Caulking the Bottom Framing Plates for Pest Control -
Insects like ants and cockroaches, can fit through the smallest cracks, whether they're on the outside of your house or they're on the inside of your house, if these cracks are open, insects are going to be using them on a regular basis.

Framing Exterior Walls with 2 X 6 - Framing the exterior walls with 2 x 6 studs instead of 2 x 4 can definitely add to the price of the home. In addition to the cost of the lumber, you also have an increase in the labor, insulation, window and door trimming.

24 Inch on Center Wall Framing - If you're building a home and you want to cut costs just a little bit further, you can always frame all of your interior non-bearing walls 24 inches on center. You cannot however use this for your exterior or bearing walls. I would suggest that you check with your local building department, before you frame any of your walls 24 inches on center.

Built up Framing Headers - The header is the framing support that holds up the floor or roof above it. Normally the window or door header will be the thickness of the wall width. If the wall is 2 x 6, the header is going to be 5 1/2 inches wide or the same thickness as the width of the 2 x 6 wall.

The Truth about Contractor Referral Directories - Here's a question that every homeowner asked themselves at least once. Where can I find a dependable contractor? When I was a child you would look through the yellow pages or start asking around the neighborhood, until you found someone that could work on your home.