Construction

Quality equipment: We bring in the right equipment for the job. Whether we are removing trees, installing your driveway or compacting around the foundation we use the right piece of equipment for maximum efficiency.

Back bracing system: This foot lock back bracing system offers superior strength and holding power to keep the foundation walls from cracking during the backfill process.

Draintile and radon systems: Gravel below the basement floor and around the exterior perimeter of any home is very important as it can be used to remove excess ground water and soil gases such as radon. The continuously running fan not only removes radon but also will remove moisture trapped below the concrete floor keeping your basement dry and healthy.

Foundation coating: While there are many different foundation coating products, Mike’s installs a gray colored, 100% polymer product. This product is rubberized and offers the best protection against any potential water intrusion.

Laser: We use lasers to square in your foundation, level, and plumb your walls to tolerances less than 1/16″. This important process takes more time but will assure your flooring, cabinets and millwork all fit properly to give you the best quality job possible.

Tyvek house wrap: While Tyvek brand house wraps cost more than other house wraps on the market, Tyvek will out perform them in the long run. Most house wraps help with air infiltration, but Tyvek works especially well to keep out wind driven rain that can push in behind the siding and will keep water from getting to the wood portion of the structure.

In-floor heat: While in-floor heat systems are not installed in every home, they do offer a warm consistent heat, especially in lower level living spaces. Pictured is a circulating hot water system that gets imbedded into the concrete floor.

Foundation insulation: Because energy efficiency is so important to Mike’s, the foundation walls and basement floors are always insulated. Typically, basement walls are insulated with fiberglass batts that can hold moisture and lead to potential mold problems. With Mike’s, the unfinished basement walls are insulated with a fire resistant foil faced foam. Finished basement walls are insulated with spray foam.

Pressure blown insulated walls: This system offers an R24 value, but will perform much better than that. As this product is installed under pressure, the insulation is packed in more dense that standard fiberglass batts. The higher density installation restricts the air convection current that is present in a typical wall cavity, thus improving the overall efficiency.

Spray foam: Spray foam is a great product and is used for insulating and especially air sealing. Mike’s uses spray foam in the box joists, attics and in the 2 x 4 walls built in front of concrete walls. Spray foam add strength and seals out air, moisture and bugs.

Great looking drywall: We work hard to achieve a smooth, defect free finish on your walls and ceilings. Your ceilings and walls are primed before texture.  This helps to eliminate shadows.

Air sealed attics: Our attics are air sealed with foam prior to adding R60 attic insulation. This step greatly adds to the energy efficiency of your home by eliminating air leakage and drafts. Walls, lights, and fans are all sealed.

Newel post anchor: Have the stair posts come loose in your current home? Mike’s orders extra long newel posts for your stair system so they can be anchored through the wood floor or into the concrete floor. This assures that they stay solid for the life of the home.

Kick out flashing: Kick out flashings are a must. They are installed at the bottom of the roof where it intersects the siding on a wall. If this area is not flashed correctly, water will leak in behind the siding, rot the wood and create a mold issue. Many times the home owner is not aware of this problem until it is discovered years later.

Insulated attic access: Typically, a fiberglass batt is installed in this area.

They are dirty, cumbersome and impossible to position correctly to seal the space. We use insulated foam panels with a foam rubber seal to guarantee air tightness.

Blower door testing: All of Mike’s homes are very energy efficient and most are tested and certified. The blower door test instantly measures the amount of air leakage in a new home. Mike’s homes routinely in the top 20% for overall efficiency in new homes.