Sheet rock staged and ready for install. Note sheet rock banded in yellow is for ceiling installations and is designed to prevent bowing which may occur with ordinary sheetrock.

Compare to installations using standard sheetrock for ceiling installations.

Master plumber performing last minute checks prior to municipal inspections.

50 gallon hot water heaters hooked in parallel. This installation method allows for hot water to be drawn from both tanks simultaneously providing for a virtually unlimited supply of hot water. Compare to smaller sized water heaters and to water heaters not hooked in parallel.

*Note plastic film over HVAC duct. This attention to detail prevents construction dust front entering ductwork. Compare to installations where no film is used.

*Note pride taken in plumbing installation. Straight pipe is used in perfect symmetry. This is craftsmanship that will be hidden behind walls! Compare to flexible copper tubing or synthetic pipe used by some tract builders.

House wrap, typically in white or pink depending on manufacturer, allows the house to breathe while preventing moisture penetration. House wrap also acts as exterior insulation, sealing potential drafts. While expensive to install, house wrap will allow for utility savings. Compare to homes built with no house wrap.

Hand held shower wand plumbed separately from shower head allowing for convenient access from seat. Also note cement board and custom fiberglass shower pan. No shortcuts here. Compare to shower with no hand held attachment or hand held attachment connected to shower head. Compare cement board installation to treated sheetrock which, with enough moisture, will deteriorate over time.

Pump installation for hot water circulating system. Hot water circulating systems prevent time from being wasted on waiting for hot water. Hot water will be available within seconds of turning the faucet. Compare to homes with no circulating system.

Custom fiberglass shower pan built on site. Picture a boat hull under your shower. Compare to vinyl based pans that may be punctured during installation or prefab pans that do not allow for custom tile installations.

Cement board used for all wet installations. Considered the "Gold  Standard" of tile backing, cement board will not soften with water penetration. This helps prevents costly repairs in the event of tile failure. Compare to treated sheetrock used for these applications. Treated sheetrock, while acceptable, will not provide the long term structural integrity cement board does.

Wall penetrations for water supply lines and drain. Note penetrations drilled to specification with insulation providing a snug fit. This type of installation is of the highest quality.

Note film on window glass. This attention to detail, while more expensive, protects the glass from having to be scraped after texture and paint is applied. Compare to homes where this precaution was not taken.

Alarm system pre-wired during framing stage. Note window contact is barely visible and not easily tampered with. Compare with systems using contacts on the inside of the window or cheap after market alarm installations.

Exterior fireplace located on rear patio. Firebox is specifically constructed of Stainless Steel for exterior applications. Compare to fireboxes made of ordinary steel which will rust over time.

102 degrees. We're in the attic and the electrician has a smile on his face. Who's crazier, him for smiling or me being up there with him?

*Note: Materials, vendors and techniques subject to change.