What Should Be in Every New Home and Why --Part 7-- Hidden Details

Many aspects of a home and its construction are covered up with the finishes. Sheetrock and carpet hide floor decking, fasteners and poor quality materials. What's under the cosmetics is very important to the longevity of your home and the comfort and security you'll experience while you live there.

Ask the builder: Was this home built from architectural plans or from engineering plans?
Historically, homes have been built from a set of architectural plans. These plans are a two dimensional guideline. It is similar to trying to build a car with a photograph and some notes. There is a significant amount of room for errors in translation by builders. Engineering is done in a three dimensional environment. Every aspect of the construction is completed on the computer prior to building. In a three dimensional environment designers are able to look at a home from every angle on the computer which exposes issues before they’re experienced on the jobsite.

Ask the builder: What is the thickness of the floor decking?
Floor decking is what’s under the floor covering. Most builders use ¾” plywood. You’ll notice a big difference with 1 1/8” tongue and groove plywood. It provides a more solid surface and is quieter than thinner decking. If you want to check for yourself, look at the crawlspace access door. You’ll be able to see from the profile exactly what is being used. Many builders will use less expensive materials here because they don’t think you’ll ask or that you’ll check for yourself.
(While you have the crawlspace access door open, look inside to see if there is a concrete slab or just a plastic sheet over dirt.)

Ask the builder: What types of fasteners were used to build the home?
Did you know that screws provide 30% more strength than nails? They also tend to squeak less. Look for builders who use screws rather than nails as fasteners.

Ask the builder: What measures have you taken to ensure the roof doesn’t leak?
There are many new products available today that help ensure a better sealed roof. Starting with the felt paper, (which is the base layer of the roof) better builders use improved staples that include a plastic cap. The cap helps seal the hole created by the staple and minimizes the possibility of the felt paper tearing at the entry point.

Roof valleys are another particularly susceptible area and can be improved with the use of an ice and water shield between the felt paper and the metal flashing.
Mark Mecklem- Miranda Homes