Fine homebuilding

For small projects, you can save time and money if you form and pour all the concrete at once.

From not venting your bathroom to not venting your siding, understanding how things go wrong is the first step to getting them right.

When concealed spaces—between floor joists or wall studs, for instance—connect to other spaces around them, there’s a risk of fire and gases spreading through a home. The building code explains what fireblocking is meant to do, but it’s up to builders and inspectors to understand where fireblocking is needed, and this is often overlooked. #fireblocking #fireprevention #firesafety #firesafety code #code #buildingcode #homebuilding #homebuilder #building #homes #home #houses

Bits of framing advice the Fine Homebuilding editors all wish they'd known the first (and last) time they strapped on their tool bags.

What could be better? Learn the basics of timber-framing and get an outbuilding in the process.

Understand the options, design requirements, and common pitfalls to spec the best footings for your project.

• Updated for 2024 • Building your dream home? You won't want to miss our list of "14 Must Haves" when designing and building your home.

When Katrin Klingenberg designed the first single-family Passivhaus in the U.S. in 2003, she used 12-inch-deep I-joists (TJIs) as wall studs. Located in Urbana, Illinois, the house was sheathed on the exterior side of the vertical I-joists with vapor-permeable fiberboard and on the interior with OSB, which acted as an interior air barrier, an interior vapor retarder, and structural bracing. The bays of the engineered studs were filled with blown-in fiberglass insulation.

Straightforward construction, common materials, and low embodied carbon are just some of the benefits of this superinsulated assembly.

Learn about 4 common types of window casings and how they fit with other interior trim details to help you choose molding for your home.