37
votes
Accepted
Could a layman build a house from plans?
I used to have a teacher that said
Anyone can do anything given enough time and instruction.
That being said every trade has a learning curve to acquire the skills and required tools to ...
- 19.7k
24
votes
How to stop a wall from falling
I hate to tell you this, but your barn is toast. Have it demolished before it kills some curious soul who wanders inside out of morbid fascination.
- 12.5k
18
votes
How to stop a wall from falling
For the love of God, don't do anything from inside, to avoid collapsing on you.
I would get a 2x6 for the top bracing and a couple of 2x4's for the bracing. Nail the bracing to the top bracing, away ...
- 1,593
10
votes
Accepted
Bridging one deck joist over a formal pond
I think I'd use a length of aluminum box tubing as a joist. You can hang it on the concrete using segments of aluminum angle as joist hangers. You can then screw the decking directly to the tubing.
- 126k
9
votes
Could a layman build a house from plans?
yes - you can do it!
Do not listen to the naysayers, this will be an experience of a lifetime for you! I recommend that all millennials endure the trials and travails of a home build. I trust that ...
- 34.5k
9
votes
Accepted
What do you call a property with two separate buildings on it?
It's "a property with two buildings on it".
You are right that a duplex is typically considered a single building partitioned into two living spaces, often multifamily.
I don't know of any ...
- 2,026
9
votes
Load bearing wall removed from house that I bought now it’s sagging
Was it sagging when you bought the house?
You need to document everything you do because you might have a case against the people you bought it from.
You need to have this checked out by a structural ...
- 77k
8
votes
Could a layman build a house from plans?
If your question were Is an intelligent layman likely to successfully build a habitable house from plans by himself?, I think the answer is 99.5% no. As far as building a "house from plans", yes, but ...
- 12.3k
8
votes
Bridging one deck joist over a formal pond
You could support each deck board individually by taking advantage of the strongest shape in construction, the triangle.
- 16.1k
7
votes
Could a layman build a house from plans?
By the way, trades are doable, even the scary ones. For instance I'm ace with electrical, but mortally afraid of drywall work. I can probably get over that.
Electrical has a lot of complexity, but ...
6
votes
Is framing with screws legal?
You have a complicated question here and the best (and most legally-correct) answer will probably come from talking to your local building inspector. Preferably before a lot of work has already been ...
- 14k
6
votes
Accepted
Is framing with screws legal?
According to Table R602.3(1) of the International residential code (IRC), you have to use two 16d (3 1/2" x 0.135") fasteners to end nail the top or sole plate to a stud. If the studs were toe nailed ...
- 131k
5
votes
Could a layman build a house from plans?
I have twice gone down to mexico to build a basic frame of a house in 3 days. There was about 20 of us working on it. first day was leveling the ground and pouring concrete. Second was building the ...
- 51
5
votes
Accepted
Is stacking material under an I-Beam to make it level structurally sound and passing code?
These are metal shims - very very common.
You install ibeam and either right after install or after joists are installed you want to level everything out. You will need to shim at least one side. ...
- 47.7k
5
votes
Ridge Beam Crack?
If the crack is in a part of the roof that has rafters on either side, it will not matter as long as the rafters on the other side are directly opposite of the ones in the picture. Since the picture ...
- 33.8k
5
votes
Fixing very old, very undersized ceiling joists
You have several challenges when adding many thousands of lbs. of weight to a roof system like that (which almost certainly wasn't designed with that use in mind):
The ceiling joists aren't up to the ...
- 126k
5
votes
Does sheathing overlap in corners and what happens to 8' walls?
Sheathing layout is determined by stud layout (and vice versa*), and it's unlikely that a framer lays out studs with an extra ½" in mind. Sheathing usually starts at the end of a wall, or it ...
- 126k
5
votes
Accepted
Do p2 resperatiors provied any protection against asbestos? will I be ok?
I am freaking out about this
Because you're not an oncologist.
If you were, you'd wear a dust mask for comfort and not worry about it LOL.
Everybody treats asbestos like it's cyanide or something. ...
4
votes
Is framing with screws legal?
Just found this.
The SDWS Framing screw is designed and load-rated for replacing 16d, 10d and 8d nails in framing applications. The SDWS Framing screw is 0.160" in diameter and superior to nails in ...
- 41
4
votes
Could a layman build a house from plans?
Yes, you can do it.
You could do all of it (given time and money), but take good note of the idea of subbing out the hard/specialty things (my personal list would include foundations, hvac, plumbing,...
- 19.2k
4
votes
Accepted
How to locate a line parallel to adjacent building for a new building
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- 126k
4
votes
DIY Murphy Bunk Bed
Since you are cantilevering off the wall, the verticals must be exemplary. This is a very significant structural side load. I would consider Unistrut, and it must be tied to studs proper, never to ...
4
votes
How to replace beam with supporting wall
I wouldn’t remove the posts. The posts have footings that support the loads from the beam.
If you remove the posts and build a wall, you’ll need to install a footing under the new wall.
I’d just build ...
- 23k
4
votes
How will a hybrid water heater perform in less than optimal conditions?
For your “with ducting”, it should not be an issue at all, since you have met the full requirements with ducting.
For your “Without ducting”, in general you have met the condition, as the 300 cf room ...
- 2,734
4
votes
Accepted
How to change name tag on old Kompakt intercom
If there's some sort of centralized maintenance person/company responsible for taking care of common areas, I'd suggest contacting them as they probably know how, and may (eventually?) get around to ...
- 40.8k
3
votes
Could a layman build a house from plans?
People certainly do this in the UK - and bear in mind that the standard construction method in the UK is not wood-frame, but walls built with bricks and mortar. Of course there is a tradeoff here - UK ...
- 894
3
votes
Accepted
How serious is building subsidence
The very likely outcome will be that the structural engineer will go away to do the necessary calculations, specify the requirement for the underpinning to be carried out by a contractor, and the tree ...
- 2,400
3
votes
How to learn house construction?
I hate physics, but structural engineering is all about physics.
The concept of “designing” structural walls, roofs, foundations, etc. is really the intersection of material’s substance and the ...
- 23k
3
votes
Running EMT conduit through soffit into attic
OK, I am assuming you are running 15A or 20A circuits for the bathroom and it can be run in 1/2" conduit.
First you are right to abandon the idea to bend EMT through the soffit and into the attic. ...
3
votes
DIY Murphy Bunk Bed
Many designs have legs at both exterior corners, but your design uses stays, the stays should reach more than half way across the
platform, else they and the hinge will be seeing magnified loads. the ...
- 18.4k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible