BUILDING MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES

OVERVIEW

In this section, we’ll help you plan and supervise the “bricks and sticks” portion of the building — getting it all put together from the ground up. For many people, homeowners and tradesmen both, this is the most exciting part of the project — after all the planning, paperwork, and number crunching are done. After all, most builders get into the business because they love to build things.

For better or worse, there are more choices than ever for building materials, construction techniques, approaches to energy conservation, and just about every phase of construction. We will help you narrow down the choices to ones that best fit your needs and budget and then focus on getting the job done correctly.

FOUNDATIONS & SITEWORK

Preventing basement moisture problems is relatively easy during construction and nearly impossible after the house is complete. Learn about the materials and techniques for creating warm and dry, premium space below grade. read more

EXTERIORS

Your home’s exterior finish is its face to the world.  If you’re like most Americans, you also want it to last for many years with minimal cost and maintenance. In fact, the promise of low-maintenance exteriors has driven much of the development of siding materials over the past few decades. “Vinyl is final,” was the watchword of a generation of siding salesmen  read more

DECKS & PORCHES

Decks and porches are tough applications for building materials. Decking surfaces are exposed to sun, rain, and snow, as well as heavy foot traffic. Today’s treated wood is highly corrosive to metal fasteners. Despite the beating these materials take, more than ever we want them to be low or no maintenance. This has spawned a vast array of composite and plastic decking materials vying for our interest  read more

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