Southern Design and Building

Traditional Florida homes were built for the Florida climate. Floors were above the ground to minimize pests and insure against flooding; wide overhangs and porch roofs shaded the windows to reduce the heat from the sun; the roofs were steep, to shed Florida's sometime torrential rains;

Since the invention of the 2x4 in the 1830s, there has been no greater single force for creating change and improvement in American construction than the building component manufacturing industry. The invention of the first metal truss connector plate in Florida in 1952 marked the beginning of the industry that in just over five decades has vastly changed home, apartment and commmercial building construction.

Light framing is the use of closely spaced members of dimension lumber size combined with sheathing to form structural elements of a building. The structural elements provide rigidity, support for interior finish and exterior cladding, and a cavity for the installation of insulation.

Wood is the world's most abundant renewable resource. It's recyclable, biodegradable and sustainable over the long term. Add energy efficiency and the fact that growing forests absorb carbon dioxide and release clean oxygen, and you can see why wood is the ultimate "green" building material.

Homebuyers expect more from their home than ever before, and more is not always measured in total square feet of living area. After all, a home is often a person's largest investment, so value is placed on both the tangible and intangible elements that make a home livable, not merely functional.