In this solo episode of Build Better Homes, Royal Mortier introduces a new recurring segment called Technical Topics, focused on engineering-related changes that directly affect residential construction.

This first Technical Topics episode breaks down a major hardware shift many builders and designers are already encountering in the field: Simpson’s transition from the HDU hold-down series to the new HDU-E series, along with the introduction of SABR (Saber) anchor bolts.

Royal walks through how and why the HDU-E series delivers higher tensile capacity with fewer screws and thinner gauge steel, what has changed in screw orientation, and how these updates affect real-world design decisions, pricing, and installation tolerance. He also explains where retrofit options disappear at higher capacities, and why anchor bolt placement accuracy becomes critical as loads increase.

The episode closes with a practical design tip that has dramatically reduced misplaced anchor bolts across thousands of homes: dimensioning hold-down anchor locations directly on foundation plans.

This is a highly technical, field-driven episode aimed at engineers, designers, framers, and builders who want fewer surprises during construction and inspections.

• Why the HDU series is being phased out
• Key differences between HDU and HDU-E hold downs
• Horizontal vs angled SDS screw installation
• How geometry increases tensile capacity
• Capacity comparisons (HDU2 → HDU-E3, HDU4 → HDU-E5, HDU5 → HDU-E7, HDU8 → HDU-E9, HDU11 → HDU-E13, HDU14 → HDU-E17)
• Gauge changes and reduced screw counts
• Retrofit limitations at higher hold-down capacities
• SB vs SABR anchor bolts (Grade 36 vs Grade 55 steel)
• Why SABR bolts simplify design and sourcing
• Pricing differences and where savings still exist
• A proven method to reduce anchor bolt retrofits by over 90%

Hardware keeps evolving. The builders who stay ahead are the ones who understand why it changed, not just what changed.