After May Tornado, Oklahoma Couple Chooses Concrete for New Home

After losing all their possessions in the tornadoes that struck Oklahoma this past May, a Moore, OK, couple has decided to build their new home with concrete. "Cost was a factor," said Jasper Warden. "I had to find out how much extra was this going to cost. Really, for safety, it’s negligible. Almost nothing." Warden, who works for NRMCA Producer member Dolese Bros. in Oklahoma City, said he and his wife, Amanda, did their research before starting construction. The shell of the home costs about 15 percent more than traditional construction. However, heat and air units cost about 50-percent less because the home is so energy-efficient. After construction, utility bills are 40 to 60 percent smaller each month than bills in an average home.