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| An InteFrame Case Study |
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InteFrame helps construction company realize its "dream" of a faster building cycle in a demanding construction environment. |
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| SUMMARY |
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Dreamworks Construction is a Donnelly, Idaho-based company with nearly two decades of experience as a developer/builder. Dreamworks' current project is The Meadows at West Mountain, a 122-acre community near Cascade's new four-season resort, Tamarack. Designed as a largely residential complex of affordable eight-plex and single-family homes, the project is on an aggressive schedule to complete six development phases over the next five years. Thanks to InteFrame, Dreamworks will be able to meet this timetable with faster build cycles, greater economy and the highest possible engineering integrity.
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The Challenge
Building in Idaho's Valley County is not for the faint of heart. Weather conditions limit the construction season to a period from late spring to early fall, and heavy snows impose rigorous structural engineering challenges on wood-framed buildings. Dreamworks Construction quickly realized that meeting its cost and timetable goals would require accelerating its build schedule from three months per home to just under 35 days. An obvious solution to this problem was to utilize prefabricated trusses and wall panels, and Dreamworks turned to Idaho Truss to supply the needed components.
The Solution
To ensure continuity between building code requirements, structural design and the fabrication of cost-effective components, Idaho Truss engaged its InteFrame process. Rather than blindly accept the design specifications recommended by Dreamworks' Nevada-based architect, Idaho Truss brought in its Performance Engineering team for a thorough structural analysis based on local weather conditions. Through its value-engineering process, Performance Engineering was able to optimize a building materials package that lowered building costs not only by cutting weeks from the original build schedule, but also eliminated a lot of the previously specified construction hardware such as hold-downs and strapping.
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"Our initial savings in framing costs alone
has been between eight and ten percent."
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The Bottom Line
Idaho Truss' relationship with Dreamworks demonstrates the value of InteFrame in tightly integrating structural engineering, component design and pre-fabricated construction techniques. Up-front design innovation, rather than adding to project time and budget, reduces costs through greater efficiency, less waste, and the elimination of unforeseen delays. Says Dreamworks president Larry Mangum, "We estimate that our initial savings in framing costs alone has been between eight and ten percent, and this will probably amount to even great savings over time. More than this, however, we benefit from a partner that is as much on board with our project as we are."
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