AMA - Building Product Information

Today is another AMA episode (Ask Me Anything). Paul from Northern Florida asks.

I would like to first thank you for your work on your show. Your broad range of subjects and guest has made this a daily must listen to program for me. So thank you again.

I would like to ask your thoughts on product research for new residential construction projects. While I am not a developer nor do I want to become one I am in the process of selling my business and I want to do a couple of projects. I would like to build a couple of new homes for my children and myself.

Over the years I have seen various products and systems used on shows such as This Old House and such. But when you would go to the local retail building supply retailers (Home Depot/Lowes) they would not have any knowledge of the systems. I have come to figure out sometime it is a regional product only. I live in Florida where temperatures are regularly 35c or 95*s and the humidity is very high. We have our own regional issues (hurricane wind speed requirements, mold issues, termites and such) and I know I am going to study building codes and practices to build something correctly. I have tried to gather information at non-retail building supply businesses as well as national construction trade shows but have been met with “you are not a licensed contractor” and we only deal with them. I have tried reaching out to the local regional builders association but they just refer you to a member that just wants to build the house and tend to lean on what is best and I assume profitable for their business. I can find basic stuff like ICF vs poured concrete, zip wrap vs traditional, various forms of insulating and thing like that but I want to dig further and see which is the most beneficial or how a new product may be a better fit. Since I am doing this for myself I don’t want to base things on cost alone or what is the cheap and easy way of doing things.

I will work with a licensed architect for the actual design and engineering aspects but I would like to do research and educate myself reasonably before I just randomly ask them for ideas. However, since I am not in the trade I am not sure where to find new product information or ideas that may be beneficial to my projects other than just searching on the internet for new building ideas. I would appreciate your thoughts and opinion.

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Host: Victor Menasce

email: podcast@victorjm.com