Meet the team: Jim Collins

We’re proud to recognize Jim Collins as he celebrates 5 years with Keystone Custom Homes! As Director of Structural Engineering, his expertise plays a key role in bringing strong, thoughtfully designed homes to life for our homeowners.

What is something you are most proud of during your time with Keystone?

I am most proud of two accomplishments: I reviewed the truss industry’s standard gable end bracing detail and developed a more efficient method to brace gable ends for our homes. Gable ends are very prone to direct wind forces and may be the first component to fail if not properly braced in a high wind event. The new method is safer for our trade partners to install and minimizes cost compared to the previous methods used to brace gables.

I wrote a Wind Bracing app for the company. I’m not a programmer, but I took the time to learn C#, WPF, and OOP and, over a period of time, developed a graphical interface that allows the user to draw brace segments directly onto floorplans. This method is a visual implementation of the prescriptive requirements of Section 602.10 of the IRC (International Residential Code) and automatically updates data as the user makes adjustments with their mouse.

What is a favorite customer customization that you have seen on the engineering side?
I don’t have a favorite customization per se, but when I review plans and elevations, I think in terms of gravity and wind and how best to distribute those forces to the foundation. Our homes stack well for gravity loads, but whenever I see a wall of windows or a wide open interior space with no walls, I know we have our work cut out for us when it comes to making the wind bracing work. It turns out that our customers’ favorite customizations keep me very busy.

If you could build any floorplan, what would it be and why?
My wife and I would be happy in any of the top five models we build, but I would pick the Covington with a wraparound porch and a large back deck. It has more than enough space and some pretty majestic elevations to choose from.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I remind myself that we are a proud supporter of Hope International and have our eyes focused on a much larger goal. Work can be challenging at times, but knowing I am part of a process with a worldwide outreach makes it easier to stay grounded when finding solutions. This culture permeates Keystone and is reflected in the people I work with daily, and that counts for a lot.

Fun fact about you!
I play guitar and write music. I started out as a musician in an earlier life, and it will always be in my DNA. I have a home recording studio and keep it as a fun, creative hobby when I’m not coding.

Interested in joining the KCH Team? Learn more about life at Keystone Custom Homes and apply here.