California construction company builds fire-resistant homes as San Diego County faces daily wildfires
By Jane Kim – North County Inland Reporter
Click here for updates on this story
ESCONDIDO, California (KGTV) — Richard Koike wanted a home that could withstand a wildfire. His property near the Olivenhain Dam gave him good reason to worry.
“We have 2.5 acres and it’s mostly trees up there. And so fire is uh is a big concern for us,” Koike said.
The shell of Koike’s home in Escondido is nearly complete. The framing, insulation and waterproofing are all fire resistant — built by 4C Construction Systems, a California company advocating for fire-resistant building methods.
“Fire resistance was a big draw for us,” Koike said. “We’ve been working on this project for a while. And the more I hear about the wall system, the better it sounded.”
Yonah Naftaly, CEO of 4C Construction Systems, says fire-resistant construction is achievable and affordable.
“It’s possible, it exists,” Naftaly said.
The company uses factory-made materials to keep costs down, assembling homes quickly on-site.
“We average about 5 to 7 days for a project. You’re right now here on our 6th working day on this project, and today is the day we’re going to be done,” Naftaly said.
“This is made on a conveyor. It’s repetitive blocks we’re able to add in those materials and those materials are things that the homeowner will keep. They stay with the project but at at no added substantial cost, if any,” Naftaly said.
In the coming days, windows will be installed and a roofer, electrician and plumber will bring the house to completion.
For Koike, the build offers peace of mind.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KGTV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.