home building 101

8/6/2019 Home Building 101

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Steps InBuilding a House

We'll go into more details on each of these steps in a moment. But, for now, these are the basicsteps to building a house:

1. research2. read books related to home building3. ask questions4. research5. read magazines related to home building6. ask questions

7. contemplate8. spend time visiting and observing your intended building site9. ask more questions10. help somebody else build their house, even for a day11. ask questions12. look through mountains of plans13. stop at houses you like and politely ask questions14. go on new home construction tours15. go to home shows16. ask questions17. attend some building workshops

18. ask around about good subcontractors19. examine your finances20. research covenants, codes, setbacks, zoning, etc., on your piece of land21. talk to your future neighbors22. pick a likely plan and build a model from it23. contemplate24. ask questions of your bank about their building restrictions for approving a loan25. investigate other funding sources as a backup26. plan your temporary housing options while your new home is being built27. have an architect look over your final plan28. ask questions29. dig the hole, frame the walls, run the wiring and plumbing, put the roof on30. move in31. work like a dog to pay off your loan

Ok, ok, so this is a bit of an exaggeration. What I really wanted to do here is emphasize howcritically important the planning phase is. There is so much to know about building even a basichouse, that you will never be able to know everything before breaking ground. Even folks whomake home building their living are always learning. There's a mountain of knowledge you can


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acquire before setting shovel to soil. The more you know before jumping into your house building project the greater your chances of things going relatively smoothly.

So what would a more realistic list of steps in building a house look like? Let's look at it from thelikely possibility that you want to be the general contractor for the project, but not necessarily do

all the typical subcontract work. While keeping in mind that the planning, research, questioning,contemplation, etc. phase is all important, it would probably look a little more like this:

1. thorough planning and research 2. site selection and evaluation 3. finalizing plan selection , including working with an architect on detail adjustments if

necessary4. draw up a materials list and get quotes from 2 to 4 supply yards in the area; this includes

truss design and ordering5. mortgage or other finance acquisition 6. construction site insurance

7. permit application and approval8. establish temporary electricity from power company9. interview and secure contracts with subcontractors 10. survey site , find a good excavator , triple check property boundaries and setback laws,

stake out foundation corners , and set up erosion control 11. remove topsoil from site and set aside, dig hole for basement (or whatever foundation

type you're using)12. put in gravel road base for driveway

(keeps the mud down a bit)13. set forms for footings & pour concrete 14. set forms for foundation walls & pour concrete ; waterproof & insulate exterior of

foundation15. backfill foundation after thoroughly set16. frame floor joists , apply underlayment17. frame walls , apply exterior sheathing & house wrap

(if putting in a single unit tub/shower surround make sure to place it in or near the future bathroom space before too many interior walls are framed up)

18. frame roof or place roof trusses19. apply exterior finish to roof 20. wiring & plumbing 21. install heating & cooling system (duct work?)22. for country setting: dig well & install septic system 23. exterior finishing 24. insulate 25. interior wall finishing 26. flooring 27. bathroom finishing & kitchen finishing 28. final grading & landscaping of site29. final occupancy inspection and permit30. house warming partaaayyyyyy!


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Truthfully there's many of these steps that are done concurrently. And some simply have to bedone before others. It should be obvious that walls can't be framed up before the first floor joistsand underlayment are set down, and that the concrete of the foundation walls have to thoroughlyset up before applying waterproofing, rigid insulation and backfilling (they usually say 3 to 5days depending on temperature). I'll eventually build a page on this site going into detail on each

one of these.

Unfortunately there is one step in this process that I didn't do. Number 6, construction siteinsurance. During the whole construction process of my house there was only one injury, and

pretty serious at that. But, the guy had great health insurance through his employer so it allturned out ok in the end. I don't even want to specify what the injury was for fear of his insurancecompany tracking me down, even after all this time. All I'll say is it had something to do with a

pneumatic hammer. In hindsight we were pretty damn lucky that nothing else happened.

This list (well, 2 lists really) on steps to building a house is based on my experience of house building. Depending on the area of the country, or planet, that you're building, your permit

process, legal restriction, and climate and soil factors will be different. And there willundoubtedly be problems and dilemmas that come up during the process that will throw you for aloop. The inspector many not like something and insist that it be changed before signing off;there's a strike at the truss factory and there's no definite delivery of your trusses; the color of your special order roofing material is wrong and has to be exchanged. I could go on ad infinitum.You get my point, though. Planning is critical, but it's best if you're adaptable and flexible whenglitches come up.

The most important step to reach, beside the final inspection and occupancy permit, is to get thematerials and structure under cover. Buy or borrow lots of tarps. Cover you pile of buildingmaterials with plenty of tarps. Get the walls and roof framed and sheathed as quickly as possible.

If the final roofing material isn't available, put tarps on the roof. Short and infrequent exposure torain isn't too much of a problem, but several days of rain and standing water on the plywood andOSB is bad. This kind of manufactured lumber has lots of glues and resins and will easilydelaminate when soaked long enough, which is about a day or less.

If you experience a pouring rain make sure to get into the structure and sweep out any standingwater on the underlayment. This is the main reason the basement floor concrete isn't poured toosoon. Even with the roof on and the exterior walls sheathed there's still many large openings(future doors and windows) that can let in a driving rain.

Building on a slab is a whole 'nother ball game in terms of deflecting standing water. Rob Roytold of a home builder that had half finished cordwood walls on their monolithic slab. After arain there was sufficient standing water on the slab floor next to the cordwood walls to causesome serious water absorption and expansion issues. If you're intending to build on a slab at leasthave a raised curb incorporated into the edge of the structure. This extra 2 to 4 inches will raisethe water-absorptive materials out of reach of all but the deepest, flood-level, water. Just asuggestion.


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These lists will give you a good start in contemplating drawing up your own list, too. The list of inspections that will be done on your house is also a good guide to the order of things. Even if you start out with a list that comes from an experienced builder you'll find there are things you'llchange to suit your own unique project. Best of luck on your adventure in house building! It's anexperience I'd recommend to anybody that wants a serious challenge in their life.


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The construction phase of the home-building process is when all your dreams and plans come tofruition. It often is the easiest, most gratifying and most enjoyable part of the process. Successfulexecution of your plan requires a joint effort by the builder, the subcontractors, the suppliers, the

building department officials, the lenders and you.

The methods and materials used to build a home vary from region to region, but the following basic tasks must be completed for most newly built homes:

Site work , which may include clearing trees from the lot, cuttinga rough unfinished driveway, placing stakes to mark where thehouse will be situated on the lot and hooking up temporaryelectricity service.

Excavation and foundation , which may include digging a holefor the foundation, setting and pouring the foundation, installing

plumbing pipes, pouring the concrete floor of the home, digging

trenches for utility lines, waterproofing the basement walls andgrading.

Framing , which may include installing steel beams, erecting a wood structureand installing windows and exterior doors.

Roofing and exterior work , which may include applying roofing materials andinstalling siding, an outdoor deck, rain gutters and a garage door.

Mechanicals , which may include installing plumbing, electrical andheating/cooling systems, pre-wiring the home for a security system, runningwiring for telephones, cable television and an intercom and placing pipes for a

central vacuum.

Interior finish work , which may include installing insulation, installing and finishing drywall, painting and staining, and installing cabinets, countertops, hard surface floor coverings, baseboards and built-in appliances.

Trim , which may include hanging interior doors, attaching windowtrims, installing fireplaces and mantles, setting plumbing fixtures,installing light switches and electrical outlets, hanging electrical fixtures,setting heating registers, thermostats and heating/cooling unit andinstalling faceplates for the central vacuum, intercom, cable televisionand telephone outlets.

Final work , which may include installing carpet padding and carpets, cleaning the exterior andinterior of the home, finishing the driveway and landscaping and completing any miscellaneousfix-up work on the entire home.


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It's important to understand that home construction varies dramatically from place to place. Ask the builder to educate you about home construction requirements and practices in your region of the country

One of the amazing things about American homes is that the huge majority of them are

built using completely standardized building practices. One reason for this consistencyis a set of uniform building codes that apply across the country. Another reason is cost -- the techniques used to build homes produce reliable housing quickly at a low cost(relatively speaking). If you ever watch any house being built, you will find that it goesthrough the following steps:

Grading and site preparationFoundation constructionFramingInstallation of windows and doorsRoofing

SidingRough electricalRough plumbingRough HVACInsulationDrywallUnderlaymentTrimPaintingFinish electricalBathroom and kitchen counters and cabinetsFinish plumbingCarpet and flooringFinish HVACHookup to water main, or well drillingHookup to sewer or installation of a septic systemPunch list

Many of these steps are performed by independent crews known as subcontractors. For example, the framing is generally done by one subcontractor specializing in framing,while the roofing is done by a completely different subcontractor specializing in roofing.Each subcontractor is an independent business. All of the subcontractors arecoordinated by a contractor who oversees the job and is responsible for completing thehouse on time and on budget.

We will walk through these different stages so that you can see what is involved,understand all the steps and learn about the different materials used in the constructionprocess. We will use a typical three-bedroom home as our example.


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Before You Build: 5 Steps to Your New HomeBy Jackie Craven , About.com Guide

See More About:

y home construction y b uilding costs y house plans

Building a new home b egins long b efore the foundation is poured. To avoid costly mistakes during the

construction process, start with these five important steps. As you move from dream house to realhouse, b e sure to ask questions and share your progress on our architecture forum .

1. Plan Your Budget

Begin now to think a b out how much you can afford to spend and how much b uilding your new home islikely to cost. Chances are you will need a construction loan and a mortgage. It's not too early to find out

what size loan you qualify for. Also, knowing the approximate costs will help you modify your b uildingplans to meet your b udget.

y H ow to Build on a Budget y H ow Much Will it Cost? y P lan For H idden Costs

2 . Choose Your Lot Whether you are b uilding your home in a su b ur b an development or a site with sweeping ocean views,you will almost always need to choose the land b efore you select floor plans or other details. You (andany pros you hire) will need to investigate factors such as soil condition, drainage, zoning and b uildingcodes in the region.

y Where to b uild?

3 . Line Up Your TeamUnless you are a homesteader, you'll need a team of experts to design and construct your house. Keyplayers will include a b uilder, an excavator, a surveyor and a home designer or an architect. Manyhomeowners b egin b y selecting the b uilder or contractor. That pro then selects other mem b ers of the

team. H owever, you may also opt to hire an architect or designer first.

y D o You Need an Architect? y H ow to Find an Architect y What is a Building Designer?


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4 . Pick a PlanMany new homes are b uilt using stock plans from a catalog. The b uilder or a home designer may makeminor modifications in room size, window style or other details. A custom-designed home, on the otherhand, is created specifically for the family which will live there. In most cases, custom-designed homes

require the services of a licensed architect. Whether you opt for a stock or a custom design, you will b e

wise to choose a plan that will meet your needs for many years to come.

y H ow to Find Building P lans y Building P lan Books and Catalogs y H ow to Choose the Best P lans

5 . Negotiate a Contract Be sure to get a written contract which has b een signed and dated b y b oth the b uilder or contractor andthe architect or designer. A contract for new home construction will descri b e the project in detail andinclude a listing of all the parts to b e included in the house. Remem b er to amend the contract if you or

your team make any changes to the project later on.

Steps to Building a HouseOne of the amazing things about American homes is that the huge majority of them are builtusing completely standardized building practices. One reason for this consistency is a set of uniform building codes that apply across the country. Another reason is cost -- the techniquesused to build homes produce reliable housing quickly at a low cost (relatively speaking). If you

ever watch any house being built, you will find that it goes through the following steps:y G rading and site preparation y Foundation construction y Framing y Installation of windows and doors y Roofing y Siding y Rough electrical y Rough plumbing y Rough HVAC y

Insulation y D rywall y U nderlayment y Trim y P ainting y Finish electrical y Bathroom and kitchen counters and cabinets y Finish plumbing


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y Carpet and flooring y Finish HVAC y Hookup to water main, or well drilling y Hookup to sewer or installation of a septic system y P unch list

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