Don’t let the economy hold you back. Every cycle comes full circle. Home building activity and values will rebound. Do you want to wait until that time or are you eager to make things happen?

You Could Build Now

I believe that now is a good time to take advantage of lower materials prices, low cost financing, and cheaper labor. If you really want to make that home building dream come true, there may not be a time like this for many, many years to come. And if you really want to do it as cheaply as possible, start with a small and simple house plan.

What to Look for in a Small House Plan

Size matters. Smaller homes are less expensive to build, maintain, heat or cool, and repair. And, they are easier on the environment … especially if you make it energy efficient and use products that are manufactured according to earth friendly standards.

To achieve the maximum affordability, pick a design with a simple foundation and roofline. These will take less time, fewer materials, and reduced labor to build. Also, it’s generally less expensive to build “up”, rather than “out”, so a second story will typically cost less than if you had to add more foundation and roofline to get your needed space.

Building a Small Home

I’ll start with one caution. Never build a home that is not sufficient to your needs. Don’t build a home that you’ll be cramped and uncomfortable in. That defeats the purpose of building.

That being said, small homes offer many advantages to the homeowner and the owner builder. And, if the small size and smaller budget make home building possible for you, all the better!

Top Small House Building Advantages

• Cheap to Build: One of the reasons it’s cheaper is because it’s much less complicated
• Quick to Build: A big reason for being cheaper is that they are quicker to build.
• Buy plans cheaply or hire an architect for a smaller fee: Consider house plans that have already been built and tested. This will preclude most problems.
• Small home building favors the do-it-yourselfer: Your own labor with the help of friends and lower-cost professionals can save big.

House plans that have been built many times have often been refined to work out the construction bugs. Using this approach is wise, especially when working with a kit home company and building a packaged home.The Joy of Using a Home Building Coach

My clients know that the home building coach is indispensable. Small home or big, the homebuilding process is complicated. Detailed organization and knowledge of the building process are crucial to a great experience. And, I believe that home building should be a great experience that is enjoyed to the fullest.

A home building coach can help with choosing plans, selecting building materials, working with designers and builders, and orchestrating your project.

Work with a home building coach and save money, get more of what you want, and keep the stress to a minimum.

You can learn so much more about home building and remodeling online. One great option is to take advantage of a very informative yet simple to follow *free* e-course that you can find by clicking here http://www.DreamHomeCreation.com You will also find other tips and tools, surveys, videos, and additional articles by Mel Inglima.

Getting a fence built correctly can take a little bit of pre-planning as well as doing some serious research yourself or hiring a good skilled professional. It can be quite a bit harder than one might expect and it does need to be handled in the right way so that your new fence doesn’t fall into your neighbor’s pool! The Joneses next door might be upset to wake up to your new fence in their new pool.

1. Why a Fence?

You want a fence! While “why” you want a fence might be obvious, a good contractor will ask you this question. Knowing why you want a fence is important in choosing what type of fence and material will be best, the height of construction, placement of the fence, and the locations and types of gates.

A fence can be built to keep something in, keep something or someone out, reduce noise, block an unwanted view, or to add aesthetics. There are safety factors to consider in the material, construction, and height of the fence. For example:

If the fence is four foot high with a dog chained nearby it may be possible for the dog to jump. The dog could be injured and jumping while chained could even be fatal. Gates and locks will be a consideration when building a fence meant to keep children out of a swimming pool. In a high crime area, a fence built for protection can instead increase risk; if the fence blocks the view of neighbors or the public, criminals often feel safe to operate there.

2. Where?

While the grass might be greener on the other side of the fence, you don’t want that to be your grass over there! Nor do you want to find out after all the construction is done, your fence is not yours at all, but on someone else’s property.

Fences probably cause more neighbor disputes than any other interaction. While you might have every right to build a fence, running your plan by your neighbors might save you some headaches. Whether you talk to them or not make you sure you know where your fence is going to be built.

Either:
- find the property stakes that mark the boundaries
- get a copy of your survey and measure your property
- have a survey performed

Check and double check and make sure the fence lines are clearly marked for your contractor.

3. What’s Up… and Down?

The majority of fences are fastened by some kind of post that will go under the ground. Many posts are placed in holes filled with concrete. The depth of the holes should be based on the height of the anchors or posts, the type of fence, and the area’s seasonable weather. 18″ to 24″ are common depths. If your fence will need any digging some areas may need to phone to check for underground utilities. These services will use spray paint to mark where cables and such are buried. An advance notice of a few days to sometimes several weeks before your project begins is required. The paint will generally last several weeks.

It may be a good idea to do a search with a metal detector. These can pick up old pipelines, buried objects from past demolitions, and other obstructions that could cause delays. In any case, when you hire a contractor make sure the preliminary work is done and understand who is going to be responsible for getting the property marked. Get that agreement in writing on your contract.

Ensure that you study the opposite direction of the ground too – up! Trees with low branches on your property (or your neighbors) might need to be trimmed before your fence can be built. Some might even be right in your fence line and need to be removed. Tree roots can also be a headache for the contractor and should be considered.

4. Is My Fence Legal?

Find out if your fence will be legal before you build. The majority of municipalities have laws about fences. These laws commonly include:
- What kinds of fences are allowed
- Height restrictions
- Permits required
- Plans be submitted

Check with your local government for more information.

5. How Will My Fence Get There?

Fence materials can often be heavy and delivered by large trucks. A lot of fences are located in areas that are difficult to access. Discuss with your contractor the best way to get the materials delivered. They might need to cross your neighbors’ property to get to you. Hopefully by now you have become good friends with them!

I found it really easy to find local fence contractors at Home Services Engine. It’s an easy site to use and it makes it quick and painless to find truly local businesses. So, if you’re looking for a local fence contractor, go to http://www.homeservicesengine.com/fence_contractors/.

Maybe you’re looking for a job in a real estate office or as an assistant with a construction company. Or it could be that you have taken a job at a local builders supply and will be doing material take off’s. These are just a few of the jobs where you need to have a familiarity with construction drawings. Facts are though, I’m not going to be able to tell you in just one article how to read a set of house plans. There is way too much to consider. What I can do is give you a basic overview to give you a head start.

The Floor Plan:

Imagine if you will, having a house and cutting into it horizontally with a knife. Once this is done, you are able to see the interior rooms or layout of the home. That’s what the floor plan is. On a floor plan you have strings of dimensions that define the locations of the porches, decks, walls, windows, doors, etc. You will also have door and window sizes, floor coverings, ceiling heights and types, water heater, washer and dryer locations listed. Almost always included on the floor plan is a kitchen layout showing cabinet sizes and location. Bathrooms cabinets should be defined there too.

The Foundation or Basement Plan:

Same as the floor plan this is a view that is made by the same type of cut. Here you will find wall sizes and types, floor support posts or piers, floor support types such as trusses or joists, slab thickness, footing sizes, and wall openings that should all be defined by dimensions.

Electrical Plan:

Many designers and drafters include the electrical plan on the floor plan and some don’t. What you will find on this plan is outlet locations, light fixture types and locations, smoke detectors, door bell, meter base and circuit panel.

Exterior Elevations:

These are the views of the house from the front, left, rear, right, and roof. This drawing usually defines exterior finishes, shutters, pediments, trim types, roof shingle materials, grade levels (where the exterior ground level meets the house), railing types and locations, etc. It should also include roof pitches which is defined by 12 inches horizontal X however many inches vertical to define the angle of the roof.

Sectional Details:

This drawing is also a knife cut illustration only on a vertical plane which shows things like insulation “R” factors, stud and header sizes, floor truss or joist sizes and spacing, floor and roof decking sizes, etc.

H.V.A.C. and Plumbing Plans:

These show the duct work and pipe locations along with pipe size for hot and cold water, and the fixtures and fitting types.

Tim Davis is an Architectural Designer with over 20 years experience in his field. He teaches Architectural Blueprint Reading classes at http://blueprints.8m.com and Architectural Drafting at http://houseplandrafting101.com

A building construction software program has become one of the most important tools in the construction profession. These programs have made it easier for estimators to produce cost projections; for architects to develop a building design; for contractors to plan for building codes and other legal concerns; and for the homeowner or building owner to get an idea of what the project would entail in terms of costs, time and compliance.

Types of software

A construction project is made up of various steps, so it is to be expected that software packages for this profession will be numerous and varied. One of the more widely-used types is the computer-aided design or CAD software that is used mostly by architects and engineers. These types of programs are used for creating building plans and drawings and allow the designer or architect to have a three-dimensional perception of the project at hand.

Software programs for estimating construction costs are another of the more commonly used packages in the building trade. Programs for estimating building costs allow the user to produce expense approximates, employee and equipment scheduling plans, contractor bids, project reports and other elements of the project that have something to do with costs. These software packages can be purchased, but there are also those that are available for free in the Internet. However, free programs are mainly basic in terms of functions and can only provide rough estimates.

There are also programs for accounting, which help in keeping tabs of the costs of the project and provide bookkeeping information; software for environment and energy compliance concerns; programs for project contracts; and software packages that guide the owner and the builder through building codes and legal issues associated with a construction project.

What to look for in a software program

For those who are not very familiar with using CAD or other building trade software packages, it is important to choose the ones that are easy to use and can provide information that is not too muddled with unnecessary jargon. In buying software for a building project, look for brands that provide specific information about costs, plans and designs. The various screens should also be easy to understand, which means that they provide detailed information in the simplest language possible. The steps that it would take for a software user to perform basic actions should also be considered – the fewer, the better.

Building construction software products have revolutionized the architecture and construction industry. Whether you’re a home owner or a builder or an architect, getting yourself familiar with these modern tools will go a long way towards helping you have a successful building project or a well-designed, within-the-budget home.

When the subject of lumber is renewable, recyclable and sustainable come up in conversations surrounding green products many have differing opinions. For decades the lumber industry has been bashed for bad practices in managing our environment. Yes in the past there have been some bad practices but in the United States our forests are managed in ways they many don’t even understand. When some talk about the lumber industry they portray companies that are eliminating the forests. That is just not the case. Let’s look at the nature life cycle of a forest if humans never stepped foot inside. Trees grow and drop seeds and more trees grow. The forest continues overtime to thicken and the large trees kill out the smaller trees creating dead down fall. Over years some of this down fall decays and returns to the earth. This process continues to create overgrown forests and more dry trees.

Fire is eventually the remedy that cleanses the forest and starts the process all over. Nature causes such as beetles can kill off a complete forest and again fire is the remedy to restore the forest. A well managed forest can be looked at similar the life cycle just described, cleaning out the old to allow for the smaller new trees to flourish. Creating a continuing life cycle of usable products that can be recycled that is not harmful or toxic in any way. Many claim that steel studs are greener than wood studs. If the life cycle of a steel stud versus the life cycle of a wood stud is compared, lumber is far greener than steel. It takes more energy to create a steel stud and the renewable factors of wood are far better. Yes steel can be recycled but with the use of far more energy. Ore comes from the ground and is not renewable like growing a tree. Not all lumber companies manage the forests like they should. The same as all car companies don’t produce fuel efficient cars. So finding a certified green dealer is important if you want to make sure your wood products are considered green. The two leading wood certification programs in the US are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative). USGBC only recognizes FSC while NAHB National Green Building Standards recognizes both. So from this is wood “Green and Sustainable”? You decide.

Read more about Green vs Sustainable at http://www.squidoo.com/green-vs-sustainable

Most new homes are designed to incorporate double garage doors in their construction. In many cases contractors and builders will install contractor grade garage doors to save money and reduce the cost to the homeowner. A double garage door is designed to close a 16 foot wide hole in your home. Choosing a cheap door is probably not a very good decision. Using garage door pricing to judge the quality of a garage door does to some degree make sense.

Deciding what garage door you will need will depend on where you live and what weather conditions your home will have to endure. If you live in an area that has long cold winters with heavy snow then you should be looking for a double garage door with a high R-value and that is relatively maintenance free. We suggest you look for a steel garage door that is constructed using at least two sheets of at least 25 gauge steel with 2 inches of polyurethane foam sandwich in between. In most cases a door of this quality will allow you to heat or cool your garage without breaking the bank. A well insulated garage will allow you to climb into your warm vehicle on the coldest morning. In addition you will be able to use your garage based workshop year around. Many people are interested in double garage doors that are constructed of wood. Wooden garage doors are very beautiful to look at and depending on the type of panel construction will be very secure. Double garage doors constructed entirely of wood are possible but do not have the strength and durability of a steel frame panel garage door.

However, you can achieve all the beauty of a wood door by using a steel framed door that has plywood face that is over laid with Cedar, Hemlock or Oak. This type of door also gives you the option of using polystyrene or polyurethane insulation to provide energy efficiency. Wooden garage doors will require a regular routine of intensive maintenance that includes staining and/or painting. In terms of long term garage doors cost a wood garage door can be expensive.

Double garage doors do pose additional problems if you live in areas that are considered high wind risk. If you live in Florida or one of other Gulf Coast States you probably should consider purchasing a high wind door that meets the Miami-Dade wind codes. Research following Hurricane Andrew shows that once you lose your garage door especially if it is a double garage door you will lose the roof of your home. A quality high wind double garage door will withstand the force of 140 mile per hour plus winds. A properly installed garage door will make the difference between losing shingles and losing your entire home.

The bottom line is when building a new home it really is penny wise and pound foolish to purchase and install a relatively inexpensive garage door. A quality double garage door will make your home more secure and energy efficient.