A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Concrete Facts Magazine Online
Feature
Solid Foundations, Inc., Bellevue, Ohio
We have jus completed our tenth year in business, and this one put us to the test,” said Daniel and Valerie Gore of Solid Foundations, Inc. located in Bellevue, Ohio. They were referring to a job on a home in Sandusky, Ohio, which but required 500 yards of concrete and 25 tons of steel. “This […]
Modern Poured Walls, Lagrange, Ohio
Modern Poured Walls Construction Services of Lagrange, Ohio, had an interesting project last summer for Bennett-Dover Home Remodelers of Lorain, Ohio. The Zeller residence in Lorain, which is designed with numerous angles, required wall heights, two widths, 425 feet of brick ledge, and 57 corners. The job took three estimates, five major print revisions, and […]
Custom Concrete Company, Westfield, Indiana
Custom Concrete Company of Westfield, Indiana, submitted to our basement competition a residential project from their are that included on very unusual detail–this home has a basketball court under the garage! Built on a gentle slope down to a lake, the walls for the basketball court are 16 inches thick and 22 feet tall. There […]
Bontrager Concrete Specialists, Nappanee, Indiana
Bontrager Concrete Specialities Inc. of Nappanee, Indiana, considered their most challenging project for 2000 to be the residence of the Sheperd family in Bristol, IN. This home is set on a wooded but fairly level lot, but it contains many angles and some special features, such as a theatre in the basement level. Kevin Bontrager […]
Loucks Concrete Specialists, La Porte, Indiana
While not the largest job of the year, a residential job at the exclusive Aberdeen Subdivision in Valparaiso, Indiana, was definitely one of the most challenging of the year for Loucks Concrete Specialists of La Porte, IN. This 4,500 square foot home is carved into the side of a hill, the walls varying from three […]
Formco Foundations, West Jordan, Utah
On a mountainous lot in The Colony residential development in Park City, Utah, lies the foundation that Formco Foundations considers its “basement from hell” for 2000. Kirby Justesen, president of Formco, which is located in West Jordan, UT, gave us the statistics on this job: 698 yards for the foundation walls, 408 yards for the […]
Magazine Issues
The Importance of Exhibitors
In case you haven’t noticed, the 2007 CFA Summer Convention, scheduled for August 8th through the 11th, is fast approaching. If you haven’t made your room reservations yet, it is time to do so. We have reserved the entire resort at Stoweflake but they have a limited number of rooms. For those of you bringing […]
Concrete Homes: The Word on the Street
In each issue of Concrete Facts you have been reading about some amazing developments in above-grade concrete housing. These articles have featured companies, they have featured solutions, they have talked about the market penetration and the future. There continues to be tremendous interest in concrete homes and what they hold for business opportunities. However, in spite of the efforts of the Concrete Homes Council, form manufacturers, and contractors in the […]
Passing of a founding father…
Herald L.R. “Jake” Smith, age 76, of Wellington, OH died Saturday, February 3, 2007 at Life Hospice Center of St. Joseph’s in Lorain, OH after a long (hard fought) illness. Mr. Smith was born April 7, 1930 to the late, Herman & Ollie (Handley) Smith. Herald grew up in Wellington where he remained the rest […]
When it comes to your education, WHAT IS CFA PROVIDING?
CFA provides a forum… One of the essential ingredients of CFA is the forum that it provides for contractors to exchange ideas and information both through meetings and newsletter articles. With a membership in excess of 300, members throughout the United States and Canada turn to each other for advice and professional assistance. CFA provides meetings… […]
THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION
Mechanization and technology have vastly improved the concrete foundation industry from the inception of the CFA only thirty years ago. Boom trucks, concrete pumps, and conveyors have reduced much of the back-breaking work accompanied with the construction of concrete foundations. Technology in the form of CAD and robotic layout instruments have greatly improved productivity and […]
Why We Focus on Education
We have all heard the old adage; “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Unfortunately most of us have not only heard that expression but we have experienced it first hand far too often. With the theme of this issue of Concrete Facts being education, it only seemed appropriate to share with you a few […]
Contractor Certification
A year ago in this article I discussed the merits, advantages, and shortfalls of a CFA-sponsored contractor certification program. The bottom line is that certification is coming whether we like it or not. Several government and code organizations require that contractors, or individuals within the company, are certified to perform their specialty. More will do […]
CertainTeed Corporation Now Offering V-Buck(R) Vinyl Blocking System
(Valley Forge, Pennsylvania) – To offer our foundations customers an increasingly broader range of products, CertainTeed Corporation now offers the V-Buck(R) vinyl blocking system, a product manufactured by Vinyl Technologies Inc., (VTI) that helps building professionals simplify the process of creating window cut-outs in poured concrete basement walls. The V-Buck vinyl blocking system consists of […]
PCA Residential Director Honored in “Ten Most Infl uential People in the Concrete Industry” List
SKOKIE, Ill.–Concrete Construction magazine honored Michael H. Weber, PCA’s director of residential construction, as one of 2006’s “Ten Most Influential People in the Concrete Industry.” Weber was lauded for his efforts in marketing and promoting cement-based building systems and products for the residential construction industry. Instrumental in the creation of National Association of Home Builders’ […]
Dennis Purinton — Contractor of the Year
The Concrete Foundation Association (CFA) recently presented its 2007 Contractor of the Year Award to Dennis Purinton. Purinton, founder of Purinton Builders, Inc. in East Granby, Conn. has been a member of CFA for nearly a decade. He was selected for this award for his enthusiasm and commitment to advancing the concrete foundations industry and […]
WINNERS!
Whether custom or production – today’s homes are designed with many turns and offsets appearing more like an amalgamation of forms rather than the neat little boxes designed decades ago. Today’s consumers are demanding more than ever in their new home constructions, and housing plans have become increasingly more complex and detailed. The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) – a North American network dedicated to improving the residential […]
Foundation Contractor Certification
Can you believe that the World of Concrete has come and gone again? What an outstanding event this year’s proved to be. Attendance was higher than expected (labeled a record actually) and the quality of exhibitors certainly did not disappoint me. The same held true for the CFA as we hosted our Annual Meeting at the […]
