When you’re considering buying a new home, the things you can’t see matter as much as the things you can. Because many builders construct their homes to the minimum standards required by local building codes, it’s important to consider the construction methods and standards used in the construction of the home. Superior construction practices mean that your new home is built to last, ensuring comfort and value for years to come.
Slab-on-Grade vs. Structural Floor
The way that a home’s basement, specifically the basement floor, is constructed makes a big difference. While not the most exciting aspect of your brand-new home, the basement floor provides the platform for your finished basement. Two common types of basement floors constructed here in Colorado are the standard slab-on-grade floor that most builders use, and the structural floor method that is used in all of Celebrity’s homes.
The typical slab-on-grade basement floor is simply concrete poured directly onto the soil that lies beneath the basement floor. This is the most cost-effective way to construct a basement floor. Unfortunately, this type of floor construction is also the most vulnerable to the heaving or settling of the soil beneath.
Celebrity Custom Homes utilizes a wood structural floor to avoid the heaving or settling common with slab-on-grade construction. The wood structural floor provides a superior platform for basement finishes and eliminates the need for floating walls which is a method employed by slab-on-grade builders to try to account for the common heaving and settling of slab-on-grade basement floors.
Let’s explore the wood structural floor, and why it’s better than slab-on-grade. The wood structural floor is supported by a steel I-beam system that is in turn anchored via steel posts to the foundation caissons beneath. The foundation caissons are drilled into bedrock which means that the I-beam and posts are attached to an extremely stable base. On top of the I-beam is the wood structural floor, the bottom of which is sprayed with an antimicrobial spray to reduce the possibility of mold. This diagram shows how the system works:
Taking things a step further, Celebrity Custom Homes uses a continuous cross-ventilation system that stretches beneath the entire structural floor. This system exchanges the air in the crawl space several times per day by drawing in fresh air from outside the home, circulating it across the crawl space, and then venting it back outside on the other side of the crawl space. This separate, conditioned space reduces relative humidity to deter dampness and moisture. This diagram explains how the cross-ventilation system works:
While the structural floor system used in every Celebrity Custom Home is more costly than the typical slab-on-grade basement floor offered by most builders, we know that it will provide a more stable platform for our finished basements that is less susceptible to heaving or settling. We know that these extra steps will provide a superior home to each of our customers. Doing it the right way is the only way, and Celebrity Custom Homes has embraced this idea for over 60 years.
Nestled along the rolling hills of Douglas County, Pradera is the area’s premier master-planned luxury community. Residents enjoy a year-round private golf course in an ideal climate. Find inspiration in spacious, stunning brand-new homes from award-winning builder Celebrity Custom Homes. Contact us today and begin your journey toward luxurious living.
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