Habitat for Humanity How to Build a House

Available for the first time, Habitat for Humanity How to Build a House is a complete step-by-step guide to building a house from Larry Haun, the worlds leading authority on community homebuilding.

Presented in a documentary style, each process is illustrated with full-color photos shot exclusively for this book and accompanied by clear, authoritative and friendly text. Whether you are a beginner or more experienced builder, this book covers everything you need to know about building efficient, affordable, quality homes.

Chapters include information on building codes, building inspections, energy efficiency, professional building techniques, and tools and materials.

The Taunton Press sponsored the building of the house featured in this book, and 15% of the net sales of this book will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.

"Written by master builder Larry Haun, this essential instruction manual is destined to be as enduring as the Habitat For Humanity mission: building decent, affordable homes."

-- Tedd Benson, author of Timberframe and The Timber-Frame Home

"Covers all the basics of how to build a solid home, quickly and confidently. This book provides a wealth of information for anyone involved in building a house - from those actually wielding the hammers to the sidewalk supervisors."

- Dean Johnson, Hometime

About the author
Larry Haun worked as a carpenter in southern California for four decades, teaching apprentice carpenters at night school in a community college for more than 20 years. He has lived in coastal Oregon since 1996 where he continues to write and build houses for Habitat for Humanity. Larry is the author of The Very Efficient Carpenter (book and video tapes) and Homebuilding Basics: Carpentry, both published by The Taunton Press.

Foreword

Introduction

CHAPTER 1
GETTING STARTED: Site, Design, Permits, and Preparation
Step 1* Obtain a Site
2* Prepare the Site
3* Design the House
4* Secure the Building Permits
5* Get Organized to Build

CHAPTER 2
BUILDING BASICS: Getting Acquainted with Tools and the Parts of a House
Tool-Buying Tips
Essential Hand Tools
Tool Carriers
Power Tools
The Parts of a House

CHAPTER 3
FIRM, FLAT, LEVEL, AND SQUARE: Foundations and Floors
Know the Foundation Fundamentals
Step 1* Form and Pour the Footings
2* Build the Foundation Walls
3* Backfill around the Foundation
4* Attach the Sills
5* Build Midspan Support for Joists
6* Install the Joists
7* Install Extra Joists and Blocking
8* Install the Floor Sheathing

CHAPTER 4
GOING UP: Walls Create Space
Step 1* Lay Out the Walls
2* Plate the Walls
3* Count and Cut the Headers, Rough Sills, Cripples, and Trimmers
4* Mark the Plates
5* Build the Walls
6* Raise the Walls
7* Plumb and Line the Walls
8* Install and Plumb Door and Window Trimmers
9* Sheathe the Walls

CHAPTER 5
SHELTER: A Roof Overhead
Roof Trusses
Step 1* Prepare for Truss Arrival and Installation
2* Install the Gable Truss
3* Install the Remaining Trusses
4* Secure the Trusses to the Interior Walls
5* Add Drywall Backing
6* Install the Barge Rafters and the Fascia Boards
7* Sheathe the Roof
8* Seal the Roof with Felt Paper
9* Shingle the Roof

CHAPTER 6
CLOSING IN: Windows, Doors, Siding, and Exterior Trim
Vinyl Siding
Step 1* Install the Remaining Sheathing
and the Rough Exterior Trim
2* Install the Housewrap and Flash Openings
3* Set the Windows and Doors
4* Complete Ventilation and Electrical Work
5* Install the Starter Strips and the Trim for Vinyl Siding
6* Install the Siding Panels
7* Finish the Soffits
8* Cover Exterior Trim with Aluminum Cladding

CHAPTER 7
BUILDING AN OUTDOOR ROOM: Basic Design for Porches, Decks, and Landings
Design Ideas for Decks and Porches
Step 1* Complete the Essential Roof Framing
2* Install the Ledger
3* Install the Foundation and Floor Framing
4* Frame the Stairs
5* Install the Decking and Stair Treads
6* Install the Railings

CHAPTER 8
COMFORT INSIDE: Sealing, Insulating, and Ventilating a House
Sweaters, Windbreakers, and Rain Gear
Step 1* Seal Penetrations in the Walls, Ceilings, and Floors
2* Insulate the Walls, Ceilings, and Floors
3* Install Vapor Barriers (if Necessary)
4* Provide Adequate Ventilation

CHAPTER 9
THE WALLS WITHIN: Drywall and Painting
Step 1* Get Ready to Install Drywall
2* Install the Ceiling Panels
3* Install the Wall Panels
4* Install the Corner Bead
5* Mud, Tape, and Finish the Drywall
6* Paint the Ceilings and Walls
7* Prepare and Paint the Interior Trim
8* Paint the Exterior Siding and Trim

CHAPTER 10
MAKING A HOUSE BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL: Interior Trim, Cabinets, Countertops, and Closets
Step 1* Install Underlayment for Vinyl Flooring
2* Install the Interior Doors
3* Install the Window and Door Casings
4* Install the Cabinets
5* Install the Countertops
6* Install the Baseboard and Chair Rail
7* Trim Out the Closets

CHAPTER 11
FINAL DETAILS: From Locks to Smoke Detectors
Step 1* Install the Hardware and Fixtures
2* Select and Install the Finish Flooring
3* Get to Know Electrical and Mechanical Systems
4* Prepare for the Worst

Resources

Index

I was born and raised in a wood-frame sited high on the short-grass prairies of western Nebraska, that huge inland sea of grass where the only constant is the wind whistling across the snow-covered, sagebrush hills. Aged, warped, unpainted clapboard siding hardly slowed the wind and cold. It was an uninsul-ated farmhouse with no central heating, no electricity, no indoor plumbing, and windows that let in more wind than light. Just 3 ft. from the iron stove in the kitchen, it was freezing. In our bedrooms, even when Mother warmed the sheets with her flat iron, the temperature never got much above what it was outside. Wallpaper, as the saying goes, was used not for decoration, but for insulation.

After high school, I headed south. The first framing job I worked on was in Los Angeles in 1950. There were lots of carpenters, all wearing white overalls, cutting different pieces of wood with sharp handsaws and nailing them together with 16-oz., curved-claw hammers. The pace was slow and methodical. A wall chalkline would be snapped on the floor. The bottom plate was nailed to the line. Corner posts were then set and a string pulled taut over posts from corner to corner. The length of each wall stud was measured from that string. Once the studs were cut and toe- nailed to the bottom plate, we would stand on ladders and nail on the top plate. It took a month or so to frame a house.

Six months later, I was one of a small crew, all wearing jeans and nail aprons and wielding long-handled, 20-oz. framing hammers. GIs were returning from the war by the millions and the post-war housing boom was under way. We were framing tract houses, one every couple of days. Those were affordable housing units, decent homes in decent communities, two and three bedroom houses with about 1,000 sq. ft. of living space. They were definitely not mansions. In 1951, my brother Jim moved into one of those houses with his family. It cost him $400 down, with monthly payments of $63, which included taxes and insurance. Fifty years later, those houses are still standing, and they have seen more than one generation of children grow up, move on, and start families of their own. We do know how to build affordable housing.

Habitat for Humanity (HFH) is one group that not only knows this to be true but also is doing something with that knowledge. All across this country, in hundreds of towns and cities, people like you and me are working with our neighbors to build decent, affordable housing. In the past 25 years, more than 100,000 affordable houses have been built in America and in other countries by HFH affiliates. Families that otherwise would not have even dared to dream of owning their own home have been given a "hand up" to a dwelling that they can actually afford. But make no mistake: This isn't charity--the houses are not given away. Rather, in addition to shouldering a modest mortgage, the new homeowners put in around 500 hours of "sweat equity," working with volunteers who help them build their house. In the few years I have lived here in Coos Bay, Oregon, we have built eight houses that have become homes for the families who worked with us. Because of all the volunteer labor, we are able to build these houses for about $30,000 to $35,000, plus land, which results in a mortgage that even low-income families can handle.

If HFH can build an affordable house, why can't anyone? First of all, others are doing it. More than 175,000 owner-builders create new housing units each year. It takes a significant amount of courage, effort, and time, not to mention a piece of land, some money, and help from friends -- but it can and is being done. How to build a simple house is not a mystery. It's rather like putting together Lego blocks or Lincoln Logs, one piece at a time. Many of you already have the basic skills needed to build a simple house. Just look at the thousands of people who flood places like Home Depot and Lowe's to buy tools and materials for working around their homes.

If you're considering building your own home, keep in mind that it is also possible to build a home that is beautiful but, in the long run, is neither decent nor affordable. Decent housing, for example, doesn't have leaks that can cause mold and rot, compromising both your health and your home. Neither is decent housing full of toxic fumes, which can come from paint, carpet, and a host of other common, seemingly innocuous, materials. A decent, affordable home is energy efficient, well ventilated, and comfortable; built from safe, health-preserving materials; and requires a minimum of upkeep or maintenance. It can also be built from forest products and other materials that are sustainable, so that we don't further lay waste to our homeland. Building such a home isn't impossible, but it does take some careful planning.

So, where do you start? There is an old saying, "You can hear a lot just by listening." Talk to neighbors, contractors, carpenters, building inspectors, and the staff at your local building-supply store. Contact your local Habitat affiliate or HFH International for information. Read the how-to information that comes with many building materials; study this book and others; check out the numerous how-to-build sites on the Web. Ask questions, work out details and ideas on paper, and gradually the big picture will start to get clearer. Although no single book can answer all the questions you're likely to have on the subject, it's my intent to provide a step-by-step guide that will take you from basic planning and design through the actual construction of a simple, decent, affordable house.