New Home Construction

[bmac]

Here's the staircase from the deck to the ground level. The deck extends from the screened porch across the back of the house. I haven't decided on the decking material yet. I will choose a synthetic material for both the deck and the front porch, but I'm still deciding on which brand.

Anyone have suggestions re: the type of material to use?

 

[bmac]

The interior pictures are hard to take and have any perspective. I'll post a couple. This is the garage viewed from the mudroom entrance door to the house.

 

[bmac]

The garage viewed from the front wall.

 

[bmac]

Here's the screened porch viewed from the breakfast room.

 

[bmac]

Here's an example of the interior bracing. They used the horizontal metal braces on all wals. This wall seperates the living room from the family room and I think it is the only wall that has the 1 by let in on a diagonal. Anyone have an explanation for this?

 

[bmac]

I've got many more interior pictures, but they all kind of look the same - like a forest of vertical 2x4s. I'd be happy to post anthing y'all want to see but don't want to over do it. Just let me know. Also, if there is anything specific that you want to see close-up, let me know and I'll go take another picture.

Other than a couple of days of Katrina-related showers (and they weren't bad) we've had very dry, sunny weather. So, the framers have not missed much work lately.

Now, I guess its on to electrical and plumbing rough-in. Hope to meet with those subs next week.

 

[Cowboyjg]

You will find that there are many regional nuances when it comes to construction. In the old days diagonal bracing was an intrigal part of the framing process. As technology developed and design methodology changed it has become something that is used more on an as needed basis or by a designer or architect who is comfortable or familiar with it's usage. It's one of those things that If you've been taught to believe in it, you use it.

It appears that you are coming right along. I hope you enjoy your home and it becomes everything you want.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Cowboyjg]

IMHO....What ever you choose, make it solid rather than hollow.

OOps...Decking recomendations.

 

[JimMorrissey]

The only problem I can see is the fumes from the diesel and fumes from painting projects or small engine repair/service. If you do any welding that could be an issue as well.

I like to keep the stink and the flamable stuff away from the residence.

 

[FaC]

When my home was built my electrician did a couple of things that I had never seen before and they turned out to be very useful.

Note that mine is a ranch over a basement so this may change a little bit in your situation with the second story.

The electrical panel is in the basement. The electrician ran an empty 2 inch PVC pipe from the subfloor just above the panel all the way up into the attic. This was the REALLY easy way to get a line from the panel to the attic to add another circuit when I needed it. I did not have to try to drill and fish thru an interior wall - just run the wire inside of the conduit.

The second thing that he did was around wiring the cable and phone boxes. He used the standard nail on box but he ran a 1/2 inch PVC pipe from the bottom of the box through the subfloor. The phone/cable wire then goes up thru the pipe to the box. I was able to come back later and wire the entire house for cat-5 ethernet by just fishing the wire up to the phone boxes and putting a dual jack/faceplate in. In my case the PVC from the box just sticks out between the joists in the basement.

I had never seen either technique before and they were both very useful.

FWIW - FaC