Castle Homes works with LP Building Solutions to create Nashville's first Southern Living Showcase Home

SUMMARY

Castle Homes has been creating custom homes and home renovations in Middle Tennessee for more than 15 years with a focus on architectural integrity, professional project management, attentive client service and adherence to budgets and timelines, according to chief manager Alan Looney.

Castle recently completed Nashville’s only 2011 Southern Living Showcase Home, a $1.25 million French country home with designs inspired by_Southern Living_ magazine.

OBJECTIVES

Each year, Southern Living selects members of the Southern Living Custom Home Builders program based on their reputation among local businesses and homebuyers. According to executive director of the Southern Living Homes Group Kristen Payne, Castle Homes was selected for their strength of presence in their market, superior quality, attention to detail and innovative style.

In order to create a home of this caliber, Looney said Castle Homes needed products that would allow them to design the home with durability and predictable performance in mind. Castle Homes needed products that would help them create an open, flowing floor plan as well as materials that would contribute to the efficiency of the home. Castle partnered with LP Building Products.

IMPLEMENTATION

"We're a big believer in using an engineered floor system," said Brett Wright, project manager for Castle Homes. "All of the pieces of LP's floor system worked together to allow us to create an open floor plan that we know has the structural strength for our needs. The spans and predictable performance of the SolidStart products helped us create a floor plan that meets the desires of today's clients."

The components of the LP® Floor System — LP® TopNotch® Sub-Flooring and LP® SolidStart® I-Joists, Rim Board, and LSL — are engineered to work together to help build straight and stable floors that resist twisting and shrinking and are backed by a Lifetime Limited Warranty. (See full warranty details at LPCorp.com)The combination of these engineered wood products results in a systematic floor system that can help reduce callbacks and save time on the jobsite.

"We've been using engineered wood floor systems for over 10 years. It's the best value for the customer in terms of value and longevity," Looney said.

"With LP's engineered wood products, there's in-house engineering support included in the purchase, making building with these products a fluid process." LP® SolutionsTM Software is a CAD-based design program offered to LP SolidStart Engineered Wood Products customers. The program includes a variety of tools to help with the creation of engineered wood designs and accurate materials lists.

Castle Homes also included LP® TechShield® Radiant Barrier Sheathing in this project. "TechShield is a key part of the overall efficiency system and performance of the house. It keeps the attic cooler and reduces the load on the HVAC units," Wright said. Because LP TechShield Radiant Barrier blocks 97 percent of radiant heat in the roof panels from entering the attic, it can reduce attic temperatures by up to 30 degrees, which can lower cooling costs by as much as 17 percent.

The Southern Living Showcase Home also featured LP® OSB Sheathing and LP® SmartSide® Trim. Wright said the trim holds paint well, adding to the beauty of the home.

OUTCOME

Presented by Castle Homes and LP Building Products, the Southern Living Showcase Home was completed and open to the public in October 2011.

"Today's homes are more complex with trying to achieve a balance of cost, design, livability, aesthetics and flow," Looney said. "LP gives you the structural support that works in this balance."