Long before ground was broken for a custom luxury modern farmhouse in Ladue, Missouri, R.E.A. Homes founder Jeff Bogard was thinking about the home’s shell and the part it would play in the home’s overall health, efficiency, and comfort.
“A home’s efficiency battle is lost or won when building the shell,” said Jeff. “A properly designed and built shell seals the home to minimize outside elements such as temperature fluctuations and water.”
While standard building codes specify new homes provide minimal protection against water, Jeff’s Building Beyond the Code philosophy goes beyond those standards to maximize protection at each home’s water entry point—roof, windows, walls, and foundation. “We are always looking at ways water can get into a home,” said Jeff. “It’s a perpetual a challenge and we constantly look for ways to minimize that risk.”
One of the most important water barriers of a home’s shell is the roof. Like a big umbrella, a roof shields much of the house from water—if it’s well constructed. The key lies in quality materials. Like a cheap umbrella that turns inside out the first time a gust of wind hits it, a roof is not something to cut corners on. For the modern farmhouse, Jeff’s clients chose a sand-coated metal roof that’s durable and long lasting.
As best building practices and materials evolve, Jeff and his team embrace them. For the modern farmhouse, other materials selected for their exterior barrier protection include:
LP® SmartSide® Trim and Siding
Offering the warmth and beauty of traditional wood with the durability of treated engineered wood, these high-performance trim and siding products complement almost any building style. Each features an innovative four-component SmartGuard® manufacturing process for strength against harsh weather and resistance to fungal decay and termites, thus enhancing a home’s comfort and luxury.
House Wrap and Rainscreen
Even the best siding can’t keep all of the water out all of time, so R.E.A. uses upgraded products such as DuPont™ Tyvek® StuccoWrap®. Installed on the modern farmhouse, this engineered, grooved surface serves as a drainage plane behind the siding. In front of that, Jeff’s team of builders added another layer of insurance known in the industry as a rainscreen. Together, these two products protect against water damage and can help improve comfort and energy efficiency by:
- Providing vapor permeability to promote drying in wall systems and minimizes the chance for rot and mold
- Offering air resistance to prevent drafts and flow of moisture-laden air through wall cavities
- Maintaining a constant drainage rate even after repeated wetting and drying cycles
Like a favorite raincoat, the shell of a home should incorporate these and other best building practices to provide an extra layer of protection from water and moisture. Doing so will help ensure the home’s comfort and luxury for years to come.
Through nationally recognized best building practices, modern design, and smart technology, R.E.A. Homes builds High Performance Luxury Homes℠. As a result, R.E.A. luxury homes are more comfortable, healthier, energy efficient, secure, and luxurious—often at little to no additional cost for the homeowner. Contact Jeff today to get the conversation started on how he can help you build the custom luxury home of your dreams.
