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Concrete Houses for the Coast
Hurricane Katrina taught a valuable lesson: the only houses likely to survive the ravages of a major hurricane are made of concrete. Dave Pfanmiller, a custom-home builder in Gulfport, Miss., uses Wall Ties aluminum concrete forms to build these homes on the Gulf Coast. Pfanmiller and his friend Curt Fields of Raleigh, N.C., developed a method that draws on the techniques of residential builders as well as those in commercial concrete construction to build multilevel custom homes. Ted Cushman explains how it's done.
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First Time Out With ICFs
Foam forms can save time and money while providing a superior finished product. The key, an ICF newcomer reports, is providing strong connections and plenty of bracing.
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Seismic Retrofit For Cripple Walls
A good job addresses the building's weakest link - where the foundation attaches to the first floor.
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