Bob Vila meets with Jim Costello from Superior Walls of America to discuss the difference between precast panels delivered to the site and a traditional poured concrete foundation. The precast panel is made of an outside shell wall of high strength concrete combined with rebar reinforced concrete pillars. The ten-inch thick pillars give a look similar to a traditional stud wall with Styrofoam insulation. Pressure treated furring strips attached to the pillars make drywall or paneling easy to attach. The panels have an R factor, the measure of a materials resistance to the passage of heat, of 5 (concrete block has an R factor of about 2). Polyurethane caulk with special concrete adhesives is added between each panel to insure a tight seal. The panels are attached to each other and the base with pre-installed saddle bolts. A typical home�s installation takes about five hours and without having to wait for the foundation to set or dry, contractors can begin framing immediately. The walls are guaranteed for 15 years compared to poured concrete walls, which generally have a warranty of one year.

Bob talks with Jim Niehoff of the Portland Cement Association about building homes using concrete. For builders, constructing homes with concrete can save a lot of time and give homeowners a very energy-efficient home. Building a home with this combination of concrete and foam can save homeowners about 30-40 percent on heating and cooling costs. Building with concrete is particularly desirable in disaster-prone areas, because it provides stronger protection against hurricanes and tornados. Bob talks with the homeowner, Howard Brickman, about the experience of building the addition with concrete. The process has been very efficient. The crew has only been on the site for seven work days and has accomplished a great deal in that short amount of time. The construction process has eliminated the need for any exterior wall framing or insulation. The shell of the addition is already complete except for the rafters on the roof. The finished addition will look like a traditional shingled home and will be indistinguishable from the original section of the house. The radiant heating system put into the addition was downsized because of the energy savings involved with concrete construction. It is estimated the concrete addition will cost 30 percent as much to heat as the rest of the house.

Bob is joined on the site of the Punta Gorda, Florida, storm-ready home by Jim Crain of Precise Forms. Precise Forms partners with Mercedes Builders to create high-quality, reinforced concrete homes throughout Florida. Precise Forms began in 1967 by supplying cast-in-place forms for subterranean foundations and basements. In 2000 they began to set forms for full wall, cast-in-place houses for Mercedes Homes. Once the forms are set, Bob walks through the layout with Jesse Gonzalez of Mercedes Homes. Gonzalez points to window placements that are encapsulated behind the aluminum forms as they walk past view windows in the family area, past the three bedrooms, bath, laundry, and two-car garage of this four-bedroom home with master suite. Mark Newton of Solid Wall Systems joins Bob as the pour begins. He explains that they are using a 2,000 pound psi, small aggregate concrete mix for the entire pour. We watch as the concrete is pumped into the forms, which are braced at the top by two-by-fours that hold the tops of the forms square to prevent movement as the forms receive the static pressure of the concrete. Newton explains that they will vibrate around all door and window openings before allowing the concrete to set. This will help eliminate voids, honeycombing, or any blowout due to bad adhesion or conformity of the concrete.

Bob talks with homeowner Howard Brickman about drying out of the new addition. Concrete can pose problems for the wood-floor installation business. Brickman's consulting business created a device that measures the relative humidity of the interior of the concrete and predicts what will happen after the concrete is covered with a floor covering. The whole exterior structure of the addition, except for the roof, is made of concrete. It's critical that the concrete that makes up the floor is dried before the wood floor is installed. This is especially true in Southern climates where there is a high amount of humidity.

… After! TripleSafe TripleSafe with SaniDry A wet basement is a common problem in all types of basements - from concrete to stone to block foundations - and we've fixed thousands of each type. Learn what causes your basement water problems and…

…rim joists, basements, pipe insulation and much more with Foam it Green. The spray foam creates a barrier that blocks outside air, moisture, pests and rodents from coming in. Foam It Green 602 The Foam it Green 602 kit pictured here provides 602…

…with inside and outside layers in the fewest…
…Learn about more concrete building systems…
…says Thompson. Concrete can incorporate…
…other benefits all concrete forms provide: Greatly diminished outside noise Resistance…

…homes. Approximately 100,000 concrete homes are built with ICF's…
… All-In-One Insulated Concrete Walls ICF construction originated…
…insulation on both the inside and outside of exterior concrete walls. It began to surge in…

…value or create a safety issue. We ll take you through a few concrete repair projects to help guide your approach. This concrete repair effort was inadequate. Proper concrete repair will result in a lasting solution. Photo courtesy of Karen…

…first appeared in homes in the 1970s, concrete countertops have continued to add value…
…natural composition. According to Concrete Network, a resource for Inlays add a personal touch and make concrete countertops unique to the owner. Photo…