There are alternatives to using the lateral-load anchors described in the IRC, if... More
Using modules, a ranch house gets a complete second-story addition in just four weeks, start to finish. More
The design/build remodeler on this project used a Tuscan-themed overhaul both inside and out to add style and warmth to a dull ranch house. More
People usually add on to stay put, points out Kerry Butler, owner of Butler Construction Services, a full-service remodeling company in Kelso, Wash. "They like the neighborhood, the school district. They've looked at newer, larger homes and decided to invest in the home they have and stay in the neighborhood."Real estate agents agree, rating this project a 94% recoup overall, with the recoup on additions in areas such as Washington, D.C. (177%), and San Francisco (126%) returning even more. More
Q: I know that the sill of an egress window in a second-floor bedroom must be no... More
Q: I am having an electrical problem on a second-story addition I am currently building. The clients report that the lights dim periodically during the early morning hours, but that it’s not related to the refrigerator starting nor any other piece of electrical equipment in the house. I have tested the voltage and have found no fluctuations greater than two or three volts during the course of a day. The service is 200 amps, and the entire house has been completely rewired within the past six years. The wiring looks to have been properly installed. Is there something I have overlooked in trying to determine the cause of these electrical surges? The adjacent houses have not reported any surges. More
A West Coast builder tells how he used structural steel and engineered lumber to strengthen a two-bay garage beneath a master bedroom addition. More