So what makes a Momo a Momo?

Written by Jeff Williams on January 13, 2026. Posted in Design, Cold-formed steel, Energy, Footings, Framing, Heating and Cooling, Roof, Solar Energy.

Quality. Durability. Resilience. Stability.

In other words, Momo homes are designed better and built better so they feel better to live in.

Which sounds good. But what does it mean exactly?

Let’s take a closer look.

Foundation: Built to last up to 400 years

Our 100 percent steel footings system works like a tree’s deep root network, securely connecting the foundation to the earth while resisting gravity, uplift, shear, and moment loads. The system is rated to seismic category D, the “high hazard” level of coastal California construction. Expected life of the system? Up to 400 years.

Frame: Hurricane-ready

Steel framing is entirely fire-resistant, mold- and pest-resistant, and is 100 percent recyclable. This means all our homes meet top green-building standards. Our homes are built to Miami-Dade wind standards (able to withstand gusts of up to 185 mph).

Roof: 10-foot snow loads? No problem

Steel here, too. Unlike traditional roofing materials, steel won’t warp or sag. While our steel roofs are lightweight, they’re also highly durable — lasting more than twice as long as composite-shingle roofs. And because they’re chemical-free, recyclable, and virtually maintenance-free, they’re a sustainable choice. Our roofs are designed for snow loads up to 100 lbs. per square foot (that’s about 10 feet of average, settled snow).

Cladding: You’ll never have to paint again

Fiber cement board is a low-maintenance product that won’t warp, crack, or fade. Due to its weather- and moisture-resistance, it helps prevent mold, swelling and rot. Fiber cement board is durable against fire, water, and extreme weather conditions, and virtually impenetrable to pests. Plus, it’s durable, lasting 50 or more years. You’ll never have to paint again.

Heating and cooling: Save energy, stay comfy

Every Momo home is engineered for energy efficiency, from insulation to appliances. We use a high-performance Bosch heat pump and Rheem hot water heater. A smart ComfortLink thermostat tailors temperature and humidity settings, so you save energy without sacrificing comfort.

Fully electric: Never pay another energy bill

Momo homes are fully electric, which affords high efficiency and a low carbon footprint. In fact, a fully electrified home with high-quality appliances dramatically reduces, or can even eliminate, electricity bills. Fully electric homes offer resilience and peace of mind during blackouts, as well as letting you take full control of your energy future, without relying on the grid.

SPAN smart panel: Full control over energy use. All Momo homes come with a SPAN smart panel, facilitating full control over your electrical usage.
Solar panels: Real-time insights. We use high-efficiency tier 1 solar panels from brands like REC, Silfab and Q-Cell, paired with Enphase microinverters, capturing and optimizing sunlight, panel by panel. Everything is easily managed through the Enphase Enlighten app, giving you real-time insights, usage reports, and full control at your fingertips.
Battery backup: Power during outages. Any surplus energy is stored in the Franklin Whole Home battery system, ensuring power is always available, even during outages. Each battery is 15 kWh and is an entirely modular system, allowing you to add as much storage as you’d like.
EV charging: Charge when it’s cheapest. The SPAN smart panel provides a clear view of your home’s power flow, and EV-ready wiring means your electric vehicle can run entirely on solar energy. We offer the SPAN level 2 EV charger that integrates with the SPAN smart electrical panel, allowing you to use excess solar to charge your EV and charge when it’s cheapest.

Extras: The beauty is in the details

Every Momo model offers: nine-foot ceilings, solid-core doors, heated towel racks, and aluminum window frames. Plus: fully assembled, custom made-to-order cabinetry designed to last a lifetime.

The Momo Max package includes Bosch appliances and heated floors.

Single-family-home models include laundry rooms, full-size primary bathrooms, and walk-in closets.

What happens to a steel-framed Momo home during a hurricane? Nothing.

Written by Jeff Williams on December 18, 2025. Posted in Framing, Build Process, Uncategorized.

Thinking about building your dream home in an area prone to hurricanes?

Think Momo.

Momo homes are engineered to the “high velocity hurricane zone” designation of the Florida Building Code — the nation’s most stringent wind-resistance standards.

Those standards, also known as the Miami-Dade standards, mean that buildings can withstand gusts of up to 185 mph. For context, that’s a category 5 hurricane. In fact, since a storm reaches category 5 when wind speeds hit 157 mph, it’s an extremely powerful category 5 storm.

The National Hurricane Center describes what kind of damage you can expect in a cat 5 storm:

A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

That’s the kind of event a Momo home is designed for.

And every Momo comes solar-ready. So, if you opt for one of our solar packages, not only will you have shelter from the storm, you’ll be able to keep the lights on.

TIMMMM-BRRRRR! Down goes a home-framing style

Written by Charles Gale on July 25, 2023. Posted in Framing.

Timber is the popular kid. It’s still the most widely-used framing method in U.S. residential housing.

But its days as a building material are coming to an end. Here are six reasons why and what will likely replace it.

Reason No. 1: Wood + fire = ash

Wood burns.

And in this so-far super-hot summer of 2023, the risks of wildfires are rising. As are the dangers they pose to stick-built homes.

In response, one California contracting company started building with non-wood materials in 2020. As the company’s president works with clients who lost homes in the 2020 fires, 19 out of 21 rebuilds are using non-wood materials.

“His workers have traded in hammers and nails,” says Time Magazine, “for pneumatic tools that fasten together steel panels.”

We think he may be onto something.

Reason No. 2: Mass timber isn’t the answer

The development of mass timber seems to show great promise around sustainability. Mass timber is an engineered wood that involves large structural posts, panels, and beams glued under pressure or nailed together in layers. The wood’s grain is then stacked perpendicular for added strength.

But as the Yale School of the Environment puts it, “There are big questions about just how sustainable the new building material is.” Notably, about the management of mass timber forests, and the amount of CO2 emitted during the logging, manufacture, and transport of mass timber products used in construction.

And other environmental experts point out there’s a lot to be said for doing nothing.. Climate change is worsening dry conditions. Plus, trees absorb CO2 and reduce human emissions, and keeping trees in the ground is one of the most cost-effective ways to slow the changes.

Reason No. 3: Where you see a frame, a termite sees dinner

Timber is a staple in the diet of termites. More specifically, they love the cellulose compound within wood. Every year the critters cause more than five billion in property damage. And property owners spend over two billion dollars to get it all fixed.

What’s worse, the structural damage caused by termites is often hidden in the walls and floors, where it’s not visible. And most annoyingly of all, insurance companies won’t cover it.

Reason No. 4: Something is rotten with the state of the den

When I was a kid, my family moved into a house in the Twin Cities only to discover a “situation,” as a contractor carefully put it.

Because the previous owners had failed to provide adequate ventilation beneath the timber-framed den addition, the foundation was rotting from beneath us.

The rest of that summer, plastic sheeting covered a good chunk of the house and many, many loads of dirt were carted upstairs and dumped in our backyard flower beds.

Reason No. 5: Stompers need soundproofing

Anyone who’s lived below a person fond of high heels or midnight vacuuming (or both) can attest—the noise transmission of certain building materials can be a problem.

Timber frames transmit sound more easily than other materials, leading to noise issues between rooms or floors in a multi-story house. Soundproofing solutions to the stompers exist, but their costs add up.

Reason No. 6: Wavy walls are a thing

Timber isn’t the easiest material to work with. It moves. Moisture makes it swell and shrink. Small errors in the construction can lead to big problems as timber dries and ages.

Windows can be hard to set into wood frames, and contractors dread drywall callbacks. Timber framing requires regular maintenance – including treatments to protect against rot and weathering – to ward off wavy walls.

No need to despair

Here’s the thing. People are pretty clever when the chips are down. With so much at stake in housing and sustainability, builders are innovating with some left-field stuff, like wood-based concrete, ABS thermoplastic and pressed hemp straw.

Our personal favorite, cold-formed steel, has a longer track record of success in construction. It resists fire, moisture, and pests, and is 100% recyclable. It’s part of our vision for helping builders build homes today that thrive in the world of tomorrow.

Cheers,

Mike

Mike McAllister is head of story for Momo Homes.