R-Value Homes Blog

Last July, we had about a week and a half of really bad wildfire smoke here in West Michigan. The air was hazy, the smell was terrible, and it got to the point where being outside was genuinely uncomfortable. The smoke burned your nose and throat,...

Building a custom home is exciting, but the beginning can feel surprisingly unclear. When you are still figuring out how to prepare to build a custom home, it can be hard to know if you should start with a lender, land, a builder, a timeline, or...

If you’ve found yourself late at night researching “concrete homes,” there’s a good chance you are not really searching for concrete at all. You may be searching for peace and quiet. For a home that feels solid during a Michigan winter storm. For...

“What does it cost per square foot to build a house in Michigan?”

We get this question all the time. And we understand why. It feels like the simplest way to compare options, set a budget, and figure out what’s possible.

But if we’re being straight...

Most homeowners start the custom home process backwards.

They browse inspiration photos.They compare builders.They look at kitchens and finishes.

But the most important decisions happen before any of that.

If you’re researching Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) vs. traditional wood framing, you’re probably trying to answer one simple question:

Is it worth it?

You’ve likely heard that ICF homes are stronger. Quieter. More efficient. You may also have...

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) have been around for decades, yet finding a contractor who truly understands how to build with them is still surprisingly difficult, especially in Michigan. We talk to homeowners every year who did their homework on...

In January 2025, my family and I spent a week in Guatemala building homes for families in need (see picture below). The experience made me reflect on the expectations we have for our own homes.

The families in these Guatemalan villages were...

You’re thinking about triple-pane windows. You’re weighing solar panels. You’re scanning the market for eco-friendly appliances and high-performance materials. At some point in that process, many homeowners arrive at the same question: what should...