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Before I install vinyl siding, I'd like to make an effort to get most of my building penetrations done. The question is - what and where? Power meter? Exterior lights? Outlets? Bathroom vent? What else?

I'm insulating the roof of my new-construction garage (climate zone 5A - Boston). I have attic trusses comprising the roof structure. The roof is unvented and sealed up nice and tight, intended to be part of the conditioned space. (I built a vented over-roof that includes R20 exterior rigid...

Getting ready to build some interior stairs. Will be my first time. Been reading and watching videos. Here are some general dimensions: 14 steps 7.25" rise 11" run Overall length of the stringers will be between 15-16'. Stair width will be around 36-40". Given these specs, would you go with...

I want to frame in an eyebrow (2' overhang, 8:12 pitch, same as the roof) over the garage doors. What's the best / strongest way to do it?

I'm hot off the heels of framing my big garage (40x64) last summer, and now a friend is asking if I'd be interested in framing up a much smaller garage (14x20) for him. He already has the foundation and slab done. Apparently the contractors he's been working with have all gotten busy. We're in...

There is surprisingly little comparative data I could find on subflooring options other than random videos of guys jumping on different panels or what not, so I went ahead and picked up a handful of popular options and did some of my own comparing. This is far from a comprehensive test. I'm just...

Now that the shell of my garage is up and enclosed (except for doors and windows), I'm starting to look at subflooring options for the attic space. From what I understand, Advantech is the "best", but mostly due to its superior rain and weather resistance. In my case, the roof is on and the...

Question for all the experienced framers on here. I'm building a garage with roof trusses (40' span, 8/12 pitch). Main build thread here. I received the trusses about a month ago and am now finally ready to start installing them, but I've noticed they have some deviation in overall width and...

I'm building a 40x64 detached garage (main build thread here) and wondering how level the foundation should be. I recently framed and raised the back wall. I squared it up while it was on the ground and nailed all the sheathing on to lock it in place. But when I set it on the foundation, I...

Houston, we have a problem. I dug a 100' long 5' deep trench to run a water line (3/4" PEX) from house to new garage. Plan is to go under both foundations' footing. Problem is the trench just rapidly fills up with ground water. Apparently the water table is only like 1' below ground level -...

So check this out: It's kinda funny, but obviously a problem that needs to be addressed. I have no idea what's going on. This is the dirt ground just outside my garage foundation, backfilled 5 months ago. In fact, I discovered this yesterday when I went to move my telehandler back inside the...

I want to frame my detached garage project myself. I just can't stomach the $30K+ quotes for framing labor only. Granted, it's a big building (40x64x16), but I don't see what the big deal is. It's four walls (traditional stick-frame) with trusses dropped on top. No interior walls, no fancy...

I can't figure out the deal with foundation waterproofing. Everything Google turns up discusses it in relation to having a basement. First of all, what's the difference between waterproofing and dampproofing? Are they two words for the same thing? Is waterproofing necessary if you don't have a...

I'm planning to build a 40x64x16 detached garage just north of Boston (MA) this spring/summer. I had a guy draw up an initial set of plans which outline a typical concrete foundation, slab, and stick frame w/ roof trusses. See attached PDF for the full set. Here are the highlights: Foundation...

Looking for any recommendations for a general contractor to build a 34x34' 3-car garage in Billerica, MA. If no recommendations, what should I look for in a contractor?