Tella Firma Suspended Slabs Available to DFW New Home Market

Tella Firma suspended slabs now in DFW
July 8, 2011

Advanced Foundation Repair, LP (Advanced) signed an agreement under which they will lift all Tella Firma suspended slabs poured by Smart Slab. Smart Slab, a residential foundation contractor, currently has the largest share of the Dallas-Fort Worth market for Tella Firma slabs.

Tella Firma Suspended Slabs

Tella Firma, an exciting new slab technology provides a more cost effective approach to building suspended slabs on expansive soil. It is poised to revolutionize new home construction and the foundation industry. By reducing construction costs, builders now have a foundation system that virtually eliminates foundation movement. The goal is to all but eliminate the need for future foundation repairs.

Tony Childress, P.E., S.E., and Mike Kelly, P.E., of Childress Engineering Services, Inc., developed Tella Firma for use by Smart Slabs for new home construction. Tella Firma’s engineered solution requires fewer materials than conventional suspended slabs. This reduces Smart Slabs’ costs. Using only a shallow beam around the perimeter eliminates. This in turn requires approximately 30% less concrete than a conventional suspended slab. The Tella Firma suspended slabs design also provides for approximately 10% to 20% less piers than conventional suspended slabs. Slabs are poured on top of the ground over drilled piers. After pulling post tension cables, Advanced Foundation Repair uses Tella Firma lifting mechanisms located over the piers, and embedded in slabs, to raise slabs above the ground to desired heights.

According to Fred Marshall, the owner of Advanced, “I expect the Tella Firma suspended slabs technology to substantially reduce the need for future foundation repairs. Not only does the technology provide a cost effective way to build a suspended slab, but it also reduces the costs of lot development, the need for homeowner foundation maintenance (foundation watering), and warranty costs for home builders.”

Smart Slabs

Bill Donald, Manager of Smart Slabs, LLC said, “My experience with Tella Firma began four years ago as one of the first custom home builders to install the Tella Firma foundation system. I was so sold on the technology that I became a ‘certified installer’. My 15 years experience in the general contracting business gives me a bit broader view of how everything works together. I have installed Tella Firma in a number of locations. It proved to generate very sizeable savings over conventional methods. Because it is so technologically superior to other slab methods, I now specialize in Tella Firma suspended slab foundations.”