The Use of LP SmartSide Trim & Siding in Home Construction

SUMMARY

Carlton Marshall and his wife, Susan, of Lancaster, Texas, have dedicated their lives to helping others. Both have served with the Dallas Police Department and help children and adults with mental and physical challenges through a horseback riding therapy program.

Carlton, however, was shot in the neck in 2007 while leading a Dallas Police Department SWAT Team serving a narcotics warrant. He suffered severe spinal cord damage, followed by hearing loss and a stroke. While rehabilitation has restored some of his mobility, Carlton is largely confined to a wheelchair.

Adding to their challenge was their home, which had fallen into a state of disrepair. Snakes infested the walls, attic, wiring and plumbing. The septic system was failing, backing sewage up into their lawn, and the home’s foundation was sinking.

The team from ABC’s hit show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition heard about the Marshalls’ story and decided to act. They called on Cheldan Homes, a leading home builder in Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio, to lead the charge in rebuilding the Marshalls’ home and changing their lives for the better.  

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this project were clear—to improve the lives of the Marshall family by demolishing their old home and replacing it with one devoid of the old home’s problems and making it more wheelchair accessible. The show’s organizers also decided to renovate the barn near their home to allow Carlton to host and participate in the horseback therapy his family has used to help others.

The key, though, was the requirement of Extreme Makeover: Home Editionthat the work be completed in under a week. Therefore, careful advance planning and a high degree of efficiency on site were critical.  

IMPLEMENTATION

Bryan Jeffery, vice president of Cheldan Homes, said planning actually began well in advance of the construction. He dealt with the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project managers every day for about three weeks prior to the build. Much of this time was spent in planning the horizontal construction approach the show uses. In horizontal construc- tion, multiple contractors and subcontractors work on the home at the same time, often on top of one another, to get the job completed on time.

“It was a different approach to construction” Jeffery said. “It was definitely a whirlwind. I wasn’t able to do much Cheldan work during that time.”

According to Jeffery, when it came time to find vendors to help, LP Building Products stepped up to the plate without question. “When I began to approach ven- dors for donations, there was some hesitation,” he said. “However, LP came through like a champion. I never got the ‘what’s in it for me’ from them.”

Jeffery said that thanks to LP’s help, things went smoother than expected. The donated LP^® SmartSide^® Trim & Siding panels were cut to the home’s measurements, and his LP representative had the SmartSide panels pre-finished before they arrived on site, helping save a considerable amount of time.

“It arrived on site ready to be in- stalled,” Jeffery said. “It was a very quick and easy install.”

Cheldan Homes is well versed on the LP line of products. The company already uses LP SmartSide Trim & Siding on every home, according to Jeffery. They also install LP^® TechShield^® Radiant Barrier Sheathing on their homes.

LP SmartSide Siding is a strong product that cuts and installs like cedar, but resists the breaking and cracking sometimes associated with fiber cement. The product also resists warping and is free of knots, voids, and other imperfections some- times found in traditional cedar products. These characteristics helped meet both the structural requirements and the shortened timeline for the project since installers didn’t have to worry about cutting around imperfections in the engineered wood. The durability of LP SmartSide Siding and the SmartGuard^® manufacturing process provided a low maintenance option for a family with little time to maintain their home.

OUTCOME

When the build was finished, the Marshall family re- ceived a life-changing gift. The natural curb appeal of LP SmartSide Trim & Siding added value and beauty to the home. “The SmartSide was pre-finished a dark brown,” Jeffery said. “It really enhanced the look and made it a sharp-looking house.”

More importantly, the Marshall family moved into a house that was a home, not a hindrance. The home is wheelchair accessible and includes a therapy room to keep Carlton on track with his rehabilitation. The kitchen in particular was redesigned so that Carlton can access the entire room, enabling him to cook or help with the dishes.