A method for manufacturing a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) device comprises forming a plurality of fins on a substrate, epitaxially growing a sacrificial epitaxy region between the fins, stopping growth of the sacrificial epitaxy region at a beginning of merging of epitaxial shapes between neighboring fins, and forming a dielectric layer on the substrate including the fins and the sacrificial epitaxy region, wherein a portion of the dielectric layer is positioned between the sacrificial epitaxy region extending from fins of adjacent transistors.