Congratulations! You own some property and have commissioned or purchased a floor
plan you like—the time has come to build your dream house. You may feel ready to dive right in and construct your own home from the ground up, potentially saving the cost of hiring a general contractor and immersing yourself in the nuts and bolts of the construction process.
However, before embarking single-handedly on the adventure of building a home, take
some time to consider your decision carefully. While acting as your own general contractor can be an exciting and worthwhile experience, it also can be a complicated, technically demanding and time-consuming commitment. For many reasons, hiring an experienced professional to handle the day-to-day aspects of the building process can be an excellent decision, and one that ensures that the end result is a comfortable, well-built home for you and your family.
A general contractor has significant experience in the actual home building process.
Building a home is a complex activity. Although your subcontractors will provide
specific expertise in areas like pouring the foundation and wiring the house, if you act as your own contractor you will need to consider your ability to manage the overall process. Do you know the order in which activities must be completed, and have the technical know-how to oversee the construction of your home from start to finish? If you are unsure about your expertise in some areas, it pays to hire a general contractor to direct the building process; he or she will be familiar with both the big-picture activities and the smaller details that are equally important to a well-built home.
Building homes is a general contractor’s “day job.”
Building a home can be a full-time job. If your “day job” is demanding and allows you
little free time, consider hiring a general contractor, since it can take up to three or four months of daytime supervision to build a home from foundation to rooftop. Just as you have significant expertise in your field, general contractors are well-versed in the day-to-day activities of home construction. For example, a contractor will know how to find qualified subcontractors, ensure that they arrive at the right time, in the right order, with access to the right materials; he or she then will oversee their work. A general contractor also is responsible for scheduling not only the subcontractors, but also securing any necessary permits, building to the specifications of your plans and local building codes, and scheduling the inspections by various agencies that must be completed before work can continue.
Finally, when it comes to everyday troubleshooting, a general contractor can be priceless. Small setbacks can turn into much larger issues if they are not handled quickly, and a contractor will spend much of his or her day smoothing out any wrinkles that arise. A general contractor has the relationships to get the job done.
When you hire a contractor, you also obtain access to a specialized network of
information and resources. Professional builders generally have well-established relationships with reliable subcontractors like electricians and plumbers, and familiarity with the time it takes to complete various phases of the building process, which a novice owner-builder can lack. For example, a contractor will have a pool of subcontractors who will be willing to work on your project, even if that means working extra hours in order to finish a job. As a homeowner, you may not have such an advantage. Subcontractors don't know if you will be a professional and organized boss, and more importantly, they are aware that this is probably a one-time job, which can result in you being low on the priority list for scheduling. When you work with a contractor, you benefit from the higher scheduling priority given to well-known
professional builders who need services on an ongoing basis. A general contractor is prepared to deal with complications and delays in construction. An experienced contractor already knows about the pitfalls involved in building a home, and can find solutions more easily because he or she deals with these problems every day. For
example, in case of a natural disaster, contractors have the knowledge—and more importantly, the time—to prepare your jobsite for impending heavy rain or high winds. Bad weather can wreak havoc on your schedule and even the quality of construction, and a professional can help you avert these potential problems.
A general contractor knows about building codes and other legal issues.
Construction in virtually all jurisdictions is regulated by building codes, primarily for the purpose of providing minimum standards of health and safety for the public. A general contractor deals with building codes in your area on a daily basis, and likely has learned the best and fastest ways to comply with the maze of rules and requirements.
However, building codes are just the tip of the legal iceberg when it comes to
constructing a home. What happens if you, your neighbor or someone you’ve hired gets injured while your home is under construction? Proper liability insurance is essential, and may be complicated and expensive to obtain on your own; however, professional contractors generally carry both worker’s compensation and liability insurance to protect themselves—and you— against any unfortunate events.
Finally, remember that if you build your home yourself, there is no warranty for your
own work, and you are ultimately responsible for the quality of your project. Depending on your agreement with your general contractor, you can ease much of this burden and place your home in the hands of an experienced professional who can quickly and efficiently address any problems.
For more information on home building or to find a building professional in your area,
contact Cody Home Improvement (203) 260-8768 or
www.codyhomeimprovement.weeblycom

So you’ve got a big project coming up, or an semi-emergency that needs to be addressed at your house, but you don’t know which contractor to go with? Here a few tips to help you through the process!

* Ask around among your friends, family, and network. I’d be willing to be that each contractor you might need could be accessed through a good referral from your family or friends.

* Hop on Google to see if there are any good recommendations in your area. Just glancing through the Connecticut area, I came across several potentially good matches in 10 minutes.

* Hit Facebook or Linked In and ask around. I’m continually amazed at the quick response time you get from friends, family, etc, on social media sites when asking questions of need. I bet this is no different!

* How about talking to any good construction/contractor-type people you might know (or your circle of influence might know). Good and fair contractors tend to know the good ones!

* If you have the time, get quotes from multiple contractors. If you’re lucky enough to be able to do this (and balance quality with price), you’ll likely come out please with your project!

So next time you’re in need of a project to be done, try out some of these tips and let us know how they work for you!

How to Build a Simple 24 Foot Deck

Things You'll Need

Concrete mix bags
4 x 4 x 8 foot pressure-treated posts
6 pressure-treated boards, 2 x 8 x 8 foot
4 pressure-treated boards, 2 x 8 x 12 foot
2 x 6 pressure-treated boards (length will depend on width of deck)
2 x 6 x 12 foot pressure-treated boards
5 pressure treated decking boards, 4 x 6 x 16 foot (or 12 foot)
4 step stringers (number of steps/stringer will depend on your plans)
2 x 4 x 8 foot pressure-treated boards
Railing uprights of choice (i.e. 2 x 2 x 3 foot pressure treated, quantity will depend on plans)
1/2 x 8 inch carriage bolts, flat washers and nuts
Socket/wrench for carriage nut
Post hole diggers
String line
White marking paint (optional)     Concrete forms (optional)
Stakes
Shovel
Hammer
Nail gun and compressor set up (optional)
3 inch spiral shank nails (if using a nail gun)
Drill 3 inch deck screws (if not using a nail gun)
2 inch deck screws (or spiral shank nails)
3/8 x 3 inch lag bolts
1/2 inch paddle bit
Jig saw
Circular saw
Level
Chalk line
Pencil
Mitre saw (optional)
Tape measure
Concrete mixing tub or concrete
mixer Concrete hoe




Decks all have the same basic structure. Decks can come in all shapes and sizes. However, the basic form of a deck is universal; there are footers, posts, frame, decking
boards and railing. With a handful of tools and some basic construction knowledge, building a deck can be a simple task completed on a long weekend. For the purpose of the article we'll look at a basic deck that is freestanding, 24 feet long, rectangular and with one set of stairs. However, before you get started check with your local city or municipality for coding and inspections.

    Planning and Layout

    1    Meet with a building planner at your local lumber yard to determine the close estimate of material you will need and help you with information on codes and inspections for your specific area.

    2    Call for utility mark-outs before digging.

    3    Plant a stake where a corner will be. Tie string around the stake. Measure 3 inches shy of 24 feet (23 feet, 9 inches---this will be explained later) moving toward the next corner and mark it with a stake. Wrap the string line around that stake a few times and move toward the next corner.

    4    Check for square of layout before you continue. Start in the short side of your new 90 degree angle and measure up 6 feet and make a mark. Return to the corner and measure 8 feet down the far side and make a mark. Measure from mark to mark. This measurement should be 10 feet but may need to be adjusted in or out to square the angle. Set your stake. Repeat this for each corner until your outline has 4 right angles.

    5    Mark a spot with either spray paint or a shovel where the first stake is located. Measure every 4 feet along the string line in each direction marking each interval with the paint or shovel. These marks indicate where the posts need to be placed.

    6    Dig a hole at each mark at least 2 feet down and at lease twice the size of the post. This may vary depending on codes and frost lines in your area. In some areas these holes will need to fit the concrete forms as well.

    7    Set posts in holes (and forms if necessary) and mix concrete and water with a hoe in a mixing tub or mixer. Pour concrete in holes until the hole/form is filled.

    8    Level each post and tack a 2x4 or scrap lumber to the post and a stake driven into the ground to keep it solid until the concrete sets. Leave posts and concrete to cure overnight.

Framing

9    Mark a line on a post at the height that the top of the deck will be (this will be determined by style and possibly codes) and subtract 7 1/2 inches and make a new mark for the ledger board (7 1/2 inches is the height of the decking board and the 2 x 6 frame). From this mark use the level to get a straight line to all the posts (due to the uneveness of the ground a measurement cannot be taken at each post.

10    Attach the ledger board to the posts (along the 24 foot length) with 3 inch decking screws or spiral shank nails first. Use the 12 foot pressure-treated 2 x 8s on the outside to show fewer joints. The 8 foot pressure-treated 2 x 8s will go on the inside of the posts creating two lines of sandwiched posts. Double check level as you go.

11    Drill two 1/2-inch holes diagonal to each other per post and tap carriage bolts through. Insert them so that the heads will be showing on the outside and the hardware will be on the inside. Tighten bolts with rachet/socket until the carriage head or nut becomes flush with the ledger board.

12    Dedicate the four 2 x 6 x 12 foot boards to become band boards so that there are two lengths of 24 feet. These band boards will act as a layout marker for the deck joists as well as an outside frame to hide joist ends. Lay the boards in two lines butted up to each other so that you can lay out both band boards at the same time. The band boards are the exact 24 feet and will stick past each outside post by 1 1/2 inch, which is the width of a 2 x 6 board. This way the posts are inside the framework but the total width of the deck is 24 feet.

13    Measure 1 1/2 inches from the beginning and make a mark on each board for the width of the outside joist. Measure over from the end 15 1/4 inches and make a mark followed by an X (this denotes that the joist starts at 15 1/4 inches and covers the X so that the center of the joist will fall exactly on 16 inches). Continue this pattern of marking a line 3/4 of an inch prior to each multiple of 16 inches until you reach the end of the board where the last mark will be 1 1/2 inches from the end as in the beginning.

14    Attach band boards to each post using three 3-inch screws or spiral shank nails to each post. Band boards will set on top of the ledger boards and overhang the outside posts by 1 1/2 inches.

15    Insert joists between band boards at each of the layout marks. These will also rest on the ledger boards with the exception of the two outside joists, which will get attached to both the band boards and the posts. Use three 3-inch screws or spiral shank nails to attach the joists to band boards and posts.


Decking and Railing

16    Attach decking to floor joists with 2-inch screws or spiral shank nails. Use three nails to each joist. Cut out any notches or holes to work the decking around the post; this makes a nice finishing touch and keeps the posts intact for hand rail uprights. Start with a full decking board and then stagger each consecutive row by four feet. This helps break up joints and give more strength to the deck.

17    Rip down the final row of decking boards with the circular saw (if necessary) to the proper width, allowing for some overhang if desired. Attach with screws or nails.

18    Cut each post to the proper height from the top of the deck (minus 1 1/2 for top railing). This is generally around 3 feet but may be specific in some areas.

19    Attach a 2 x 4 parallel to the deck, flush with the top of the posts and at the junction of the decking and the posts using 3-inch screws or nails. Remember to leave a 4 foot section open between two posts for the stairs.

20    Attach the 2 x 6 top rails to the top of the post, flush with the outside of the post and covering the 2 x 4 edge using 3-inch screws or nails.

21    Cut a spacer block to the width that each railing upright needs to be. This is generally about 3 inches plus or minus 1/4 inch, but check with your local codes.

22    Level the first upright and begin attaching with 2-inch screws or nails. Space them with the block and check level every five or six uprights; adjust accordingly.

Stairs

23    Cut a 2 x 8 into two 4 foot, 3 inch sections and mark a line at 1 1/2 inch on each end. Again measure over 15 1/4 inches, drawing a line followed by an X and repeat (this layout will give you a 4-foot wide set of steps).
24    Attach each step stringer to the 4 foot, 3 inch 2 x 8 using 3-inch screws or nails. Attach the 2 x 8 to the flat side of the stringer just past the angled edge (opposite to the upright of a tread).

25     Place the stair form on the face of a band board or outside joist so that the outside stringers line up just outside of two posts (this saves digging new posts for stair railing). Level treads parallel to the ground and whole stringer set up with the deck. Use patio block to set the bottom solid. Attach stairs with 3-inch screws or nails and 3-inch lag bolts.

26    Dig two more holes for posts near the bottom of the steps for hand rail post. Set the posts, level them and pour concrete into the post holes. Attach the posts to the stairs with carriage bolts---you don't have to wait to for the concrete to set unless it's necessary for inspection.

27    Cut the bottom posts, top rails and 2 x 4 rails at the same angle that stairs are laid out. Attach 2 x 4 side rails flush with the top of the post using screws or nails. Attach the top rail to the posts but this time flush with the outside edge of the 2 x 4.

28    Attach uprights so that they are level vertically and spaced properly. Check with local codes for additional requirements on stairs and railings before final inspections.

How To Build a Floating Dock Floating Dock Theory

The simple theory of dock floating is that more width, length, and weight added to a floating dock, the more stable it becomes.  For example, 4' x 10' dock fingers are not as stable as a 10'x10' dock section.


The Term Freeboard for Boat Docks

The term freeboard means height deck above the waterline.  most residential designers aim 12" to 24" of freeboard. Dock floats with 12" and 16" height will be within the average freeboard range. If your prime use of the dock is to moor a boat, then a dock freeboard height needs to be adequate for loading and unloading a boat.   An added benefit for a lower freeboard is that it will increase the stability of the dock.

Calculating buoyancy for Docks

The basic general rules for calculating buoyancy for a residence floating dock is 30lbs per square foot and 40lbs per square foot for commercial docks.

for example

Length x Width = Square feet of dock
Square feet x 30 lbs (10lbs Materials & 20 People weight) =  Total buoyancy 
Divide total Load by dock float model number
Example:    10' x 14' dock = 140 sq. feet
140 sq. feet x 30 lbs. = 4200 lbs.
4200 lbs./ 525 lb buoyancy dock float = 8 floats