The owners’ former home, destroyed by Hurricane Harvey, was the touchstone for family gatherings for nearly two decades, and its loss was devastating for the family. Rebuilding a home destroyed by a hurricane comes with unique challenges. Since the devastation of Harvey, coastal building codes have been strengthened, requiring elevated living spaces and significantly stronger construction techniques.

Coastal building regulations required a floor elevation 14’ above mean flood level and a structure that could withstand Cat 5 hurricane winds and a 10’ tidal surge. The elevated requirements for the second floor resulted in 42 columns. A suspended beam structure was designed to sit atop the columns to support the floor diaphragm sufficiently. Concrete beams needed to be poured-in-place, so scaffold and shoring were used to allow a plywood platform for labor access, and for ICF floor beams, plumbing, and a safety perimeter to be created. The walls for the occupied portion of the project, 3,031 sq. ft., were stacked to a 9’-0” plate line, and an intricate hip roof system was framed. All of the structural components were tied, from roof framing to the bottom of the piers, creating one solid element.

The site’s soil conditions required 41 piers under the first-floor slab to support the weight of 300 cu. yd. of concrete and 26,000 lb of steel involved in the project. Fox Blocks ICF solved all of these site considerations. The level of craftsmanship was outstanding; straight walls, strong foundations, and an absence of voids to accommodate the new building codes and safety regulations.

Project Stats

Location: Rockport, TX
Industry: Large Residential
Size: 4,375 sq. ft. (Floor)
ICF Use: 6,678 sq. ft.
Cost: $890,000
Total Construction: 68 weeks
ICF Installation Time: 25 days

Download the Full Case Study