DIY Network

Deltec Round Kit: The Rushford Family From "Assembly Required" episode DASR-109

In this episode of Assembly Required, a Virginia build team tackles their first prefab kit house, a hands-on couple in North Carolina tries to fit "round" into their square notion of home and another family struggles to step outside the box.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Rushford Build Site

It’s kind of unusual for an entire home structure to arrive by truck. General contractor Steve Ellis and his stick-built crew have a big challenge ahead of them on this Virginia build site; assemble a weather-tight, round home shell in five days (figure A). These guys know construction, but they are rookies when it comes to a prefab Deltec home. To prepare for the round challenge, Steve and his son, foreman Warren Ellis, arm their crew with a secret weapon – Tony Richardson, a hired Deltec consultant who has built over a hundred round homes. But there’s a catch – Tony moves on to the next job site by the end of day five, even if this one’s not finished.

The crew has only a few hours to get the trucks unloaded. Almost all of the pieces needed to create this house were pre-engineered and pre-constructed at the Deltec factory in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s often the unique circular shape (figure B) and open floor plan (figure C) that attracts homeowners, but the complex design could mean a tough build.

Homeowners Greg and Lucy Rushford aren’t thinking about the what-ifs. Just months ago, the couple designed a 1,600 square foot round home (figure D). They positioned the house to maximize forest views surrounding their property. The Rushfords may not be builders, but their curiosity about the way this prefab home is assembled gets them involved in the project in every way.

Once all of the pieces to the round kit are unloaded and accounted for, the crew secures the floor support pole (figure E), an essential element of the home’s structural design. Tony and the crew lower the pole and lock it into place in the center of the foundation. Without a moment to break, the crew begins to assemble the radial floor system (figure F).

Figure E

Figure F

RESOURCES :

Deltec Homes, Inc.
Website: www.deltechomes.com

Round House Consulting
Contact: Tony Richardson
Phone: 1-336-202-5600
E-mail: trkayak@earthlink.net

S.C. Ellis & Sons
Contact: Steve Ellis
E-mail: scelli@earthlink.net