Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [construction]

394 questions
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Adjustable angle climbing wall with electric hoist and pulleys - how to lock the pulleys?

When I first set up the electric hoist wires, I had a snatch block pulley not just there at the wall near the hoist - but I had two on the climbing wall at each anchor point, and I hooked in the wire line at the other middle wall anchor point. The…
shawn.mek
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What is this machine's purpose?

I was driving past a house under construction and saw this device in its driveway. It was operating, making a continual noise. Does anyone know what this machine is and what it does?
Craig
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How many man hours to build a small house, 2500 sq ft?

I'm looking for a general estimate of "man hours" needed to build a small house. I'm sure it will vary widely. The purpose is curiosity, and to enable one to take it as reference and compare with time spent in another context. Please consider a…
Victor Basso
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Will standing topped off tree trunks work for holding up a building structure?

If I cut four trees off about 15' above the ground, and they are approximately in a parallelogram, Can I use them to support a building structure (say, a large shed)? Would I have to treat against rot?
J. Musser
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What is this type of clamp called?

I'm trying to identify a type of clamp that can hold some piece perpendicular to a surface. The clamp looks like two cylinders molded together by an arc shape. The arc shape exerts a spring force. See the figure below. Left: the red circle outlines…
gr4yh4t
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Simple construction for trunk-or-treat

I'm sorry this is slightly off-topic, but I was hoping this might be a fun brainstorm for some folks who are more construction-minded than I am. Our church is taking part in a "Trunk-or-Treat", where you decorate your car, and serve candy out of…
jeremyalan
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Installing attic stairs

I want to install attic stairs. The rough opening is 30x44 when measured to the wall. Or 30x51 if measured to the end of the opening. Most attic stairs are 30x54. Is there a way to install the stairs with these differences is measurement? What…
Phyllis
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Will a kitchen with porcelain tiles on the last floor of a house add too much weight?

My house is more than a 100 years and the kitchen I'm concerned about is on the second floor. I would like to cover my kitchen with porcelain tiles, but I'm thinking that doing so would add too much weight to the house. I mean, I would have to add a…
user7912
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Curb around the perimeter of my exposed basement

I want to remove this window and install a door in my exposed basement. There is a 5" high by 4" deep curb around the perimeter of the basement which I would need to remove, but I do not know if that is okay to remove, as I imagine it is built into…
WisWash
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How to hang a 170 pound board onto a brick building

I need to hang a 20 feet wide by 12 feet high wood billboard flat onto a 50 year old brick and mortar building. The board weighs 170 pounds. I want to bolt it to the mortar not the bricks. How do I do this? Is 170 pounds to heavy? The bricks are…
user104393
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How can I resolve air leakage under wall sill plates?

I have a problem with air leakage under the base boards of our new home. I know there will be some temperature difference but how about an 8° to 10° difference? It seems to be all throughout the home. The home is built on a slab. I have pulled back…
Micah Read
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What should I expect to find above garage ceiling (drywall)?

Okay, I am not too familiar with residential constructions. I know that the master bedroom (second floor) of my home is directly over the garage (first floor). Now, I know that if I were to open or tear down the drywall ceiling in the master bedroom…
user56530
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Advice for building a Brick Rocket Stove

After watching video I'm really interested in building something similar. I see that most bricks have holes in them. I'm wondering whether you can use some sort of steel rods that you taper in these holes so that there is no chance of the bricks…
Neil Meyer
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Letter's found at new construction sites

I realized that for along while when arriving at new construction sites, mostly residential, I see the same 3 capitalized letters spray painted on the road directly in front of the work zone. What do the letters "U S A" pertain to in regards to the…
ojait
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Do I need an architect?

I apologize now if the answer is obvious, but I'd like to be absolutely sure before proceeding with out an architect. I have purchased land that I intend to build a house on, and I'm now at the stage where an architect would typically draw up or…
Carrie
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