http://www.isnare.com/?s=author&a=Mike+Merisko Home Management Mike Merisko Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=51965&ca=Home+Management One of the first steps in the construction of a new home is setting the steel beams and columns in the basement and/or crawl space. This supports the floor joists and usually runs the length of the house at mid span in most homes. Not only does this system support the floor, but usually has the weig... Home Management Mike Merisko Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=51967&ca=Home+Management When building a house, installing the sill plates correctly will determine how straight and square the finished product will be. Hopefully the concrete contractor did his job and left you with a reasonably straight and square foundation. A good concrete contractor can make a framing contractors job... Home Management Mike Merisko Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=51968&ca=Home+Management If you are going to build your own home and want to get more for your money, consider a two story home. There are major parts of the construction process that can save you money over building a ranch style home. The three major areas to cut costs are excavation, the foundation, and the roof. When ex... Home Management Mike Merisko Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=53243&ca=Home+Management You have just finished framing the first floor deck for a brand new home and your ready to start putting down the 3/4" tongue and groove plywood. If you framed it well and got your 16" centers laid out right, the process should go smooth as silk. The key to success is in the framing of the joists. T... Home Management Mike Merisko Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=47547&ca=Home+Management There are many tools that you must have handy when building a house but there are a few that get used often in the building process. I'll start with the obvious. A hammer. In this day and age, many builders use compressors and framing nailers. The hammer still has a place on the jobsite. Most carpen... Home Management Mike Merisko Wed, 15 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=40959&ca=Home+Management When building your own home, certain building materials must be chosen and ordered well in advance of when they will be used. This is mainly due to how long the delivery time is once the order is made. By ordering these materials at the proper time you ensure that they will be on the job when they a... Home Management Mike Merisko Thu, 10 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=17552&ca=Home+Management Installing a window in a freshly framed opening is one of the more simple tasks in a construction project. Most new construction windows have what is called a nailing fin. These are found on vinyl or aluminum clad windows. This nailing fin is either vinyl or metal and has nail holes every 4 to 6 inc... Home Management Mike Merisko Sat, 05 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=16265&ca=Home+Management When I first started my career in carpentry, building a set of stairs seemed like a complicated and daunting task. We're not talking finished oak, curved or spiral staircases. I'm talking about your normal carpet covered straight run staircases or porch and deck staircases. My first stair building e... Home Management Mike Merisko Tue, 11 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=14437&ca=Home+Management Planning is the key when taking on a project that involves removing your roof. Before you plan your 2nd story, research what obstacles will need to be dealt with. Examples of items that need to be addressed are: - Size of ceiling joists, can they support a 2nd story floor? - Are mechanicals run over... Home Management Mike Merisko Thu, 29 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=12994&ca=Home+Management Hanging a door these days is easier than its ever been. In the days before prehung doors, it took more tools and knowledge to hang a door than it does now. Imagine getting a door slab, an unassembled door jamb, hinges and door hardware and having to do all the mortising, drilling, rabbeting on site....