Primary Navigation
Home > Case Studies > Riccio Case Study
Riccio Case Study
Building a Case
"Thermocore structural insulated panels are 15 years ahead of everyone else with their CNC cutting technology and attention to detail," said Tom Riccio, president of Sanctuary Custom Homes in Granby, Colorado. "I don't want to use anyone else's SIPs because I know they're not as good. I've tried other manufacturers and nothing compares."
For the past five years, every house Tom's company built, including his own home, featured Thermocore's insulated wall panels. "Once I got clued into Thermocore, I never looked back," he said.
Precision to Count On
When Tom used structural insulated panels from other manufacturers, he constantly dealt with cutting mistakes in the electrical, windows, and overall dimensions of the SIPs.
"Thermocore insulated panels come out extremely square because of their ability to run them on a CNC machine in the factory, whereas others hand-cut their panels," Tom said. "With everything on a CNC machine, we know the windows are cut to the exact specifications we asked for and the panels fit our exact measurements."
That precision speeds up Tom's construction schedule. "With Thermocore insulated wall panels, we'll stand a 4,000 square-foot house in two to three days. They're extremely easy to put up. I haven't stick framed in over five years."
Creating Business in a Cold Market
With his company located near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Tom's customers face brutal winters, with daytime temperatures often hovering below negative 10. "It's not uncommon to go 25 to 30 degrees below zero at night and stay there for a week," Tom said.
To cope with those conditions, customers increasingly come to Tom looking for the R-40 insulation of Thermocore's six-and-a-half-inch SIPs. "It's turned into a niche business for us," he said. "We started our company five years ago when the market turned bad, but we've been very blessed with new customers."
Cutting Utility Bills by One-Third
"When you have an R-40 wall vs. R-18 or R-23 from other SIPs, you really pick up the savings quickly," Tom continued. "Within three years, customers get their money back through energy savings."
For those customers who don't already know about SIPs, Tom presents a surefire selling point: "Their heating bills will be reduced by about a third," he said. "We've never had anyone question us on the SIPs. It's an extremely easy sell."
The savings multiply through summer, too. "None of our houses have air conditioning," Tom said. At 8,500-feet elevation, summer lows dip to around 45 degrees. With Thermocore SIPs, "We're able to keep the coolness of the house. It's just so tight that air conditioning isn't needed. That's another selling point."
Making it All Look Easy
In addition to the precision cutting and insulating value, Tom appreciates the ease of working with Thermocore. "They're extremely professional," he concluded. "Pat (Egan, owner of Thermocore) has a great staff with Kelly and Brad. They make it very easy to get this done."
Top
- Tom Riccio,“Thermocore structural insulated panels are 15 years ahead of everyone else with their CNC cutting technology and attention to detail.”
Builder,
Colorado
