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Job Opportunities

We currently have a few job opportunities in our California office which we opened just last year. With the pickup in the economy and a significant move towards eco-friendly homes, we have seen a huge uptake in business and have a long waiting list of new clients.

To try and fill that backlog, we are hiring both permanent employees and contractors.

Welder

welder We are looking for 2 skilled and fully qualified welders with experience in modifying and assembling reused steel in some of our projects. These are contractor positions and we have an immediate stream of work to be filled.

Successful applicants will have certification of having completed welding training classes with a reputable State training provider. At least 2 years’ experience is required or alternatively completion of a welding apprenticeship program with a local steel workers union is a must. Check out more details here.

Carpenter

We are hiring 3 carpenters who must have at least 5 years of experience working on full timber structures and roofing. Experience with reused and recycled materials as well as the latest environmentally friendly building materials is a must.

These are full time positions and need to be filled immediately for several projects being started in the next month.

Project Manager

We are hiring one project manager who has a n educational background in engineering, preferably surveying or structural engineering. At least 10 years’ experience is required in a project management capacity. Candidates will also have to have passed the LEED exam, which is central to our business.

While our main focus is in southern California we will be expanding our service area, so a willingness and ability to travel to different locations is a must.

If you fit any of the above and would like to send us your resume, then please use our main contact page. We will be in contact with you immediately to start the application process.

Is Using Steel Sustainable?

The importance of sustainability and the trend toward high-performance ecological buildings continue to escalate in the construction industry. Our motto is to take the lead of this movement and contribute to awareness of the ecological qualities of steel, performance characteristics and exceptional life expectancy that make construction materials which are the most environmentally friendly.

Whether it is the production of steel, its manufacture and its use in construction, the industry wants to be a positive factor in relation to the environment. In our projects we only focus on recycled or reused steel, which is the most efficient and eco-friendly way.

steel frame The steel industry has extensively practiced recycling and reuse since the beginning of the last century. It has reduced its energy consumption for a number of processes, and since 1990, it reduced its CO2 emissions by more than 20%. The steel industry commitments are real and measurable and are being implemented at the global level.

But it all comes down to the approach and sourcing of steel and the very selective use. In some of our projects we encounter designs where the use of only wood is impractical and in some situations less than ideal. Because high quality steel will last several lifetimes it is a go to product, even though it does come at a higher CO2 cost.

Reduce | Reuse | Recycle

Reduce

In the steel industry energy efficiency has increased by 26% since 1990 (canadiansteel.ca). Greenhouse gas emissions have reduced by 24% (per ton), and emissions to air and water have reduced by 90% compared to 10 years ago. Steel is a strong prefabrication system; it allows reducing periods of construction up to 60% and requires 75% fewer workers on the construction site, which has clear advantages for the client, the contractor and the local community. Steel also allows reducing the weight and the footprint of the buildings, by facilitating the use of longer ranges with shorter structure elements, and this is a significant contribution to offsetting the carbon cost.

Reuse

Structural engineers recycle the elements of a metal frame or dismantle them to reassemble them elsewhere without loss of the fundamental properties of the steel. Slag, a byproduct of steel, is fully recovered and reused for the construction of roads, the manufacture of cement substitutes and various applications. The gases produced during the manufacture of iron are reused for heating. And because of its strength less concrete is needed which has an even higher carbon cost.

Recycle

Each year more steel is recycled than paper, aluminum, glass and plastic combined. 99% of steel is recovered at the end of life of a steel building, 15% is reused locally, and the rest is recycled.

The inherent recycled content of steel is the highest of all construction materials. In North America, two methods are used to manufacture structural steel. More than half of structural steel is produced by small mills in the electric arc furnaces (EAF), a manufacturing process that uses almost exclusively 100% recycled steel. Integrated plants produce steel using furnaces (FO) from steel recycled up to 35% (recycle-steel.org/leed.html). The addition of recycled steel typically provides an average LEED value of 40 to 50% which goes far beyond the purpose of credits.

Together, the FAE and FO processes today guarantee sustainable development in steel construction. The international CO2 Breakthrough program is developing solutions to reduce the future impact of these processes.

The Triple Advantage Of Sustainability

Sustainability is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs”. It rests on three pillars: social, environmental and economic.

Social

The steel manufacturing industry makes appeal to high-tech production methods, provides safe working conditions and an aesthetically appealing product.

Environmental

The steel is recycled more than once and reused. It is energy efficient and enables a lightweight, durable construction.

Economic

Steel is associated with lower labor and production costs, fast assembly and costs less for construction and replacement during its use than other materials.

Insulation

The insulation of foundations and insulation of the roof of your home will enable it to withstand cold or excessive heat, maintaining a comfortable temperature, without exorbitant energy bills. Depending on the configuration of your home, such losses may be on the order of:

* 17% from the walls above ground;

* 15% by the walls of the basement and foundation floors;

* 11% through the roof.

Poor insulation can also be the cause of various problems such as the presence of cold floors or walls, condensation at the bottom of the walls or even the appearance of traces of mold. Insulating your home can thus make all the difference.

How To Insulate And Which Materials To Choose?
There are various types of insulation material: rigid insulation, batt, loose, and injected foam. To be effective, an insulation material must:

* Uniformly fill the cavity to insulate;

* Resistance to heat transfer;

* Be sustainable;

* Withstand moisture (in some cases).

The thermal resistance value or R-value (RSI, in the metric system) shows the performance of an insulation material. The higher the R or RSI value, the more the material resists heat transfer. There are strict regulations around insulation and we always strive to exceed these.

Moreover, it is a good insulator. However, regardless of the chosen insulation, installation must be impeccable, since the thermal resistance of the assembly in which it is located depends on it. In addition to account for its thermal resistance (R) and the cost associated with it, the choice of insulation must first and foremost be based on the use for which it is intended, as the insulating materials are not necessarily suitable for all types of assembly. For example, some materials may not be suitable for insulating a basement, but very well do the trick for an attic.

Is Your Home Well Insulated?
You have projects of construction or renovation in sight? Here are some important points to consider when you work:

* Insulate your home from top to bottom to eliminate cold floors, condensation and mold growth, while helping to reduce heating costs.

* Pay special attention to structural elements at a construction or renovation, to ensure that they are covered with an insulating material placed continuously over their full surface.

* Make sure that the insulation is laid continuously so as to cover all joints and junctions between components such as transitions between walls, ceilings and floors in contact with the outside air, the ground or an unheated adjacent space.

Insulation works when well planned and executed during your construction or renovation projects and allow you to improve your comfort and reduce energy consumption at the lowest cost.

How To Insulate A Concrete Basement Wall?
The following paragraphs provide some guidelines for the insulation of the foundation walls, as the insulation is made from inside or outside. Materials used will depend whether you are applying them to an existing structure or a new construction job. Please contact us for more details.

Choose Thermal Barrier On The Inside Or The Outside?
Although it allows to improve the energy efficiency of housing, insulation of the foundation wall from the inside does not benefit from the thermal mass of the concrete, in addition to reducing the interior floor space (thickness insulation).

Furthermore, insulating or increasing the insulation of a foundation wall from the inside, increases the risk of frost. In this sense, if the soil is moist and that the foundation is near the level of soil freezing, it is better to leave an uninsulated space at the base of such wall that heat of the building can be transmitted to the soil adjacent.

Nevertheless, the interior insulation is well suited to the case of existing homes that do not require external excavation, since it is a more accessible method, less expensive and feasible in any season.
Note that only waterproof concrete foundations and well-drained should be insulated from the inside. To this end, it is important to check for cracks that may be the source of water infiltration from outside. Moisture from condensation during the summer is usually manifested by a black deposit at the base of the wall, while infiltration from outside can be detected by the appearance of white deposit (mineral salts) to the surface concrete.

If you detect water or moisture infiltration problems that cannot be settled inside, we will then make the corrections from the outside. If necessary, this could even be the perfect opportunity to perform insulation work from the outside.

Insulate The Interior
For the insulation of a foundation wall from the inside, the use of a moisture resistant insulation is highly recommended. The rigid Styrofoam insulation type 3 or 4 is the example of the most commonly used material for this purpose. As it is a combustible material, however it is important to cover it with a firewall to meet the level of fire resistance required by the applicable building code. Mineral wool or glass wool also gives good results in the condition of being protected by a waterproof membrane.

The total thermal resistance of a foundation wall should be about RSI 3.0 (R-17) for the complete assembly. Several technical and material combinations can achieve this level of insulation. The use of a rigid extruded polystyrene insulation having a thickness of 76 mm (3 in), or the use of a polystyrene type 3 or 4 having a thickness of at least 25 mm (1 inch ) combined with mineral wool mat of 89 mm (3½ inch) thick (R-12 wool), installed inside two-by-four timber (5 by 10 cm), are two of the technical most commonly used to achieve this goal.

Insulating From The Outside
When the repair of the perimeter drainage is required, it may be advantageous to isolate the foundation from the outside. Recall that the stone foundations and concrete block foundations must be insulated from the outside. In addition, the exterior insulation allows you to enjoy the thermal mass effect of the concrete, which should provide a better balance of indoor temperature.

After digging foundations to the wheelbase, it is suggested to use a rigid polystyrene insulation type 4, with a minimum thickness of 76 mm (3 in) along the entire height of the wall. It is necessary to protect the insulation from the sun. The use of a moisture barrier and a granular backfill quality ensure dry foundations.

Green Building For Pros Training

This training for professionals has been adapted to the reality on the ground which details the criteria for choosing materials for: life cycle of the product or material impact on health and the environment as wlel as sustainability.
Workshop Objectives
This training allows industry professionals to adopt the best environmental practices in connection with an increased understanding of various materials and their life cycle, environmental impact and health. It is designed according to the technical requirements of the LEED rating system, and gives practical keys to meet many of the 136 credits of the LEED rating system.
Apprenticeships
Solar_panels3 Following this training, participants will know how to build or renovate houses with high ecological quality while decreasing callbacks and without impact on the budget. They will choose more environmentally friendly materials for housing projects and opt for design choices that resist time (sustainability).
In The Program
Criteria for choosing materials: the life cycle of a product or material, its impact on health (volatile organic compounds – VOCs – formaldehyde, etc.), durability.

Life cycle analysis, EPD and product certifications: Understanding Data
Eco-efficient design
Materials recovery
Concrete: SCMs and admixtures, sealants for concrete floors
Insulation materials: ecological choice
Powerful walls of cuts
Advanced certifications and wood frame
Comparison of alternative roofing
Choice of siding
Doors and windows: the choice of frame
Glazing: double, triple, low emissivity, etc.
Wall coverings
Woodwork
Paints, varnishes and finishes
Floors: different types, finishing products
The tiles
The bathroom: shower, plumbing, fixtures, cabinets
Cooking: panels for cabinets, doors, countertops
The materials for decks and patios

Wood And Green Building

Concerns about the exploitation of forests in the world sometimes encourages consumers to choose non-renewable materials, whose production is more polluting and damaging to the environment than wood. When forests are sustainably managed, wood is a material having a lower environmental footprint.
Few environmental building rating systems have a basic life cycle analysis of materials. Analysis of the life cycle takes into account the environmental impact of the choice of construction materials. Fortunately, this situation is changing and more organizations analyze the possibility of introducing into their evaluation systems. The design of sustainable buildings is related to methods of sustainable forest management.
The guiding principles of green building

* Reducing energy consumption throughout the building’s life;

* Minimize external pollution and environmental impact;

* Reduce embodied energy and resource depletion;

* Minimize pollution and harmful health effects.

There are several ways to define the environmental performance of buildings. When the green building rating systems incorporate the concept of the life cycle, they are an improvement over traditional scoring methods offered by most programs.
In many European countries, legislation aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by greater use of wood, or consideration of wood as a preferred building material. Recently, the Government of Québec began the same curve with its use of wood in construction Strategy in Quebec.
One of the changes to national building regulations is to encourage construction of wooden multi-level buildings as the all-wood nine-story building under construction in England.

Building A Wooden House

You’ve decided to build a modern wooden house and live in a healthy environment – choose the project that suits you from our catalog of wooden houses and ask for a quote. We have years of experience in the study of wooden houses, their manufacture and construction, we offer projects in the following categories:

* Wooden two story homes of wood
* Cottages
* Public buildings
* Wooden saunas

To help you understand your wooden house needs, we’ve compiled a guide “10 steps required to build a wooden house”. These 10 steps required for a wooden house explain what to consider when planning the construction of this type of building and talking points prior to construction. The guide “10 steps required to build a wooden house” avoids unpleasant surprises when important details are forgotten in the design of a wooden house.

You will find relevant answers to your questions by using our contact page and arranging for a free consultation.

To respond more effectively we invite you to send us your comments by filling the contact form. Your suggestions will help us to offer solutions for the future of wooden houses enriched and improved. Also in the same form you can indicate whether certain information about wooden houses were not available on the pages of our website. This will allow us to improve the quality of this site and to enrich its content later.

The 10 steps required to build a wooden house

1 – What You Expect Of Your Future Wooden House
* Think about the look of your desired wooden house
* Make a list of your dreams, wishes and ideas about your future wooden house
* Discuss your ideas with other members of your family
* In what way must the rooms of your home be equipped?
* What use do you plan with this building (main residence, secondary, cottage, etc.)?
* What will the style of the wooden house be(modern, rustic, etc)?
* What type of wood do you want – logs or planks stacked, massive pieces of wood or glulam
* Who will be in charge of your project (architect, interior decorator)
* To get some ideas going see our standard projects and images of our wooden houses.

2 – Choose The Construction Site
* Size and shape of the site (construction type, surface, access, etc.)
* What are the elements of your site (trees, uneven, lake, river, etc.)?
* Orientation – how the site is located? This is necessary to know if you want to enjoy a sunrise in the kitchen and the dining room and sunset in your bed room.
* Does the site have specific constraints (building permits, soil study)?

3 – Determination Of Initial Price
Before building a house, it is important to identify and analyze all costs associated with the project. The initial price may vary from about 15%.

* Price of land
* Prices of foundations
* Price of finishing work – installation of water networks, gas, electricity, communication and heating
* Building Costs – there are two ways to get an initial price for a house:
o Choose a house that suits you among our standard projects, simply complete the form attached to this house and we will then automatically send you an offer.
o If you have any personal ideas or a special project, complete the questionnaire and we will offer a customized offer.
* Modification Costs
o To determine the price of the assembly, various parameters of the construction of the house are to be considered
* Miscellaneous expenses – study, transportation, supervision of the construction site, etc.
* Prepare a budget based on these initial tariff offers.

4 – Financing Method
* Self-financing or use of credit
* Construction phase funding
* Reduced risk thanks to the manufacturer’s insurance

5 – Project Preparation
* Search for an architect
* Establishment of initial plans

6 – Acquisition of the building permit
* To begin construction, you must obtain a building permit for your project.
* Building permits are usually issued by local or regional authorities and the process of obtaining building permits varies considerably from one region to another.
* Please ask for more information from your local authority for planning permission.

7 – The manufacturer of choice
When choosing the manufacturer of your wooden house, you should pay attention to the following:

* Its financial reliability
* Quality – materials and equipment used, certifications
* Experience – Past Projects
* Services – Certain characteristics make the construction process of a home significantly easier by offering customers a full set of services:
o Study
o Manufacturing
o Transport
o Construction
* The value – in the comparison of different tariff offers from different manufacturers also check some of the following:
o same or similar Content
o Quality of identical products
o Volume of identical products offered
o identical services offered
+ Are the materials packed in the assembly order,
+ Does the manufacturer arrange transportation,
+ Are the assembly instructions included
+ Are the materials packaged to be protected from the weather
+ Are the materials marked and labeled
+ Etc.
o The same trim level
+ Are the ends of the planks cut according to the required angles
+ Are the planks pre-drilled for the electrical conduits
+ Are the holes in the walls for catch and sockets provided
+ Are the walls joined by a dovetail jointing
+ Etc.

8 – Building A Wooden House
* The selfbuild – the most economical solution, but the construction of a wooden house can be more complicated than expected. This should be clearly examined before making a decision about it.
* Building with a consultant – you build your own home, but with the assistance of one of our experienced advisors who keep an eye on the building throughout the process and help you get a satisfactory result.
* The creation of an assembly team – one of our professional teams of three or four people will build your home quickly and correctly.
* Building a team with a supervisor – the purpose of supervision by a supervisor and ensure that the construction will be done in accordance with the plans to ensure the quality of technical documentation, quality and compliance of construction.

9 – Tips for Choosing a builder
* Experience – he has prior experience of wooden houses?
* Permission (homebuilder) – is that the company has licenses and insurance required for the construction?
* Past projects – is what society or fitter have documents about previous projects?
* Background Check – Is the company or fitter reliable?

10 – Obtaining a license of occupation
* Occupancy Permits are documents that indicate your building has been approved as suitable for habitation.
* The application for a license of occupation is usually made to the authority which issued the building permit.
* An occupancy permit does not necessarily mean that all the construction work was completed or that all construction works are in accordance with the relevant legislation.
* An occupancy permit is issued when the property expert noted that the house is suitable for habitation of a health and safety perspective.

Welcome

More than a trend, almost a passion, the wooden house is an art of living to everyone! Let us guide you …

A Way Of Life

Today, more than ever, wellbeing and good living in a healthy habitat (wood house) become essential to our lives and our aspirations. Entering the privileged circle for that quality of life depends on the quality of housing by building your wooden house.

Headquartered in Normandy to meet the local needs of our customers, Tempo wood accompanies you in the realization of your construction project and offers wood frame house architectures of both classical and very contemporary design. We also have offices in Germany, Switzerland and now also in the United States.

Whether your environment is urban or rural, that you favor the family home, meeting friends or cocooning, the wooden house fits your lifestyle.

DISCOVER

Modulo Wood

construction2 Wood House: a concept designed for first-time buyers.

120m from € 155,000 VAT

Ground floor of 120m2 with a large living area of 54m2 including living room, dining room and kitchen all illuminated by two large windows of 3 meters wide each.

Master bedroom with private bathroom and two bedrooms sharing a common bathroom and plenty of storage (7 wardrobes)

DESIGN

Discover our future achievements wood house. The diversity of our projects will certainly be an inspiration for your future home Bois.

You will find stylish and functional habitats, modern and spacious house combining light and transparency.

Some more sober and discreet and other multi unhooked forms are also découvir.

CLASSIC HOUSE

“TEA-TiME” Le Touquet

With perfect combination of Anglo-Norman traditional style and technical performance of the timber frame, this beautiful house by the sea on the Opal Coast is suitable for everyone.

In a wooden house, the balance of brick, plaster and wood in the respect for tradition gives strength and character to this house whose construction is based on classical architecture.

MODERN HOME

Mountain cottage Driven by their passion for Mondrian, Jean and Nathalie dreamed of a house with the colors of his paintings.

The wooden house for many possibilities of structures, our architect has designed a building full of colors and lines making this home nestled in Chantilly forest a warm and original haven blending harmoniously into its surroundings.

CONTEMPORARY HOUSE

An atmosphere “Loft” at the gates of the city

Patrick wished for his wooden house to be constructed in a very open architecture embracing exceptional views.

The large open spaces between interior and exterior emphasize the fluidity of movement and offer exceptional brightness on this promontory overlooking the city. The construction of a modern wooden house and communicates a lifestyle of its own right in the heart of Orange County, California.

INTERIORS

The interiors of wooden houses offer style variations where each are totally unique.

The design of our interior is conditioned by the external environment and the orientation of the home. So every house becomes unique because every place, every customer are unique.

Our inner planes are always designed to facilitate travel from one room to another, but also from the inside to the outside. Our wooden houses are decorated with wooden deck, conservatory and reception area for friends and family.