Every homeowner knows that avoiding regular maintenance and upkeep can result in costly repairs. Here are five "sleeping giants" that left undetected-could break the bank.
Category Foundation & Framing
Engineered I-beams surpass traditional framing lumber in strength and stability, avoiding many of the pitfalls to which the latter is sometimes vulnerable.
Professional builders agree that compared with traditional lumber, engineered wood framing proves superior time and again. Here are just a few reasons why.
Instead of traditional framing lumber, homebuilders nowadays often use structural insulated panels, or SIPs, as the material combines insulating properties and remarkable strength.
Joist hangers not only simplify the framing process but also strengthen the deck or floor you are building.
Building a new home or addition? Here's how to install a sill plate directly onto the foundation.
For those building a new foundation, there's an easy way to calculate the concrete needed for the job.
Easy to work with and impervious to insects and rot, metal studs are superior to wood members in many ways.
Consider this advice before building on the foundation and embarking on the excavation.
If you are simply reshaping existing space, you don't have to worry about a big hole in your yard. You also won't have to be concerned about the framing of the build-ing or the roofing (unless, that is, you're adding a dormer or otherwise amending the existing roof, in which case you should be sure…
Most of the wood-frame houses built in the last hundred years have been assembled of dimensional lumber, the standardized two-by-fours, two-by-sixes, two-by-eights, and the rest that you encounter at your lumberyard. You shouldn't be surprised to learn, given the finite number of trees to be harvested, that new products have been developed that take better…
With the increased emphasis on saving the environment and costs, there is renewed interest in “advanced framing” construction techniques, which were proven effective more than a decade ago.
An alternative to poured concrete, pre-case foundations have many benefits.
Engineered roof truss systems even stand up to hurricanes.
Go over the ground and study site conditions before you plan your house.
Study the soil of your lot before you build.
A tilting chimney is a serious home problem that should be dealt with as soon as possible. The bricks could fall on someone's head or crash on your roof.
Climate, including high water tables, frost lines, harsh winters, and vulnerability to storm surge and high winds, will determine whether a slab or below-grade foundation is chosen.