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The best practices in residential building construction, tips, tricks, procedures which make the difference between an average or even a problem building and a good building which works well and is a pleasure to occupy, are collected and described in Steve Bliss's book which is reviewed and described here. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons.
Best Practices Guide to Residential Building Construction - Book Review
Book review by Daniel Friedman
Bernie Campbalik used to make a sucking noise through his teeth when he saw
one of us do something sloppy on the jobsite or in his carpentry class. Bernie knew
a lot about good construction practices, and he regularly pointed out that the
foul-ups were often in the details. Mistakes or omissions led to trouble down
the road. We were to avoid such goofs by recognizing them and fixing them on
the job. But beyond that sucking noise that we heard a bit more than we wanted
to, we remember Bernie's description of his own first days working as a
carpenter's assistant.
"The foreman would choose an 18'
2x10, after eying several for straightness, cup, and bow. Then he would
disappear around the corner of the building where we were working. He'd return
in a few minutes with a pattern rafter and would hand it to me. 'Here, ...'
he'd growl as he handed it over, 'dig into that pile over there and cut us 23
more like these.'"
The foreman didn't want Bernie to know how to layout a birds' mouth cut or
plumb cut. That little extra knowledge was what he figured was his edge, the
data that assured his job as site foreman.
And that has been a problem in construction. While most people who build do
so out of a real love of the work, there is a tradition of "not
sharing" the how-to details that make the difference between "good
enough" and "good work." Unlike his foreman, Bernie actually
wanted us to know how to do it right. Not because he particularly liked us, but
because he loved the work and wanted that to be right.
Steve Bliss, with a combination
of real-world on-the-job construction experience and a long career as a writer
and editor for the Journal of Light Construction , Progressive
Builder, and Solar Age has written a new book, Best Practices Guide to Residential
Construction, Materials, Finishes, and Details, which is full of
details and product choices that make the difference between "good
enough" and "good work" - the stuff that all of us who build or
have built homes wish we'd known sooner.
Best Practices has a simple organization. It’s easy to find
details can help the success of your construction project. Here are a few
examples:
Exterior finish: a rain
screen wall using Cor-A-Vent or folded insect screen at the bottom of a
clapboard siding wall can keep out insects and still permit drainage. Text
is accompanied by a photo suggesting installing siding over furring over
the building sheathing. It's a small detail, one of many, that addresses
trapped moisture in buildings - a common source of insect damage, rot, or
the current enviro-scare topics.
Beyond concepts, such as "rain
screen," Bliss addresses sheathing wraps (house wrap), flashing
membranes, wall flashing, and specific details regarding the installation
of common exterior sheathings such as wood siding, wood shingles and
shakes, vinyl siding, wood and composite trim. To go past theory and good
ideas, the chapter also lists product suppliers and their websites or contact
information. A product resource list is offered at the end of each
chapter.
Courtesy of J. Wiley & Sons & Steven Bliss, adaptations from and expansion on this chapter are available online at
Roofing: Bliss's eaves
details for metal roofing, such as remembering to include the rubber
closure strip and to cap it with butyl tape address one of many omissions
that at our building inspections we find have led to wind-blown rain or wind
damage to the roofing. It's a small detail that makes a big difference.
Bliss includes details for the common roofing materials and systems such
as asphalt shingles, clay, concrete, composite tile, metal roofing,
low-slope roofing, and of course he addresses the vexsome specialty of
roof ventilation. Courtesy of J. Wiley & Sons & Steven Bliss, adaptations from and expansion on this chapter are available online at
Decks and Porches: This
chapter takes a look at framing and decking material choices, fasteners,
construction details, and the notorious problem of rooftop decks, as well
as covered/screened porches and deck finishes. After seeing a few
terrifying deck collapses, both during and after construction (luckily not
at our job sites), we were happy to see Mr. Bliss's details about fastenings
and connections, especially at post to beam and post to pier points.
Bliss
also offers some simple details for creation of and sealing at a deck to
house-wall gap, one of the most-common leak and rot points we find on
buildings where these details are omitted.
Update - 2010: also see this separate new volume dedicated to best practices in deck and porch construction: Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
Interior Finish:
Drywall, various flooring types (wood, vinyl, the currently-popular
laminate, carpets), trim, doors, stairs, sound, lighting are surveyed for
the Achilles heel and remedy, and Steve includes his recommendations among
these choices. Environmentally concerned clients will appreciate having
some alternatives to vinyl and carpeting and plastic laminates, such as
the cork flooring described in this chapter.
Kitchen and Bath: this chapter spends time on design basics - an
area that counts for kitchens and baths as anyone who's lived with a
thoughtless layout can testify. The author offers helpful tables of
materials choices (such as flooring) with cost, suitability for radiant
heat, pros, cons, and recommendations for each. Courtesy of J. Wiley & Sons & Steven Bliss, adaptations from and expansion on this chapter are available online at
Indoor Air quality: It
will be interesting to builders to review Bliss's perspective on IAQ, as
this topic is much in the public eye, or we should say lung and mind. We like that the author stops at a succinct outline of the possible concerns
and moves to some clear, basic advice about an overall strategy (about problem
particles or gases: "keep it out, vent it out, dilute it, filter it
out"), and goes on to offer some opinions about the various methods
people are using to improve residential indoor air quality.
Courtesy of J. Wiley & Sons & Steven Bliss, adaptations from and expansion on this chapter are available online at INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE, courtesy of J. Wiley & Sons & Steven Bliss.
This is a
rather large topic to tackle in a single chapter, so don't look for an
encyclopedic review here. A complete list of indoor air quality topics covered can be seen at INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE.
As the author points out,
(in our words not his), even the most brilliant and expensive design isn't
worth much if it's not used by the building occupants. He suggests
"More important than the precise number of cubic feet per minute,
however, is a well-designed system that is quite, reliable, and
low-maintenance, ensuring it will actually be used." Precisely.
Combine the real-world philosophy just stated, with a table of the
characteristics, appropriateness of use, and cost of venting alternatives,
and you have some good design details that can make a difference in the
health and quality of life of the occupants of the home.
I like this book and we recommend it. I'm lucky - I didn't have
to pay for it. Mr. Bliss sent us a review copy, probably knowing that we hold
him in high regard, but probably also slightly worried by knowing that we won't
pull any punches on a review.
To collect and pass on all of them would produce more pages than
the Harvard Classics, and more books than Google has indexed (so far). The
length of this book, 308 pages including a useful index, gives space for a
well-worth-having collection of helpful details beyond the usual arm-waving
that pollutes most professions and contaminates ours too. The book's strengths
are the perspective and choice of details selected by a writer who has spent a
lifetime of hands-on building, writing about, and finally editing about good
construction practices.
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Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available at Amazon.com.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
Design of Wood Structures - ASD, Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth Fridley, Kelly Cobeen, David Pollock, McGraw Hill, 2003, ISBN-10: 0071379320, ISBN-13: 978-0071379328
This book is an update of a long-established text dating from at least 1988 (DJF); Quoting: This book is gives a good grasp of seismic design for wood structures. Many of the examples especially near the end are good practice for the California PE Special Seismic Exam design questions. It gives a good grasp of how seismic forces move through a building and how to calculate those forces at various locations.THE CLASSIC TEXT ON WOOD DESIGN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE LATEST CODES AND DATA. Reflects the most recent provisions of the 2003 International Building Code and 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction. Continuing the sterling standard set by earlier editions, this indispensable reference clearly explains the best wood design techniques for the safe handling of gravity and lateral loads. Carefully revised and updated to include the new 2003 International Building Code, ASCE 7-02 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, the 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction, and the most recent Allowable Stress Design.
Diagnosing & Repairing House Structure Problems, Edgar O. Seaquist, McGraw Hill, 1980 ISBN 0-07-056013-7 (obsolete, incomplete, missing most diagnosis steps, but very good reading; out of print but used copies are available at Amazon.com, and reprints are available from some inspection tool suppliers). Ed Seaquist was among the first speakers invited to a series of educational conferences organized by D Friedman for ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors, where the topic of inspecting the in-service condition of building structures was first addressed.
Defects and Deterioration in Buildings: A Practical Guide to the Science and Technology of Material Failure, Barry Richardson, Spon Press; 2d Ed (2001), ISBN-10: 041925210X, ISBN-13: 978-0419252108. Quoting: A professional reference designed to assist surveyors, engineers, architects and contractors in diagnosing existing problems and avoiding them in new buildings. Fully revised and updated, this edition, in new clearer format, covers developments in building defects, and problems such as sick building syndrome. Well liked for its mixture of theory and practice the new edition will complement Hinks and Cook's student textbook on defects at the practitioner level.
"Avoiding Foundation Failures," Robert Marshall, Journal of Light Construction, July, 1996 (Highly recommend this article-DF)
"A Foundation for Unstable Soils," Harris Hyman, P.E., Journal of Light Construction, May 1995
"Backfilling Basics," Buck Bartley, Journal of Light Construction, October 1994
"Inspecting Block Foundations," Donald V. Cohen, P.E., ASHI Reporter, December 1998. This article in turn cites the Fine Homebuilding article noted below.
"When Block Foundations go Bad," Fine Homebuilding, June/July 1998
Masonry structures: The Masonry House, Home Inspection of a Masonry Building & Systems, Stephen Showalter (director, actor), DVD, Quoting: Movie Guide Experienced home inspectors and new home inspectors alike are sure to learn invaluable tips in this release designed to take viewers step-by-step through the home inspection process. In addition to being the former president of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), a longstanding member of the NAHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the Environmental Standard Organization (IESO), host Stephen Showalter has performed over 8000 building inspections - including environmental assessments. Now, the founder of a national home inspection school and inspection training curriculum shares his extensive experience in the inspection industry with everyday viewers looking to learn more about the process of evaluating homes. Topics covered in this release include: evaluation of masonry walls; detection of spalling from rebar failure; inspection of air conditioning systems; grounds and landscaping; electric systems and panel; plumbing supply and distribution; plumbing fixtures; electric furnaces; appliances; evaluation of electric water heaters; and safety techniques. Jason Buchanan --Jason Buchanan, All Movie Review
Masonry Structures: Behavior and Design, Robert G. Drysdale, Ahmid A. Hamid, Lawrie R. Baker, The Masonry Society; 2nd edition (1999), ISBN-10: 1929081014, ISBN-13: 978-1929081011
Straw Bale Home Design, U.S. Department of Energy provides information on strawbale home construction - original source at http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/designing_remodeling/index.cfm/mytopic=10350
More Straw Bale Building: A Complete Guide to Designing and Building with Straw (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series), Chris Magwood, Peter Mack, New Society Publishers (February 1, 2005), ISBN-10: 0865715181 ISBN-13: 978-0865715189 - Quoting: Straw bale houses are easy to build, affordable, super energy efficient, environmentally friendly, attractive, and can be designed to match the builder’s personal space needs, esthetics and budget. Despite mushrooming interest in the technique, however, most straw bale books focus on “selling” the dream of straw bale building, but don’t adequately address the most critical issues faced by bale house builders. Moreover, since many developments in this field are recent, few books are completely up to date with the latest techniques. More Straw Bale Building is designed to fill this gap. A completely rewritten edition of the 20,000-copy best--selling original, it leads the potential builder through the entire process of building a bale structure, tackling all the practical issues: finding and choosing bales; developing sound building plans; roofing; electrical, plumbing, and heating systems; building code compliance; and special concerns for builders in northern climates.
