FOREVER
Our Story: Why We Build in Concrete
Dale McKinley Construction builds insulated concrete form (ICF) custom homes, basements and foundation walls, and storm safe rooms across Huntsville, Madison and North Alabama. We're based in Decatur, and we've been building since 2002.
A GOOD NAME ↓
A good name
Our name comes from two grandfathers, Dale and McKinley. We asked the people who knew them best, their children, what those two men stood for.
Dale's children remember what he used to tell them. Treat everyone fair. Look a man in his face, not at the ground. Get an education, know what you're doing, and work on it each day. They remember his business mind, his wisdom and his spirit of discernment.
McKinley's children remember his integrity, his wisdom and his humility. He was honest, dependable and respectful, a hard worker with a genuine concern for others. He might have had an idea to be right, but he had the stronger sense to do right. He was the first to apologize. He never started a task he didn't complete. And his family will tell you God's hand was upon his life.
A company that means to leave a lasting legacy should carry values like those. So we carry their names.
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
PROVERBS 22:1 (NIV)
Where we started
We started in 2002, building custom homes the traditional way: wood framing, cellulose insulation, stucco, stone, and brick. We've also designed and built for a church family: the sanctuary, the foyer, and the rooms where a congregation gathers. In 2021, we took the name Dale McKinley Construction.
That work still shapes how we build: listen first, design it right, then build it once.
Designed and built by DMC
Why we moved to concrete
We've always worked to bring the best practices of building science to every project, and we've always looked for innovative ways to do so. Excellence is always the goal. The status quo has always been the bane of our existence.
We found ICF early, and we waited. Great walls under a poor roof don't make a better house; we wanted the whole solution. We found it in Quad-Lock ICF, with Quad-Deck, its ICF system for floors and roofs.
We weighed it for a while. Then came April 27, 2011, when 62 confirmed tornadoes struck Alabama in a single day. Several homes in our own family were destroyed. After that, we committed.
Today we build with Quad-Lock ICF and Element ICF, specified per project, and with Quad-Deck where a design calls for concrete overhead. The wall is steel-reinforced concrete with continuous insulation on both faces, poured in place and engineered for the site. A house that tight needs its fresh air designed in, so balanced ventilation and dedicated dehumidification are part of every home we build.
Quad-Deck roof by DMC
What their names ask of us
“Look a man in his face.”
We'll tell you up front what your lot requires, what the number includes, and when ICF isn't the right call.
“Treat everyone fair.”
Every number comes with the inclusions, the allowances and the exclusions in writing, before you sign anything. We price one of two ways: the ICF shell only, or the full custom build.
“Know what you're doing, and work on it each day.”
Every set of plans gets a constructability review. Our structural work goes through a licensed engineer on every job, and every foundation goes out on stamped structural drawings. Our crew is led by an experienced, manufacturer-trained professional.
“Do right.”
We set the footings and raise the ICF walls with our own crew. It's the part of the house you'll never see again, so it's the part we never hand off.
Who we build for
Families building a custom home in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Athens and the lake communities, including on sloped, lakefront and view lots.
Builders who want ICF walls on their own projects: basements, foundation walls, above-grade shells and commercial buildings.
Safe rooms, designed and built to FEMA P-320 and P-361 guidelines. That includes a stand-alone, 1,800-square-foot safe room we built for an industrial worksite.
Elegance. Innovation. Efficiency. Forever.
Elegance.
A home should be beautiful to live in every day. That's where we started, and it still matters.
Innovation.
Named systems, stamped drawings, and fresh air designed in, not left to chance.
Efficiency.
We publish whole-wall R-values, not foam values, so you're always comparing the same thing.
Forever.
Steel-reinforced concrete, and safe rooms built to FEMA P-320 and P-361 guidelines. Built to outlast the mortgage. Built for the next generation, like a good name.
Let's talk about your project
Bring your lot, your plans, or just the idea. We'll tell you honestly, face to face, whether ICF is right for what you're building.
Or call 256-607-3391
Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.