jima@fluke.UUCP (Jim Allen) (05/14/85)
I have had several requests for a reposting of this with reasons for more of the items. Plus, I have added to it. A number of our friends have benefited from this list, I hope many of you in netland can also. HOUSE BUILDING/REMODELLING CONSIDERATIONS FRAMING Specify the ceiling height in the plans. At least 8' or 8'4" on the main floor. 7'8" is standard for some builders which is a little low (except for bedrooms). Use larger than specified floor joists or put on 12" centers for less bounce in the floors. Glue subflooring to joists and toe in galvanized or ring shank nails every 6 to 8 inches or use drywall screws to prevent squeaky floors. Use at least 3/4" plywood for sub flooring. Use 2X6 studs on 16" centers for outside walls so R-19 insulation can be used. There is a small increase in material cost but the labor is the same. Use 32" or wider inside doors. 30" ok for bathrooms. Appliances and furniture will sail right through without having to remove doors, hinges, etc. Make closets 30" versus 24" deep. This just gives you more room. Make toilet space 36" minimum width. 30" is standard. Make stairway 3'6" wide or wider. (personal preference) 30" is standard. Build a catwalk over the insulation running the length of the attic in case you need to walk (crawl) around up there. Build in a laundry chute. On a deck, space the 2X4 decking about 1/4" apart versus a nail width so that dirt can fall through. Mount a microwave in the upper cabinets with the back going all the way through the wall (out to the outside wall/sheathing). Wire in an outlet. Microwaves are about 18" deep, upper cabinets are 12" deep. This way, the microwave is up off the counter and won't require a 2' deep cabinet. INSULATION Caulk all the joints of the sheathing before the building paper (or whatever) is put on to cut down on air infiltration. Use silicone caulking, not latex, around the windows and doors, it lasts longer. Cover ceiling light fixture boxes (on the attic side) with something or caulk around the edges and wire openings to reduce air infiltration. Stuff insulation around window and outside door frames. Insulators don't always do this, and this is where a large part of air infiltration comes from. For sound deadening, put insulation in walls between rooms and around bathrooms and between floors. In addition to batts, nail styrafoam panels to the bottom of joists over crawl spaces. This cuts down on cold air flow around the floors. Be sure that the rim joist (the board that the floor joists butt up against around the outside of the house) gets insulated. Pack insulation around the (built in) bath tub(s) for heat retention and quieter tubs. Use unfaced or blown in insulation in the attic so that moisture can escape. ELECTRICAL Specify #12 wire for all outlets. #14 is code but your lights will dim if you plug in a space heater. Wire a light into the attic. Provide outside outlets. Wire for undercounter lights in the kitchen, you can always add them later. Use fluorescent lights where possible. Put a 4' undercounter fluorescent light over the door opening in (6' wide) closets. Put the tub/shower recessed light near the shower head end or where you stand. Specify the switch and outlet height from the floor. Wire the dishwasher to a light switch so kids can't turn it on. Specify ALL copper wiring, NO aluminum ANYWHERE. (optional) Aluminum wire can be used safely but you need to tighten up the connections every 2 years. PLUMBING Run 1" plumbing lines from the meter and for main distribution. Run at least 3/4" from the hot water heater. Run hot water with shut off valves for hot and cold to one of the outside faucets for filling children's wading pools, etc. Insulate ALL plastic drain lines with R-11 wall insulation for noise control. Specify shower head height so you can stand under it. Do not use brass plumbing fixtures unless you like to polish brass every week. Specify elongated toilets, there's more room on them. HEATING SYSTEM Put duct tape on all ductwork joints to reduce leakage. Install heating registers in the (outside) walls where possible, 1" off the floor unless they will be where drapes will be hung. In that case, put in the floor at least 7" from the finished wall. Put heating registers against outside walls, returns on inside walls. Run a heating duct or return register into the master bedroom closet for air circulation. Use "sound (insulation) lined" heating and return ducts for quiet operation. Use a "flex connection" at the furnace for the main heating and return ductwork for furnace sound isolation. Size the ductwork for possible future heatpump installation. The electric furnace can be purchased with the heatpump coils in it and the heatpump itself can be added later. Allow for the heatpump in the electrical panel as well. CABINETS Specify kitchen counter height 3 to 4" below your elbow (36" is standard). Gain height by increasing the kickstop height. Built in appliances may not fit if the height is lowered. Install 36" cabinets in bathrooms for adults unless you like to stoop down. Put lazy susans in kitchen cabinet corners, they make good use of hard to reach corners. Build the upper kitchen cabinets all the way to the ceiling. Allow enough space between upper and lower cabinets for tall (wine) bottles. Specify plywood only, NO particle board, in the cabinets. Personal preference plus there's formaldehyde in particle board. MISCELLANEOUS Specify where you want the downspouts to be for aesthetics. Use the longer siding pieces in the front (or the side you will be looking at the most). Install the range hood fan outside or in the attic for low noise. Use a larger than (standard) 200 cfm fan with a variable speed control on it. Use light to medium commercial locksets and passageway handles (like Schlage A series). Provide outside air supply for the fireplace. Specify a smooth wall finish for the drywall (if that's what you want). Run cable for the TV in the walls. Keep it away from 120V wires. If you have to cross them, do it at 90 degrees. Make any bends with at least a 3" radius. Use 16" deep shelves in closets versus 12" (standard). They hold more. Run a separate wire for each door and window for the burglar alarm. That makes isolation easier if necessary. Install a variable or 2 speed whole house fan to cool the house in the summer. Consider the type of window coverings when choosing window types, sizes and locations. Put the TV (and FM) antenna in the attic over blown in insulation, NOT foil faced insulation. Use oil base paint in the kitchen, bathroom(s), doors and trim. It is more washable and won't soften in damp environments. Compare the (sub)contractor's cost to you of the furnace, electrical panel, stove, refridgerator, dishwasher, hot water heater, doorknobs, doors, finish lumber, etc. against what you can buy them for. You can walk into a distributer and tell them you're contracting the subs yourself and/or dicker with them over the cost and save substantially over your contractor's "cost + 10%". Jim Allen John Fluke Mfg. Co. ...uw-beaver!fluke!jima
anholm@fluke.UUCP (John Anholm) (05/14/85)
Jim's list is a good guide for things to pay attention to. There is one recommendation he makes however that I do not agree with. DO NOT PUT YOUR FLOOR JOICE ON 12 INCH CENTERS. Make them heavier, use douglas fir instead of hemlock, use thicker plywood, or whatever but 12 inch center joice are a mistake. I know because I did it in my home which I am just about to complete. The plumber, the furnace duct installers, and the electrician will all curse those 12 inch joice, and charge you more if they realize what they are getting into. Right angle drills with standard bits will not fit up between the joice. Think of the plumber trying to run a pipe at right angles to the joice thru them. You may end up buying 2 small furnace ducts for nearly twice the price as one larger duct that would fit inside 16 inch centers. We have nice solid floors but we paid through the nose many times since when we wouldn't have needed too.
padpowell@wateng.UUCP (PAD Powell) (05/15/85)
In article <1391@vax3.fluke.UUCP> anholm@fluke.UUCP (John Anholm) writes: > >DO NOT PUT YOUR FLOOR JOICE ON 12 INCH CENTERS. >Make them heavier, use douglas fir instead of hemlock, use thicker plywood, or >whatever but 12 inch center joice are a mistake. I know because I did it in >my home which I am just about to complete. The plumber, the furnace duct >installers, and the electrician will all curse those 12 inch joice, and charge >you more if they realize what they are getting into. Right angle drills with >standard bits will not fit up between the joice. Think of the plumber trying >to run a pipe at right angles to the joice thru them. You may end up buying 2 >small furnace ducts for nearly twice the price as one larger duct that would >fit inside 16 inch centers. > >We have nice solid floors but we paid through the nose many times since when >we wouldn't have needed too. Yep. If you want nice solid floors, you should try the following: Joists: 2x8 minimal, 2x10 preffered, on 16 inch centers. Ties at 6 ft intervals, although 8 ft is usually suffient. Flooring: 5/8 tounge and groove underflooring, at an ABSOLUTE minimum. 3/4 is better, and will give a better "feel". Nails: use flooring ring nails, every 12inches (1foot), and nail the subflooring to the joists. Use thousands and thousands of nails. BUT GET Them in the middle of the joists!!! If you are putting carpeting over this, you will not need the next step. If you are putting vinyl flooring over this, you will discover thousands of nail dings. SO: put a 3/8 G1S over top the sub floor. Really paranoid people will glue it down with a wood floor glue, which is available through most adhesive manufacturers, but is NOT sold in local handyman stores. Also, you have to nail the flooring down. DON'T ding it. Patrick ("I thought that laying floors was easy?") Powell
niemi@astroatc.UUCP (05/16/85)
My 2 cents: Insulate the outside of the basement walls before backfilling. Insulate under the basement floor. In cold climates this helps make the basement usable as living space in winter. My unfinished basement in Wisconsin without the above is about 60 degrees F in the dead of winter. Brrrrr. Bob Niemi Astronautics, Madison WI ...uwvax!astroatc!niemi