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Week 18: A good place to invest in energy savings is the lighting package in a home. Most lighting manufacturers now offer fairly good selections of residential fluorescent fixtures for both interior and exterior applications. Cabinets in affordable homes are typically very plain, but for little additional cost, they can be made to look custom. Back to top |  Trades Finish Work (Part II) |
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 Trades Finish Work (Part I) | Week 17: HVAC installation, plumbing, and electrical work are highlighted this week. Back to top |
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Week 16: We wanted to see what minor changes we could make in either material selection or installation procedures to significantly increase the durability of the hard surface flooring without adding substantial costs. Back to top |  Hard Floors Installation |
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 Exterior Painting | Week 15: Painting is a very important part of a fiber-cement siding system. It can either make or break the overall appearance and performance of the job. Back to top |
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Week 14: We selected a tongue-and-groove, wood/plastic composite decking material for the first two MADE houses. This material costs about 60 to 70 percent more than radius edge 5/4" x 6" CCA pressure-treated decking. Despite its higher cost, we chose the composite decking because it requires no sealing and has few exposed fasteners. Back to top |  Exterior Decking |
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 Siding Installation | Week 13: We chose to use fiber-cement siding for the first two MADE houses for both the look and warranty. However, we wanted to see if there was a way to enhance its durability. We looked at the three major components of a fiber-cement siding system: siding/trim; caulk; and paint. The caulking was identified as the weakest link. Typically, the caulk fails, causing the paint to fail, then the siding. So we set out to develop a system that does not need caulk. Back to top |
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Week 12: Nothing special or fancy for this part of the MADE construction - just good, solid details Back to top |  Drywall, Trim, and Paint |
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 Roofing | Week 11: Two of the four MADE Homes will have metal roofs. However, on the first two, we installed a 40-year fiberglass shingle. Special attention was given to details to increase the durability of the roof assembly. Back to top |
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Week 10: Insulation choices are similar to the HVAC equipment choices in the sense that a balance must be reached between efficiency gains and initial costs. As with the HVAC equipment, the insulation choices for the MADE homes conform to an Energy Star Builder Option Package. Back to top |  Insulation Installation |
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 Electrical and Budget-Wise Structured Wiring and Security | Week 9: With computers now an integral part of everyday life, and security a vital concern for homeowners, we would be remiss not to include a structured wiring and security package in the MADE Homes. Nothing too new or innovative was used for the electrical rough-ins. Back to top |
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Week 8: The HVAC systems for the MADE Homes were designed to maximize the amount of ductwork located within conditioned space. Fire sprinkler systems are required, which adds substantial costs and requires separate permits and approvals. Incorporating stacked bathrooms in the design of the home saves labor and material by reducing the amount of piping and drilling. Reduced piping also means less potential for leaks! Back to top |  Rough-Ins: HVAC, Electrical, Fire Protection, Plumbing |
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 Installation of Weather Barrier, Flashing, Windows, Doors | Week 7: In terms of a home's durability, the exterior cladding is perhaps the most important factor. As with many facets of construction, what the consumer can't see in the final product are often the most critical elements. Back to top |
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Week 6: After backfilling was complete and the framers were working on the second story walls, there was time to get the precast stemwalls for the garages installed. Then the garages, porch roofs, and returns were framed. Back to top |  Installation of the Garage Stemwalls |
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 Framing the Walls and Roof | Week 5: Traditional stick-framed wood construction was chosen for the walls of the MADE Homes. This choice is so traditional, it's actually innovative! Stick framing the roofs allows for maximum area on the second story, both for living area and storage. Back to top |
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Week 4: With poured concrete walls, after pouring the slab, the next step is usually backfilling. With precast foundation walls, however, the first floor framing must be completed prior to backfilling as it provides essential bracing. With dry weather forecasted, we opted to first frame the first floors for both units so that backfilling could take place as quickly as possible. Back to top |  Let's Get Framing! |
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 Pouring the Slab | Week 3: After the precast foundation walls were set and a chemical termite treatment was completed, preparing the slab could not have been easier. The gravel was already in place and within an inch of grade. A crew of four completed the installation of the poly vapor barrier, wire mesh, and thickened areas for both units in about five hours. Back to top |
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Week 2: Installation of the Superior Walls for Lot 64 took place on Monday; Lot 63 was done on Tuesday. The installation crew was comprised of five workers, including the crane operator. Each installation took about three hours total. Although, the basement will not be finished initially, a bathroom rough-in will provide future owners with a cost-effective bathroom addition. Back to top |  Setting Superior Walls |
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 Construction Begins!! | Week 1: Construction on the MADE Demonstration Homes finally began Monday with the excavation of the basement for the Aspen unit on Lot 64 of the National Research Home Park. Lot 63 was excavated Tuesday. Back to top |
