Construction

Plumbing Top Out

Plumbing Top Out When building your own home, the plumbing is topped out in accordance with the plumbing provisions of the International Residential Code after the homes frame is complete. The plumbing contractor furnishes all material for this work. As the owner builder, it is your responsibility to check the contractors work for any change [...]

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Plumbing Grounds

Foundation

Foundation Plumbing When building your own home, the plumbing grounds stage of construction will come after the forms have been set, and a load of sand has been delivered and spread out inside of the form boards for cushioning. At this time you will schedule the plumbing contractor to come out to the house and [...]

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Foundation Inspection

Foundation

First Foundation Inspection When building your own home, it is important to know that you need to have the foundation inspection called in to the applicable inspectors with sufficient lead times to ensure availability of the inspectors. The foundation inspection should not be called in, however, until you have had sufficient time yourself to thoroughly [...]

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Checklist for Pouring Slab

Concrete

Checklist for Pouring Concrete Slab Verify the engineering representative has been called and is at the job site. Accomplish the engineers slab inspection (see foundation category for checklist) Make sure the concrete finisher arrives one hour in advance of the first truck, allowing time to cancel or delay placement Use grade stakes to make sure [...]

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Yard Drainage

Drainage

Yard Drainage Importance of Adequate Yard Drainage Adequate yard drainage in your new home is something that you want to take particular attention to throughout the construction phase of your home. The last thing you want after you have completed your home, is to deal with the hassle of flooding yards as a result of [...]

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Tractor Rough Grade

Drainage

When building your own home, you will want to perform the tractor rough grade immediately after the slab is poured and the form boards are removed. The purpose of the lot scrape is to provide adequate drainage of surface water away from the slab (Make sure the sewer and water tap have already been completed) [...]

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Driveways on Curbed Streets

Concrete

Construction Notes for Sidewalks & Driveways on Curbed-Type Streets (Residential Areas) Proposed driveway, sidewalk, curb, gutter line and grade shall match existing street Proposed sidewalk shall be constructed with portland cement (4 1/2″ sack cement per cubic yard). Four inches thick and 4 feet minimum width Proposed driveway shall be built with portland cement concrete [...]

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Concrete Expansion Joints

Concrete

Isolation/Expansion Joints in Concrete When building your own home, one of the items that will require your attention during the foundation/flatwork portion of construction is checking the use of expansion joints. Slab-on-grade isolation joints are used where a concrete slab meets another slab or other concrete structure, such as: Sidewalks or driveways adjacent to your [...]

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Post Tension Cables

post tension foundations

Post-tensioned concrete incorporates 1/2 inch steel cables to provide internal stress as a means of transferring or counteracting eternal loads a concrete slab is designed to support. Slab design is based on a soil analysis accomplished before any home construction should begin. The foundation plan and beam detail sheet provided by the slab engineer outlines [...]

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Strip Concrete Forms

Concrete

The day following slab placement you should have the concrete finishing contractor return to strip the form boards from the slab. The form boards must be stripped, all honeycomb and poorly formed slab corners should be grouted, and the jobsite free of debris before you proceed with building your home and prior to the contractor [...]

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