• Determining Proper Footing Depth

    Jul 27
    Determining Proper Footing Depth

    The footing is the support for the entire structure.  Unless the property is located in a flood zone or in an area know to be problematic, in Florida we typically rely on either 1] SPREAD FOOTINGS and stemwalls, if required, meant to retain and reastrain the soil they contain or 2] ...

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  • Top 8 Home Updates That Pay Off

    May 4
    Top 8 Home Updates That Pay Off

      What is the single update you can make to your home that would result in the most significant increase in the value of the property? Every home-owner wants to know the answer to this question. Given how much you have invested in the property, emotionally and financially, this is ...

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  • HOME ELEVATORS - A WAY TO RAISE VALUES EVEN IN A MARKET THAT GOES UP AND DOWN

    Jan 9
    HOME ELEVATORS - A WAY TO RAISE VALUES EVEN IN A MARKET THAT GOES UP AND DOWN

    In Florida, much of our extraordinary real estate growth is tied to the waterfront and the coastal zone homes that line our waterways.  Due to the flood zone regulations born in the 1980s, and growing harsher by the decade - our "conforming structures" are required to be ...

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  • HOW TO USE A BUILDER'S LEVEL AND WHY!

    Dec 7
    HOW TO USE A BUILDER'S LEVEL AND WHY!

    The BUILDER'S LEVEL and TRANSIT are tools that have been in existence for a long time.  The main difference in the two is a LEVEL provides a method of finding a transferrable point of height [ELEVATION] and transferring that point to other locations horizontally [every point you shoot ...

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  • HURRICANE FORTIFIED HOMES

    Nov 25
    HURRICANE FORTIFIED HOMES

    I truly thought this was going to be an interesting article - I was mistaken!   The fortifications specifically mentioned in the article are code required or LARGELY done already, by better builders! Ring shank nails to hold down the roof sheeting - why would anyone NOT use ring shank ...

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  • LARGE HOMES - IT'S THE AMERICAN WAY

    Sep 14
    LARGE HOMES - IT'S THE AMERICAN WAY

    I found myself engrossed in an article by MSN Money titled "The U.S. is in the top tier of house sizes internationally - and not just because of McMansions".  The article is mildly interesting and quoted some rote statistics like  The average American home is in the 1600...

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  • I Disagree - Wood is NOT Your Friend in Florida!

    Jul 29
    I Disagree - Wood is NOT Your Friend in Florida!

    This article in Sunday's paper describes the tremendous volume of multi-family FRAME construction and it's financial allure.  I argue that this is terribly wrong and extremely shortsighted.  WOOD IS NOT YOUR FRIEND IN FLORIDA!   Take a look at the 3 - 4 story buildings featured in the ...

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  • Well Grounded Logic Says DON'T Raise the Old Home!

    Jun 25
    Well Grounded Logic Says DON'T Raise the Old Home!

    Like most folks, I was struck by the photo of the heavy construction in this article. As I read the article, I realized how terribly misguided this particular effort is in most cases. It is certainly a misguided effort in this case.  The article quoted $225,000 of work to complete ...

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  • FLASHING - the first line of defense against water intrusion!

    Apr 27
    FLASHING - the first line of defense against water intrusion!

    It happened again this week - I saw two projects that were very badly compromised, due to water intrusion.  The fix was both difficult and expensive, which is heartbreaking considering that doing it correctly initially is both cheap and easy. You just have to pay attention to the basics.&...

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  • How to “BUILD STRONG” using Structural Diaphragm

    Mar 24
    How to “BUILD STRONG” using Structural Diaphragm

    In construction we are constantly faced with “how to connect [A] to [B]”.  A-to-B could be almost anything and we are ALWAYS faced with using both a material and an attachment method that carries or transfers the intended applied load and does not compromise the material we ...

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  • REMODELING CONSTRAINTS - "TRUSSES VS. CONVENTIONALLY FRAMED ROOF SYSTEMS"

    Feb 7
    REMODELING CONSTRAINTS -

    One of the most serious potential constraints to remodeling is the existing roof framing and what is load bearing! The vast majority of homes built in the past 45 years have roof trusses. Before 1970, both roof trusses and conventional roof framing were used and prior to 1950, almost all homes had ...

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  • A PRICELESS TOOL FOR REALTORS TO CLOSE A DEAL

    Dec 25
    A PRICELESS TOOL FOR REALTORS TO CLOSE A DEAL

    I recently spent an enjoyable couple of hours with a very sharp young man who is looking to offer a valuable service to realtors in our area.  We put our heads together and came up with the OFFER OF A LIFETIME, that costs you NOTHING!  It has a ...

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  • THE PERILS OF SUPPLYING YOUR OWN PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL FIXTURES!

    Dec 9
    THE PERILS OF SUPPLYING YOUR OWN PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL FIXTURES!

    Almost everyone likes to save a buck.  Many customers are drawn to the big box store ads showing named brand items at much cheaper prices than licensed tradesmen charge for them.  The two trades that have the hardest sell are PLUMBERS & ELECTRICIANS.  Customers see the advertised ...

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  • RENOVATIONS & REMODELS - FINDING THE ALL-IMPORTANT HIGH POINT!

    Nov 25
    RENOVATIONS & REMODELS - FINDING THE ALL-IMPORTANT HIGH POINT!

    All renovations and remodels require that the HIGH POINT of the existing rough floor be located before any meaningful reconstruction is started.  Kitchen renovations/remodels are perhaps the most common residential projects and finding the high spot of the rough floor is absolutely imperative!   Why is locating the ...

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  • ROUGH OPENING MEASUREMENTS FOR INTERIOR DOORS AND THEIR EFFECT ON ROOM LAYOUT AND HOME DESIGN

    Nov 8
    ROUGH OPENING MEASUREMENTS FOR INTERIOR DOORS AND THEIR EFFECT ON ROOM LAYOUT AND HOME DESIGN

    Have you ever looked at a finished door and wondered what you COULD NOT SEE?  Typically, people see the door slab, the inside face of the door jamb and the casing - but what lurks beneath? Most interior doors are hung on jambs that are 3/4" thick.  The ...

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  • IT'S OUT OF SQUARE, WHY SHOULD I CARE? AVOIDING POOR CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES

    Oct 20
    IT'S OUT OF SQUARE, WHY SHOULD I CARE?  AVOIDING POOR CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES

    "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."  It's an old adage that is particularly on point in construction.  The end product starts with a proper layout - this is 100% true and a constant, whether laying out a skyscraper or a bathroom remodel.   ...

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  • OH NO - MY HOME IS BUILT TOO LOW!!! "HOME CONSTRUCTION: BUILD AT THE PROPER HEIGHT AND AVOID WATER DAMAGE"

    Oct 13
    OH NO - MY HOME IS BUILT TOO LOW!!!

    In just this past week I have gone out on two completely unrelated estimates for jobs where owners are trying (pretty much in vain) to solve severe water issues!   To be clear, water intrusion is an issue that contractors must constantly be vigilant about, throughout the entire building process. &...

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  • NEW FLOOD MAPS AND THEIR "POTENTIAL" TO WILDLY AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES AND PROPERTY OWNERSHIP RIGHTS

    Sep 30
    NEW FLOOD MAPS AND THEIR

    FEMA has completed their new flood maps and it is only a matter of time until they are implemented.  This, coupled with the Biggerts-Waters Act signed into law in 2012, [whose implementation has been DELAYED after shocking the public] will be the chickens coming home to roost for property owners ...

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  • CREATE EFFICIENT SPACE WHEN DESIGNING FLOOR PLANS

    Sep 24
    CREATE EFFICIENT SPACE WHEN DESIGNING FLOOR PLANS

    When designing a home a person is often faced with the need for MORE space in a given room [e.g. the kitchen].  A floor plan is much like a jigsaw puzzle in that you are trying to arrange rooms that flow together and FIT together in a space ...

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  • VOLUME AREA ROOMS AND THEIR EFFECT ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS

    Sep 15
    VOLUME AREA ROOMS AND THEIR EFFECT ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS

    Volume area rooms (rooms that are 2-stories tall) are very alluring and the open feeling they create is hard to duplicate.  From the scenic overlook to an entry foyer or living room below or a featured musical instrument [piano or harp] viewed from the entry looking up - these ...

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