TIERRA VERDE, Fla. — A couple in Tierra Verde is working on completing the construction of their dream home. Most of the work has been done by the two of them, which was made easier with some of the materials they’re using for the build that you don’t normally see in Florida homes.

What You Need To Know

  • A couple in Tierra Verde is working on building a dream home using material that's essentially Styrofoam

  • The material, known as insulated concrete forms, or ICF, is Styrofoam that surrounds concrete

  • The two discovered the material at a trade show in Orlando and say it’s extremely durable and can withstand hurricane-force winds

“It would be great if we had more people, so it would be faster. So, you know, we can move in,” said Sylvia Lusink, one of the homeowners.

She and her husband, Andre, moved to Tierra Verde from the Netherlands in 2006, and over the last year and a half, they have spent every day outside their actual jobs working on their dream house.

“We were hoping not to build in the warmest time in the year, but that didn’t work out,” Sylvia Lusink said.

Even with the humid heat permeating their work, they still have as much fun as they can when trying to build something from scratch.

This project isn’t easy, but what makes it intriguing, Is what they’re using to build their walls.

“This is like this half a block,” she said. “But this, we call it Lego, just because, you know, it has the knobs.”

The couple is using insulated concrete forms, or ICF, to build their house.

ICF is essentially Styrofoam and is some of the most durable material to use if you’re looking to build a structure that can stand up against hurricanes and floods.

“We saw this and we were like, ‘This is the way to go,’” Sylvia Lusink said.

Because if a hurricane were to impact the bay area, the ICF can absorb any strong wind or water coming its way, ultimately protecting the concrete that’s inside.

“There’s basically no weak spots,” Andre Lusink said. “Everything is tied in together.”

They discovered the material at a trade show in Orlando and haven’t looked back.

“Now, everybody in the community wants to stay with us when a hurricane comes,” Sylvia Lusink, said jokingly. “So, I say, well, as long as you bring your own drinks, then we’re fine with it.”

ICF is mainly used up north in places like Canada because the insulation is so good that it keeps the warm air inside.

Sylvia and Andre will be using this in reverse so that cold air stays inside when temperatures are unbearable outside.

“It’s not going anywhere,” she said. “So, it’s building to the highest code, basically.”

It’s a unique way to build their unique home that will have an elevator and a giant garage to house a RV.

“I think it’s something to be proud of and the end result will be awesome,” Andre Lusink said.

This whole thing has been designed and built by these two who have been married over 30 years.

It’s a partnership that grows stronger with every nail and every piece of Styrofoam that’s installed in the Lusink’s dream home.

According to Fox Blocks, one of the companies that makes ICF, this product can cost about 18 to 32 dollars a square foot, which totals to around 30,000 dollars for average sized homes.

The Lusinks say they hope to move into their completed house by February or March.