New Construction

There's a lot to building a new home. Below we have outlined from a high-level the steps involved:

1. Foundation
The foundation is the most important part of any building and should be done right the first time. A good foundation will help to protect your home from the elements, hold the structure together, and keep out moisture. If you have a concrete slab, you need to make sure you don't overpour it. Make sure there is no excess water in the area where the foundation is going to go. You want to avoid having a puddle around the perimeter of the foundation. After pouring the foundation, let it dry for at least 24 hours before you start digging.
 
2. Footing
After the foundation is poured, you'll need to pour footings down. These are holes that you dig down about 4-8 inches deep and fill with gravel or sand. When you do this, make sure not to put anything down that's bigger than 2x4s. This way, if something shifts later, you won't have a problem. Once you've got the footing down, lay plywood on top of them to prevent any movement.

3. Piers
Piers are wooden posts that run perpendicular to the house. They're placed at regular intervals along the foundation. They're there to transfer weight off of the foundation wall and onto the ground. You don't want to use pressure treated wood for these; instead, use cedar or redwood.

4. Subfloor
Once you've got your piers in place, you'll need to install subfloors. These are the floors under the piers. There are two types of subfloors: precast and poured. Precast means they're already in place, while poured means you have to build the floor yourself. Either way, you'll need to make sure you get a strong base underneath the floor. You can build a small deck directly below the pier to give you extra stability.

5. Framing
Framing is what holds everything up. You'll need to frame in the windows and doors, then hang cabinets and shelves. To do this, you'll need to cut pieces of lumber to fit the space you have. Use 2x4s or 1x2s for smaller spaces, while larger ones might require 2x10s. When framing in windows, make sure you leave enough room around the window for insulation. Insulation helps to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

6. Drywall
Drywall is basically just sheets that are hung up to cover the walls and ceiling. Before you hang the drywall, you'll need to tape the corners. Tape is essentially masking tape that you stick to the corner of the wall and ceiling. Then, you'll apply joint compound over the tape and smooth it out. Once it dries, you can paint it.

7. Ceiling
Ceilings are important because they protect your family elements falling from the sky. It could get tricky because you can only really nail them once you've built the whole thing. So, make sure you measure carefully and plan accordingly. Also, make sure you don't skimp on the ceiling joists. Joists are basically beams that connect the roof to the walls.

Our team can manage this process and ensure we create a new construction of your dreams!