Find A Builder This page is always under construction. It contains links to local builders and subcontractors who we believe are knowledgeable with ICF's. There are a number of trades which are not listed below; this is because they are not significantly affected by ICF's vs. stick built; and we are not making recommendations for these trades. Only those trades who need to be familiar with ICF construction in order to do a good job and to accurately price the job are listed. The folks listen don't always reciprocate links with us, so there is nothing in it for R-Value; we list these only as a service to you and to bring up the quality of the industry. We would not list someone that we would not personally use. If you contact any of the people listed below, please tell them you heard about them from R-Value Concrete Structures LLC! The following categories are available: Architects, Builders, Electricians, Energy Raters, Building Consultants, HVAC, Insulaters, Lenders, Real estate agents I will be using the terms architect and designer interchangeably. An architect needs to be familiar with ICF's to understand their specific design requirements and benefits. Architects need to understand how to best utilize ICF framing, what can be done with beams, cantilevers, and wall thicknesses; to name just a few items. Also, for the truly energy-efficient and/or green home; a good designer is worth his or her weight in gold. This is especially true of LEED certified homes. A good designer will design your home to take advantage of passive solar, incorporate photovoltaic cells or wind turbines, solar hot water, etc,; as well as understanding how to improve a home's efficiency and reduce waste in the design. I have found certain architects to be extremely knowledgable with the latest products and how best to utilize them in energy efficient and green homes. When interviewing a designer, if they have no concept of passive solar; I recommend you keep looking. You are giving away free heating if you don't incorparate passive solar concepts! Many people skimp on this portion of the job, but I firmly believe a good architect will more than pay for himself in initial construction costs, not to mention the continual enjoyment and energy savings of a well-designed home. Be sure to also review the design/build companies listed under Builders.
I highly recommend Image Design, LLC for their excellent and clear prints. They include the details we are looking for, and save us the time of trying to figure out how something is supposed to be done. Image Design also works out the prints in an electronic format, so all parties can view them and suggest changes or ask questions before a final set is drawn up without wasteing large amounts of paper and time/postage. Eric Hughes of Image Design is very knowledgable and certainly this area's leader in green building and ICF design. He serves on the LEED for Homes committee and was instrumental in getting West Michigan's first Platinum rated LEED home it's extremely high rating and it's multiple awards! Eric can be reached at (616) 957-LEED (5333).
LS Design has been creating energy efficient home designs for discerning clients since 2003. LS Design is the firm that listens to their client, finding the not so obvious solution to the unlimited variables. They pay attention to the details and provide a common sense, field proven approach to assembling construction documents. This detail combined with a hands-on pursuit of industry knowledge provides an easy choice for clients when selecting a home designer. Call Greg @ (616) 490-3396 for an opportunity to discuss your needs. Trinity Architecture & Management Tad Latuszek of Trinity Architecture & Management is very knowlegable in green building and energy efficient design with ICF's. His prints are easy to understand, and he always has an eye open for good products. What I like is that he is not close-minded to "his" particular way of building. He does both residential and commercial work. Tad can be reached at (989) 448-4705, or tcl@tclarchitect.com.
Greenway has years of experience in design; and is now applying their knowledge of energy efficient construction to the use of the Hobbs ICF. Prospective clients should be aware that Greenway is also a supplier of a number of energy efficient products, and thus may be biased toward them; on the other hand, this may result in better pricing and a greater degree of familiarity with the products. Paul Kaiserlian can be reached at 888.450.GREEN. As important as the architect is, the builder is the one who makes it all come together. I have constantly been impressed with the level of skill, vision, and knowledge good builders have. The amount of people and contacts they have is staggering. A good builder knows a professional who does everything, and they themselves are experienced with it. Builders need to be familiar with ICF's to deliver the highest quality at the best cost. If a builder is unfamiliar, you can bet you will be paying him more so that he can learn on your house. Experienced guys know better ways to do things, that save them time and money. They don't charge extra for the fear of the unknown. Experienced builders know that in order to capatalize on the qualities of ICF's, you must pay extra attention to certain details, like sealing, sealing, and sealing. When R-Value first opened it's doors, I thought I would have to be the builder for our homes, since so many builders were resistant to ICF's. But after working with some of the following builders, it quickly became apparent that I would have been way out of my league. Don't think for a minute that any builder is as good as the next. These guys are the cream of the crop. And each one has his own niche or specialty. Coastline Building is an established and cutting edge home builder based out of Delton, MI. They operate in the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids markets. John Zito of Coastline is a member of the technical committee of Green Built Michigan, and has an excellent knowledge of green products and the (seemingly unique) desire to use new and better products as they come to the market. He is willing to adapt his processes, methods, and materials in order to do things better, and that is a rare characteristic among builders these days. We have worked together on an addition using ICF basement walls and SIP panels above grade, and plan to work together on future projects as well. John can be reached at (269) 623-6642.
Gontina Building and Design is based in Clawson, Mim and is known for their leadership in energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. They offer custom home construction as well as design and build services. The design and craftsmanship of their homes is superb, as we have witnessed with each ICF wall we have installed for them. I highly recommend Gontina Building & Design. You an reach them at (248) 246-8031 or info@gontinabuilding.com
Heartland is an experienced custom home builder in the Greater Grand Rapids area. They are very informed on the latest in green building products and techniques. We worked with them on one of the first LEED certified homes in Grand Rapids; which used ICF's to the roof and obtained Silver certification without trying too hard. Rich from Heartland serves on a Green Built Michigan committee, and is a member of the Greater Grand Rapids Home building Association; in addition to others. You can reach Rich at (616) 863-9313.
Hybrid Homes is a custom home builder from the Muskegon area, but builds throughout the entire state of Michigan. West Michigan's first ever LEED Platinum home we built with them. Hybrid homes doesn't take no for an answer and doesn't settle for second best. Adam from Hybrid is all about going all the way into green building, not just a few items on a checklist to "say" you are green; he even sends his correspondence in recycled envelopes! Adam is meticulous in searching out the truly green products from those that are "greenwashed". Hybrid Homes is a member of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, and Adam is active in employing wind and solar power in his homes. Adam only takes select projects he believes will push the green envelope. If you think yours has what it takes, call Adam at (231) 750-4647.
DBC works in the Greater Grand Rapids area. They offer any level of involvement you want, whether simply framing your new home, to a complete design and build. We have had the pleasure of working with them on several projects, including Doug's own home; featured at the top of every page on the R-Value website. These guys think of everything. Every last detail they work out beforehand, making suggestions to improve the home without a lot of cost, just attention to detail. Doug and his gang are very knowledgeable about building science and energy efficiency, and are Energy Star builders. They are also members of the Greater Grand Rapids Home and Building Association. They are fine craftsmen, and bring all the details of a project together to deliver you a top notch home. You can reach Doug at (616) 299-1516. In my experience it is difficult to find an electrician that will not overcharge due to the "new and unknown" factor. Another problem is that those that have worked on an ICF project used old and inefficient methods, and thus will do another ICF project, or they will overquote it. I hghly recommend finding electricians that have regularly worked on ICF structures.
B&L Electric is experienced in several different electrical installation methods for ICF construction. They are a full service electrical contractor and work in the West Michigan area. You can reach them by calling 231.773.8800 An energy rater is a critical member of a building project that seeks to be energy efficient. Energy raters can not only provide accurate information on how much energy savings you will experience, their experienced advice is worth their weight in gold! Energy raters will look at your plan and suggest ways in which you can significantly improve the efficiency of the home. Many of these ways are quite simple, and just a matter of taking care while constructing the home. Hiring an energy rater is also a necessary step to obtain a "green" or "energy-efficient" mortgage (EEM) and also to apply for the energy tax credit.
Mike Holcomb of The Home Inspector General is a leader in his industry. He was instrumental in the founding of the Green Built Michigan program. In addition Mike founded the Alliance for Environmental Sustainability, the provider of LEED for homes for Michigan and many other states. The Home Inspector General provides consulting and energy rating services. If you want your home to perform at the top, they are the company to call. You can reach Mike at (616) 878-7200 or mike@homeinspectorgeneral.com. A good designer is an excellent resource as a consultant, and so too with a good builder. An energy rater is also an integral part of the team when designing a home. But for those who would like another viewpoint or who are building the home themselves in leiu of hiring a designer and builder; I cannot stress enough the importance of an outside viewpoint. This is where a consultant comes in.
West Michigan's LEEDing Sustainable/Green Residential Consulting Firm specializing in helping Builder, Developer, & Homeowner navigate through the LEED for Homes & Green Built Michigan certification processes or just helping re-green your existing homes. 616.957.5333 Home Inspection & Consulting Services, Inc. James Goddard of Home Inspection & Consulting Services, Inc. is a building analyst in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has noted that without exception, he can walk up to a home under construction and find a half dozen items that do not meet code; every time! He is also a home inspector and says: "Discover what they don't want you to know about the house you are buying (or building)! Plus-How to fix it! You can reach him at 260.485.0615 or mr.homeinspector@yahoo.com HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) I could list a number of HVAC contractors here who have worked on ICF homes. But the reason I don't have many listed is that many are not able to adapt to the greatly reduced energy needs of an ICF home, and very few try to do things better. Perhaps I am hard to impress, or perhaps there are really not many qualified professinals who are flexible enough to work with alternative energy and ICF construction. HVAC design and execution is extremely important to the ongoing performance of the home. A lot of weight is resting on proper design and installation.
I met Ryan from Indoor Climate solutions not too long ago, and we spent a great deal of time talking about systems for ICF and energy efficient homes. What impressed me was that he knew a lot more than me about efficient HVAC systems, and I have not found this to be the case very often. Ongoing training is very important to them, as well as keeping up with the latest HVAC equipment on the market. Some of the solutions we discussed for common concerns made me very anxious to build my own ICF home with HVAC and domestic hot water from Indoor Cimate Solutions. Whether you build with ICF's or not, if you are interested in energy efficiency; talk to Ryan. ryan@indoorclimatesolutions.net or 616.891.4328 You definitely don't want to use the cheapest insulator. A good insulator is not primarily interested in being the lowest cost, but in doing the best job. It is difficult to change your insulation later, so spend the money now on the good stuff. We recommend only spray foam, not even hybrid systems which still allow convective loops.
Bruce Gilman of Advanced Insulation works hard to bring up the industry. They are very knowledgeable and thorough, and truly interested in what is best long term. If you want a house that is cheap in the short term, you probably wouldn't be on this website; but if you want the best, contact Advanced Insulation at 616.241.6227
I consider a good lender one who is knowledgeable of Energy Efficient Mortgages. An EEM is the loan to use to finance your ICF home, as it recognizes the significant energy savings ICF homeowners realize, and thus can apply to the mortgage payment. While I do not have personal experience with lenders, here are some that I know have worked through the EEM process before.
Northpointe is a West Michigan bank active and knowledgeable in EEM's. Contact Jeff Brom at 866.343.6217 or jeffb@npbank.com
To effectively sell an ICF home for top dollar, a Realtor needs to understand energy efficiency. It doesn't mean we put new Energy Star windows in 3 years ago! That doesn't quite cut the mustard. A good realtor to sell an ICF home will understand the impact the home will make on the purchaser's monthly costs, the low maintenance of the home, the long life expectancy of the home, the health benefits, the safety benefits, as well as how to use the home to maximize energy efficiency. Anything less, and you are not getting a good price for your home if you are the seller; or you don't realize what you are getting if you are the seller!
Tammy has put forth a great deal of effort ot educate herself about green building and green homes. For anyone looking to purchase or sell a green home, call her and be prepared to answer the question: "What makes you (or your home) green?" You can contact her at energygal@live.com or by calling 616.784.2360 "Your numbers are spot on and your work is excellent!" Tad Latuzek, architect and construction manager. |
