We don't build them cheaper, we build them better

2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 - Shadden Custom Homes is the proud recipient of Whitesboro News-Record Reader's Choice "Favorite Home Builder."   NOBODY beats our quality.  Call us to see how you can have a quality home, too.

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We are ...

...the premier custom home builder in north Texas.
...specialists in implementing your dreams.
...Texoma's QUALITY home builder.™


 

 Quality construction in homebuilding is not limited to what the homeowner sees.  Quality starts below ground level and is built in continuously  throughout the project.  So what sets a Shadden Custom Home apart from anyone else?

 Soil Report

 We have a soil analysis performed on every homebuilding site.  There are significant variations of soil composition within the Texoma area.  Even within a 1 mile radius one can find variations of “potential vertical movement” of less than 2” to greater than 8”.  Even recent weather patterns (like a drought) impact the likelihood of soil movement.

 Foundation Engineering

 Don’t spend your money for a foundation plan with your architect.  It is unlikely that an architect will warrant their design against shifting.  Without a soils report they can’t know the potential vertical movement of the soil to know what must be done to protect the foundation.  The right way is to turn the soils analysis over to a registered engineer for design of a proper foundation.

 Framing

 There are a multitude of ‘little’ things that go into properly framing your home correctly.

 All framing that rests on the slab must be ‘Wolmanized.'  To use anything else invites structural pest problems.  Framing lumber should be straight, plumb, and square.  When an interior wall meets an exterior wall the corner must be insulated by the framer.  After the exterior is sheathed there is no way to properly insulate the corner.  If this is not done, you have over two square feet of uninsulated exterior wall.

 ‘TGI’ type trusses (the ones with a slotted 2x4 top and bottom with a piece of particle board edgewise between) are fine for decking over a garage for a storage area, but floor joists for upper floors should be engineered trusses.  They provide clear access for routing power, heating & cooling, plumbing, and other wiring without jeopardizing the strength of the joist.  Engineered trusses provide long term dimensional stability and make a far better platform for a ‘squeak-free’ floor.  All interior and exterior wall studs are on a minimum of 16" centers. 

 Sheathing (oriented strand board, commonly known as OSB) on the exterior of a house provides structural integrity.  Many builders will only provide this material only 4 feet from any corner, leaving the rest of the studs open.  Other builders may apply a fiber board to these open spaces – but the fiber board does nothing for structural integrity.  We at Shadden Custom Homes wrap all exterior walls with sheathing.

 Roof decking on our homes consists of metallic foil backed 7/16” OSB as standard.  This results in a typical 20 to 30 degree temperature difference in the attic over non-backed decking, saving you on energy costs.

Insulation

 Insulation of the home begins with 1/2” double foil foam board applied to the sheathing.  Every exterior wall, including garage, is filled with a minimum of R-13 batts.  If you choose to upgrade your exterior walls to 2x6’s, the insulation is increased to R-19.  Insulation is included in key interior walls (bathrooms and utility rooms) to reduce ambient noise levels.  All windows are double pane, low ‘E’ glass with either wood or vinyl frames.  Ceiling insulation in confined areas and garage will be R-19 batts.  Every open attic space will have 15” of blown insulation (equivalent value is R-38) over the living area.  Every wall top plate penetration is sealed as is every exterior wall penetration to stop air leaks.

For those desirous of greater energy savings we offer whole house spray foam insulation packages.

Plumbing

 Recent technological advancements resulted in significant improvements in plumbing methodology.    We now utilize PEX lines and MANABLOC® manifold systems for our plumbing.  The MANABLOC® system is like an electrical circuit breaker panel.  Every water faucet now has its own individual shutoff valves.  This technology reduces the total number of plumbing fittings within a home, assures faster hot water delivery, balances water pressure throughout the home, reduces water surges, and eliminates unnecessary pressurized water lines under your foundation.

Electrical

 Anti-Arc circuit breakers are now mandatory on all new construction.  We have already incorporated this technology in our homes.  Some builders save money by utilizing light weight 14 gauge wire and 15 amp circuit breakers.  In today's homes with the amount of technology requiring power, we wire with 12 gauge copper wire and 20 amp circuit breakers.  Many of today's ceiling can lights do not tolerate attic insulation touching the sides or top.  The quality ceiling cans we utilize are fully insulated and permit full insulation applied in the attic, saving on your heating and cooling.

Heating and Cooling

 This is quite possibly the single most important investment in your whole house.  Your largest recurring cost to live in your house is heating and cooling.  That is why nothing is left to chance.  Utilizing your home plans a system is sized to provide the optimum operating efficiency based upon construction materials, size and number of windows and doors, and exposure.  We recommend American Standard air handling equipment with its one year labor and ten year parts warranty.  Not familiar with American Standard?  They are the parent company and makers of Trane equipment.

Inspections

 Many counties have no permit or inspection process for homebuilding within their jurisdiction.  While inspections don't cover general workmanship, they do give one a sense of confidence that important things were done right.  If there is no inspection authority for the location where we are building your home, we can contract with a state licensed, independent agency to perform inspections at different points in the construction process if you so desire.  In any event, we build each home to meet the same high standards standards regardless of inspection.