Client Services Portal
![](/images/dload/mn/9450626104ACORNCON.JPG)
BuilderTrend client services portal used for all communications, change orders, selections, and photo updates keeps things organized and maximizes client situational awareness.
Foundation
- 3000 psi concrete ensures a strong slab
- Slabs have steel reinforcement to prevent excessive cracking
- Saw cut control joints in strategic places prevent uncontrolled cracking
Framing
- 2x6 exterior walls
- 6" two step fascia boards
- Advanced framing techniques
- Open corners and tees for complete insulation in dead spaces
- Insulated window and door headers
- Built-in entertainment centers, art niches, and arches
- Interior sound attenuation batts for privacy between bedrooms, bathrooms, and living areas
- Blocking for solid attachment of towel bars and TP holders in all bathrooms
- Stainless steel bolts, straps, clips, and nails where exposed to salt air prevents rust, staining, and degradation of holding power
- Copper deck flashing where exposed to salt air
- Duorock® cement board in tile showers
Windows and Doors
- Vinyl insulated windows with low e coating (low emissivity = less heat loss in winter)
- Impact glass windows, no storm panels needed, protection against break ins
- Fiberglass exterior entry doors with stainless steel hinges won’t rust
- High performance sliding glass doors for long life and storm wind resistance
Secondary rain barrier system
- Secondary rain barrier (zip wall) installed properly with all joints sealed ensures no water will get into the wall even if there is a leak at the window or in the siding.
- Proper window head flashing is installed to ensure proper water shedding action.
- Windows and doors are flashed, screwed, and sealed properly to prevent water intrusion.
Exterior
- Vinyl soffits, fascia, and porch ceilings for maintenance free exterior
- Wood sub soffits prevent vinyl from blowing off during high winds
- 2 step facia keeps drip stains off facia metal
- 24 gauge steel eve metal holds it's shape better
- Fiber cement board siding won't rot, crack, or degrade, and holds paint longer than wood.
- Duorock cement based stucco system, no foam based systems or fake stucco.
Stucco
- Hard coat stucco finish coat systems with Duorock fiber reinforced cement board substrate
- No EFIS (Exterior Finish Insulation System) or foam based stucco wall systems which don't hold up well and are prone to leaks
Roof
- Peal and seal subroof (full coverage)
- 30 year architectural shingles
- Optional 26 gauge metal roofing
- Completely sealed roof system to minimize water intrusion during hurricanes
- Long life roof jacks instead of cheap plastic jacks
Energy Efficient Features
- Home is built to the Earth Cents, Energy Star, and Earth Wise energy efficiency standards
- Foam wall insulation minimizes outside air infiltration and maximizes energy efficiency and sound attenuation
- Foam attic insulation
keeps attic and AC ducts cool
- Sound batts between all bedrooms, bathrooms, and living areas for increased privacy
- High efficiency air conditioning systems
- Variable speed air handlers for superior comfort and sound suppression
- Zip wall, air tight, wall sheathing with all joints sealed. Far superior to standard house wrap.
- Foam seal all voids around windows, wires, and pipes
- Foam sill plate gaskets
- Vinyl insulated impact glass windows with low e coating
- Home is air infiltration testing to insure an air tight building envelope
- We take building high performance energy efficient homes seriously!
Air Leakage Testing
![](/images/dload/mn/9466649488ACORNCON.JPG)
We test each home with our door fan system to ensure an air tight thermal envelope. Our door fan creates a 50 pascal vacuum on the thermal envelope which simulates a 20 mph wind on all 4 sides. This allows us to find and seal all air leaks. An air tight home has a lower utility bill, lower humidity, more even temperature distribution, and higher comfort level. We don't just talk about building a high performance energy efficient home. We build it, test it, and prove it.
Heating and Cooling
- Return air bypass ducts allow greater air circulation and comfort in bedrooms
- Insulated return air chambers and AC closets keep things quiet
- High efficiency heat pump system
- Variable speed blower for more efficient and quieter operation
- Optional geothermal heat pumps
Plumbing
- ¾" water line to master bathrooms for high pressure feed to tub and shower
- 1" water line from water meter to house for minimum pressure loss
- 52 gallon water heaters
- Optional gas tankless water heaters
- Optional heat pump water heaters
- All tubs are either acrylic or porcelain cast iron. No fiberglass or steel unless requested.
- China or stone bathroom sinks
- Pex water piping is impervious to chemical impurities in water that typically causes copper to pit, corrode, and eventually leak
- Pex piping is more freeze tolerant and impervious to lightning damage
- No water line joints under the slab
- All drain pipes are leak tested at 10' of head pressure above the highest fixture
- Optional whole house water filters
Electrical
- All copper wiring except for AC and water heater
- All bedrooms are wired for ceiling fans and lights
- Designer rocker switches
- Optional manual generator transfer switch for emergency power generator
- Optional automatic transfer switch and emergency power generator
- All circuits calculated for load and installed so as to minimize voltage loss (exceeds National Electric Code requirements)
- Audio-Video-Data distribution panel
- LED light fixtures and bulbs
- Optional Lutron lighting scene controls
- Optional Lutron automated shade system
Audio Visual systems
- TV outlets home run to control panel with high capacity RG-6 cable
- Cat 5 phone TV andcomputer wiring home run to control panel
- Pre-wire for security system
- Optional pre-wire for HDTV & wall mounted TV's
- Optional pre-wire for home theater
- Optional pre-wire for surround and whole house sound
- Optional Cat 5 computer outlets
- Optional pre-wire for surveillance system
Drywall
- Drywall is nailed and screwed to minimize nail pops
- Rounded corners are glued and mechanically fastened to ensure Walls are orange peel finish
- Walls & ceilings are knock down or Spanish lace finish
Trim
- Deluxe 5 ¼" or 7 ¼" base molding depending on ceiling height
- 3 ¼" interior door trim
- Solid core doors throughout the home for maximum durability and sound control
- Super slide wire shelving in closets and pantry
- Optional custom wood shelving
- Deluxe 2 piece crown molding in living areas and master bedroom
- 12" 100 tooth miter saw blade is used for clean cuts with no splintered ends
- Window aprons have mitered and glued ends for superior look and durability
- 1/4" routed edges on outside wood edges for best appearance and smooth finish
- 3 gang nail pattern is used at all hinge and hardware locations for maximum stability
- Exterior doors are sealed and fastened with 3" SS screws at hinges
- Optional Rockwell 2 point multi-lock exterior door hardware
Paint
- All walls receive primer + 2 coats of finish paint
- Ceilings are spray painted and back rolled for even paint distribution
- All trim is sanded smooth, primed + 2 coats of low VOC oil based paint
- Doors and trim are spray painted for best finish
- All trim joints are filled with premium caulk for maximum longevity
Cabinets
- Custom hardwood cabinets or high quality factory built cabinets made to order
- All wood boxes, no particle board
- Custom designed doors, all styles and species available
- Custom staining and glazed finishes
- Custom crown moldings
- Staggered height and depth wall cabinets for best appearance
- Adjustable all wood shelves won't sag when heavily loaded
- Soft close drawer guides in kitchen
- Soft close concealed hinges
Progress Pictures
- We take progress pictures and upload to our client service portal regularly so you can see what's going on and comment as needed.
- As-built photos are taken at the framing stage so you’ll know what’s behind every wall
- Share the creation of your dream home with friends and family all over the country
Webcams
![](/images/dload/mn/1903158033ACORNCON.JPG)
Optional live webcams on our job sites let you see what's going on from your PC, Ipad, or smartphone anytime and from anywhere.
Elevated deck coatings
- Sealoflex deck coating ensures water tight elevated decks
- Coating wraps up the walls and behind the siding for proper water shedding
- Coating wraps into door jams and sills to prevent water intrusion
Swimming pools
- Gunite swiming pools by Cox Pools.
- Vinyl liner pools by Gulf Coast Pools.