After the record rainfall we experienced in May, I’ve been asking myself if we should have built an Ark instead of three beautiful homes! With all this water, it’s a great opportunity to ask some tough questions as you shop for a new home. I have been was surprised to see just how many homes have been built many feet below the adjacent street!

Our subdivision, American Country Estates, was professional engineered. We engineered both the site (civil engineer and soils engineer), and the homes (structural engineer, mechanical engineer). We have a comprehensive drainage plan, and performed soils analysis and soils compaction testing to confirm that we had the right approach. We used engineered post-tensioned foundations to minimize the shifting effects of the clay soil on our homes. Post-tensioned foundations use high-strength steel to actively reinforce residential foundations (and are designed to act as a single unit to minimize a portion of the slab from settling) to minimize cracking and resist soil movement.

Our homes incorporate hold down straps and hurricane clips, and 30-yr laminated roof shingles. We installed gutters at the front of the homes, and we have storm shelters in the garage. We have paved the streets in our subdivision, and installed concrete driveways. We have a comprehensive drainage plan, and the water is designed to move away from all of our homes. We have a 10-yr limited structural warranty on each home issued and guaranteed by Residential Warranty Corporation.

When you shop for a new home, you can’t see a post tensioned foundation, or a drainage plan. You can’t tell if your streets were compacted and tested before they were paved, and no one asks about the drainage plan, structural and mechanical engineering. But, then again, maybe you should?

Homes by DHR is a new home builder in Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK. Contact info@homesbydhr.com or call 405-888-5430 for more information.