New Slab Insulation Making Barrier-free Homes More Affordable
Filed in Home Building, Technology on October 7, 2015
A Michigan home builder is creating more options for buyers with tight budgets, and particularly for those who have mobility issues.
Until recently, most bargain-seekers in colder regions of the U.S. had only two options to consider when buying a home: a modular home that offers economy, but usually requires steps or a ramp; or a traditional home built over a basement or crawl space, which is often more expensive.
That short list of options grew recently when Sable Homes in Rockford, Mich., implemented a new method to build barrier-free homes on concrete slabs, despite the region’s colder temps. The technology – called Freedom Foundation – uses a specially shaped foam that works as a form and border to protect the slab from frost damage, even throughout a typically bitter-cold Michigan winter.
Barrier-free homes – ideal for the elderly or physically disabled – are often hard to find and costly to build. But Sable Homes owner John Bitely says building on a concrete slab that uses the Freedom Foundation technology can save up to $10,000 over the cost of building a similar-sized home with deep footings or a crawl space underneath. The savings can be as much as $15,000 when compared to a home with a basement.
“Technology-wise, it may seem kind of old school, but it’s got a different twist that makes is so much more consumer and builder friendly to use,” Bitely says. “The shape and design of the foam makes it much simpler to install and build with than if you followed the old method for residential building.”
So far, Freedom Foundation has been successfully used in more than 30 homes. Bitely says nearly all other homes in the region have basements, so the mindset of buying a home without a basement is just starting to catch on.
However, momentum seems to be building as word spreads about the potential cost savings.
“We’re selling these homes pretty much as fast as we can get them done,” Bitely says. “And it isn’t just older folks who are buying them. We’ve seen buyers of all types, including young people who are looking to buy their first home they find this price point to be extremely attractive.”