Tilt-up construction regains popularity in Florida

CLEARWATER (FOX 13) - A construction crew in Clearwater built a home, almost entirely, in one day. 

The technology is called tilt-up construction, which cuts down on the time and cost of constructing a home.

For traditional block construction, it takes about a week to two weeks to get the shell done.

But building a shell using tilt-up construction, it can be done in as little as six hours.

"We’ll lift panels into place and we will put a temporary brace on that will allow us to secure it," explained President of Wytek Construction Dan Wigh. "Then plumb and level the wall as necessary to get the entire structure perfect. And then we will screw everything down to the foundation and to an east wall panel to set the other."

The walls are made of high-density concrete similar to what's used on roadways and at airports. The material is impervious to water. The traditional block is not. They are also hurricane resistant.

Tilt-up construction is a little more costly than traditional block construction, but Wigh says it's worth the extra cost.

"We think it’s the absolute best wall system for the state of Florida because we can protect for the heat, the wind-borne debris, the wind-driven rain, [it is] extremely energy efficient," Wigh said.

According to Wigh, many tilt-up concrete buildings constructed in the 40s are still in operation today. He says insurance premiums for a tilt-up building are lower, as well.