Whenever a decision as big as this is reached, congratulations are usually in order. Building a house, particularly your first house is a life-changing event that can set the tone for all of life's big moments from there on in.
For many families across Western Massachusetts, home extensions are decisions that typically come into play after a few years of living in the house as it was designed and constructed initially.
Building a new home can be a lengthy process filled with nervousness, excitement, and uncertainty. However, if you're working with a skilled wood framing contractor, the process doesn't have to be.
In the twenty odd years that we have been one of the leading wood framing contractors in Western Massachusetts, we've accumulated a fair number of wood framing tips and tricks. While there is no substitute for experience, we thought it might be helpful to share some of the things that we have learned over the years.
Light frame construction or framing as it's known in the residential construction sector is the most commonly used form of house construction. It involves creating a structure of vertical studs that provide a frame for the interior and exterior walls. These vertical elements support horizontal wooden elements, or joists, that run the entire length of the floor and between walls - when this happens they're known as beams. The joists act as supports for the ceiling and the floor.
Constructing your own home whether DIY or through a wood framing contractor can be a daunting challenge, not least of which is coming to terms with all the questions and answers you may have at the start of the project. Wood framing is by far the most popular building method for house construction in the US, whether it be through hired labor or self-building. Wood provides a stable, low-cost material that can be sourced locally and worked into fairly straightforward pieces for assembly into walls, floors, and roofing.