How to Install a Glass Tile Backsplash
8 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Cool Design, Kitchen Remodel
One of the easiest ways to give your kitchen a new, custom look is to install a glass tile backsplash. But how do you install a glass tile backsplash? For our new kitchen, we have decided to use a horizontal 3″x6″ glass subway tile to provide a clean, modern look. Let’s take a look at […]
Buying Land for a House: Check for Rock
3 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder, Save Money
So you’re buying land for a house. As with any home you might buy, you want to make sure there are no surprises that could cost you extra money. One item you will want to investigate prior to purchase is the subsurface soil conditions. If there is rock hidden under the ground, your construction costs […]
Stud Shoes: What are They?
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Quality Check
As an owner-builder you are constantly bombarded with new building terms and slang. To help with this, armchair builder has created a glossary at the bottom of this blog and on our main website with some typical construction terms. However, every now and again we miss one. When you come across a building term you […]
Save Money on Lumber When Building Your Own Home
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Save Money
You’ve decided to build your own home or new addition so you are looking for additional ways to save money on the project. A typical 2400 square foot two story home has approximately $15,000 worth of lumber in it. With numbers like these, you need to make sure you’re getting the absolute best […]
What Types of Homes Are We Building Now?
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
I was just going through the latest census numbers for new housing and noticed a few items that caught my attention. As you would expect, new homes are evolving over time to meet our lifestyle choices and economic circumstances. Let’s take a look at some of the items from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Characteristics of […]
Costs to Build For Owner-Builders
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
The National Association of Home Builders conducts a yearly survey of professional home builders for the detailed costs to build a new home. The results of this year’s study was published last week. This New Construction Cost Breakdown by the NAHB, can be very valuable to the owner-builder as it gives average costs across the country […]
Old Growth Lumber: Reduce and Save Money When Building
2 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Owner-Builder, Save Money
In order to build a typical 1700 square foot wood framed home in the U.S., an equivalent of one acre of land needs to be clear cut to provide enough lumber. Alternatives to using old growth lumber for building materials are gaining ground every year. Not only are these alternatives good for the environment, […]
Owner-Builder Liability
5 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
Liability is something every property and business owner should be concerned with. As an owner-builder we want to prevent lawsuits, but we also want everyone to be safe around our new building projects. So in addition to requiring insurance for you and your subcontractors, you will want to take an active role in keeping your […]
Home Plans: Tips For Storing on Your New Home Site.
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Great Products, Owner-Builder, Save Money
Most local building departments require you to have a set of architectural home plans for your building project on your construction site at all times. This allows them to look up items they may question during a building inspection. Another reason to keep a set of home plans on site is for your subcontractors. Rather than give […]
Passive Fire Protection in Your New Home Project
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Owner-Builder, Quality Check
We have seen big improvements in new residential construction over the last twenty years in passive fire protection building techniques. These building methods, sometimes called firestopping or draftstopping, help slow down the spread of fire from one space to another in a home. By slowing down the spread of the fire, we give emergency responders […]
