Sticks and Bricks

Your loans and plans are approved, so it’s time to breakground. Fairhaven coordinates all of the subcontractors and material required. We begin by clearing your house site of any trees or obstructions taking care to save and protect as many trees as possible. The basement is excavated, footings are poured and the walls are formed and poured. As the walls cure, the foundation is sealed and the drainage systems for ground water and plumbing are installed. The process to install your foundation will take about 30 days.

Many people consider the framing stage to be the most exciting. When the framing crew finishes the first floor deck, you will finally be able to take your first walk around your new house. It is an exciting moment. The framing carpenters generally take three to six weeks depending on the size and complexity of your home. You will be able to watch the basic structure take shape very quickly. Your home will suddenly have walls, a roof, and windows. Once the roof is on, we “dry-in” the building by installing the windows and papering the roof.

As the individual trades converge on your house, things will appear to slow down considerably. In reality, a lot more work is actually being done on your house during the rough-in stage. It just isn't as dramatic. During the next six weeks, dozens of people will be installing the inner workings of your house. Plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, lighting, security systems, central vacuum lines, television cable, entertainment systems, computer networks, exhaust fans, phone lines, fireplaces, and scores of back-ups and blocking for things yet to be installed.

This may not be an exciting time, but it is very important that everything and everybody be properly coordinated. Taking the time to get things right at the rough-in stage saves us lots of aggravation later on.

Meanwhile, your masonry work and shingles have been completed and we’re ready for county inspections which take about a week. Then it’s time to insulate and drywall. Hanging the drywall goes quickly and now the rooms take on their definition. Drywall finishing takes about 10 days then comes the trim work and finishing details.