Category Archives: Home Building

Homeowner Beware!

Housing is a pervasive industry few can escape. From new developments and real estate sales to home improvement and maintenance, economists and politicians encourage spending on homes as critical to a healthy economy. They link consumer culture in housing with economic vitality. But this consumption oriented approach creates problems. Including the creation of a housing stock which isn’t always suited for its occupants or local climate. Continue reading Homeowner Beware!

Featured Term: 2×4 (and Other Lumber)

From the Buildwise Unauthorized Dictionary

A stack of 2x4s and other dimensional lumber

Common Definition: A piece of precisely sized wood used for framing walls, floors, ceilings and roofs. Also widely used for hidden blocking behind towel bars and other items attached to walls.

Unauthorized Definition: A versatile piece of wood. Carpenters pride themselves on creatively employing standard lumber, especially 2x4s to build anything. Saw horses, cutting guides, ladders and other contraptions made primarily of lumber are common. A pickup truck held together with duct tape and 2x4s is likely owned by a carpenter. 2x4s are also employed by carpenters as a tool for overcoming architects, engineers and other obstacles around the job site. Continue reading Featured Term: 2×4 (and Other Lumber)

Crawlspace Basics

Most people don’t pay attention to their crawlspaces, unless they’re stashing piles of cash like Walter White in Breaking Bad. However, crawlspace details greatly affect the comfort, energy efficiency and longevity of your home. If poorly executed, crawlspaces becomes damp and moldy in summer. Yet uncomfortably cold in winter. Thankfully retrofitting a poorly detailed crawlspace or creating a new well performing one, based on the latest research, isn’t difficult. Continue reading Crawlspace Basics

Review: The Complete Guide to Contracting Your Home

the-complete-guide-to-contracting-your-homeThe Complete Guide to Contracting Your Home is billed as “a step-by-step method for managing home construction”. This isn’t a “how to” manual for self building.  Instead, these pages help the complete greenhorn avoid sounding clueless when hiring subcontractors. For instance, construction images of foundations and framing look technical. In reality they’re simplified for clarity and don’t explain construction’s true complexity. Still what information that exists is timely and relatively accurate. Continue reading Review: The Complete Guide to Contracting Your Home

Buildwise Editor Wins Best in American Living Award

Buildwise editor Todd Remington, wins the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) – Best in American Living Award.

From the press release:
Architect Todd Remington wins the Best in American Living™ Awards (BALA). The residential building industry’s premier awards program spotlighting the most creative and talented builders, architects, designers, developers and land planners who redefine design excellence for homes and communities throughout the nation and Internationally.

Remington’s dedication to the research and design of residential architecture is transforming the industry. As Executive Editor for Buildwise.org, Remington provides valuable insights about home-building and design for homeowners and professionals, delivered as entertaining kernels of wisdom.