Practical building guides for framing, foundations, trusses, wall systems, materials, moisture control, and the details that affect cost, durability, and inspection.
Drywall is simple until the wrong board shows up on site. The wrong thickness sags. The wrong board in a wet area fails behind tile. The wrong sheet size turns a clean wall…
A window opening breaks the wall framing and interrupts the load path.The header carries that load across the opening. If it…
Image by ArchitectureCourses.org. Collar ties and ridge straps both work near the roof peak, but they are not…
House framing decides whether the build starts clean or starts crooked.Everything after it depends on the frame. Floors want…
A basement foundation is not just extra square footage below grade. It is a structural system carrying the house while…
Image by ArchitectureCourses.org. Stair-step foundation cracks, uneven concrete, and porch movement can point to settlement…
Concrete foundations carry the building, transfer load into the ground, and help keep the structure stable, level, and dry…
Residential construction management looks simple from the street. Excavation. Framing. Rough-ins. Drywall. Finish. On paper…
Pre-construction is the work that happens before construction starts. It covers site checks, budget planning, design…
Construction management sounds clean in a classroom. In the field, it is not clean at all. Schedules slip. Materials miss…
Low-pitched roofs can look calm, modern, and efficient. They can also become a maintenance problem fast when the slope,…
Image by ArchitectureCourses.org. Steel truss systems are used when the roof has to span farther, carry more load, or keep…
Steep roofs make sense where water, snow, and drainage matter.They shed weather fast, open up more roof volume, and can…
Loads are where structural design starts.If the load is wrong, the beam size does not matter. The calculation may look clean…
Full Guide to Design, Cost, Problems, and FixesCrawl spaces solve a real construction problem. They lift the house off the…
A window opening breaks the wall framing and interrupts the load path.The header carries that load across the opening. If it…
Image by ArchitectureCourses.org. Collar ties and ridge straps both work near the roof peak, but they are not…
House sheathing is a panel on the outside of the frame.The panel choice depends on where it goes. Roof decks, walls, floors,…
House framing decides whether the build starts clean or starts crooked.Everything after it depends on the frame. Floors want…
What Works WhereFraming systems do not compete in one clean line.I would read them by the job first. A small house, a pole…
Structural Truss Types and Where They WorkTrusses do not all solve the same problem.Some are built for light residential…
A basement foundation is not just extra square footage below grade. It is a structural system carrying the house while…