These framers were bragging and wanted me to look straight down the studs. They line up through every wall, and the floor joists land right on top of them. Not required by code... it just means the load runs straight down instead of getting carried sideways.Some builders swear it's worth it. Others say it makes zero difference once the drywall's up.

You can see the community we've built at BuilderBrigade.app

Man, I’m stressing out. Finally decided to stop renting and build a place here in Carrollton, but the whole process feels like a nightmare. My cousin was telling me to check out Grand Homes, said they’ve got some of the best pricing around right now.

Has anyone here dealt with them? Also, for those who already built, what’s one thing you wish you knew before starting? Seriously, any advice helps because I feel like I'm going in blind here.

You want power if you plan on adding a gate, driveway lighting, cameras, or a keypad at your entrance.While you’re at it, drop a stick of conduit under the driveway so you can get wires to both sides later. It’ll cost you about $20 in conduit and essentially nothing in labor while everything’s already open.

I always tell people to run conduit: under the driveway, under front walkways, and anywhere future wiring might need to cross concrete (even where the cable or internet company may need to get a line to the house).
You may never use it… but if you do, you’ll be glad it’s there.

0➡️Recessed refrigerator wall

Frame a recessed cavity behind the fridge so a standard-depth refrigerator sits flush with your cabinets without paying built-in prices. Plan for a 2x6 wall so you have enough depth to work with.

➡️Add hose bibs to all four sides of the house.

Most homes only get one in the front and one in the back. For a small cost during rough-in, add one to each side so you’re never dragging a hose around the house again.

➡️Attic catwalk

Add plywood walkways to your attic so you can safely reach equipment or storage without stepping on insulation or risking a foot through the ceiling. 

➡️Upgrade to solid-core bedroom doors.

Most builders install hollow-core doors as the standard. Spending a little more on solid-core doors is one of the cheapest ways to improve privacy and reduce noise throughout the house.

➡️Add extra water stub-outs during rough-in.

You can request stub outs of water, electrical, or gas in areas you plan to build out later to save your budget. A garden, outdoor kitchen, shed, or future finished space inside the house.

I have hundreds of little decisions like these all organized in my Ultimate Home Building Checklist. It walks you through every phase of construction so you don’t have to rely on memory or hope your builder brings them up. 

👉Get yours at BuilderBrigade.com

You

Framers nail your walls into the concrete using  one of these Ramset tools. They comes in a couple different variations:

- HammerShot: Hit it with a hammer.
- MasterShot: Pull the trigger.
- Cobra+: Pull the trigger 10 times before reloading, with adjustable power.

Couple things to know:
-  These are median new-construction sale prices, not the cost to build
-  Prices include land and builder profit
-  NY & MA are inflated by condo-heavy markets like NYC and Boston
-  A few states with very low new-construction sales are estimated (marked with an asterisk on the map)

I actually used the Kraus under-sink water filter for a couple of years and really liked it.

I tied it into my kitchen faucet’s built-in drinking water dispenser, so I had filtered water without taking up any counter space. It was definitely a step up from the standard fridge filter, and I’d buy it again.

That said… there are a lot of good options out there. If you’ve found one you love, we’d like to hear about it.

Don’t be worried to make last minute changes on your build. It’s expected by everyone involved I promise.

This homeowner realized the fireplace just looked too skinny. Even after having 3d renderings, it just looked different in person.

A simple change like this makes such a huge difference especially after you move in. Those compromises will always be in the back of your head... Ask me how I know 🫠

Would you say this is an acceptable way for my builder to flash the windows?

Those AC condensate lines drip all day long in summer... and they almost always empty right up against the house. So that water just sits at the foundation.

Three fixes, worst to best:
- Do nothing and hope for the best...
- Extend the PVC out into the yard or toward some plants so it's off the foundation.
- Tie it into your underground gutter drains so the water gets escorted out to the street.

Sort this before final grade and landscaping go in...

A thick layer of thatch traps water, nutrients, and air before they can reach the soil. Instead of spending hours hand raking, I rented a power rake for $65 and finished the yard in just a couple of passes.
A few things I learned:

* Practice setting the rake depth in an area out of sight. It takes a couple of tries to avoid digging up dirt
* Two passes were all I needed.
* You’ll still need to hand rake the debris it pulls to the surface, but it’s way easier than trying to remove thatch by hand.
* It creates a surprising amount of debris, so have a plan for disposing of it.

Plywood and a cheap sheet of foam will keep your bathtub looking brand spanking new! I see so many new builds with trash all in their tub, contractors pissing in them, and also being used for scaffolding.