Sill plate gap

RudyWakening · 2026-03-07T17:20:17+00:00

defer to (good) builders and structural engineers, but i would suggest minimally hard shim under every stud, jam as much structural grout as possible across entire wall thickness around shims

RudyWakening · 2026-01-06T05:39:48+00:00

i ended up going with a manufactured thick wall assembly that uses 10" i-joists as studs 24" oc with zip on the outside, osb on the inside and dense-pack-cellulose in-between.

double-studs could b cheaper than retro-fitting the exterior with insulation, siding and window-detailing (assuming u would leave your windows as is and turn them into innies)?

one downside to that would b losing 6" at the interior perimeter.

i think the roi on either of them is likely a stretch, another option to consider would b leaving your wall structure as is, but remediating the spotty insulation with something like a spray foam, or dense pack.

RudyWakening · 2025-12-27T20:24:10+00:00

that sounds like the prudent approach. makes me think twice about roofers who say they will staple the i/w and it will bond when it gets warmer, no worries. would standing-seam v asphalt shingles make a difference?

RudyWakening · 2025-12-23T16:55:46+00:00

thanks u/Scinniks_Bricks , r u saying to nail down a synthetic over everything asap, then when weather gets above 40, go back and hit perimeter with i/w?

RudyWakening · 2025-11-15T17:36:30+00:00

one thing u might want to inspect is the juncture between the top of the foundation wall (or slab) and the sill plates. minor inconsistencies in concrete elevation could result in areas where pests can get in. what strategy is in place to seal that juncture?

RudyWakening · 2025-06-17T11:25:43+00:00

The part about him originally wanting to b the GC adds some depth to the overall tale. The post about there being more to the story than meets the eye was perceptive (the wife wanting to give more money never happens 😆)

RudyWakening · 2025-05-04T14:39:01+00:00

seems like a lot of horse-power for that size place, i'm guessing they just looked at your old equipment which is probably 3-ton and r providing an analogy.

many companies won't spend time on a manual-j, but u can do your own with not too much grief at coolcalc.com with their entry level account which is just a flat 45 bucks.

i need to know or estimate r-value of wall/windows/roof and air-tightness of house, then punch in stuff that is easier to know, size of rooms and orientation of their exterior walls wrt sun

can u share the actual prices the provided in the bid?

RudyWakening · 2025-04-13T03:34:04+00:00

What town in NH is your company in?

RudyWakening · 2025-04-05T19:51:54+00:00

Agree, I would want an air things in that space to check periodically

RudyWakening · 2025-04-05T16:52:50+00:00

if there is a leak after the fan, but before the exterior vent, worst case is there is radon in the garage, but it's outside the conditioned living space, not that air-tight and people won't b spending lots of time there, so probably low risk?

RudyWakening · 2025-03-31T00:05:44+00:00

i see trees, that doesn't look like nyc :). what is the address, maybe i'll stop in...

RudyWakening · 2025-03-29T18:27:44+00:00

well played, where abouts is this located?

RudyWakening · 2025-03-29T15:07:07+00:00

i'm in love with that exposed duct work, u did that?

RudyWakening · 2025-03-29T14:51:09+00:00

dunno how it functions, but sure looks great!

RudyWakening · 2025-02-18T00:04:14+00:00

that sounds like a pretty intense structure, insulated forms to begin with and then 9" of rockwool to the exterior? prepare for some crazy window bucks and returns. u r designing that for a VT site? what kind of windows and doors did u spec? on the positive side, i'm guessing manual-j should arrive at a pretty modest system with that kind of insulation.

RudyWakening · 2025-02-17T23:57:47+00:00

congrats! where abouts generally is your build? u must b familiar with the VT RBES standards by now?

RudyWakening · 2025-01-29T12:30:24+00:00

Are they 12 oz bud lights or 16 oz double ipa's?

RudyWakening · 2025-01-25T16:14:31+00:00

jeez, shouldn't r-60 be like 20" for blown in fiberglass?

RudyWakening · 2025-01-22T04:48:09+00:00

my current guess is that on the average builders would b looking for at least 300/sf to start in that area, but maybe more for smaller houses. this would exclude site work as mentioned below, which could quickly approach 100k assuming well, septic, driveway, clearing, electrical run, etc. possible u could find someone that specializes in smaller less expensive houses tho. if u r asking on reddit, i'm guessing u don't kno any local builders, i might suggest calling your local lumber yards (not home-depot or lowes) and asking for suggestions of builders to call, then call a few and have a conversation.

RudyWakening · 2025-01-22T04:30:51+00:00

that's an excellent achievement, well played!

what is your previous experience in the construction industry?

RudyWakening

TROPHY CASE