Aug 8 2016
When Todd Sternfeld, CEO and owner of Superior Concrete Products makes up his mind to pursue a goal, nothing stops him. And, so it is with his new company – Superior Concrete Tiny Houses (SCTH), which started earlier this year.
Inspired by Superior Concrete Products, the well-known producer of decorative precast concrete fence and retaining wall products, SCTH will focus on building tiny homes and other modular buildings and structures.
AN ORIGINAL IDEA – THE RANCHETTE
The father of four daughters, Sternfeld realized that millennials and others are purchasing tiny houses in increasing numbers, and with thirty years of experience in modular prefab construction, he knew his modular steel-reinforced precast concrete fence panels were the perfect material to use in the building of tiny homes.
Clad in a Superior Brick™, the company’s maintenance-free precast concrete panels, the first tiny home SCTH built was a 600-square-foot two-bedroom rustic ranch style house, dubbed the Cleburne Ranchette™. Filled with deluxe amenities such as granite countertops, full-size stainless steel appliances, and a full-size bathroom, the Ranchette epitomizes the look and feel of well-appointed Western-themed home, perfect for singles, young couples, empty nesters or people looking for a weekend retreat in the country. In fact, the company’s craftsmanship and design expertise, was recently recognized by the National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA). The organization named Superior Concrete Products the 2016 first place winner of the Creative Use of Precast Concrete (CUP Award) in the Above Ground Category for the Ranchette in March 2016.
“People of all ages love tiny houses,” said Sternfeld. “They provide an attractive and affordable solution for those who want to own a home, but don’t want to go obligate themselves to a big mortgage. And, let’s face it, no one likes to spend good money on something that depreciates and deteriorates within a few short years.”
“When manufactured correctly, precast concrete is an extremely attractive and versatile product. Crafted to look like wood, stucco, brick or stone, the Superior Concrete team infuses tinted pigments during the production process, so there is no need to paint or stain the outside walls of one of our precast tiny homes – ever, unless you elect to change the color. Better yet, with steel reinforced concrete, Superior Concrete Tiny Houses are designed to be safe and strong, outlasting any stick-built home on the market,” he added.
THE CHISHOLM TRAIL CABIN
Since the completion of the Ranchette, the Superior team has been moving fast, building one home after another. While the Ranchette was constructed on an engineered concrete foundation, the second tiny home – the Chisholm Trail Cabin is a convertible model that was built on a strong steel frame, giving this tiny home ease of portability. With an exterior structure made of Superior Wood™, a precast concrete product that duplicates the look of rough-cut cedar siding, the 375-square-feet, two-bedroom cabin was designed as a park model. This design enables tiny house enthusiasts to put wheels on the axles and move their tiny home to a new location, if they desire. The Chisholm Trail can also be constructed on a fixed concrete foundation should the owner prefer to establish permanent residence on a piece of land.
THE COLORADO COOL DEBUT
The newest home in the SCTH line-up is the 200-square-foot, one-bedroom Colorado Cool. Built on a rugged goose-neck trailer, “The Cool” gives tiny home enthusiasts the option of parking this residence permanently, or hooking it up to a truck for travel. By their nature, tiny homes are not meant to be travel trailers. However, some tiny home enthusiasts enjoy the freedom of the road, so the Colorado Cool gives these free spirits the flexibility of a permanently parked home, or the ability to take their home with them should they decide to move.
“Colorado Cool is unique,” said Sternfeld. “We know of no other tiny home builder who has created a home like this one. This structure of this tiny home is maintenance-free Superior Brick™, and we’ve put every luxury we could incorporate into 200-square-feet of living space. Not only is this home energy efficient, but it is decorated in a sophisticated and care-free industrial style. We used cool muted tones of soft white, gray and blue combined with stainless steel appliances and textured metal cabinetry throughout the home to give a restful, but edgy contemporary feel.”
“This tiny house also features wood laminate flooring, paneling, marble countertops, mosaic tile, a full-size shower with curved glass doors, a utility room with a Dometic washer/dryer combo unit, hidden storage under the stairs, even a cedar-lined closet in the Great Room. And, this unit even includes a 40-square-foot outdoor living space configured as a private deck marking the entrance leading up to the front door. Truly, this home has it all,” he added.
2016 TINY HOUSE JAMBOREE
The recently completed Colorado Cool will be debuted during the 2016 Tiny House Jamboree in Colorado Springs, Colorado which starts on Friday, Aug. 5. Lasting through Sunday, Aug. 7, the Second Annual Tiny House Jamboree is a gathering of like-minded tiny house devotees who want to learn the latest building innovations as well as view this year’s collection of tiny homes. The event drew more than 40,000 visitors in 2015, and this year the Jamboree is expected to attract an even larger crowd.
This year, the event will be held on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy Campus, close to Falcon Stadium. The gates open at 9 a.m. and close each evening at 6:00 p.m.
An affiliate of Superior Concrete Products, a Texas-based manufacturer and nationwide installer of precast concrete fence and retaining wall products, Superior Concrete Tiny Houses launched these cutting edge new homes in January 2016 when Sternfeld and his team recycled some concrete panels to construct the company’s first tiny house. Created and built out of the company’s proprietary line of precast concrete fence panels, the Colorado Cool was built on the company’s property in Euless, Texas.