Adding Efficiency To A Home Builder’s Accelerated Growth
Evolution Realty isn’t your traditional custom home builder constructing for a particular consumer. Instead, this business, owned by brother duo Jacob and Josh Craft, has seen accelerated growth by building one- and two-story homes for investors who are interested in rental properties. When they were tagged to build three homes in the same neighborhood in Grayson County, TX – just outside Dallas/Fort Worth – Jacob knew the project would require a hyper-focus on their budget and timeline.
Building-Product Recommendations from a Trusted Source
Looking to build as efficiently as possible, Evolution Realty pays close attention to every building product used during construction. Over the years, Jacob has developed a great working relationship with his partners at The Home Depot. He can rely on their pricing, availability and delivery—especially when sourcing products for multi-home projects. Plus, The Home Depot’s outside sales rep (OSR), Jorge Vallejo, is familiar with Evolution Realty’s business model and is always on the lookout for ways to help them work smarter. When Jorge pointed out that ForceField® Weather Barrier System could be installed faster and easier than house wrap yet was competitive in price, Jacob was confident he could trust the recommendation for their latest three-home project.
The Superior Option to Traditional OSB and House Wrap
After having applied OSB and house wrap on more than 30 homes, Jacob saw a clear difference between the traditional method and Georgia-Pacific’s integrated WRB sheathing system. He liked that the panels seemed stiffer, more durable and more water-resistant. Plus, ForceField® Premium Tape made it easy to treat the seams—even in difficult areas like windows—without the time-consuming tucking and cutting of house wrap.
“The material itself is clearly superior to just the [house wrap] and OSB from a weatherproofing standpoint.”
-Jacob Craft, Managing Member, Evolution Realty
Easy Installation of an Integrated WRB Sheathing System
In addition to high-quality materials, Jacob saw firsthand how easy it was to install panels and tape the seams, preferring this simplified application to having to go around each home twice. He also appreciated that his crew wouldn’t have to rebuild scaffolding or deal with wrap blowing around in the wind.
Even better, his framers were already experienced in installing ForceField® Weather Barrier System. Their level of comfort with the system and the advantage of needing only one trip around the building meant Jacob saw the added efficiency he always looks for, especially with multiple projects going on at once.
“Instead of spending two or three hours wrapping it, cutting it, trying to fight with the wrap in 40-mile-an-hour winds, there are a couple of dynamics that make [ForceField® Weather Barrier System] easier.”
-Jacob Craft, Managing Member, Evolution Realty
Continuing to Explore the System's Versatility
With several homes under construction and more multi-home projects in the pipeline, Jacob says he plans to continue using ForceField® Weather Barrier System, especially because he has started using it on roofs in addition to walls. By installing the integrated WRB sheathing system across the entire wood-framed structure, Jacob and his team can get homes dried in faster. Each trade can stay on its critical path and not have to worry about waiting for the weather to clear up.
“I like the fact that once you put it on, we don’t necessarily have to have our roof put on right away to get the electricians, plumbers and mechanical guys in there so they’re not getting wet.”
-Jacob Craft, Managing Member, Evolution Realty
The many advantages of ForceField® Weather Barrier System—from cost-effective, high-quality materials to faster, safer installation—help Jacob’s crew be more efficient and help his business stay on track to be profitable.