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See Our DAC-ART House Construction Journal, Step-by-Step w/ Photos |
Intro to DAC-ART Page |
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DAC-ART Building System 
DAC-ART |
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See Our DAC-ART House Construction Journal, Step-by-Step w/ Photos |
Intro to DAC-ART Page |
Home--First Time Visitors Start Here |
Frequently Asked Questions about The DAC-ART Building System
Is DAC-ART a foam mold system, commonly referred to as insulating concrete forms (ICF's) ?
How does the DAC-ART System work?
Can Moisture be a problem in a DAC-ART home?
What is the R-Value of DAC-ART?
Do DAC-ART precast concrete architectural modular components come in different colors?
How many different blocks and decorative effects are available?
Is DAC-ART a good product for Earthquake Zones?
Is DAC-ART good for Hurricane Zones?
Is DAC-ART available in my part of the country?
Is there some sort of brochure I can print from this site?
I already have house plans, do you have to design my home for me to build with DAC-ART?
Can you design my home for me? Are custom plans expensive?
Can I build a two or three story DAC-ART home?
Can I build an elevated coastal DAC-ART home?
Should I come see a DAC-ART home in person?
Is this the "Official" DAC-ART Corporate Web Site?
If I come to See DAC-ART where do you recommend I stay?
Who is the DAC-ART Customer? Im I one?
The closer to high-end architecture, with DAC-ART, the greater the savings and at the same time, the greater the effect.
It is true that wood framing with vinyl siding or a
cinder-block home is definitely cheaper than DAC-ART.
But this is a true statement on many levels.
People often ask me what our costs per sq . ft. were. Rarely would our seacoast costs based on a price per sq. ft. of footprint have anything to do with what your costs would be. There are so many variables. Here in Gulf Shores for our coastal Italian style guest house we had to do many pricey things due to the waterfront location that are not typical. We self-contracted, we did a certain amount of the work ourselves. PLUS:
Our lot is 400ft deep and we ran underground
utilities the entire length (won't have to be repeated for future additions)
We used high-end windows and doors with the seacoast upgrade on door hardware &
exterior finish.....$17,000
We hung Dade County approved 'hurricane proof' shutters on all the windows-they look like
wood but have aluminum interior frames and an interior sheet of Lexan....over $8000
We ordered a custom Venetian chandelier that is 'over the top'!
In addition to the city water, we installed a well & pump for outside use water.
Because the elevation is so low here, the local utility co. requires us to have a sewage
grinder pump ($1000)
We used no sheetrock. Only tongue 'n groove pine paneling on walls and ceiling.
Our shower could have been finished out with a $200 fiberglas insert--instead of the glass
mosaics($thousands$)
We had to build an elevated house so that the floor was a certain height above the
predicted high water mark which is a Corp. of Engineer standard.
Our ceilings are 13 1/2 ft--(and we love that).
Our shipping costs were minimum as we built close to the source.
And since we didn't have a mortgage--I never added up the tickets, so there is no point in asking me for totals. If you are interested in coming down and spending a couple hours with a calculator and lots of small slips of paper, you are welcome to do the totals. I just don't want to do it ! We guess that we may have spent about $130,000 U.S.
Note that even though the lines of our house are relatively simple, it is high-end architecture. To achieve a comparable product with conventional workers and materials, such as stucco, ICF's, or Dry-vit would cost a great deal on just the cornice alone in order to achieve the shape. And then it would not look like stone in the end.
Since ceiling height and configuration of the floor plan make a huge difference to the amount of exterior surface area, if you already know what basic house plan you want to build, calculate your aprox. total exterior surface area before you contact DAC-ART and you will be able to get some idea of what your project will cost you.
2007 note: The price of DACART blocks has risen since our original construction. This is due to many things, one of those being demand.
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Call Ted Dial at 251/ 490-1954 if you are ready to discuss your specific building plans. or
email him at DACology@aol.com
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DAC-ART is not the same thing as an ICF system--it is BETTER !
No. Foam mold systems, commonly referred to as insulating concrete forms (ICF's), provide structure but not finish. With ICF construction, hollow expanded foam molds are assembled at the job site to provide a form for a poured-in-place structural framework. Conventional finishes such as stucco, brick, drywall, wood and paint are still required on ICF's once the concrete is placed.
The heavy, hollow DAC-ART blocks are dry-stacked on the site using a Bobcat, Dynalift, or Lull small crane and back-filled with concrete which creates a very strong poured-in-place structure. Because the DAC-ART block surfaces are inherently beautiful and may also incorporate decorative architectural elements the need for many conventional skilled finish trade subcontractors is minimized. DAC-ART does not require exterior cladding of any type. This saves time, money & maintenance.
DAC-ART components are available in insulated and uninsulated form.
DAC-ART simplifies the building process and lowers costs in three key areas:
Design: Other manufacturers provide
cast details that must be somehow connected to conventional building systems. DAC-ART
represents a breakthrough by combining the actual structure with finish details in a
comprehensive building system.
DAC-ART standard wall blocks work as a modular design format. Our
patented production technology allows wide flexibility in detail, component size, and
shape.
Building & Installation: Time is the most expensive part of any building process. DAC-ART saves money by reducing job delays, materials and skilled manpower requirements. With traditional construction, costly job delays can be influenced by the weather and the coordination of labor and materials. But here is where DAC-ART can save much frustration and costs.
Building with DAC-ART is easy. The blocks are dry-stacked (no mortar bed) and aligned plumb, level and square. The horizontal and vertical openings in the blocks provide ample room for conduit, piping and reinforcement. The v-groove block joints are grouted for appearance only. After every two, three or four courses are stacked, concrete is poured or pumped into the block walls to lock them together.
Since DAC-ART is weather-proof, weather related delays are shortened. The very prediction of rain keeps many of the trowel and paint trades away from the job site but DAC-ART installation can typically proceed in less than optimum weather conditions. Plus it is not necessary to protect your DAC-ART from the weather during construction.
Maintenance: Costs in the areas of operation and maintenance of the DAC-ART structure are significantly lower than other building materials over time:
Concrete will not rot and is storm and fire resistant.
The color is cast throughout the components.
Concrete is virtually termite proof.
DAC-ART will never need painting.
NO, a top independent concrete testing laboratory has evaluated The DAC-ART Building System for any potential moisture problems and states in it's report :"Moisture-laden air infiltration is not expected to be a problem for the Dac-Art system......The system reviewed does not have potential problems due to moisture-laden air infiltration or water transmission." Construction Technology Laboratories,Inc.
Click Here to access the actual report in .pdf format
What is the R-Value of DAC-ART ?
DAC-ART is the solution to high utility costs.
The standard 12-1/4" thick blocks have an R value equivalent of about 19 when taking thermal mass into account. DAC-ART can make a 20" thick block wall with a pure R-25 and an R equivalent of about 40 with thermal mass. This would use urethane foam in one of 2 cavities. The back-filled concrete and rebar would be in the other cavity the same as the 12 in thick blocks. Since all jobs are custom cast, it would be possible to give R-100 if you want. Further, it is possible to run radiant heat in DAC-ART walls.
Homeowners in Birmingham, AL bulldozed their existing home and re-built using DAC-ART in the same footprint as the original,
conventional construction house. The utility bills now run about one half of what they
were.
DAC-ART precast concrete architectural modular
components come in a standard soft taupish color or custom colors at extra cost. You can
have the exact look you want. Most of our production is a medium khaki tint which
resembles European limestone. Additionally, you can grout between the blocks with a grout
color that is a contrast to the color of the 'stone' blocks or the same as the color of
the DAC-ART for a monotone stucco look. Of course, the fact that your blocks will have
naturally occurring variations in color adds to the real stone look. Below are some
typical colors possible:
DAC-ART components offer unlimited design choices
Our components are produced using patented
technology. We have a highly flexible mold design that allows rapid reconfiguration to
produce large quantities of specialized, custom shapes. Due to the resource
allocation required for development and production, we retain ownership of all new mold
designs.
Colors and shapes are virtually unlimited. Much of our production is a medium khaki tint
which resembles European limestone. Stock shapes are of a traditional Tuscan design.
Although we have not designed a house for earthquakes specifically, the connections are not the problem in DAC-ART that they are in other methods that fail during earthquakes. The internal core is monolithic, and if you wanted to make a monolithic cube by pouring a slab for a ceiling, you could do so. Structural engineers review each project and I expect DAC-ART to be well suited for earthquake preparedness. It is the internal concrete core that is poured on site that will give the continuous structure. Therefore, you can avoid point connections that have concentrated stress and that fail during earthquakes.
All building materials are shipped:
When you think about it, all materials that go into building construction come from various parts of the country. Right now, DAC-ART is made in the South of the U.S.A.
I already have some house plans. Do you have to design my home if I want to build with DAC-ART?
No, Ted Dial can adapt the plans you have to DAC-ART
for a reasonable fee. But if you have not yet hired another architect yet, don't. You are
better off just having one set of plans drawn, as they will have to be re-drawn for
DAC-ART anyway.
Call 251/490-1954 for info or email Ted at DACology@aol.com
Can you design my home for me? Are custom plans expensive?
Ted Dial can create custom plans for your home. We
can draw plans for a home to be built with DAC-ART or other building materials. Half way
through the planning process, the exterior wall thickness can be adjusted if needed before
doing section drawings. Ted will finalize the plans so that you can build with what you
want. We can begin work on your plans before you decide for sure if you want to use
DAC-ART or wood frame construction.
Typically the price for us to draw your custom house plans will be less than standard
architect's fee. Call Ted at 251/490-1954 for pricing info if you have your property and
are ready to build.
Can I build a two story or three story DAC-ART home? YES
Absolutely. You can even built an elevated multi-story home using DAC-ART. You can use what ever type of flooring you choose on each level. We used concrete on which we did an acid stain finish so we would have a waterproof finish and be hurricane proof, but you can use whatever you want. On multi story projects, if you can afford it, you can have concrete floors on the upper floors, but most people have conventional wood supported upper floors. The floor joists and dropped into hangers that are attached to a wood band that is bolted to the interior DACART walls.
Can I build an elevated Coastal DAC-ART home? YES
Most definitely. In fact, DAC-ART has arches in several radii that can be used on DAC-ART columns for a stunning look. On the coast, it is necessary to build above the Corp.of Engineer's established 'Mean High Tide Line' and in the South, it is nice to be able to park one's car in the shade under the house. Most traditionally built 'stick' homes end up with a 'GrandDaddy-Long-Leg' look on tall wood pilings. A DAC-ART home can have a much more properly proportioned, classic look by using cast column blocks, arches, and an under-structure appropriate to the overall style of the home.
Should I come see a DAC-ART home in person? YES
It is impossible to convey the magic and charm of a DAC-ART structure in print or on the web. Ted Dial would love for you to come see some of his work both in Gulf Shores and Birmingham, Alabama. Special low hotel rates in both locations can be booked online by following this link.
Is this the "Official" DAC-ART Corporate Web Site?
This web site was originally made as a simple side folder to an existing hobby website for our family and friends to watch our progress on our owner/built small Gulf Shores, AL vacation house. This web site began to attract so may visitors and so many people began to contact us with questions that it became necessary to add DAC-ART product information and contact information to help give those visitors the info they were seeking.
It has been our pleasure to help introduce the many website visitors and the many people who have traveled to physically visit our Gulf Shores project to the revolutionary DAC-ART Building System. We have had the fun of meeting exciting people who appreciate good architecture. We have watched as many of them have been on the verge of building with materials they were not happy with, found this website, come to visit, ---stopping in their tracks---and have had their plans re-drawn for DAC-ART and are now THRILLED to have finally found the product to create the vision they had all along.
Therefore-this site is a hybrid--a merger of the original diary style chronicle of the joy of our day-to-day experiences and the more up-to-date options available through the DAC-ART Building System. Due to the popularity and excellent search engine indexing of this site, the DAC-ART Corp has put their energy into new molds rather than spending on 'official corporate websites' so we welcome you to contact them directly for additional help when you are ready to move forward with your project. You are also welcome to contact us for a customer's prospective and our experiences in dealing with the DAC-ART product.
The 2005 Journal of the Phase II of the Gulf Coast Waterfront Home is Here
Click here to book a Mobile AL hotel at discount rates online. We
recommend the Radisson Admiral Semmes ---look for
it on the list.
Click here to book The Pickwick Hotel in Birmingham AL at discount rates online.(Our best recommendation fot a Birmingham visit)
Click here to book a Gulf Shores Beach hotel at discount rates online.
DAC-ART |
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See Our DAC-ART House Construction Journal, Step-by-Step w/ Photos |
| Inro to DAC-ART Page Who is the DAC-ART Client? Why Use DAC-ART? DAC-ART Blocks DAC-ART Pricing & FAQ's See DAC-ART Projects History of DAC-ART Contact Us See House Plans |
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