We specialize in building homes made of Insulated Concrete Forms, also known as ICFs or ICF. ICF homes have normal wood-frame walls for the interior walls, but the outside walls are made of ICFs. ICF homes offer tremendous structural, thermal, and quality advantages over wood-framed homes, which is why every one of our homeowners is genuinely ecstatic about their ICF home.
ICF construction was first developed in Europe following World War II as an inexpensive and durable way to rebuild damaged structures. Since the 1970s, the adoption of ICF construction has steadily increased, especially in Europe, where their building technology and carbon footprint standards have steadily stayed a decade ahead of the USA.
Wondering why you have never heard of ICF in the USA? There are ICF homes scattered throughout every local area, but you wouldn’t know unless you see it being built. The municipal and state governments have largely adopted ICF technology, playing a big part in the growing demand of ICF for schools, fire departments and other public buildings. ICF is an emerging technology in a very large and stagnant home construction industry with long ties to partners in lumber. For that reason, many older builders have resisted learning how to build the newest concrete homes. However, with the advantages being so well-rounded and hard to ignore, ICF is growing rapidly around the world, and is gaining more traction in the USA every year.
Looking at the outside of a home, you would never be able to tell that it is an ICF home. Aesthetically, the only way that you can tell it’s an ICF home is from the deeper 10″ window sills, compared to typical 5″ window sills of wood-framed homes. We have been building ICF homes since 2004, and have continued to build with ICFs because they are superior to wood-frame homes in every way. It simply allows us to build a better home for you.
One of ICF’s most notable benefits is its enhanced ability to protect occupants from fire, wind, flooding, and earthquakes. This is why ICF homes are always the last homes standing after natural disasters. They also provide increased protection from mold, termites, and rot. Your home should do it’s best to protect your family from the outside, so that you can always feel safe.
This is your dream home. Your castle. Your fortress for your family. Have you ever seen a castle or fortress made of wood? It’s time to build your home the right way. Not with wood… but with reinforced concrete and ICF.
- Unmatched Durability
- Withstands winds up to 250mph.
- Reasuring Fire Ressistance
- 4 times more fire resistant than wood.
- No Mold, No Termites, No Rotting
- ICF walls instead of wood means you can rest assured that your family and your investment are protected from these problems of the past
ICF homes are significantly more structurally sound and energy efficient than wood framed homes. They provide solutions to the biggest problems that are faced with wood-framed homes. ICF homes offer a massive improvement in structural integrity, protection from mold, termites, and rotting; and a higher standard for what “energy efficiency” really means in today’s housing industry. For these reasons and many more, ICF homeowners benefit by enjoying a life with much less home maintenance, and having a noticeable increase in cash in their pocket every month.
- Energy Efficiency
- Spend 70% less on your heating and cooling each month! And less HVAC equipment needed up front. For a typical 3,000 sq ft house, that’s $300/month with wood or $90/month with ICF , a savings of $210 each month! Save and invest the difference each month!
- Less Maintenance & Repair Costs Over Time
- No Mold, No Termites, No Rotting, No Frozen Pipes! Remember frozen pipes? Not in an ICF home!!
- Less structural damage and repairs over time
- ICF withstands over 2.4X the force before structural damage occurs compared to wood.
The thermal mass of ICF homes provides a more peaceful and comfortable living environment inside the home. Consistent temperatures throughout the entire home prevent any hot and cold spots. Looking for more peace and quiet inside away from all of the noise outside? All of our ICF homeowners are very quick to realize the 400% increase in noise resistance upon moving-in.
Our concrete exterior walls are NOT always shrinking and expanding and creating aesthetic problems like wood-framed walls. They simply hold up better over time and preserve your home’s quality better. So don’t worry about your home aging. ICF walls will keep your home looking new for much longer.
- Consistently Comfortable. Everywhere
- No hot and cold spots results in a much more comfortable home in any area. That includes your garage too! That means your car and everything else in your garage stays comfortable all year long
- More Peace. More Quiet
- Upgraded noise resistance for improved quietness and privacy . ICF homes are 4X more noise resistant than wood-framed homes.
- Long Term Physical & Aesthetic Quality
- Less structural damage means your home will look better and maintain its quality much better over time
Does it cost more to build with ICF instead of wood?
The price of one of our ICF homes is always very competitive with wood-frame home prices you will find with other builders. Our prices have come in at around 3% more at times, and other times our prices have been less than wood. But our homes are often the same price as custom wood-frame homes, and when you factor in the instant savings that begin once you move-in, it makes ICF even more affordable and competitive.
This is usually this most common question that we get, and we always recommend getting an estimate from us and seeing the costs for yourself.
How much money will I save per month if I build with ICF?
Our ICF homeowners save a minimum of 50% on their heating and cooling bill every month compared to wood. But we often see homeowners save around 70%.
How do I hang or attach things to ICF walls?
Wood frame homes have studs every 16 inches for fastening things to walls. ICF walls also have studs, but they are plastic studs every 8 inches. So there are twice as many studs for attaching things to walls. The only difference between wood and plastic studs is that you must use screws for plastic studs and cannot use nails.
Keep in mind, ICF homes have ICF walls for the exterior walls, and wooden walls for the interior walls.
What are the downsides to using ICF over wood?
These homes are turn-key and include everything except for the land to build them on, and any special adjustments that need to be made for your land.
Does it take longer to build a home with ICF?
No. We have been building ICF homes and constantly improving our processes since 2004. It takes us the same amount of time to build an ICF home as is does to build a wood-framed home.
Can you convert my normal wood-frame plan to an ICF plan?
Absolutely. During our design and planning process we can easily convert any home plan to an ICF plan at no additional charge.
What exterior finishes can go on ICF homes?
Any exterior finishes that can be used on a wood home, can be used on an ICF home.
Does ICF produce any off gassing or VOCs?
The EPS foam used in ICF emits no VOCs or formaldehyde, nor does it generate any off gassing of any kind.
Meet the Team
Stephen Doyle
Matt Doyle
Leslie Doyle
Jennifer Kansler
Kerri Madero
Our Process
No one likes being kept in the dark and not being ready for each step. Which is why we are crystal clear about each and every step in our process from the very beginning. We make sure all of our customers understand and are ready for everything.
We’d love to hear about your dream home! Whether you have a particular home plan that interests you, or you want to start from scratch; we’re very flexible and experts in helping you bring it to life.
- Nest Learning Wifi Thermostat
- Google Home or Amazon Alexa
- Smart Garage Door Opener
- Smart Home Lighting in 10 Locations
- Smart Home Audio in 2 Locations
- Processing Unit to Control and Expand System
Contact us before January 1, 2025 to discuss your project and receive a Full Home Automation package
to use in your new Excel Builders home. Hurry! Offer ending in:
Based on the information that you give us, we’ll give you a detailed estimate. You don’t have to know everything that you want in your home at this point. We’ll take what you want and fill in the blanks with our Standard Features & Specifications (which we are VERY proud of!) to give you an accurate and detailed estimate of what the total cost will be. We typically refine the details 2-3 more times to include additional details and make sure we will be staying under your budget.
- Nest Learning Wifi Thermostat
- Google Home or Amazon Alexa
- Smart Garage Door Opener
- Smart Home Lighting in 10 Locations
- Smart Home Audio in 2 Locations
- Processing Unit to Control and Expand System
Contact us before January 1, 2025 to discuss your project and receive a Full Home Automation package
to use in your new Excel Builders home. Hurry! Offer ending in:
Once you are confident that you can get the home that you want within your budget, we will sign a Design & Planning Agreement (DPA). Here we will dive even deeper into understanding your family’s lifestyle and how you will use the home on a daily basis. At the end of the DPA phase, you’ll have everything you need to build your home, and it belongs to you. This includes:
- Full set of construction-ready plans
- 3D renderings
- Siteplan – fully mapped out for your entire property
- All Specifications & Selections that you have chosen
This IS NOT a construction contract, and you can take all of this information to get a contract price from any builder that you would like. However, at the end of this phase you will be ready to sign a construction contract if you wish, and you’ll have the exact Contract Price from us to tell you the exact price to make it all happen.
- Nest Learning Wifi Thermostat
- Google Home or Amazon Alexa
- Smart Garage Door Opener
- Smart Home Lighting in 10 Locations
- Smart Home Audio in 2 Locations
- Processing Unit to Control and Expand System
Contact us before January 1, 2025 to discuss your project and receive a Full Home Automation package
to use in your new Excel Builders home. Hurry! Offer ending in:
Once we’ve got everything just the way you want it, we have our Homeowner Construction Orientation to make sure that absolutely any and all of your questions are answered and you know exactly what to expect. We’ll walk you through and sign the Construction Contract, and then walk you through your Homeowner Dashboard in our software, where you can see everything related to your project. Lastly, we’ll introduce you to your Project Coordinator and Project Supervisor. Then we’re ready to make it happen!
- Nest Learning Wifi Thermostat
- Google Home or Amazon Alexa
- Smart Garage Door Opener
- Smart Home Lighting in 10 Locations
- Smart Home Audio in 2 Locations
- Processing Unit to Control and Expand System
Contact us before January 1, 2025 to discuss your project and receive a Full Home Automation package
to use in your new Excel Builders home. Hurry! Offer ending in:
Contact us today to start designing your home
- EXCEL BUILDERS
-
1100 Coastal Hwy #5
Fenwick Island, DE 19944
Can I really change anything I want in the home?
Absolutely! That’s the best part of being a fully custom builder, we can customize everything with you to make it yours. We adjust the price along with the changes that you make.
Do you have other home plans to choose from?
Yes, we have an expansive selection of homes to browse from and help you get started. Just let us know more details about the type of home you are considering.
If I bring you plans, can you build it?
Yes, as a custom home builder we are very flexible in our design process.
What do these homes NOT include?
These homes are turn-key and include everything except for the land to build them on, and any special adjustments that need to be made for your land.
Do I need to have land or financing before discussing a home?
No land or financing is required to start discussing your home. Our team has decades of experience with both and will make sure you get a strong, guided start with plenty of different options to choose from.
Do you have homes that I can see in person?
You’ll love our model home which shows off all things Excel Builders, as well as multiple homes in construction that we can show you.
What else is included with your homes?
The list is endless! Ask about our specifications which show all of the details included, or come see our model home.
What is the next step in the process?
Once you contact our team and tell us about your project, we work with you to outline the home you are looking for and the budget you need to stay within.