Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for a Creative Custom Home Builder in the Greater Missouri City, TX Region?
Please take a moment to browse answers to some of our frequently asked questions below:
Q:
What is brick veneer and how is it attached to the house?
A:
Brick veneer is a non-structural type of masonry construction using one course of brick as an exterior covering on a home or building. It has the appearance of a solid brick wall without the weight or expense. The brick is attached to the house with metal straps, or wall ties, at regular intervals. The brick work at Lazer Development shows a great deal of care and craftsmanship. Notice the consistent 1/2 inch spacing between the mortar joints. On the front elevations of the home, look at an inside corner on a Lazer Development version and notice the mortar joints are straight up the home. It is rare to see such careful construction in new homes. The quality of the material is evident in the brick itself. Lazer Development uses clay brick. Decorative concrete brick is also available for architectural appeal.
Q:
Why are there strips between sections of the exterior brick walls?
A:
Since brick expands and contracts, the walls are built in sections with an expansion joint approximately every 20 feet. This helps prevent the brick and mortar from cracking.
Q:
What is the tonnage of your air conditioners?
A:
The tonnage or amount of cooling power is dependent on many factors. The size or tonnage of the A/C units for each of our plans is determined by the H.V.A.C. (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) contractor. The tonnage will vary from plan to plan. We incorporate many energy saving features into the complete Lazer Development portfolio.
Q:
How long does it take to build a home?
A:
The amount of time necessary to build a home is dependent on several things. The largest factor is the weather; especially rain, which tends to slow construction progress. Other factors include the number of changes requested by the home buyer, the degree of difficulty encountered to initiate those changes, the size of the home, the availability of contractors and materials. Generally speaking, a home can be built in 90 to 120 days from the time construction starts.
Q:
What type of foundations do you use?
A:
The majority of Lazer Development structures have a post-tension concrete foundation. This type of foundation is reinforced with steel cables, which are stressed a few days after the concrete is placed. The exception is where an independent structural engineer recommends another type of foundation after reviewing a soil report. Our post-tension foundations are engineered for the specific soil conditions in each neighborhood. Your Lazer Development Project Manager and a representative of the engineering company are also on-site at every foundation pour.
Q:
Why Use OSB Roof Decking instead of Plywood?
A:
Plywood decking is made from large logs that are peeled and glued in layers at right angles to each other. When logs are peeled, knots and other imperfections in the wood are incorporated into the decking panels. These imperfections can create gaps or voids. OSB panels are pre-engineered and made from the chips of small, fast-growing trees. These chips are bound by high pressures and advanced adhesives. This procedure creates a uniform decking panel without natural or internal imperfections. Pre-engineered wood products are also friendly to our environment since they reduce our use of large logs from old growth forests.
Q:
What type of windows do you use?
A:
Lazer Development builds in a number of Texas cities with varying climates. For this reason, different types of windows are used to accommodate climatic conditions. Please contact the Lazer Development Sales Staff at 281-437-5319 for the type and benefits of the windows in a specific community.
Q:
What kind of insulation and R-factor do you have?
A:
Following the standards of energy-efficiency, our homes have fiberglass batt insulation in the exterior walls and sloped ceilings. The R rating of our exterior walls is a minimum of R13 and the rating in flat ceilings is R30. The R-value is the insulating ability and the larger the number, the better the insulating power.
Q:
Why do your homes have ridge vents?
A:
The ridge vents are an efficient way of removing warm air from the attic of a home. They function in the absence of a breeze.
Have Questions?
If you have any questions regarding our process or our turnkey construction services that you don’t see answered here, please give us a call today!
281-437-5319