Tomorrow I will look at two houses that have been fully renovated. After this and, of course, after talking to the owners, I will decide whether these carpenters should build our custom-built house. I was supposed to have a carpenter with me, but now it seems he won't be able to come along. I know on paper, so to speak, how most things should be done, but what should I look for when I can't see inside walls and the like? Are there any general errors I can look for that might reveal poor workmanship?
It depends on what you are going to use the carpenters for. Are they 'nail-and-strike-guys' for erecting a frame house or assembling a prefabricated one, or a couple who can handle interior carpentry and other fine carpentry (like installing a wooden staircase, for example)? Some are good at one, others at another. But finding a couple who can handle both rough and fine carpentry is often harder. The former requires certain knowledge in construction. The latter more finesse.
In a finished house, you can try setting the door leaves (and windows) at a 90-degree angle and see if they close or open by themselves (they shouldn't; otherwise, the frames are incorrectly installed). H-windows and similar should move smoothly without sticking. Also, try walking on the floor in front of the doorway to see if it has any effect (it shouldn't matter, but if it does, the substrate isn't stable, perhaps due to a lack of cross bracing between the beams). A nickel ball is good to have on a parquet floor laid directly on the beams. Place it in the middle of the floor to see if it rolls in any direction on its own (it shouldn't; if it does, the floor is not level). The walk-test can also reveal some issues here (there should be no effect; if there is, the substrate isn't properly executed due to the aforementioned reason).
If you can peek into the attics and beneath the joist space in a crawl space, if it's a frame building, you can see how it's nailed and insulated. Keep in mind that the trusses might be pre-made, as well as the beams with their bearings for the joist space. But if it looks like it was built on-site, there's some things that can reveal/distinguish the craftsmen from an amateur.
First is the nailing. If it looks like someone went in with a shotgun, with nails driven in without symmetry, it's a sign of poor construction knowledge among the carpenters. Second is the insulation. It should be arranged so that the seams meet tightly without overlap and the surface shouldn't be pushed down.
You inspect the fine carpentry in much the same way. Set up wardrobe doors and cabinet doors at 90 degrees. The rest you know from above. Look at door casings, ceiling moldings, and baseboards. Do they lie flush against the wall/ceiling? Are mitered joints neatly executed, or have they used a method that involves cutting straight with a small tab on the top portion of the baseboards (sloppy work)? Are there gaps below the baseboards? Do the door frames sit flush against the wall behind? Etc.
Feel the items. Is everything fastened as it should be, or can you move them? For instance, the handrail and barrier to a staircase shouldn't be able to move, even if you lean heavily against it. Also, feel the sink (apply vertical downward pressure on the outer edge), toilets, and shower cabin walls. Even if the plumber is responsible for installing/securing them, the carpenters are responsible for ensuring there's something behind the panels to attach the sink brackets to, like supports.
etc.
____________________
The Builder
In a finished house, you can try setting the door leaves (and windows) at a 90-degree angle and see if they close or open by themselves (they shouldn't; otherwise, the frames are incorrectly installed). H-windows and similar should move smoothly without sticking. Also, try walking on the floor in front of the doorway to see if it has any effect (it shouldn't matter, but if it does, the substrate isn't stable, perhaps due to a lack of cross bracing between the beams). A nickel ball is good to have on a parquet floor laid directly on the beams. Place it in the middle of the floor to see if it rolls in any direction on its own (it shouldn't; if it does, the floor is not level). The walk-test can also reveal some issues here (there should be no effect; if there is, the substrate isn't properly executed due to the aforementioned reason).
If you can peek into the attics and beneath the joist space in a crawl space, if it's a frame building, you can see how it's nailed and insulated. Keep in mind that the trusses might be pre-made, as well as the beams with their bearings for the joist space. But if it looks like it was built on-site, there's some things that can reveal/distinguish the craftsmen from an amateur.
First is the nailing. If it looks like someone went in with a shotgun, with nails driven in without symmetry, it's a sign of poor construction knowledge among the carpenters. Second is the insulation. It should be arranged so that the seams meet tightly without overlap and the surface shouldn't be pushed down.
You inspect the fine carpentry in much the same way. Set up wardrobe doors and cabinet doors at 90 degrees. The rest you know from above. Look at door casings, ceiling moldings, and baseboards. Do they lie flush against the wall/ceiling? Are mitered joints neatly executed, or have they used a method that involves cutting straight with a small tab on the top portion of the baseboards (sloppy work)? Are there gaps below the baseboards? Do the door frames sit flush against the wall behind? Etc.
Feel the items. Is everything fastened as it should be, or can you move them? For instance, the handrail and barrier to a staircase shouldn't be able to move, even if you lean heavily against it. Also, feel the sink (apply vertical downward pressure on the outer edge), toilets, and shower cabin walls. Even if the plumber is responsible for installing/securing them, the carpenters are responsible for ensuring there's something behind the panels to attach the sink brackets to, like supports.
etc.
____________________
The Builder
What wonderful people there are here! Thank you so much for a brilliant answer. It will be printed immediately so I can bring it tomorrow.
Primarily, the carpenters will build our house from Fiskarhedenvillan from the foundation up to the finishes, and based on that, we'll decide if they should continue or if we will take over ourselves. My biggest concern is that they've never erected a whole house before, but they have done large extensions. Unfortunately, these are too far away for me to be able to check them out. I'll go through everything as thoroughly as I can tomorrow, and I'll let my gut feeling decide a bit too.
Anyone with more tips?
Primarily, the carpenters will build our house from Fiskarhedenvillan from the foundation up to the finishes, and based on that, we'll decide if they should continue or if we will take over ourselves. My biggest concern is that they've never erected a whole house before, but they have done large extensions. Unfortunately, these are too far away for me to be able to check them out. I'll go through everything as thoroughly as I can tomorrow, and I'll let my gut feeling decide a bit too.
Anyone with more tips?
For the constructions that are too far away, call the owners and get a reference. The most common issue seems to be more related to never completing the final remarks.
If it is a prefabricated house, it also seems important that the craftsmen have studied the assembly instructions in advance. When the expensive crane truck is there and purring, it’s easy to miss a sealing strip between the elements or use the wrong fittings to join the parts. This is discovered in the next project when they inventory what’s in that last box that was never opened until the house is fully built.
If it is a prefabricated house, it also seems important that the craftsmen have studied the assembly instructions in advance. When the expensive crane truck is there and purring, it’s easy to miss a sealing strip between the elements or use the wrong fittings to join the parts. This is discovered in the next project when they inventory what’s in that last box that was never opened until the house is fully built.
Smart! Sometimes you don't think beyond the end of your nose. Of course, I'll call them.hempularen said:
The house doesn't come in prefabricated blocks; it’s a stick-built house, though everything is pre-cut so your tip is indeed very applicable. I’ll try to get hold of the instructions in good time so I can pass them on. Thanks for the tips!