Framing Your House (cont. p. 15)

Things You Should Watch For

On another page, I write about how you can and should take an active role in seeing that your subcontractors don’t make avoidable mistakes.

Contractors, even the best ones, can and sometimes do make mistakes.

You don’t have to be an expert yourself to spot these mistakes andto get them corrected while it’s still easy to do so.

Here are some things you can double-check.

Remember, double-checking is all you’re doing.  You’re not telling him how to do his job, so don’t worry that you’re stepping out of line.

It’s your house.

 

 

Make your best effort to hire a really good framing contractor.  Framing is critically important.  Framing mistakes can be costly to fix, especially if the error has been covered up by wallboard or siding.

Framing errors can also make jobs for other subs more difficult, forcing compensations.

● When having your original material take-off done, determine if any window sizes must be custom ordered.  If so, make the order immediately.

The size of the window measurements and the size of the rough-opening that the window fits into are not necessarily the same.  They vary by manufacturer.

Get the exact rough-opening measure-ments from your sales rep and note them on the framer’s copy of the plan.

 

● If joist hangers are used, make sure that every pre-drilled hole in the hanger gets a nail.  Failure to do so might void manufacturer’s warranty.  I’ve seen framers get sloppy with these, so make sure it’s done right.

● Your sheet wood subfloor will be nailed and glued onto the joist.  To minimize the chance of floor squeak, supplement with 1 ¾” wood screws wherever you see nails.  It’s a minor extra expense that’s well worth the effort.

 

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