Building Your Own Home - Custom Home Design And Residential Construction In The Buffalo - Niagara Falls Region Of Western New York (WNY)

Paul Lunick*

1. Geological Brief Of The Buffalo - Niagara Falls Region For Residential Construction
The Buffalo Niagara -Falls Region of WNY is located east of the Niagara River, between Lakes Erie and Ontario. The Ice Age ended 6000 years ago here, and glacial ice retreated northwards across WNY, leaving an altered landscape for residential construction behind it. The area may be separated into 3 essentially flat levels, that ascend up 2 steps from Lake Ontario to the Allegheny Plateau:

• The basal level of the Lake Ontario plain is the bed of ancient Lake Iroquois, which ends abruptly at the ~250ft high Niagara scarp of Silurian rock strata.
• The second level, capped with Lockport group dolostone, runs southwards from the Niagara scarp, across the Tonawanda plain to the Buffalo region. This plain once held ancient glacial Lake Tonawanda, which is now entirely drained. The plain terminates against the relatively inconspicuous Onondaga scarp of middle devonian limestone.
• The third 'Erie plain' level, includes the Lake Erie basin, and runs further south to the Portage scarp and Allegheny plateau.

The current characteristics of the land derive at these ancient geological features, and alteration due to glacial activity. The entire Buffalo - Niagara Falls Region is built on sediments, with occasional rocky moraines (in east-west lines) signaling past positions of the retreating glacial front. Thus, custom home design and residential construction in the area must take account of land features that date back thousands of years. Custom built home foundations must be designed and constructed for to suit this local geology. Erie county, surrounding Buffalo, currently represents the densest area for residential construction in this region.

Popular residential construction areas such as much of Amherst are built on flat land that is essentially swampy in nature. Grand Island in the middle of the Niagara River and much of nearby Tonawanda is built on thick clay sediment, with a local moraine crossing the north of the island at the shoreline of ancient Lake Tonawanda. Foundations and basements must be built and drained correctly in order to remain stable and prevent crack formation. If you are considering building your own home in this area, it is wise to consult with a competent local new home builder / general contractor, who understands the land, and uses suitable residential construction techniques to deal with these factors.

2. The Buffalo - Niagara Falls Region Climate
The Buffalo winter season is internationally famous, and Buffalo real estate has to withstand all of its rigors. Residential construction in this area typically endures heavy lake effect snowfall, high winds (massive snow drifts) and sustained freezing temperatures. However, the summers can be hot and humid, requiring effective use of windows and air conditioning for comfortable living. If you are building your own home, remember that custom built homes in this area must be thoughtfully designed and carefully constructed, with suitable residential construction techniques, materials, and regard for energy efficiency, to allow comfortable living.

3. Architectural Styles For Residential Construction In The Buffalo - Niagara Falls Region
Various 'architectural styles' may be successfully deployed in residential construction in the Buffalo Niagara Falls region. Indeed, the area real estate is rich in a wide variety of custom home designs. Particular success has traditionally been found using:

• Early American architecture,
• Cape Cod architecture,
• Colonial architecture,
• Georgian Colonial architecture.

Availability of modern technology to the general contractor has significantly improved insulation practices and increased the overall energy efficiency of residential construction. Ongoing improvements to furnace design and air conditioning unit efficiency are particularly important to custom home design in this region - where energy costs are relatively high.

As energy efficiency has improved, recent custom home design has significantly increased the range of 'architectural styles' that may be successfully built in the Buffalo Niagara Region. This has stimulated the building of very popular Contemporary designs, with large open living spaces, very large viewing windows, and high cathedral ceilings. If you are considering building your own home in this region, it is wise to consult with a competent local architect or custom home builder / general contractor who can advise you on the latest proven technologies, materials, and techniques to apply in the construction of your custom built home.

4. Residential Construction House Types
Within the residential construction industry, the phrase 'house types' is usually used to denote the number and arrangement of levels within a dwelling. All 'house types' may be adapted to custom home design for comfortable living in the Buffalo - Niagara Falls region, and these include:

• Single story (Ranch),
• One and one-half story (Cape Cod),
• Two story (eg. Colonial),
• Split Foyer (Single story with half exposed basement)
• Split- or Multilevel (Contemporary)

5. Wall Construction And Cladding In Residential Construction
The most popular custom home designs in Buffalo - Niagara Falls region residential construction are built with wooden frames, filled with 'batts' of glass fiber insulation. In a typical custom built home, 2x4 or 2x6 framing is externally sheathed with plywood or compressed wood panels. These are usually lined internally with drywall or decorative wooden panels, although brick, tile, or stone are also often used for special effects, particularly around fireplaces.

External cladding for residential construction must be suitably durable and weatherproof. Vinyl siding is available in a range of attractive colors and is particularly popular with local general contractors due to its relatively low cost. Many skilled fitters know how to apply this product quickly, with optional attractive custom arrangements and patterns. Aluminum cladding is now only rarely used in residential construction, due to the superior cost and performance of the vinyl product.

More expensive, cedar panels, brick and mortar, field stone, block, and stucco-type finishes are also popular, particularly for use on custom built home front fascias. These different residential construction products are available in various colors and textures. A common residential construction trend (particularly in recent custom home building) is to combine these different external cladding products, often with cost effective vinyl siding applied at the rear of the property. If you are considering building your own home, a competent local architect or custom home builder / general contractor can help you select cost effective, and aesthetically appealing, interior and exterior finishes for your custom built home.

6. Residential Construction Roof Lines And Materials
Careful attention should always be given to roof construction and external roof lines in residential construction. Simple designs are usually the easiest to deploy, but custom home builders / general contractors are increasingly seeking more aesthetic roof lines, in their custom home design. Complex residential construction roof designs must be carefully engineered by competent architects to withstand the necessary snow load in winter.

On sunny winter days, snow can melt rapidly on south facing roofs. However, relatively cool north-facing eaves are potentially prone to ice dam formation - as the air space under the roof heats. This is a common cause of leakage and internal damage in residential construction, and effective roof venting is the simple cure to this problem.

Despite their higher cost, increased roof slopes are often preferred for aesthetic reasons in custom home design. These higher slopes also encourage natural snow removal due to movement under gravity.

Various residential construction roofing materials including asphalt shingles (~15-20yrs service life), pre-formed metallic panels (~30-50yrs life) and clay-based tiles (~100yrs life) can be successfully applied to custom home design in the Buffalo Niagara Falss region. Asphalt shingles are available in a wide variety of attractive styles and colors, and are generally acknowledged as the most popular roof finish for residential construction, due to their relatively low initial capital cost.

Competent local architects are aware of all the relevant residential construction roofing issues, and can guide the home builder to a suitably appealing and weatherproof roof design for their particular custom home design requirements.

7. House Orientation
For any custom home design, careful consideration should always be given to site planning and house orientation with regard to the compass points. A South facing rear with many large windows can be warmed effectively on sunny winter days when the sun tracks a low arch across the sky. However, the front rooms of the house will remain too cold for comfort without zoned central heating or sufficient forced air circulation.

Effective use of through drafts and awnings in residential construction can reduce the need for air conditioning in the summer, when the sun tracks higher across the sky. When building your own home, also bear in mind that careful emplacement of shade trees can significantly reduce house temperatures in the summer.

8. Windows And Doors For Residential Construction
Windows function to allow outside views, natural light, ventilation, and winter solar gain. However, they must also be carefully constructed to keep out noise, winter wind, snow, rain, and cold, as well as summer heat and bugs. Competent custom home design will account for all of these factors.

Tempered glass should always be used in residential construction, for safety reasons, as dictated by local building code. However, various other characteristics involving window glass thickness, degree of insulation, and light transmission may also be considered in custom home design.

Double glazing usually represents the optimum solution for residential construction in the Buffalo Niagara Region. Large windows must be comprised of sufficiently thick glass to withstand local wind loads. All types of windows including double hung, casement, fixed, awning, and sliding designs may be applied in WNY. Skylights, bay windows, and bow windows have also become a popular feature in custom home design.

In custom home design, doors primarily function to let people in and out, allow for passage of large objects (such as furniture) and ensure security. Doors for residential construction are available in various styles and materials and, depending upon the application, local code dictates requirements for fire safety etc. Garage doors should also be carefully selected with regard for heat loss. Various residential construction door styles and grades are available, with different degrees of insulation. All should seal effectively when closed. When building your own home do not forget that effective insulation of attached garages can save significant energy costs. It is not unknown for a general contractor to skimp on garage insulation in order to save money. Your new home builder should be EPA approved as 'Energy Star' compliant.

Window and door designs for residential construction are continually being improved with respect to all of the functionality referred to above. A competent custom home builder / general contractor will be aware of the best local supply options for custom home construction.

9. Footers For Residential Construction
Footer construction for residential construction must be designed to withstand deep winter freezing. Steel-reinforced-concrete footers are suitable in most instances. Minimum acceptable footer specification must meet or exceed local residential construction codes for depth below the frost line.

10. Basements In Residential Construction
Basements are a popular feature in Buffalo Niagara Falls region residential construction. A deep basement is a useful extension of living space in any custom home design. The initial extra cost of a deep basement is relatively minor when taken in context of the total cost of a custom built home. Many of the larger residential construction companies will skimp on basement depth in order to increase their profits. In a true custom built home, you get to choose basement depth, so consider investing in a deep basement.

Another issue often ignored by the new home builder / general contractor is positioning of support posts in basements. Thoughtful custom home design using correctly selected steel I-beams, and correctly positioned footers, can minimize the number of vertical support posts required in the basement (and indeed on other floors). This can allow for a basement design in your custom built home with large open and unrestricted areas.

Concrete is effectively used to great extent for footers and basements in residential construction in the Buffalo Niagara Falls region. Ready mix for severe weather application must be applied in the necessary thickness, depending upon load, local conditions, and local residential construction code. A competent local custom home builder / general contractor, or concrete sub-contractor will be able to advise on specifications.

Residential construction built in swampy areas, such as parts of Amherst, or in deep clay, such as parts of Grand Island will require an especially effective drainage and pumping arrangement if basements are not to be flooded during the spring thaw or due to heavy rainfall. Additionally, particular attention should be paid to correct drainage of run-off from gutters and drain pipes, away from the foundations.

Not surprisingly most Western New York homeowners get around to finishing their basements once they've settled into their new home. I can recommend some useful basement design and finishing advice, but I also want to wholeheartedly advise that any finished basement in WNY should be equipped with a both a high quality sump pump, and also a high quality back-up sump pump. The water powered back-up sump pump undoubtedly offers the most reliable solution for most homeowners, but some basement configurations may require a battery back-up sump pump. Experience has also shown that investment in a small generator will pay off during the occasional power cuts that can occur in the Buffalo - Niagara Falls Region.

11. Paths and Driveways For Residential Construction
Paths and driveways for residential construction are most commonly built with steel reinforced concrete on suitably compacted gravel-base fill. Typical concrete construction is 4in thick, and a range of attractive surface finishes and colors are available to suit your custom built home from a competent concrete sub-contractor.

12. Plumbing, Electrical, Heating / Cooling In Residential Construction
The norm in residential construction is for a new home builder / general contractor to sub-contract plumbing, electrical and heating / cooling functions to locally approved, experts. Competent local plumbers, electricians, and heating / cooling experts know how to calculate for correct service of all the necessary appliances, fixtures and fittings, required for comfortable living in modern custom home designs.

Forced air convection heating from natural gas burning furnaces is the most common heating selection in residential construction. Some rural areas use bottled propane. Oil fired furnaces and electrical heating are less popular in new residential construction and custom home design.

Recent incentives to install solar energy devices in residential construction have caught local media attention, but the capital cost and maintenance issues associated with this technology are still barriers to entry for most home builders to incorporate into their custom home design.

13. Conclusions
Competent residential construction in the Buffalo Niagara Falls region must take all factors of local geology and climate into effect. If you are considering building your own home, you would be wise to choose a competent local new home builder / general contractor in order to build a comfortable and durable product.

Competent local new home builders / general contractors know both the regional land and the climate.. We use the finest custom home designs to produce optimized custom built homes, with proven cost effective techniques, for durability with low maintenance.

Recommended Further Research Resources
Roadside Geology Of New York - Bradford B Van Diver
The Visual Handbook Of Building And Remodelling - Charlie Wing.

*Paul Lunick is President of Highview Homes. A high quality cost-effective custom home and townhouse builder serving the Buffalo - Niagara Falls Region of Western New York (WNY).