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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Lapanta Family
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We absolutely loved our new home from the first time we saw it, and have felt the same ever since moving in! From start to finish the entire process working with Creative Homes was smooth sailing. We couldn't be happier with our house or our home buying experience!

Matt & Shannon
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Our home turned out beautiful. I could go on and on but I will just add that I am extremely happy we chose Creative Homes as our builder and would definitely recommend them to anyone considering building a home!

Ann & Jim
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I cannot express how happy we are with the overall experience we have had with Creative Homes. Everyday my husband and I say “we love our house”. Everything from the flooring to the fixtures turned out better than we could have imagined. From the beginning to the end Creative was there for us every step of the way! We are so grateful to Creative Homes for building our dream home!

Defore Family
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The house is great! We love the way it turned out and appreciate all the hard work Aaron and his team put forth to make it happen on time.
Mosiniak Family
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