Building a house involves three stages. This article will describe materials for a house with a raised foundation in the form of a crawlspace over dirt or a basement with a concrete floor. Step one is excavating and building the raised foundation. Next, the homes framework must be erected from lumber and enclosed. Finally, the interior must be finished. Construction materials needed will largely determine a homes cost. Figuring out how to save on specific materials starts with listing everything that will be needed.

Foundation

The foundation of a home is built of concrete poured into narrow ditches called footings. The footings supply a firm foundation for cinder blocks to be laid to create the homes crawlspace or basement. Plastic sheeting should be placed over 75 percent of the crawlspace dirt. Leave some dirt exposure so moisture can penetrate floor joists and prevent dry rot. Pour a concrete floor for a full basement. Plastic sheeting and waterproofing material must be placed on the exterior of the basement walls. Metal flashing will be placed on top of the cinder blocks before the homes framework is built.

Exterior and framework

Lumber needed to build your home includes dozens of two by eight boards, two by sixes and two by fours. The framework must have an exterior sheathing made of either four-foot by eight-foot plywood or compressed fiberboard. Rolls of fiberglass insulation are needed for the attic, all exterior walls between framework and siding and under the floor joists. Hard foam sheets can be used in the outside walls instead. Brick or siding goes directly over hard foam insulation.

Roof and exterior

Roofing materials include tar paper and asphalt or fiberglass shingles. Some homes will require a metal roof. Vents for the kitchen and bath must go on this list. Bricks, vinyl, or masonry siding will be needed for the entire exterior. Special cut or stacked stones might be required as well.

Windows, doors, and sliding glass doors and garage doors on tracks will be on the list of a homes enclosure needs.

Interior with electric and plumbing

Drywall, sub-flooring in the form of plywood or particle board, paint, floor coverings and tile for the kitchen and bathrooms will be needed for the homes interior.

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Check list for building your own new home

By Annabel Fenwick Elliott for MailOnline

Published: 17:15 EST, 19 September 2014 | Updated: 18:20 EST, 19 September 2014

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At first glance, these abstract structures may look like futuristic furniture pieces, which they are in a sense - but not for humans.

They're custom-built shelters for outdoor, stray and feral cats, submitted by 14 U.S. architecture firms as part of a fundraiser forArchitects for Animals, a nonprofit which raises awareness for animals by building better shelters to house them.

The fun and inventive structures - which offer cats refuge, protection from the harsh outside world, and playtime - were all designed pro-bono, and then donated to FixNation, a free Los Angeles-based spray-and-neuter group.

Nifty: Because cats are able to squeeze into any shape that is the same width as their skulls, this structure gives them sneaky cover from less agile predators, according to Formation + EdgarArceneaux Architecture

Formation Association + Edgar Arceneaux architecture firm designed their shelter with a 'continuous rib system' which forms 'sanctuary spaces and safe passages for feral cats.'

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Architects for Animals design intricate outdoor dwellings for stray cats

Extensive renovations on Barringtons White House began last month, and crews are now preparing for one of the most dramatic construction phases: replacing the roof on the 19th-century mansion on Main Street.

Its going to be pretty dramatic next week, project coordinator Beth Raseman said.

Raseman said work will begin next week as crews prepare to remove the entire roof, waterproof the third floor and remove the walls, which will open the third floor and allow for the 150-seat banquet hall that is planned for the finished project. The new roof also will allow for more headroom on the third floor.

Raseman said a steel support system will be added for the roof, which will have the same dimensions and scope as the existing roof. Fire-resistant cedar siding, new windows and a new chimney will also be built.

Once work on the roof is completed and the weather turns cooler, Raseman said extensive interior renovations will begin including installation of new windows and floors, restoration of existing windows and floors, drywall installation and mechanical and plumbing work.

Since breaking ground on the project July 22, Raseman said construction crews started by removing trees and shrubs and, more recently, have been waterproofing the foundation by installing a water barrier around the house.

Raseman said work on the foundation has unearthed some interesting finds, including a 12-foot cistern.

Unfortunately, we had to fill it in because it was too close to the foundation, she said.

Raseman said other unexpected finds included a slightly charred geography book from the 1850s, newspapers from the 1950s and a variety of old door knobs.

Also as part of the foundation work, Raseman said the basement is being excavated and new drain tiles and a new floor are being installed.

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Construction workers raise roof on Barrington White House

Licensed roofers and plumbers are among the tradesmen needed for United Way of Eastern La Salle Countys Labor of Love on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Also needed that day are "house captains" and volunteers to help serve breakfast and lunch at the Marquette Academy elementary school cafeteria in Ottawa.

Labor of Love is a one-day community volunteer effort to clean, repair, restore and winterize homes owned and occupied by local senior citizens, veterans, people with disabilities and low-income families.

The programs volunteer planning team and house captains have been meeting weekly to coordinate work plans for 34 homes that will be improved for free.

The homes are within the communities of Ottawa, Leland, Marseilles, Seneca and Wedron. Applicant ages range from 43 to 84. All Labor of Love applicants seeking assistance must own and live in their home, meet eligibility criteria, including financial eligibility and participate in a home preview process.

Volunteers complete financial eligibility screening, confirm home ownership, conduct home previews and approve home selections. Priority is given to homes owned and occupied by senior citizens, the disabled, and families with young children who need improvements to correct serious health, safety and weatherization problems.

Projects will range from roof and porch repairs; replacement and repairs of doors, windows, plumbing and electrical fixtures; repairs and installation of flooring, gutters and siding; cleaning, painting and trash removal, weatherproofing and insulating; furnace cleaning and repairs; yard work and window washing; and smoke and carbon monoxide installation and battery replacement.

As in past years, Labor of Love anticipates hundreds of youth and community volunteers. Last year alone, over 400 volunteers improved 37 homes.

Anyone 14 and older can be a Labor of Love volunteer. Volunteer workers and at least one house captain are needed at every home. House captains provide leadership and home project coordination. Skilled labor electricians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers, cement finishers, heating and air conditioning professionals provide the expertise; enabling volunteers of all skill levels to contribute.

Individuals or groups interested in volunteering to help with any aspect of Labor of Love and for any length of time on can pick up and complete a volunteer information form and waiver. These forms are available at the United Way office, 1400 La Salle St., Ottawa.

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Roofers, plumbers needed for Oct. 4 Labor of Love

Stucco Installation Tips for new homes by the experts
Stucco Installation Tips for new homes by the experts, Kirk giordano and Jerry Pozo, together we have some time in. Stucco Siding Installation, do it right the first time. Hello everyone...

By: Kirk Jason Giordano #39;s DIY plastering and stucco network

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Stucco Installation Tips for new homes by the experts - Video

Trim Installation How-To with Gary Katz (Part 1/2)
Home expert Gary Katz walks you through what you need to know when considering and installing trim for your next siding project. Brought to you by Weyerhaeus...

By: Weyerhaeuser Trus Joist

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Trim Installation How-To with Gary Katz (Part 1/2) - Video

UPDATE September 18, 2014:

STOKERS Siding residents campaigning against the installation of a NBNCo wireless internet tower have this week again complained to Telecommunications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

This time, they have serious concerns about the psychological distress they say the issue is placing on a local family, with concerns held for their welfare.

The family fears health impacts from a 36-metre wireless internet tower.

The residents have not alerted health services or the police, but they have contacted the office of Federal Richmond MP Justine Elliot about the family's plight.

However, a NBNCo spokesperson said the towers emit "the same kind of radio frequency signals as AM/FM radio, television and police car radio radios".

Resident spokesperson Carolyn Boniface said the location of the tower was close enough for the community to be worried about radiation.

"They've done the research and have major concerns about possible cancer links," she said.

"We have contacted Justine's office to make sure Turnbull knows, so then nobody can say we didn't have a high level of distress here."

A spokesperson for Elliot's office said the relevant authorities have been contacted.

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Welfare concerns in Stokers

(PRWEB) September 16, 2014

Comprising a team that has over two decades' worth of experience in the roofing industry, Guardian Roof Systems has always prided itself in going the extra mile to satisfy its customers. One of the ways in which the Pearland-based company strives to do so is through certification through CertainTeed. Today, Guardian Roof Systems has the CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster credential, making it a member of a very small, exclusive club. Fewer than five percent of companies in the United States have the aforementioned credential.

Founded in 1904, CertainTeed is headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of French multinational company Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA. The company specializes in manufacturing building materials for residential and commercial construction projects. CertainTeed has made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly building materials by establishing a range of certification programs for construction categories or subsectors that include roofing, in addition to ceilings, vinyl siding, fences, decking, railing, and insulation.

SELECT ShingleMaster is one of the eight roofing credentials that CertainTeed offers. The program is designed for the very best professional roofing companies, and the credential gives the recipient a major selling advantage in the marketplace. Becoming a SELECT ShingleMaster requires that the company be in business for at least five years, hold the lower-tiered ShingleMaster credential for one year, and have at least one employee that is a Shingle Quality Specialist. Other requirements include passing the Business Fiscal Responsibility exam, having a shingle roof installation crew with at least half of its members being MSA-qualified, and holding current worker's compensation insurance and liability insurance covering roofing.

In addition to its unique CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster certification, Guardian Roof Systems provides roofs that can be Texas Windstorm certified, according to the standards of the Texas Department of Insurance and the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. This certification is essential in the Houston metro area in particular and Texas in general, as the state is prone to strong storms that can inflict damage upon roofing systems.

About Guardian Roof Systems: Guardian Roof Systems assists residential and commercial clients with roof repairs and replacements, as well as brand-new roof installation. In addition to its CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster credential, the company is a member of the Better Business Bureau, from which it has an A+ rating. Guardian Roofing Systems is headquartered at 3800 Halik Suite #5, Pearland, TX 77581. It has a second office, which is located in Metaire, Louisiana. To get a free quote or request the company's servicesincluding a free roofing inspectioncustomers can call 281-485-7663 or 1-888-603-4185, or use the Contact Us form at the website, which is http://www.guardianroofsystems.com.

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Guardian Roof Systems a CertainTeed Certified and Credentialed Contractor

Alexander vote set

In 2007, Alexander Public Schools K-12 enrollment was at 53 and falling.

After seven years of oil boom, enrollment has tripled to 185 and the community is considering doubling the size of its school.

We need more space because right now we are cramped, said Superintendent Leslie Bieber.

We need to be able to fit comfortably in our building in order to provide quality education.

Oct. 7, school district patrons will go to the polls to decide on a proposed $17.1 million bond issue to finance construction that would enlarge the school building and renovate some of the existing space.

If the bond issue is approved, Bieber said, construction will begin next spring on a 50,000-square-foot addition that would include 11 classrooms, and a new cafeteria and kitchen.

Also included in the project would be the addition of a second gym equipped with lockers and bathrooms, and 8,000 square feet of existing space would be renovated.

-- McKenzie County Farmer, Watford City

Tioga PD complaints

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Bakken Briefs

NASA will hold a one-day NASA Social for up to 50 of its social media followers on Oct. 13, 2014, at the agencys Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

The NASA Social will highlight two upcoming comet events: the close flyby of Mars by Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring on Oct. 19, and the European Space Agencys ongoing Rosetta mission, including the planned landing of the Philae probe on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in mid-November.

The event will offer people who connect with NASA through Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and other social networks, the opportunity to interact with scientists and engineers working on the Rosetta Mission and several Mars missions. Participants will interact with fellow space enthusiasts and members of NASA's social media team. They will also get a behind-the-scenes tour of JPL that includes:

- Spacecraft Assembly Facility, where hardware for upcoming missions is under construction

- Earth Science Center, where data from many of the agency's Earth-observing missions are showcased in interactive displays

- Mars Yard, where engineering models of NASA's Curiosity rover are tested in a sandy, Mars-like environment

NASA Social participants are welcome to attend the annual JPL Open House, which takes place on Saturday, Oct. 11, and Sunday, Oct. 12. The free public event, themed Welcome to Our Universe, will include exhibits and demonstrations from numerous space missions. An interactive art installation inspired by comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko will also be on display.

Registration for this NASA Social is now open, and closes at 2 p.m. PDT (5 p.m. EDT) on Sept. 8, 2014. People who actively collect, report, analyze and disseminate news on social networking platforms are encouraged to apply. Selection is not random. Those chosen must prove through the registration process they meet specific criteria. Registration is for one person, aged 18 and over only, and is non-transferable. Selected attendees are responsible for their own expenses for travel, accommodation, food and other amenities.

Since 2009, NASA has held over 80 NASA Social events at venues across the United States. The program has brought thousands of people together for unique social media experiences of exploration and discovery.

For more information on the event and to register, go to:

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JPL to Host NASA Social Highlighting Comets