A raised floor system versus a slab on grade home may cost a little more but that is nothing compared to the benefits of building with raised access floors. Concrete slab homes do not have the curb appeal that a raised floor system does. You may find that you pay less for insurance if you live in a flood plain.
Flashlights are a thing of the past when you see the new Stanley Illumination Tools. Hands free lighting to work by. Tool boxes have gone high tech. Now toolboxes walk and talk.
Replacing windows, going from a large size to a smaller size, is a simpler matter than making a window bigger. Changing the size of a house window and getting the interior and exterior walls to match is a challenge.
Poured wall foundations and wood can coexist together for a beautiful finished basement. Poured wall foundations provide permanence that wood foundations sometimes do not. The wood can be used for the floor trusses with wood I joists that span large distances without structural beams in your basement.
Fireplace quality cannot be compromised. If your new home is going to be equipped with a wood burning fireplace, look at several fireplace designs already built by the contractor before you sign. Firebrick mortar and chimney size are important for fireplace safety.
Back drafting in multiple fireplaces in your home is caused by a lack of combustion air. Old residential building codes did not address combustion air flow. A professional can install a combustion air kit to solve the fireplace problem.
Damproofing and waterproofing should not be confused. Damproofing, a liquid asphalt, does not provide foundation waterproofing. Hot asphalt and rubber coating and an insulating panel will fully protect your foundation.
Stairs must be designed and built to code. Stair treads should be 10 inches and the riser should be 7.5 inches to make what I believe are the perfect set of steps. When building stairs make sure what the elevation of the finished floor at the top and bottom of the staircase is. Adding a thick tile or hardwood floor could change the riser height causing safety hazards.
Jobsites are different with each contractor. Some are neat and very safe while others are not. New home builders need to walk through their job site often. Read my tips on what to look for about how your home is being built. If you don't like something, talk to your contractor right away.
House plans and contracts with your builder need to be detailed and specific to avoid problems, heartache and legal dispute. Home plans should include detailed drawings, construction specifications and exact schedules for how, when, where and what is to be done to complete each element of your home. Contracts for your new home should be drawn up with the aid of a good attorney to address numerous issues to assure you end up with the home of your dreams and fulfillment of your expectations.
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