A New Composite House Siding Could Be the Wave of the Future in Home Siding?
By Mark J. Donovan
Some argue that a new polymer-wood hybrid house siding product is better than any other type of home siding product on the market, less real wood or brick. The new polymer-wood hybrid house siding product is certainly more attractive and sturdier than vinyl siding. It is also cheaper than real wood siding.
Polymer wood hybrid house siding, on the other hand, is more expensive than fiber cement board, at least initially. A manufacturer of polymer-wood house siding, however, argues that their product does not require the initial priming and painting, as well as the periodic painting and maintenance, that fiber cement board house siding does. Thus over time, the manufacturer argues that polymer-wood hybrid house siding is cheaper. Hybrid polymer-wood house siding is also available in a variety of colors so there are plenty of choices for the homeowner. Alside’s Revolution Composite siding, for example, is available in 9 different colors.
Polymer-wood hybrid house siding is not meant to be installed by the diy homeowner or untrained carpenter. The proper installation of polymer-wood hybrid house siding requires new installation methods and special training.
Hopefully this latest composite house siding product will hold up better than some of its predecessors. Other composite house siding products have been shown to attract mold and mildew, swell, and delaminate over time.
New Polymer-Wood Hybrid House Siding May Have Legs
Mortgages after Bankruptcy
Summary: With at least two years from discharge of a bankruptcy and reestablished credit with improved credit scores you should be able to apply for a construction loan to build a new home or a home mortgage loan to buy a home.
Carl,
...the bills piled up and we had no choice but to declare bankruptcy.
I have a good job now, and have had it for a little over three years.
We don't have many debts, just one car and one credit card, plus our rent.
Is there any hope of getting a loan to build?
Gabe
Hi Gabe,
Bankruptcy is not the end of the world...read the rest HERE.
Holiday Gift Ideas for 2010
It's the end of another Thanksgiving weekend. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends.
Tomorrow is Cyber Monday!! Time to get ready for some great online shopping! Here are some new gift ideas to get you started...
If you know someone who would like to learn calligraphy or know someone who loves Asian arts and crafts, these beautiful Chinese calligraphy box sets make a wonderful gift. Don't forget to include the extra ink.
Large Calligraphy Wooden Box Set
Calligraphy Brush Stand
Another great gift idea for the holidays is my high quality Asian tea. These Asian tea blends are imported from China. Two yummy new flavors, just in time for the holidays are
Black Vanilla Tea
and Christmas Scents Tea
Chinese tea is not only a delicious way to warm yourself on a cold winter day, it has health benefits as well. A great way to serve your tea is with these decorative Oriental tea sets. They make a great gift for the tea lover in your family.
Black Calligraphy Modern Round Tea Set
Cherry Blossoms Calligraphy Classic Round Tea Set
Stone Dragon Modern Round Tea Set
Stone Cherry Blossoms Oblong Tea Set
There will be more gift ideas to come, so please check back every week from now until Christmas!
Cracked Foundation Wall
Carl,
My 60 year old house has cracked foundation wall needs to be fixed as soon as possible to prevent damage to house. I am trying to figure cost effective method to fix the problem.
Koti
Hi Koti,
If it makes you feel better, over 250,000 people suffer from foundation failure problems EACH YEAR!
Good luck,
Carl
HomeAdditionPlus.com among Top DIY Home Improvement Video Channels
Three separate and independent articles recently ranked http://www.homeadditionplus.com/, and its associated video channels, as one of the top home improvement video destinations on the internet.
“Clean-cut and coherent, Donovan’s straight talking approach is easy viewing…” reports Amy-Mae Elliott of http://www.mashable.com/.
Similarly, Leslie Baird of http://www.helium.com/ reported HomeAdditionPlus.com’s Youtube channel as one of the best DIY and Home Improvement channels on the internet.
Also, miamercado of http://www.blogher.com/ stated relative to HomeAdditionPlus.com that “These tutorials not only show you which tools you need, but how to properly use them, so you don’t have to find a channel with a "How to Sew Your Fingers Back On" video.”
"It’s fantastic getting this type of positive feedback about http://www.homeadditionplus.com/ and its associated video channels. It takes an incredible amount of time filming, editing, and posting home improvement videos, and to hear positive responses from the diy home improvement community and media is just terrific news”, said Mark Donovan, Founder and CEO of HomeAdditionPlus.com.
For more information on HomeAdditionPlus.com and its associated video channels please see:
http://www.homeadditionplus.com/
www.Youtube.com/HomeAdditionPlus
www.Blinkx.com/channel/HomeAdditionPlus
http://www.5min.com/homeadditionplus.com
http://www.graspr.com/profile/homeadditionplus
References
http://mashable.com/2010/07/11/home-improvement-videos/
http://www.helium.com/items/1901323-the-best-youtube-channels-for-diy-and-home-improvement
http://www.blogher.com/best-youtube-channels-your-diy-home-improvement-needs
How to Get a Contractors License
Summary: A contractors license school can show you how to get a contractors license...read the rest
Carl,
How do I get a builders license?
Richard
Hi Richard,
Start by reading my “Getting a Contractors State License”
Then read the rest of "How to Get a Contractors License" including taking a contractors license class.
You can also click on a state below to see State License Requirements...then read the rest HERE
I took a contractors license class 40 years ago. Yikes!
Good luck,
Carl
Cost Estimate Spreadsheet
Summary: Whether you build your own new home or have it built, controlling construction costs is the most critical part of construction. A cost estimate spreadsheet gives you that control.
Carl,
I bought your book, Be Your Own House Contractor, and after reading it I went onto your website and I found where I could download the Cost Estimate Spreadsheet.
Oops, I only have a Mac computer and this software program is for Windows only. So I thought I will build this spreadsheet in Excel.
I got to studying the Cost Estimate Spreadsheet in the book and I don't understand why columns B+C+D should = total of column A.
You don't cover filling out this form in the book. At least if you did, I missed it.
Don
Hi Don,
You didn’t miss a thing, it’s not there. I will attempt to explain B + C + D = A, below.
As for the software for the Cost Estimate Spreadsheet, yes it will only run on a PC.
There is however, a free, already formatted Excel Cost Estimate Spreadsheet available on the same web page (Excel Cost Estimate Spreadsheet).
The Cost Estimate Spreadsheet basically represents your total original estimated cost to build vs. the actual cost to build.
As construction proceeds and the real costs are realized, the Adjusted Cost Estimate Column (A) total may have to be changed. It will have to be changed by whatever the difference is when you add B + C + D.
If you are lucky, the total of column A will decrease as construction proceeds.
More likely, it will increase.
As long as you have sufficient funds in the Misc. category, you can adjust for increased costs in other categories. When the Misc. category hits zero increases in the total of column A start coming out of your pocket…ouch!
I have a web sample that works on a Mac or PC that will give you an idea how my Lender friendly formatted Cost Estimate Spreadsheet looks and works. You can see a web sample of our spreadsheet here.
Play with some numbers on the sample (sorry, you can’t save them on the sample). When you see a “red” number (or minus sign) in the far right column (D) for a category, you have gone over budget for that category and need to adjust column A for that category…and so on, and so on.
And that’s how B + C + D = A, works.
Hope this explanation helps, if not please let me know.
Thanks for buying my book,
Carl
Construction Estimating Software
Knowing how much it costs to build or buy a NEW home is like knowing the true dealer cost of a new car before you shop for one. Imagine having that knowledge!
Construction Estimating Software gives a novice or experienced new home builder, or new home buyer the opportunity to learn the cost to build any style, size, design, or quality new home in their city.
Electrical Insulation Gasket Pads for Electrical Outlets and Switches
By Mark J. Donovan
One way you can eliminate cold drafts from your home this winter is to install electrical insulation gasket pads underneath your outside wall electrical outlet and switch covers. Outside wall electrical switch and outlet boxes are notorious for letting cold drafts into your home due to the fact that fiberglass batt or rolled insulation is often not installed correctly around them.
Electrical insulating gasket pads, or electrical insulation pads, are inexpensive and easy to install. For safety purposes first turn off power to the electrical outlet or switch at the main circuit panel. Next remove the electrical outlet or switch cover plate. Then, using a circuit tester or digital multimeter, test the electrical switch or outlet to make sure power is indeed shut off to it.
Next remove the appropriate cutout section from the electrical insulation gasket pad and place the pad over the surface of the electrical outlet or switch. Reattach the electrical cover plate, turn power back on to the switch or outlet, and your cold drafts associated with your electrical outlets and switches are history.
Construction Bids Too High
Summary: Construction Bids for a new house can vary tremendously. The cost to build a new home is determined not only by size, but by design and quality as well.
Carl,
I found this really nice house plan that I really, really love.
But it was roughly estimated by a builder to cost $166,000 to build.
I am comfortable of something below $150,000.
Do you think it is possible for us to shed cost that much????
Mali
Hi Carl, I have been looking for a General Contractor to build my 3,100 sq. ft. house and to date have been disappointed in the prices I have received ($250-$275/sq.ft.).
How do I find out what the average cost per sq. ft. should be in my area?
John
Hi Mali and Hi John,
The median average cost to build in the USA according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is on this CHART. Median average means ½ of the homes in the survey cost more to build and ½ of the homes in the survey cost less.
However, the cost to build any new home can vary and is determined by size, design, and quality as well as the city and state in which it is built.
But more importantly, the cost to build new houses of the same size and location can vary tremendously due to design and quality.
A range of $100 to $400 per sq. ft. for the same size house is possible!
The selection and/or design of windows, doors, moldings, ceiling heights, staircases, roof shingles, flooring, plumbing fixtures, appliances, etc., all can vary the cost to build basically the same new home by hundreds of thousands of dollars!!!
You both have home plans so you have already chosen the size of your new homes (as well as the city and state). Now, both of you need to concentrate on adjusting the design and quality in order to adjust the cost to build to fit your budget.
Sounds simple doesn’t it?
It is…just time consuming.
You can get an idea what changing the design and the quality of materials (as many times as you want) will result in by using this "Building Costs by City & State" calculator.
By adjusting the “Quality Class” feature on this calculator you can obtain as many different approximate “costs to build” as you want until you find an approximate cost to build for your house plan that hopefully will meet your comfort level.
Your design and quality decisions need to be spelled out in writing (called specifications) so that custom home builders can bid accurately.
This will require price shopping on your part, either in stores or online for as many of the items you have a control over as possible.
It is impossible to make final decisions on everything this early into your project so the use of “allowances” is recommended. See my article “Home Building-Budget-Allowances”
For the sake of immediacy, you could use the estimated material costs for various categories found on the "Building Costs by City & State" calculator to help you set allowances.
For example, on the hypothetical cost breakdown shown below, one might use $4,031 for installed flooring , $2,984 for installed appliances, $2,293 for windows (installation labor is normally included in Rough Carpentry), etc.
But the more complete your specifications are, the more comfortable a builder is giving accurate construction bids. If a builder is not sure what you want, he will pad his estimate to protect himself.
Next all you have to do is find a few custom home builders who will submit bids that use your specifications...and willing to put those specifications in a building contract.
NOTE: An example of how much the cost to build for the same plan can vary can be seen on my post “Cost to Build in North Carolina Too High”
Good luck,
Carl
Deck Flashing from Everflashing
By Mark J. Donovan
I recently had a chance to check out some perimeter and ledger deck flashing products from Everflashing. Everflashing offers a variety of deck ledger and perimeter flashing products in hot dipped (G185) galvanized, stainless steel and aluminum. Their deck flashing comes in 1-1/2” and 2-1/8” profiles and is available in 5, 8 and 10 foot lengths. Their aluminum flashing comes in several colors and is approved to be used with wolmanized L3 Lumber.
Based on their unique shape and construction, decking boards are sandwiched in between a tongue and groove slot integrated into the deck flashing product. Not only does this unique design protect the ledger board and home from water infiltration but also helps to hold the deck boards in place.
Everflashing deck flashing products can be purchased at lumber stores as well as on line. For more information on ledger and perimeter deck flashing from Everlasting visit www.everflashing.com.
Repairing Copper Supply Line Pipe
By Mark J. Donovan
Copper pipes are commonly used in residential plumbing applications. Occasionally a copper supply line can burst. It is particularly common during winter months when water can potentially freeze in the pipes due to the loss of heat in the home. Repairing copper supply line pipes requires some basic tools and skill in soldering / sweating pipes. Tools required include a copper pipe tube cutter or hacksaw, a propane torch, sandpaper, a stiff brush, a half round file, rag, and some steel wool. For materials you will need the necessary copper pipe and fittings, lead free solder, and flux.
To repair a copper supply line you must first turn off the water to the damaged pipe and drain the pipe. Any water left in the pipe will make sweating the joint impossible.
After draining the copper supply line pipe, use a pipe cutter or hacksaw to cut out the damaged section.
Next, use the half round file to clean any burrs off of the cut ends of the pipe. Then use the sandpaper, steel wool and rag to clean the first couple of inches of each section of pipe.
Next cut a length of replacement copper pipe to fit the gap that was removed in the supply line. Make sure to clean each end of the replacement copper pipe section with sandpaper, steel wool, and a rag. Then apply flux to the inside of the two couplings that will go on either end of the repair. Likewise apply flux to the ends of each pipe section.
Place the couplings into position over the ends of the replacement copper pipe section and then slide the other ends of the couplings over the cut ends of the supply line pipe.
Finally, sweat, or solder, the copper couplings in place using the propane torch and solder. Make sure to use lead free solder when sweating plumbing joints. When sweating copper pipes always heat the surface of the copper joint prior to applying solder to it. The solder should immediately flow around the copper fitting when the fitting is hot enough.
Buying Land with Existing Improvements
Hello Carl,
Your website has been a huge help. Thank you for all you do.
My wife and I have found a lot that has had a foundation and basement poured
on it.
The original owner of the lot was not able to complete the project.
The lot has been purchased by a home builder; he is currently selling “as is”.
The home builder commonly works in an area about 45 miles away. He is
selling this lot with the basement around the same price as other lots in the
area.
We feel that this could be a huge opportunity to save money.
We have a set of plans that were to be built on the basement. We were wondering what
we should look at before making this purchase.
We are planning to have our concrete contractor to take a look before going forward.
Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks! K. & A.
Hi, K & A
The fact that you already have a concrete contractor tells me that you are serious and raring to go.
Even if your concrete contractor thinks it looks OK, you should still have it inspected by the local building inspector, and by a structural engineer (SE). An SE should only cost a few hundred dollars. You can find SE's in the Yellow Pages under “Engineers-Professional-Structural" or through ServiceMagic (click on Architects & Engineers, then click on Engineer - Structural).
Unfortunately, damage to concrete in an unprotected and unweighted (no house on it) foundation from freezing and heaving earth can remain hidden for years, and the foundation is the most important part of a house. Make the SE inspection a purchase contingency to the seller. In, fact, the seller might (should) pay for it.
Get a market analysis from a local Realtor as to the lot value “as is”. You need to see if you are paying too much for an empty lot in that area.
The “as is” basement has absolutely no value to add to market value, but you have wisely given that basement full value by building the house that it was designed for.
Get a Title Insurance Policy with “no exceptions” at the time you buy the lot. The seller should pay for the policy. This should protect you from any potential liens from unpaid subcontractors or suppliers, breaks in the chain of title, etc. that may be floating out there.
Before you make a final decision to buy the lot, get a separate market analysis from that local Realtor as to the value of the finished value of the house and lot together to be sure you are NOT overbuilding for the area.
Before you make a final decision to buy the lot, run a (several) cost analysis on what it will cost to build the house.
Go to my "Getting Started" page, and using the "Cost to Build Calculator", plug in the answers to the questions. When you have finished, you will have an estimated (approximate) total cost to build your new house in your zip code.
Then, and only then, if the “numbers work” would I make my decision.
You might want to read my “Buying an Unfinished House”.
Sounds like you may have found a good deal.
Good luck,
Carl
Building Smaller Houses Post Recession
With an Economy that still Languishes Home Builders are Now Turning towards Building Smaller but Still Amenity Rich Homes
By Mark J. Donovan
Since the collapse of the housing market in 2006 home builders, such as Toll Brothers, have been wrestling with how to attract new home buyers. Their most recent post recession solution has been to shrink the size of their new homes while preserving as many of the luxuries and amenities as possible. The results to date seem to indicate that they might have found a viable recipe. With construction costs down from $170 to $100 per square foot, and prices starting at under $220K for their new 2,000 square foot floor plans, initial sales in Las Vegas, Nevada seem to be brisk.
So where are they getting the costs savings, besides shrinking the size of the home? The answer seems to be in the reduction of finished features and fewer internal walls. For example, by reducing the size of baseboard trim or eliminating some types of finishes altogether and allowing the homeowner to add these amenities later, they are able to save costs in the construction of the home. Likewise, by eliminating some internal walls and halls, they are creating larger open spaces within the home and are relying on the homeowner’s choice of furniture to partition the home into different living areas. Other builders are following Toll Brothers moves and seeing similar success.
The jury is still out on whether or not the construction of smaller houses is the long term solution for the American dream and home building market. However, regardless of the long term outcome, it is without a doubt a positive sign to a see a free market and industry clawing its way out of a long and ugly abyss.
New Construction Inspections
Building Codes are a set of minimum home building standards. New construction inspections are made to insure compliance to these standards.
Hi Carl,
In your steps to building a home, you only mention inspections at two stages, before pouring the foundation and after step 23 or 24.
Are there other inspections that should take place and if so, at which stages of construction?
Rose
Hi Rose,
Actually, the rest of the important ones are mentioned, just hard to find in the minutia of text.
Here is where some of the other inspections are mentioned: “How to Build a House Step by Step”:
STEP 11: Rough-ins (1-2 weeks)
Consult with your local utility company on the insulation you need to qualify for their lowest rates. Some locales require an inspection of insulation by both the utility and the building inspection department when it is completed, and before it is covered with drywall or paneling (or plaster, if anyone still wants plaster walls).
My list of inspections does not mean it will be your list of inspections.
You may have more inspections or you may have less depending on the locale in which you build your new home. It varies widely.
Having more inspections is good, especially for the 1st time home builder as it takes some of the worry off your shoulders.
When you go through the process of obtaining all your permits you will find out what inspections need to be done for your house. In most locales the cost of permits covers the cost of required inspections.
Here’s a list of most of the possible inspections.
There may be other inspections that may be required that are not listed.
If you are ever in doubt whether or not an inspection is required, call your building inspection department.
Remember: Building Codes are a set of minimum standards.
After plan review, permits issued and permits posted:
INSPECTIONS:
NOTE: All work requiring an inspection must be inspected prior to covering.
• Temporary electric
• Driveway specifications for inspection & permit posted
• Soil erosion control
• Footing inspection
• Mono slab/footing Inspection
• Formed wall Inspection (required for all formed walls prior to placement of concrete)
• Foundation inspection (Note: inspection of steel reinforcement in forms may be required depending on the design of concrete walls or grouted walls)
• Certified foundation survey (for review at the foundation inspection)
• Garage and basement slab areas
• Deck footing inspection
• Slab inspection (non monolithic slab)
• Plumbing under slab Inspection
ROUGH-IN INSPECTIONS FOR:
• Framing
• Plumbing
• Mechanical (HVAC)
• Electrical
• Water and Sewer Inspection
• Insulation Inspection
FINAL inspections for all building components completed including:
• Mechanical,
• Electrical And
• Plumbing Systems;
• Stairs,
• Decks,
• Handrails,
• Guardrails,
• Exterior finish
• Interior finish material (excluding floor finishes/coverings, and interior paint)
• Final grading
OTHER INSPECTIONS
• Waterproofing inspection
• Swimming pools (Require separate permits)
• Retaining walls (Require separate permits)
Well Rose, I am glad you brought the subject up as it’s important. I should have thought to write this a long time ago. Thanks.
You are probably surprised that there are so many inspections…
Builders sure do earn their money don’t they?
Carl
Skylight Design and Position Considerations
By Mark J. Donovan
Skylights can provide natural lighting to a room. They can also provide some level of warmth if chosen and positioned carefully. By carefully considering skylight design and construction, and the placement of the skylight(s) within your home or room, you can maximize these two major benefits.
When selecting a skylight make sure to fully understand the energy performance rating assigned to the skylight relative to your climate, as well as its position within the home.
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) tests, certifies, and labels skylights, as well as doors and windows, for their energy performance. There are a number of factors they evaluate in the energy performance of skylights including, (1) heat gain/loss via U-factor (the rate at which a skylight conducts non-solar heat flow), solar heat gain coefficient, and air leakage, and (2) sunlight transmittance. Skylight design features that influence the energy performance include glazing, general construction and materials, and operation.
In regards to positioning a skylight in a home or room, a skylight facing a southerly direction will provide the most warmth, however the warmth could be excessive during the summer months. When positioning a skylight in a southerly direction consider including skylight shades or shade trees to help combat the solar heat during the summer months. A skylight west-faced positioned will provide afternoon natural light and warmth. A skylight east-faced positioned will provide morning natural light and maximum heat gain. A skylight faced in a northerly direction will provide relatively constant lighting but minimal heat gain throughout the day.
Stop Cold drafts and Dry Air in your Home This Winter
By Mark J. Donovan
If there are major temperature differences in your home during the winter months there could be a number of factors causing it. Also, if the air in your home feels very dry during the winter months, it is most likely caused by warm moist air exiting your home and cold dry air infiltrating it.
First and foremost check for air leaks around your doors and windows by running your hand around the perimeter of the door and windows frames. If you feel cold air drafts, then install door and window weatherstripping.
Second, check the heating and cooling system. Make sure it is running properly and has been serviced in the past year. Also check the duct work if you have a hot/cold air HVAC system. Improperly working or designed duct work is a leading cause of cold drafts in a home.
Finally, check the insulation in your home. Make sure you have the proper amount of insulation in your home’s floors, walls and attic space as specified by the Department of Energy for your region of the country. In particular check the basement and attic space for air leaks as they are frequently the culprits for a drafty house.
Clean Air Filters in Furnaces and Air Conditioning Systems
By Mark J. Donovan
If you have a hot air heating system or central air conditioning system make sure to clean their air filters annually. Clogged air filters can reduce the energy efficiency of the heating or air conditioning system and can lead to more dust circulating in the home. In addition, clogged air filters can reduce your home’s furnace or air conditioning system from keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. Clean air filters also help to extend the life of HVAC systems. Replacing HVAC air filters is inexpensive and easy to do, so there are no excuses for not doing so.
Guest Blogger Eric Stevenson on Safe Home Renovations
Home Decorating News would like to welcome guest author Eric Stevenson, who was kind enough to offer these helpful tips and information on safety with home renovations and the possible hazards you need to watch out for.
Ensure Safety Before the Style
lighting fixture or a new color of paint. However, many of the biggest and most exhilarating home alterations can include committed changes, like removing walls, tearing out old fixtures and digging through layers of flooring. Some of the more mundane renovations you’ll likely need, especially with an older home, are the updates and removal of structural and internal dangers, like mold, inefficient insulation and wiring. While the installation of an impressive new oak door might look great, failing to modernize insulation around it will make those improvements purely aesthetic. Wiring, too, is especially important not just to your wallet, but to your safety as well. Older home wiring might not be able to withstand the increased power consumption of modern appliances, leading to electrical strain that can cause fire. In addition, many older homes contain outlets that are not grounded, which is again dangerous when families use appliances that require higher levels of electricity. These older, two-slotted outlets should first be replaced before homeowners take on any form of aesthetic improvement.
Chemical dangers, especially, are an important factor to consider when renovating your home and removing outdated materials. Because these dangerous chemicals are hard to spot, many families fail to take the
necessary defenses. One such dangerous chemical is lead. Since 1991, the United States has identified it as a huge health risk to children because it is easily absorbed into growing bodies. It’s widely known lead is present in older paints. However, it was also used in many other products as well, such as gasoline and pipes. Therefore, there are numerous ways homeowners, especially children, can risk exposure to this chemical if it is not properly removed. In addition to chipping paint, lead exposure can occur through the air, in the form of lead dust, in drinking water, in food or even in contaminated soil. Another common chemical in older homes is asbestos. A natural mineral once popular in the 20th century for many construction purposes, it also poses huge risks if exposure occur
s. Once popular because of its fireproof, heat resistant, and electrical-insulating nature, this material has since proven toxic. It poses a serious cancer threat when broken, jagged or shredded, allowing its release into the air and inhalation into the lungs. Although asbestos also received a lot of attention because of its dangerous nature, its commonness in past construction makes it an ongoing problem, especially as older homes are renovated and the aged mineral is exposed. Mesothelioma, the name of this disease, is a cancer that results from exposure to this chemical. If exposed, there are four different types of this disease, with the most common developing in the lining of your lungs. The worst part about mesothelioma symptoms is that they usually don’t show up until 20 to 50 years after your first exposure to asbestos.
Home renovation includes more than picking out paints, acquiring tools and freeing up several weekends to finish the project. It also includes collecting the knowledge to get the most from your improvements and keep your family safe as you dig through old walls and wiring. Only when you first plan for what you might encounter during these projects will improvements match expectations. It is then you will see your time, money and efforts were well spent and your excitement was justified.
Have fun with your next home renovation project, just make sure you keep safety in mind at all times. Nothing is more valuable than your well-being.
Land Clearing
Hi Carl,
Thanks so much for being here.
Your website has boosted my confidence and the more I read the closer I get to taking the leap and building!
I understand that there are many variables to be considered, but my question is this.
In buying an acre lot with many mature trees on it, what is my most cost effective use of the trees?
Can they be milled and used to build the house?
I'll be building on a stilt (coastal) pier foundation. Can they be used for this or any other purpose?
Is it best to just sell the lumber?
My goal is a small, green, efficient, low cost house that I can grow old in, but not have to work on until I die! I'm fifty now and hope to make this happen, on my own, soon.
Thank you again for your help with the process.
Regards,
Jude
Hey Jude,
The complexity and expense of clearing land to build a new home is always complicated by trees, and the bigger the trees, the bigger the cost of land clearing.
A new home site should be cleared of trees at least 10 feet around the foundation! Don’t ponder too hard over that statement as 10 feet has been proven to be a needed clear zone by just about everyone who has tried to save trees too close to the house…including me.
Unless you are going to clear the entire acre of land, I doubt that there are as many trees to deal with as you might think, especially with mature (large) trees.
It is doubtful you can sell the trees you do cut for enough money to make it worth your while, but that depends on what species of trees you have and how valuable they are.
Perhaps a local lumber mill might be willing to clear your lot in return for the trees, or, you might be able to strike a lumber sales deal with an excavator who will be bidding for the site clearing job.
As far as having the trees milled and used for construction the simple answer is no, not without having them dried and graded after milling. I doubt that this would be cost effective.
Freshly cut or “green” lumber “twists” as it dries. If you are building in an area governed by building codes (i.e. “on the grid”) you must comply with building codes and the use of kiln dried, grade marked lumber is always demanded. (See “New Home-Lumber Quality”)
If you are building “off the grid” and have no building codes (enforced) I would still build a house to at least the minimum building codes and that requires the use of kiln dried/grade marked lumber.
Having your own lumber milled, dried and graded would probably prove to be cost ineffective... but hey, it doesn’t cost anything to find out from local lumber mills.
As for the piers, you would have to use treated lumber, if local building codes even allow wood piers anymore. The trees would have to be the right species, treated against termites, treated against moisture and treated for total water submersion.
But, having seen what can happen to even treated wood, I wouldn’t put a house on any pier that wasn’t concrete.
And, concrete is one of the “greenest” building materials there is.
Read “What Makes Concrete a Sustainable Building Material?”
Hope all this helps.
Good luck,
Carl
Lead Education Training for Renovating, Repairing or Painting Pre 1978 Built Homes
By Mark J. Donovan
Last night I met with the company Lead-EDU in Manchester, NH. They offer EPA/HUD certification training courses for contractors on Renovating, Repairing and Painting (RRP) homes built pre 1978.
Homes built prior to 1978 could very possibly contain lead paint. The EPA has strict rules for home renovation and remodeling contractors on how to test and address older homes that may contain lead paint. Consequently, if you have a home built prior to 1978 and plan to have renovation work performed on it that may involve disturbing any of its existing paint, make sure to use a contractor that has received RRP certification. If you are a contractor and have plans to work on a home built prior to 1978 you are required by law to obtain this certification.
Lead-Edu provides lead education training and RRP certification classes and programs for contractors, as well as Lead Test Kits for conducting lead risk assessments. To learn more about Lead Education Training and RRP Certification visit Lead-Edu.info.
Prevent Ice Dams this Winter - Now
By Mark J. Donovan
Prevent ice dams this winter by inspecting your attic this fall for proper insulation. Check the Department of Energy’s website to see what the right amount of attic insulation is for your region of the country. Typically a home needs anywhere from R-30 to R-49 in the attic. By installing the necessary amount of insulation in the attic now you can prevent ice dams, and their damaging effects that come along with them, this winter.
Also make sure the soffit vents are not blocked and that the ridge vent or gable vents are in good working order as well. To prevent ice dams it is important that any warm air that may filter up into the attic from the lower living areas, and through the attic insulation, be quickly released from the attic. Having a good attic venting system will ensure this happens. Warm moist air that gets trapped in the attic can cause snow to melt and turn to ice on the outer side of the shingled roof. The melting snow that occurs can quickly form ice dams near the roof eaves when the attic and outside air temperatures drop below 32 degrees (F) in the evening.
See HomeAdditionPlus.com’s article on “Preventing Ice Dams” to learn more.
High Energy Bills are often Related to Window and Door Leaks
By Mark J. Donovan
Check your home's exterior doors and windows for cold drafts this fall. Much of the heat loss associated with a home comes from damaged or non-existent door and window weatherstripping. Weatherstripping can lose its resiliency and end up not forming a tight seal up against window sashes and door frames.
If your home's windows are old, consider replacing them with double pane low-E glass windows. Prices on replacement windows varies dramatically, however even the cheapest ones will do a better job of lowering your home energy bills than an old drafty window that does not close or open properly.
See HomeAdditionPlus.com's "Wood Replacement Window Installation" to learn more.
Likewise, if your doors are old, drafty and provide poor insulation R-value consider replacing them as well.
Exterior House Painting this Weekend
By Mark J. Donovan
Much of my past weekend was dedicated to exterior house painting. The paint on my family room addition house siding and exterior trim work had faded dramatically in the past year or so and was looking quite splotchy. So, with the weather still above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (just barely) I decided to make exterior house painting my weekend project. The previous weekend I had cleaned the house siding with a pressure washer and a house siding detergent so all conditions were right for tackling this project.
I started off my weekend exterior house painting project by first painting the house siding on Saturday. On Sunday I went back and painted all of the trim work. My biggest pain in the neck was shuffling around the heavy fiberglass ladder and positioning it so that it would not inadvertently tilt or slide over when I was standing on it.
After finishing painting the exterior trim on Sunday, I went back and used a razor blade to clean up around the windows. Finally I decided to caulk around the windows to reduce air drafts into the home. I had noticed while doing the exterior house painting that much of the old caulk had separated from the house siding and window frame. With the ladder already out and in place, it only took a few minutes to caulk the windows.
The newly painted house siding and trim work around the family room looks great. So much so that I have convinced myself that if weather conditions permit, I may elect to dedicate next weekend to exterior house painting too. The garage could use a fresh coat as well!