Building Custom Homes in Crystal Beach, Texas: Finding the Right Materials

For Landon Wright, owner and president of Prestige Custom Builders, the Gulf Coast community of Crystal Beach, Texas has been a lifelong retreat. Now, he also helps others turn their dreams of waterfront living into reality.

Prestige specializes in custom coastal homes ranging anywhere from 200 to 2,500 square feet. And building on a 27-mile stretch of peninsula comes with some specific challenges.

THE RISKS OF BUILDING ON THE SHORE

The Texas coast regularly experiences erratic weather patterns, including high winds, major storms and hurricanes. In addition to extreme weather events, Landon must consider the base flood elevation. To meet and exceed the minimal height required by building codes, everything is constructed on pilings.

Building on the water means construction materials are always susceptible to moisture penetration. Prestige was looking for a reliable sheathing and weather-barrier system that would work in a high-humidity climate. While they had used traditional house wrap systems in the past, Landon wanted a better solution for his clients.

CHALLENGING PAST PERCEPTIONS AT IBS

Landon took his search for the right materials to the 2022 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. There, he met Scott Collingwood, Territory Sales Manager for Georgia-Pacific Building Products.

"When Landon came into the booth, he was concerned about the type of construction building here on the coastal area. Obviously, water infiltration, ocean moisture, water barriers … We could tell instantaneously Landon was an upscale builder and built with a lot of pride and quality."
– Scott Collingwood, Territory Sales Manager Georgia-Pacific

Before they met, Landon perceived Georgia-Pacific as primarily a mass producer of plywood and lumber. After talking to Scott, he learned that Georgia-Pacific also makes innovative building products that could help him mitigate risk from heavy rain and moisture damage.

Landon could tell ForceField^® Weather Barrier System was going to be a game changer for his projects. He appreciated that his crew could use the same ForceField^® Premium Tape on the entire structure and that they wouldn’t have to reflash or add building wrap around the sheathing. Since the Prestige team was often building 15 feet up in the air, not having to take down and put up scaffolding streamlined the building process, saving them money in the long run.

“The ForceField^® System on the walls allows us to not have to worry about any wind-blown rain at this point. The ForceField^® System on the roof allows us to sit in there and work on our mechanicals, our plumbing, our HVAC and our electrical, knowing that the house is completely sealed from the weather.”
– Landon Wright, Owner/President, Prestige Custom Builders

ESTABLISHING TRUST

When Prestige started using ForceField^® Weather Barrier System, Scott Collingwood was regularly on-site to ensure the builders understood the correct installation process and techniques, particularly for the seam tape. Landon welcomed the help, knowing that properly installing the product would ensure the warranty stayed intact. This way, his homeowners would reap the full benefits of the system.

Landon’s partnership with Scott and Georgia-Pacific has continued to grow over the last few years. Because of his success with the ForceField^® Weather Barrier System, he was open to trying other solutions in his homes. That’s how Prestige started using DensShield^® Tile Backer in their projects on a job-by-job basis, testing the product before integrating it fully.

“[T]he [Georgia-Pacific] DensShield^® product is something that we've started integrating into our homes. And one of the reasons why we like it is because of the mold and moisture resistant tile backer that it is, and the easy installation … we keep that water off of the interior walls and we're creating that moisture barrier that, you know, this material was actually created for, and the warranty that [Georgia-Pacific] provides for it is second to none.”
- Landon Wright, Owner/President, Prestige Custom Builders

Prestige was happy with the quality of the product and how it offers a built-in moisture barrier near wet areas like bathrooms and pools. They also liked the fact that it came in 4x8’ sheets. The company began using it near kitchen sinks and in bathrooms, ultimately making the switch from cement backer board. Landon noticed that the product was lighter and created less dust. His crew could bring the material inside the home, only needing to score it and snap it for a quicker installation.  

As Landon’s business continues to grow, he plans to stick with Georgia-Pacific. If he ever has a concern, he knows he can just pick up the phone and get an answer from Scott right away. Georgia-Pacific also makes sure Landon stays up to date on the latest innovations coming down the pipeline.

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Summary:

Type of Building: Custom Home
Location: Crystal Beach, Texas 
Component Quantities: 245 Sheets of 7/16” ForceField® Panels 55 Rolls of 3.75”x90’ ForceField® Premium Tape
Builder: Prestige Custom Builders

Company Information:

Georgia-Pacific Forcefield^®
Phone Number: 1-866-249-3639
Website: buildgp.com