FAQ: Building in the Winter Months
Jan 11, 2019

FAQ: Building in the Winter Months

January, as many know it in the Midwest, is the quintessential peak of winter – the ground is frozen, the days are short, and the temperatures are less than desirable making it seem, naturally, that new home construction would stop. Years ago, many builders would pause construction until spring if the roof was not on the home prior to the first snow fall; however, utilizing new building technologies, products, and efficient construction methods, we can continue construction on any home no matter the temperature. 

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The ground is frozen, doesn’t that mean you can’t excavate?

Not at all!  Prior to the proper excavation of the homesite itself, an excavator must first go through a process called frost ripping which is exactly what it sounds like – ripping the frost out of the ground. This is done by attaching a ripping hook to the excavator or back hoe (see below) to penetrate through the frozen ground until they reach the unfrozen ground. Once the frost is ripped, the frosted soil is then removed from the job site and, if needed, it is replaced with clean sand to avoid excessive settling during the build. 

How can the concrete set in below freezing temps?

Winter Build Blog Images-1-2The key to building in the winter is to properly heat and ventilate the entire home including its exterior. To do this, we use various methods such as frost blankets, tenting, and properly ventilated heating generators to ensure the concrete can properly set and all building materials are protected from the elements. Creative Homes follows all necessary precautions and best practices to ensure each home is built using high quality building materials and experienced crews with proper building equipment.



What about landscaping?

All final grading of a homesite is done in the spring when the ground melts. Should you close in the winter, rest assured, all landscaping will be taken care of in the spring. 


Is it more expensive to build in the winter because of all the extra heating?

No - At Creative Homes, we believe our homeowners should be able to build the home of their dreams within their budget no matter the temperature.

Although winter does present its own set of challenges, it does not stop us from building in the winter. To us, rain is to mud as snow is to frost - a mere obstacle that can easily be overcome through the use of skilled tradesmen, and high quality product. Regardless of when your home is built, any weather will always be a risk factor in the timeline of your build, but by and large weather will not compromise the integrity of your home.

Hear From Our Homeowners

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Great experience from start to finish! Derek and Jeff were awesome to work with and provided great communication, customer service and were passionate about building a high quality home we would be proud to own in the end. Third home built from the ground up and by far the best experience we had! Would recommend Creative Homes to others searching for a home builder who cares about their clients.
Lehman Family
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We had an exceptional experience with Creative Homes and would recommend them to anyone. Not only did we get a well-built home, but the customer service exceeded our expectations. From our first meeting, to well-after we closed on our new home, the Creative Homes team made us feel like we were family. We already know we want Creative Homes to build our next home (in many, many years)!

Sarah & Andy
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Our family recently purchased a move in ready home from Creative Homes and we absolutely love it. The design and quality of the home was done with great attention to detail. The staff, in all phases of our purchase, was amazingly accommodating and professional. I would recommend Creative to anyone who is looking to move into a new house or build a new house!

Aaron & Venessa
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Me and my wife had the best experience with Creative Homes! They were very professional in their services. Our Creative Home sales rep, was outstanding!!!! He showed great customer service and went above and beyond his job to help our transition go smoothly. We definitely recommend Creative Homes for your next new home!

Kelley & Vanessa
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