THE ARCA STANDARD
Luxury you feel but never see.
Book ConsultationThe ARCA Standard is our internal specification for everything behind the finished surfaces of a home, built well beyond what code requires.
Our standards come from years in the field. We stay at the forefront of building science, mastering new methods and materials as they emerge.
Little of this work is ever seen. All of it is felt and experienced, every day, for as long as you live in it.
SELECT STANDARDS
Whole-home fresh-air ventilation
A balanced ventilation system runs continuously, cycling filtered, tempered fresh air through the home day and night.
Whole-home water filtration
Water is filtered where it enters the home, so every shower, sink, and tub receives filtered water, not just the kitchen tap.
Sheep wool insulation in every wall
A natural, fire-resistant fiber with no added chemicals or binders that filters the air it touches. Hand-fitted into every cavity and verified before drywall closes.
Zero-VOC on-site finishes
Every stain, polyurethane, and lacquer applied on site is zero-VOC, so nothing off-gasses into the home as it cures.
Duct cleaning and air testing at move-in
Before move-in, the duct system is professionally cleaned and the air is independently tested.
Copper pans under steel windows
Every steel window sits in a custom-fabricated copper pan that catches any water the glazing lets past.
Plumbed drain pans under every appliance
Every appliance with a water connection sits in a plumbed pan, so a failed line drains to waste instead of into the floor.
Rainscreen gap behind all cladding
A drainage gap behind every cladding plane, including stucco, lets water out and the wall dry in any season.
Sealed building envelope
5/8" ZIP System panels combine structure, water barrier, and air barrier in one layer, taped at every seam and flashed at every penetration.
Independent airtightness testing
Every home is blower-door tested by an independent third party before drywall closes, and again at completion.
Solid backing planned into every room
Blocking is set where televisions, art, mirrors, and window treatments will one day hang, so nothing ever depends on a drywall anchor.
Sound-isolated interior walls
Interior walls are framed with staggered studs so none touches both faces, minimizing sound transmission from one room to the next.
Low-iron, triple Low-E view glass
Ultra-clear glass without the green tint, coated to control solar gain on large openings.
Isolated mechanical equipment
Equipment sits on isolation mounts and away from bedrooms, so the systems do their work unnoticed.
Epoxy-coated cast iron drain stacks
Water moves through the house without being heard, in pipe coated against corrosion for the life of the home.
Zoned climate control
Every floor and major room runs on its own zone, holding its own temperature instead of averaging the house.
Seamless flooring transitions
Floor buildups are engineered during framing so wood, stone, and tile meet flush, with no transition strips or thresholds.
Reveal-based trim
Transitions are shadow-line reveals rather than applied casing, so every junction reads as a single line.
Trimless recessed lighting
Downlights finish flush with the ceiling plane
Outlets hidden in the baseboard
Receptacles set horizontally into the baseboard leave the walls uninterrupted from floor to ceiling.
Laser-set alignment throughout
Every opening and joint aligns to a single laser-set datum, so sills, mullions, and grout lines carry across rooms.
Solid wood floors, site-finished
Solid plank, finished in place, thick enough to be refinished for generations.
Whole-home fresh-air ventilation
A balanced ventilation system runs continuously, cycling filtered, tempered fresh air through the home day and night.
Whole-home water filtration
Water is filtered where it enters the home, so every shower, sink, and tub receives filtered water, not just the kitchen tap.
Sheep wool insulation in every wall
A natural, fire-resistant fiber with no added chemicals or binders that filters the air it touches. Hand-fitted into every cavity and verified before drywall closes.
Zero-VOC on-site finishes
Every stain, polyurethane, and lacquer applied on site is zero-VOC, so nothing off-gasses into the home as it cures.
Duct cleaning and air testing at move-in
Before move-in, the duct system is professionally cleaned and the air is independently tested.
Copper pans under steel windows
Every steel window sits in a custom-fabricated copper pan that catches any water the glazing lets past.
Plumbed drain pans under every appliance
Every appliance with a water connection sits in a plumbed pan, so a failed line drains to waste instead of into the floor.
Rainscreen gap behind all cladding
A drainage gap behind every cladding plane, including stucco, lets water out and the wall dry in any season.
Sealed building envelope
5/8" ZIP System panels combine structure, water barrier, and air barrier in one layer, taped at every seam and flashed at every penetration.
Independent airtightness testing
Every home is blower-door tested by an independent third party before drywall closes, and again at completion.
Solid backing planned into every room
Blocking is set where televisions, art, mirrors, and window treatments will one day hang, so nothing ever depends on a drywall anchor.
Sound-isolated interior walls
Interior walls are framed with staggered studs so none touches both faces, minimizing sound transmission from one room to the next.
Low-iron, triple Low-E view glass
Ultra-clear glass without the green tint, coated to control solar gain on large openings.
Isolated mechanical equipment
Equipment sits on isolation mounts and away from bedrooms, so the systems do their work unnoticed.
Epoxy-coated cast iron drain stacks
Water moves through the house without being heard, in pipe coated against corrosion for the life of the home.
Zoned climate control
Every floor and major room runs on its own zone, holding its own temperature instead of averaging the house.
Seamless flooring transitions
Floor buildups are engineered during framing so wood, stone, and tile meet flush, with no transition strips or thresholds.
Reveal-based trim
Transitions are shadow-line reveals rather than applied casing, so every junction reads as a single line.
Trimless recessed lighting
Downlights finish flush with the ceiling plane
Outlets hidden in the baseboard
Receptacles set horizontally into the baseboard leave the walls uninterrupted from floor to ceiling.
Laser-set alignment throughout
Every opening and joint aligns to a single laser-set datum, so sills, mullions, and grout lines carry across rooms.
Solid wood floors, site-finished
Solid plank, finished in place, thick enough to be refinished for generations.
