Frequently Asked Questions
What will a Force 10 home cost?
Force 10 buildings are very competitive in cost when compared to conventionally built homes that are constructed to an equivalent engineering standard. Shipping costs and customs duties are higher than other local construction methods, but labor costs are lower. The quality of the materials and the finished product tends to be superior to other systems. Pricing depends on many factors. The standard, low cost, 3 bedroom, 1,000 sq. ft. component kit package, including: all walls, doors, windows, roof trusses, roof sheeting, gable ends, soffit, fascia, gutter, gypsum ceiling, baseboard, joint compound, screws, bolts, brackets, engineering certification and building plans to maximum anti-hurricane rating will typically fill one 20' container for most Caribbean Basin locations. Please contact us for current pricing. The excavation work, concrete foundation, plumbing and electrical will be provided locally at the local cost. Options such as paint, floor tile, cabinets, custom windows and doors add to the final tally. Force 10 buildings usually cost less to complete than other buildings methods when building to an equivalent finished quality and engineering standard.
How long does it take for the Force 10 package to arrive on site?
We currently manufacture Force 10 component packages in our production facilities in Brisbane, Australia and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Several other locations in the Caribbean Region are currently being developed for production capability including Puerto Rico and South Carolina, U.S.A. A typical turn-around time is 90 days from the submission of a quotation to the client till the complete Force 10 package is delivered wharfside in the Caribbean. During this period, complete engineering drawings are produced and sent to the client. The building site is prepared and the excavation and foundation work completed.
How long will it take to build a Force 10 house?
A 1,000 sq. ft Force 10 component package for a concrete slab (or 800 sq. ft. with the steel floor system) will typically fill a 20' container. Component packages for large projects can be shipped by charter ship directly to the client in order to reduce transit time and cut shipping costs.
A typical 1,000 sq. ft. Force 10 home construction schedule with a five man construction crew will:
- Unload the container in one day.
- Excavate footings for galvanized steel support columns (approximately 2' x 2' x 4' deep) in two days.
- Assemble galv. steel floor bearers and columns and pour footings in two days.
- Install galv. steel floor joists and 3/4" fibro-cement sub floor in one day. (Concrete cistern, foundation and slab can be used in some localities as an alternative to the floor system. The slab can be prepared prior to the arrival of the Force 10 components.)
- Assemble exterior and interior wall panels in one day (windows installed in panels at factory).
- Install galvanized steel roof trusses in one day.
- Install roof purlins, fascia and soffit in three days.
- Install roof insulation and sheeting in four days.
- Electrical and plumbing rough-in in three days.
- Install ceiling, crown molding, tape interior wall and ceiling joints in four days.
- Optional exterior acrylic plaster installed in three days while interior joints are finished.
- Install pre-hung doors and baseboard in two days.
- Painting, tile installation, cabinet installation, electrical and plumbing completed per local trades.
Note: Labor estimates will vary from country to country and are dependent upon the skill and speed of construction crews, site conditions and weather.
The Force 10 component package described above includes all the materials needed to make the building weather-tight and complete to lock up stage.
Can I build it myself?
You will not be able to put together the Force 10 component system yourself. If there is a Force 10 dealer (see Contact Us) in your area, that dealer will provide a Force 10 trained contractor or crew to erect the Force 10 component portion of your house. If there is not a dealer in your area, we will send a trainer to work with your contractor and crew.
Is financing available?
Financing is available for large projects. See details under Financing.
What is the Force 10 Guarantee?
The Force 10 home is engineered to withstand hurricane forces equivalent to 60m/s or 165 MPH as well as earth tremors to Richter 7.5 and is backed by a 10 year structural warranty, as well as, a product component guarantee. All the structural materials are covered by manufacturer's worldwide warranties and guarantees. We meet or exceed every code worldwide for hurricane and earthquake resistance and have received approval in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the newly adopted, and very strict, C.A.B.O. code. We have never lost a roof anywhere in the world. There is no other system-built home that can make these claims.
What is wrong with conventionally built wood or masonry buildings?
Wood or masonry homes can be designed and built to withstand hurricane winds and earth tremors, but experience has shown that in many locations, due to lack of quality materials, engineering experience, building codes or knowledge of good construction practices, many conventionally built homes suffer tremendous damage from natural disasters. Force 10 engineers spent millions of dollars and over ten years developing a building system that solves many of the problems associated with building in the regions plagued by natural disasters. They have developed a manufacturing technique that produces aesthetically pleasing and affordable buildings that will withstand these destructive forces of nature. We are offering an excellent alternative building method that also reduces the damage caused by fire, rot and termites that can destroy conventionally constructed buildings that use wood products. Force 10 homes also reduce the need to destroy forest reserves for building materials and help reduce the amount of construction waste.
Will I need insurance for a Force 10 home?
You will need to provide your own insurance coverage to satisfy the requirements of your financing institution and to satisfy your own needs. A Force 10 house can be insured at a rate comparable or lower than the rate used for conventional concrete homes and much lower than rates for wood homes.
Is Force 10 a "pre-fab" or "kit" home?
Force 10 is an engineered building system that utilizes components manufactured to ISO 9001 Quality Assurance standards in a state-of-the-art production facility. Most custom designs for a conventional structure up to three stories (two stories in a hurricane zone) can be modified to use the Force 10 building system. The Force 10 Engineered System has three basic features: the floor system, wall system and roof system (see Features). These components can be used to create an infinite number of floor plans and roof designs. We offer many choices in roof sheeting profiles and colors, as well as three attractive exterior wall finishes. The materials used in the Force 10 system are the highest quality available worldwide. The finished product is aesthetically pleasing and engineered to withstand natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes and is resistant to fire, termites and rot.
Does a Force 10 home look different than a wood or masonry home?
No. In fact many people comment that upon first visiting a completed home, they can't tell the difference between a conventionally built home and a Force 10 home. We have many satisfied homeowners who feel that their Force 10 home is superior in quality of finish and strength to their neighbor's home. This is because of the many standard features including precision engineered components, insulated walls, factory painted roof sheeting, low maintenance materials used throughout and the engineered strength of the entire structure. The finished Force 10 home is aesthetically pleasing and matches the prevailing architectural styles of the location where it is built. We encourage you to visit the Force 10 homes to see, first-hand, the finished quality and engineered strength of every building.
What effect will salt spray have on the Force 10 building?
All of the structural components of the Force 10 building system are resistant to the damaging effects of salt spray and corrosion. We employ the highest quality, thick gauge, galvanized steel for the structural steel components of the wall panels and roof trusses. All structural steel components carry internationally recognized lifetime warranties. Wall panels are clad with water-resistant and rot-resistant fiber-cement board manufactured by James Hardie. Wall panel cores are filled with I.C.I. manufactured pressure injected polyurethane foam that seals the entire cavity from the air. All wall panel joints are sealed from the salt spray with either watertight P.V.C. jointer strips, masonry or gypsum compounds, depending upon wall finishes. The roof trusses are covered on their underside with either a fiber-cement or gypsum board and are then finished and sealed from salt air. The tops and ends of all roof trusses and purlins are sealed from the weather with a pre-painted galvanized roof sheeting, fascia and gutter that carries a twenty year warranty, Galvanized steel columns, joists and bearers utilized for the Force 10 floor system need to be painted on site with a Force 10 supplied coating and maintained with additional paint coatings supplied locally every two to five years. In general, the Force 10 building will require a minimum of maintenance to preserve its beauty and strength.
What is Force 10 best suited for?
Force 10 is a building system that has been engineered to withstand hurricane force winds and earthquakes, and uses environmentally friendly materials that are safe, strong, and resistant to fire, termites and rot. Because it is a component system, it can be utilized for almost any design or type of building, both residential and commercial. It has been very successfully employed for buildings outside of the hurricane and earthquake regions where quality of finish and ease of construction are major issues. Force 10 buildings are ideal for schools, clinics, government buildings, resorts, mining camps and homes in the most areas of the Caribbean and Latin America where conventional building is very difficult and slow. We have built custom vacation rental homes for up-scale tourist destinations in the Caribbean, middle-income homes for local residents, large scale housing developments, resorts, schools and medical centers. Force 10 provides an ideal system for anyone looking for a building that will withstand natural disasters common to the Caribbean and Latin America, require low maintenance, is easy and fast to complete and is competitive in price with any other conventional or manufactured system.
Can your homes be built on steep or remote sites?
We have built Force 10 structures in many locations considered too difficult to build on or where conventional construction would take years to complete. We can build with the Force 10 System on any site and at any location where our building materials can be delivered, whether by container, truck, boat, helicopter or hand. By utilizing our steel floor system, the excavation and foundation work is kept to a minimum and typically eliminates the need for heavy equipment.
How do I hang a picture on a wall?
It is very easy to attach any object, whether it is a small picture, heavy mirror, or a cabinet to the Force 10 wall panel. Every wall surface, both interior and exterior, consists of a very strong fiber-cement sheet that can be used for attaching a variety of objects. You simply treat it as if it was a masonry or concrete wall. First drill a hole with a masonry bit, then install a standard plastic or lead anchor, which is available at most hardware stores. Insert a properly sized screw and tighten. A heavy object can be installed using this method and sufficient anchors, or you can utilize the steel studs embedded in the wall panels for extra holding power. Locate the studs and purchase screws designed for use with steel. Drill a 1/4" deep hole through the fiber-cement board attached to the studs, change drill bits and drill a hole through the steel stud that is the correct size for the screws. Then install the screws into the studs and you now can support large and heavy objects. If you need to remove a screw and patch the hole, use a vinyl spackling or acrylic masonry compound to fill and smooth the hole.
|
