and how it provided lessons on how to build better to protect homes and families from future natural disasters.Impacts of Hurricane MichaelWith windspeeds up to 160 mph and a storm surge of 9 to 14 feet, Hurricane Michael left infrastructure in its wake in varied conditions. Homeowners had to deal with flood damage, mold, fixing or replacing roofs, fallen trees, and partially or entirely collapsed structures, forcing complete home rebuilds. In the resulting months, many reported that insurance didn’t cover the full scope of the necessary repairs.According to a survey conducted by the Wharton Risk Center and Resilience Action Fund, homeowners affected by Hurricane Michael shared significant additional costs beyond just property damage. They also cited ongoing financial impacts from debris clean up, generators, fuel, evacuation, temporary housing, medical expenses, legal fees and lost income. For example, if one’s workplace was unusable, they couldn’t get paid, putting them further behind in an already difficult situation. Rehousing elderly or sick [...]

Are you considering upgrading to an ICF foundation after you have completed your building plans? The good news is that changing conventional plans to a Logix ICF foundation is a straightforward task – you just have to consider all the nuances of an ICF wall in the shift. Our guide below will help you do just that: you’ll learn what key factors you must consider at both the design and construction stages, and how to get your change approved quickly by the building department. 5 Design Phase Considerations Pay particular attention to the 5 factors below, and your conventional-to-Logix ICF basement pivot should go down without a hitch. 1.   Footings You shouldn’t have to change much with the footing design unless your footings are stepped. In case you do have stepped footings, you have two options for creating a smooth interface between them and the ICF basement wall: Use 2 courses of the Logix V12 blocks on the steps, as such footings are typically 24 inches high. Opt for regular, 16-inch Logix Pro blocks, but change the stepped footing heights to 16 inches. Logix ICF Footings 2.   Foundation Walls Thickness You’ll need to plan for thicker foundation walls if you’re pivoting your basement design to ICF. It may sound like [...]