Episode list

Travis Brungardt and Joe Cook of Catalyst Construction started formwork for the foundation walls at Fine Homebuilding House Kansas and were thankful to get footings in before a severe cold snap. The 3-ft. by 9-ft. form panels are lightweight magnesium, and join together with bolts and wedges to draw them tight and keep the foundation perfectly aligned. Before the crew started, they snapped a line along the footings and set the exterior forms against that line. Then, they tied the steel reinforcement horizontally across on all the #4 rebar sticking up from the footing before setting the inside panels. Once the forms are in place, they make sure they're straight with a stringline. Even if the bottoms of the panel are on the line, the tops can have a little waviness where the form panels meet. Horizontal walers and diagonal bracing help to align the form panels and prevent the wet concrete from pushing the walls out of alignment. Because Travis and Joe expected freezing temperatures, they put 2 in. of straw over the excavation and then covered the straw in plastic to prevent the ground from freezing. The straw comes in 8-ft.-tall by 120-ft.-long rolls and is about 3/4 in. thick. It has a netting woven into the straw mat, so you can just roll it on out. The time savings made it more cost-effective than buying bales, breaking them up by hand, and then spreading them.

Planning for moisture control is integral to the success of a comfortable and energy-efficient home. To manage water below grade, we applied Tremco's line of water management and drainage system products to the foundation.

Travis and Joe of Catalyst Construction describe how and why they installed Rockwool Comfortboard under what will be the finished concrete floor.

Learn how Catalyst Construction is detailing their mudsill at FHB House Kansas.

Travis Brungardt and Joe Cook demonstrate how to apply concrete sealer for a durable finished floor.

Travis Brungardt and Joe Cook of Catalyst Construction demonstrate how Stabila's LA 180L Layout Station made laying the mudsill and interior basement walls more efficient.

Travis Brungardt and Joe Cook discuss the difference between being inside and out of the air control layers at FHB House Kansas.

See how the team at FHB House Kansas assembles a solid corner with backing on both sides for consistent nailing on multiple types of siding.

We're back in Prairie Village, Kansas, at the FHB House 2022 working on exterior air- and water-management details.

Welcome back to Fine Homebuilding House Kansas where today we are standing on our air barrier. We are excited about this detail because it's going to solve a lot of problems down the road.

Builder Travis Brungardt and architect Chris Fein reflect on conversations that helped them work together to design and build a beautiful mid-century-modern home with durability and performance goals in mind.

On most of the roof at Fine Homebuilding House Kansas, venting was accomplished with simple wood furring, which accommodates the changes in plane from different material build-ups such as the sheathing, Ice and Water Shield, and solid wood soffits. But in the roof valleys, Catalyst Construction had to solve the venting puzzle a bit differently to make sure air is able to flow across the furring material and under the sheathing/cladding.

Travis Brungardt and Joe Cook of Catalyst Construction walk through the step-by-step process of prepping, caulking, and flashing a window using stretch tape and flashing tape from ZIP System at Fine Homebuilding House Kansas.

Rockwool stone wool insulation is being installed throughout Fine Homebuilding House Kansas. In this video, learn what stone wool insulation is, how to calculate and install it in wall cavities, and why it is so effective.

Joe Cook and Travis Brungardt detail the benefits of using the Slicker Max Rainscreen from Benjamin Obdyke to protect the siding of Fine Homebuilding House Kansas.

Travis Brungardt and Joe Cook of Catalyst Construction talk drywall methods that result in achieving clean lines essential to a mid-century-modern aesthetic.

Watch how brick veneer is installed around a window as well as over other masonry siding at this mid-century-modern home.

Learn how this "skylight chimney" cleverly solves massing issues as well as how to properly air-seal this kind of feature.

In this final episode in our series on the building of Fine Homebuilding House Kansas, Travis Brungardt talks exterior materials with architect Chris Fein who explains how he chose the materials, colors, and textures.

In this FHB House video, Travis Brungardt and Joe Cook discuss HVAC, indoor-air quality, and the equipment they installed to achieve the home's goals in those areas.