Roof Trusses – A carpenter’s & designer’s perspective

Roof truss systems very from home to home. Through the years of being in business I have had the opportunity to frame a lot of homes and additions. One of the more complex aspects of the framing project can be the roof system, because the roof system is the culmination of how accurate the previous
framing steps were executed.


This blog has some general highlights for the pros and cons of a truss roof system
over a traditionally framed system. Honestly, I prefer stick framing roofs over trussed
roofs, but truss roof systems are a good option for some projects.

The Pros of this system can offer a carpenter/homeowner & designer:

  1. Identically sized trusses which eliminate the variable of the roof system
    from variation and are constructed in a quality-controlled factory.
  2. If a skilled and capable crew installs a truss roof system; this project can
    be installed accurately, quickly, and safely.
  3. The spans of the roof truss can be vast without any bearing walls, which
    can make a this option more attractive to a customer & designers.
  4. A truss roof system can always be reinforced, which is attractive in high
    wind regions.
  5. Other trades such as HVAC, Electrical. & plumbing love unoccupied attics
    and webbed trusses for their duties.
  6. In terms of energy code, there can be less thermal bridging if insulated on
    the rake, and I would argue a better insulation project could be
    accomplished over stick framing.

The Cons of this system can include:

  1. If the building has any significant issues such as not being level, out of
    plumb, and the building is out-of-square; Trusses can telegraph these
    mistakes and it can be challenging to hide.
  2. If you don’t have a competent crew installing roof trusses this endeavor
    can become extremely dangerous for the installation and the trusses could
    lack the correct permanent bracing.
  3. Trusses cannot be altered from the factory, which includes tails. Therefore,
    the roof truss cannot have any field alterations without an engineer’s letter.
  4. The order time for trusses can be long and delay the start date of a project.
  5. Buildings that contain trusses are susceptible to collapse from fire
    exposure in a very short period of time.
  6. You can receive a damaged truss, which can delay your project.
  7. Most roof trusses are installed with 2’ O/C which doesn’t stack with 16
    O/C wall studs. However, every 4’ the stud and truss will align.

Check out this article for signs of roof failures

Reach out to us today for your remodeling needs!

Laundry Chutes

An old fashion common architectural detail that has fallen to the wayside is the
laundry chute. Not all households would see this architectural detail as useful, but some
households would certainly use this building feature if one existed.


Why have laundry chutes disappeared from new house construction? The most
common answer is the fire code. Laundry chutes are an avenue for flames to travel rapidly
from floor to floor. Most municipalities have outlawed the construction of these receptacles.
In my opinion stairwells are more guilty for spreading fires and their flames from floor to
floor. Why haven’t staircases been subjected to fire doors and chambers to eliminate
flames from traveling from floor to floor?


The other life safety code concerns that most people would possibly have concerns
about a person or child deciding to take a ride down the laundry chute and getting
seriously injured. Maybe a laundry chute door should be required so many inches from the
floor with a safety locked door?

Is there a way to construct a laundry chute and follow the fire code and protect
people from accidentally or purposely riding down? The answer is yes in
my opinion but check with your building inspector before installing one in
your home or anyone else’s home.


The laundry chute would have three components. First, I would frame the shaft and
strictly follow all fire blocking codes relevant to a multi-story shaft. Secondly, I would
install fire rated drywall on all sides for the shaft with a bed tape coat. Lastly, I would
install tubing if desired and an air-tight, fire-rated chute door with a minimum of 3’-0”
from a finished floor. I would also install a hatch door on the bottom of laundry chute. This
door would be airtight and would require opening the door to access the laundry. Apply for
a permit or speak to your building inspector before beginning any endeavor.

Please contact us for any remodeling needs you may have

Strawberry Banke, Portsmouth N.H

If you have recently moved to the Seacoast of New Hampshire as many families
have in the past few decades, a worthwhile field trip is to visit Historic Strawberry Banke,
Portsmouth N.H.

Strawberry Banke, Portsmouth N.H


Strawberry Banke was settled in 1630 by Captain Walter Neale who named the
settlement Strawberry Banke because of the abundance of strawberries along the banks of
the Piscataqua River. Strawberry Banke remained a neighborhood until the late 1950’s
when the Urban Renewal Development began slowly restoring 37 individual homes, which
is now in the Historic Register.  
In terms of historic Colonial and American architectural styles; Strawberry Banke
has three architectural style buildings on display, which include Colonial, Georgian, and
Federalist.


The Sherburne house, which was built in 1695, is an example of a colonial house in
Strawberry Banke. This colonial house is utilitarian and is a two story, one-unit deep home
with a center chimney. There are two cross-gables on the front facade. If you’re interested
in seeing the Sherburne House, I believe the address is 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth,
NH 03801.


An example of a Georgian architectural style building in Strawberry Banke would
be the Chase family house, which was built in 1762. This symmetrical, Gambrel, wood
clad-boarded structure has Mustard colored siding, with scale and prominence. The most
eye catching aspect of the building for me is the segmental pediment with a paneled door.
This building is all class and is located at 698 Middle Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801.
The last prominent architectural style in Strawberry Banke is the Nathen Parker
home. This three-story, hipped low pitched roof, red brick, five ranked -symmetrical
windows, is a Federalist Style home, which was constructed in 1810. The six panel,
fanlight door is an excellent example of Federalist architecture. Also, the graduated
window heights from floor to floor is another excellent example of Federalist architecture.
The Nathen Parker home is located on 46 Livermore Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801.

Reach out if your considering us for your next remodeling project

What is Pressure Treated Lumber?

What is pressure treated lumber and what is it used for? Pressure treated lumber in
my region of the country, New England, is Southern Yellow Pine species, which is then
injected with a preservative to protect the lumber from outside elements such as fungi and
insect damage. The treated lumber can have a life span of approximately forty years,
which can drastically vary depending on how it’s used and where it is used.
Generally, decks, exterior staircases, Pergolas, and any area of a structure that touches the
ground has a combination of treated lumber built into it.


The process of injecting preservative chemicals into the lumber involves a kiln and
vacuum pump, and there are several methods that are achieved by mill yards. The obvious
difference between kiln dried lumber and pressure treated lumber is the moisture content and the
appearance of the lumber, which is a greenish hue. Pressure treated lumber can typically have a
moisture content between 45-90%, which is noticeable when compared to kiln dried
lumber that ranges between 6-8%. Particularly treated lumber is the best options for decks.

Check out this comprehensive post at the family handyman


The chemicals used in pressure treated lumber have evolved through the years.
Depending on the region of the country that you live in, lumber chemicals change from an
arsenic based formal to a more environmentally sound product in 2003. The arsenic based
formal had been used since the 1930’s and like most products in the construction industry,
it was a slow transition to a more human and environmentally friendly product.

Carpenter Ants & Deck Flashing

A common occurrence in late spring in New England is the awakening of
carpenter ants. If you start noticing carpenter ants in your house or around a
door or window, it is a tell-tale sign that you may have an infestation.
Carpenter ants burrow in moist wood, however they do not eat the wood,
rather they build colonies, which can compromise the integrity of a structure.
If you see a lot of carpenter ants, you have two issues. The first issue is
that the structure of your house is absorbing water in areas that are not designed
to be wet, and the second issue is that you have carpenter ants attacking that area
of moist wood and compromising the integrity of that area.


Exterior trim such as water tables, brick returns, exterior door casing, or
wooden windowsills, are prime candidates for this phenomenon to occur.
However, the most common occurrence that I have seen during my years as a
carpenter is the kick plate below an exterior door system. Generally, this kick
plate is married to a deck or stoop, and excess moisture is the result of
inadequate flashing and counter flashing. Deck flashing is critical to protecting
your structure because your rim-joists and wall sheathing should not become
wet.

Pressure treated lumber


Repairing a rim-joist and sheathing is often difficult because the deck
platform must be altered to repair the rotten wood and insect-damaged wood. I
find that the door system is more than likely a candidate to be replaced during
this process, because the ants travel into the jamb of the door system. Overall,
this repair can become expensive quickly.
What can you do to prevent carpenter ant damage? The first suggestion is
that you hire a skilled carpenter to perform your exterior door installation and
deck construction. There are many products and techniques associated with this
task, but the strongest recommendation is counter flashing followed by
additional counter flashing. Secondly, hire an insect mitigation contractor to
spray the exterior and interior of your house. A trained insect mitigation
company is an effective way to eliminate insect infestations and protect the
structural integrity of your home.

Addition or Remodel?

A common theme that I noticed when quoting a large room addition is that
the addition is an attempt to correct a faulty-existing floor plan. Of course, the
one room addition that serves as a sun room or bedroom is not part of this
equation, but rather the multi-purpose room addition generally is.
Besides the multi-purpose room addition being expensive and potentially
making your house the largest home in your immediate area, I pose the question
as a residential design professional and General Contractor, “Can you make your
existing floor plan function better and eliminate the need for an addition?”
What I know, being a son and grandson of General Contractors, is that the
planning phase of residential design is generally a low priority when building
your home. The development phase of the floor plans is often rushed with an
emphasis on labor and material efficiency. As a result, your floor plans may
have some real practical deficits, which are driving you as the homeowner to
think that the multi-room addition will solve all your organizational issues,
however it may be more practical to remodel than build an addition.
With years of residential design experience, I know that all designs are not
equal and that the challenge of an exceptional design is difficult to achieve.
However, the steps of achieving a well thought out design start with a process,
which could aid you when deciding on an addition vs. a remodel.
The first step that I would recommend to all homeowners is to hire a
design professional to replicate your existing floor plan from which remodeling
projects can be proposed. Consider a veteran General Contractor when hiring a
design professional, because they have a firm grasp on construction methods,
materials, and costs with doing these types of projects.
An additional consultation to consider is either hiring an appraiser or
experienced realtor to evaluate your potential investment. The information
gained from this investment may clue you in on what your existing value is, and
the potential value of your home once you are completed with your project.
Also, there may be some unique details that you should include in your project
to raise the value of your investment.

How do I make my remodeling Project Cohesive?

When you are doing an interior or exterior remodeling project, the
number one goal from the onset of the project should be the discussion with the
homeowner about the style of the home’s design or future home’s architectural
style. This obvious but important bullet point is not always followed by
contractors and homeowners when planning and executing a project. In the
scenario when function is paramount and style and budget is either lacking or
not available, this blog does not apply.


The money and time spent on a remodeling project is not refundable and
cannot be changed. Therefore, when you are planning on a project, take time to
develop a narrative for your project. This design narrative will translate into
cohesion, which then translates into a well-executed project.

What can go wrong with vinyl windows?

Vinyl windows have a large market share of all windows being used on
the market, however there can be drawbacks to using this type of window.

  1. Vinyl windows can expand and contract depending on the
    region of the country and the sun exposure, which can
    compromise a variety of functions of the window, such as
    weather-stripping effectiveness, and warping frames.
  2. Vinyl as a product can degrade rapidly from ultra-violet rays
    from the sun.
  3. Vinyl becomes brittle in cold temperatures and is susceptible
    to damage from contact.
  4. The vinyl sash’s expansion and contraction tend to lose their
    gas pack sooner than wood or aluminum competitors.

Not all vinyl windows are necessarily a substandard window, however
sun exposure, quality of construction by the manufacture, and installation are
extremely important when using a vinyl window.

A solid design

When I am designing a house, addition, or remodeling project, how do I
know when I have developed a reasonable option for a residential design
solution? This can be a difficult question to answer when you’re faced with
time restraints, the momentum of a project beginning, and high benchmarks on
a design which solves all issues for a customer.


Like anything, sometimes, a residential design just comes together
quickly and most times it is a process of elimination. However, there is one question that usually solves this anxiety packed question for me; Do the
floor plans and elevations look like an obvious answer to the customer’s
problems? More simplified, if the design looks like an obvious solution, then
you know your conclusion is a viable design option.


What I love about residential design is that you are working on a
narrative, assumptions, budgets, and preference. It can be a challenging
endeavor to accomplish, but I generally find the entire process rewarding.
An area of design that I ponder; could this design have a phase two or a
relabeling of the floor plan for a different person? Many times, the designs I
have worked on are so compact that the above mentioned is not capable of
being achieved. In my opinion, if the answer is yes, you may have developed
an exceptional design.

In conclusion, my recommendation to anyone hiring or doing their own
residential design is enjoy the process, take your time, educate yourself on
products, architectural history, methods of construction, and evidentially you
will land your ideal design.

When should you consider custom cabinets?

I absolutely love building custom cabinetry and please understand that
perspective when reading this blog. Custom cabinetry is not always a cost-
effective avenue to travel when designing your future kitchen, but it can be
viable option when you have a kitchen that is larger or atypical in dimensions.
If your kitchen is large in scale, it can be a cost-effective manner to
explore the costs of having a local cabinet shop quote your project because
manufactured price point is geared on smaller to mid-sized kitchens. My shop
can be streamed lined for assembly which improves my price point when
quoting your large-custom-kitchen.


The second area where my shop can be competitive on price points
regarding a manufactured kitchen is on the custom features. For example, I can
make your base cabinets less in depth for the same cost, as opposed to a
manufacture. I also only build multi-bay cabinetry, which is a custom feature
and speeds up the installation. These equations make my shop more
competitive with a manufacturer.


As an authorized dealer of TSG cabinetry, I have found that the largest
price jumps are in the hardware and specialty items, such as molding, pullouts,
and open shelving which subject to large price jumps. These challenges from
my shop are not challenges but they are instead embraced, which is another
avenue the consumer can save.

The last issue that a customer should consider when deciding on a cabinet
shop vs. a manufacturer is the quality of construction. The cabinetry that I
construct is designed to withstand heavy use, however not all manufactures
construct their cabinetry for long lasting usage.