uilding tructure

     hrough-out this website you will see an amplitude of overwhelming levels of quality finishes and impressive artistic design styles.  Perhaps this high level of intricate detail is not for everyone, as some prefer a less sophisticated home with fewer fine finishes.  And that is good, as we don’t build homes that are for anyone.  Our clientele are a niche few who expect the finer things in life and expect best quality practices to achieve same.

     s such, the custom home builder cannot simply rely on their merits of cosmetic design, but must be able to bring an expert level of construction, which most times is not so prevalent for the client as the obviously visible cosmetic parts are, due to the hidden nature of “what’s behind the walls”. But the building structure and its construction is definitely something that the client should be concerned with.  The particular knowledge of construction that we are referring to and is in itself a specific discipline, is known as Building Science.

     uilding Science is sometimes referred to as “building physics” or “building dynamics”.  Building Science involves the study of building materials, components, details and methods of construction.  It involves a closer look at the dynamic interaction of variables such as the impact of temperature, air, water and moisture and the occupants of the building and the environment in which they are located.

     vast majority of builders, while building a good quality building structure product, rely on their varying degrees of training or on-site building experience – a “We’ve been building’em this way for the past 25 years – haven’t had a complaint yet!” attitude.

     hilst the 25 year figure will impress the client, the mere fact that the builder has indeed been building their homes the same way for 25 years suggests that they are not current with the latest building technologies or practices.  Many studies have presented improved methods of construction practices which both improve the inside air quality and life comfort zones for the occupant, as well as offering structural confidence for generations to come. 

     e’re not speaking of houses falling over.  We’re referring to the structural integrity of a building structure which will minimize differential settlement; foundation or upper walls cracking due to compression, tension and shear failures; lateral instability.

    ou expect the highest of quality finishes, impressive artistic design styles and a high level of intricate detail.  Is purchasing a good quality building structure product acceptable?  Perhaps.  But at Ambassador Fine Custom Homes we build with best construction practices which result in a best quality building structure product.

    ou think we’re exaggerating? Before choosing your next custom home builder, visit a current project under construction.  You need not be educated in construction methods to observe this little test.  Upon the foundation walls being poured, how long do they wait for the concrete to cure before they commence construction? Most start construction within a couple of days.  It takes some 28 days for concrete to cure.  Whilst it is impractical and unnecessary to wait that long to start construction, we wait for 2 weeks to pass by, prior to applying load factors onto the foundation walls.  They say they can’t afford to lose that kind of time; we say, we can’t afford not to - it is the foundation of the building. We also build with over sized footings and thicker foundation walls; water proofing them with blue skin (an industrial grade product) as compared to water damping the foundation walls). 

   ave they back filled the foundation prior to constructing the main floor system?  The soil can exert incredible lateral pressures on the foundation walls.  It’s more expensive and cumbersome to build the main floor structure without the backfill, but it is the proper way.  They’ll argue that we are wrong and these steps are unnecessary.  Interesting though that this correct method is taught in today’s construction courses in Colleges across the country.  Can all the physicists be wrong, but these builders who have been doing it this way for the past 25 years be right?  It’s your home.  You decide.

   e feel that a custom home builder cannot sit back and rest on their laurels.  Yes, we all like the sound of ‘built with Old World Craftsmanship’.  We ourselves use that expression.  The difference being, is that we do use Old World Craftsmen for interior finishes; detailed hand-made on-site plaster ceiling moulding finishes, carpentry, cabinetry, hardwood flooring; exterior masonry work (laying of stone, limestone on walls).  But not in reference to the Building Structure design and construction; the Building Science portion of the construction equation. 

*The Above are Samples of Buildings in Construction