R-Value Homes - West Michigan

09/02/2026

A doorway detail for you!

This is critical in a zero-step home to keep water on the porch or heavy rain from coming back into the house.

Just a small indentation of 3/4 inch where the door will be set makes the biggest difference!



📍 Building custom homes across West Michigan

The performance of our homes showcase our passionate commitment to excellence and the belief that building better is not only possible; it’s the responsible thing to do.

08/31/2026

The story of how ICF walls saved us from an expensive mistake!

An ICF wall has a solid, reinforced concrete core running continuously through the wall. Rebar (or MSTbar) is placed within the concrete to provide additional strength and help the wall handle structural loads.

Thinking about building with ICF or interested in High Performance home building in Michigan? Give us a follow!

08/31/2026

Passive Solar! ☀️

Most people hear “passive solar” and immediately think about using sunlight to heat a home in the winter. But did you know passive solar design can also help keep a home cool in the summer?

I recorded this in one of the hottest weeks of July in my own home to show you.

Check it out and let me know if you have any questions!

Most people hear “passive solar” and immediately think about using ...

08/28/2026

Low maintenance. High performance. That’s why we build the way we do.

Mike and Janette sat down with us to talk about the past couple years living in their home.

One big thing they mentioned? How low-maintenance the home is. This was key for them as they plan to age in place (and avoid a retirement home).

Would you build your home differently if you knew you could spend less time worrying about maintenance?

We’d love to chat!

If you want to see the full interview and hear their thoughts - check it out on our YouTube channel!

08/27/2026

Another goodie from Energy Vanguard!

An unconditioned house in a humid climate might be dry when the owners leave it for summer, but will it stay dry? Or will it grow mold?

08/26/2026

Here’s the answer to our last reel! You all had great guesses!

What is this notch that’s been formed into the trusses in this Michigan custom home?

Well, since this home has no basement, the mechanic room is on the main level.

We all want our main level to have laundry, bathrooms, kitchen, all the things! We normally don’t want to find space for a mechanic room, but we have to.

So for this home, the mechanic room is situated so that we can go up in the mechanic room and run our ducting in this chase.

From there, much smaller branches will go out into the mechanical chase that we’re going to form - heating and cooling each room.

This prevents us from having to drop a ceiling to run the ducts. (We’ve all been in a basement that had a little funny section of dropped ceiling, we call it a bulkhead for ducting.) This eliminates that from happening!

At R-Value Homes, we specialize in Custom Home construction, using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF), Net-Zero, and passive solar strategies to deliver quiet, comfortable, and healthy living environments. Our design build team ensures every detail supports, long-term performance and peace of mind in West Michigan.

08/21/2026

I want to hear your best guess!!

What is this notch in the trusses for in our Michigan healthy home project?

08/12/2026

Project Update at our Jenison Healthy Home!

The continuous insulation and concrete core of ICF walls create a tight, durable building envelope that helps reduce air, leakage, improve energy, efficiency, and create a more consistent indoor environment.

🌱 Everything about this home is for health!

Pay attention to the details that protect the envelope. The Triple Guard sill seal from Protecto Wrap seals the seam completely off from bugs, moisture and air infiltration.

The insulation underneath the slab needs to connect with the insulation of the walls to protect the thermal barrier.

Healthy homes aren’t just about what you see. They’re built into the walls, the connections and the details.

Our homes are engineered for the unique demands of West Michigan‘s climate, including humid summers, freezing winters, and everything in between! Whether you’re building in Grand Rapids, Holland, Ada or along the lakeshore, we combine smart home design with durable materials to deliver, true comfort and long-term energy savings.

Follow along as this West Michigan custom home comes together and to learn why we build the way we do.

08/06/2026

I wanted to share an interview I did recently with Small Business Growth Partners.

One of our core values is that building better is the responsible thing to do. SBGP helped me turn R-Value Homes from a concrete operation I ran by myself, to the award-winning design-build custom home business it is today.

If you’ve ever seen the offer to redeem a BPA through Home Builders Association of Michigan, here’s my recommendation for you to do so. I don’t get anything out of this other than encouraging you to take your business to the next level.

A BPA from SBGP is a 30+ page, step-by-step 12-month plan built specifically around your operation. SBGP analyzes your financials, your marketing and sales process, your hiring and team communication structure, and your strategic positioning, and delivers a personalized, time-based roadmap.

👉The only thing that is going to be different in your business a year from now is the people you work with and the things you learn. If you’re not actively pursuing people that are better or more knowledgeable than you, don’t expect things to be different.

The full interview is about 15 minutes long - you can watch it here: https://www.smallbusinessgrowthpartners.com/the-end-of-sunday-night-dread-how-r-value-homes-learned-to-predict-the-future/

08/06/2026

Wondering how to decide if building a custom home is the right next step?

We made a checklist to help.

Our Custom Home Planning Checklist walks you through the early steps before design begins, including budget targets, land, builder fit, timeline, and when to begin the custom home design process.

Use it to map your next step with more clarity.

https://www.rvaluehomes.com/custom-home-next-steps-checklist