Pitfalls Clarified 1. Lack of communication Being a first time GC, expect a million questions from trades and customer(s). Any pre-communication you can do allows you as a GC to focus on the future and preventing future issues. 2. Work tasks that don’t clearly “belong” to a specific trade or sub. For instance, on my first GC job for my own home, everything from the obvious (providing a dumpster, first aid kid, access to site) to the not obvious (unexpected material procurement, environmental abatement issues that come up and the plumbers that need blocking in the wall for a diverter shower valve but can’t seem to figure out a circular saw to cut their own and the framers already went home for the day). Guess who is responsible? That’s right the GC whether they do that themselves or not. 3. Managing Scope “creep” or expanding work This was lightly touched on in the video - when customers or trades see something that’s different in their mind from the plans, the GC works with the customer to resolve any impasses - critical to either anticipate or present clearly to each involved party or risk delays and overruns.
Andrew Schmidt I work with customers when there are changes in the Plumbing. When there is a change order I’ll work it out with the owners. Settle on an extra charge. Put it in writing get the owners signature then get the contractors signature. Then gives a copy to both my GC and owner! Also on that final paper will be hours or days this will extend my part of the job! I’ve been in the plumbing business for 40 plus years. I started in the 70’s by myself. Worked to one of the largest in my area back to just by my self. I enjoy working on my own again. I work when I want and don’t work when I don’t want.
Andrew Schmidt one more thing. As long as there is blocking on the job. I put all my own Blocking in. After installing my blocking I put my initials on it. Then take pictures of everything. If someone removes my blocking. I have proof for the reason I’m not paying to open up a wall to install or reinstall blocking
My dad was a GC most of his life. I grew up with early morning phone calls to tradesmen before they set out to various jobs. I learned a lot about the trades as I just sat there eating my oatmeal before school. :) The value of effective communication was DEEPLY ingrained in my young brain. I grew up to be a marriage therapist. ;)
I've been a builder for many years and have seen quite a fair bit of sheds. The plans in ryan's package ruclips.net/user/postUgkxB7IXYxLzb_Ichhe45zM3Im5xfEiSp9vB have some of the nicest looking sheds i've seen in a while.
I took a class in college (architecture school) where visiting critics taught a class on real estate design development. The teachers were partners in an NYC architecture firm that found ways to also act as investor/developers in addition to their client work. Anyway, they walked us thru some units in Dumbo, Brooklyn where they actually used chalk markings while under construction to mark they layout of cabinetry, walls etc. They designed a whole event around this so that they could walk potential buyers thru and sell the units before they were even finished. They shared the marketing materials for the “event” and the graphic design sort of mimicked the chalks crudeness as a theme ... I thought it was really cool and creative. His tape on the ground to communicate with the builders reminded me of this.
As an architect and a GC, I loved some of his ideas for mechanical room and the green tape. The communication is key. I’ve found that despite very complete drawing sets and meetings with subs to outline the details, a laborer can and will drill in the exact wrong spot. The green tape is an excellent idea to reduce the possibility of mistakes.
I’ve been using frog tape for the same thing for at least 6 years now. The same reason, couldn’t be on site, so laid everything out once and guys knew what to do from there on.
A lot of time spent doing layout that the subs should be doing themselves, that is if they are given the correct architectural drawings with CAD dimensions on them, and the millwork drawings provided by your cabinet supplier. reflected ceiling plans c/w dimensions for lighting and HVAC are key to coordination of those two trades, and mechanical and electrical consultants can usually be lazy and not include them in their drawing package, so the architect should always make sure that is part of the total IFC set. As for the marking of no board here and there, I am surprised that for the nominal cost of drywall that he skipped it. It definitely throws the STC rating of the wall out the window, not to mention burn time if that is a concern. I did like the screws aligned though lol
Thanks Wade. Definitely didn’t want you to feel left you. For everyone else, stay tuned for more Co-hosting from Wade. Or goto BuildShowNetwork.com to see his videos
I'm an electrician, I have never seen a homeowner/gc that doesnt lay out stuff in painters tape on the floor. Was amazed when I heard you say you haven't seen that. It works out great and there are way less phone calls throughout the day to ask about cabinet layout. For some reason the damn cabinet drawings are never accurate to the final product.
Matt loves making up new ways to say words he call a general contractor a "G.C"...matt is creating a new language..love it..and matt is making builders step their game up and do it right..
Great layout for your crew. I love it when you get to the "Welcome to" Disney + add comes on and interrupted your tag line. Love you guys so much good info.
In our last kitchen remodel we added a six-inch wide 3/4" MDO "belt" around the whole kitchen at the top of the upper cabinets. Never have to even think about where screws could go, just screw the cabinets in everywhere necessary. The walls were fully enclosed and plastered, because in South Florida, with an older house, the inside of the walls are basically abandoned to the local wildlife...
I'm making a book that will have drawings, measurements and photos to show where everything is behind the drywall. It will be kept in a box beside the electrical panel.
You educated me so much. Can’t wait to build my own. Would be cool if you could find a house where they have to do slab on grade but there is such difference in slab height that it will be easier to put in a basement instead of pouring slab and how you would watered proof it and all that fun stuff I love hearing you talk about.
Love the mechanical room!!! Crisp and clean!!! I love a good electrical panel that the electrician took the time to make it perfect......the other trades coming into THAT mechanical room are going to be like.....oh, my stuff is going to shine better the his stuff does!!! :P Good stuff!
@@kenbrown2808 Totally agree, if the plywood is standing off the wall then why not flush mount panel and hide romex? Also the on-demand and gas/plumbing could have been 3 feet to the right and away from the panel
Very smart, I like the FrogTape idea. Wish this was talked about 4 months ago so I could have done it, I tried blue tape and it just doesn't last in a construction environment.
Blue is hard to see the writing on as well imo. Regular white or green is a better contrast. Duct tape and sharpie is ok, but it will wipe off if it get handled much. I labeled a school panels home run pulls like that once and had a pretty hard time reading it later.
Years ago when we build are home. One thing I did one weekend after HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical was done and the site was quite was take lots of pictures. I even made a tape measure out of white ribbon which I would stick up with thumb tacks. Then took my pictures. This was in the day of film. Had all the pictures printed and kept it with the deed to the house. 20 years after building the house we added a fireplace. I went back and looked at the photos and it allowed us to get a clear picture of what was going on behind the walls. Allowed the bid on the project to be more refined as the contractors new what was behind the walls and what they would need to do. We did have a HVAC line in the wall but knowing before hand was a great help. When we down sized in retirement we passed the photos to the new owners. They loved that they could see what was in the walls. I don't know why builders especially today, in the age of digital 360 degree cameras, don't do this with every home. Having the photos placed with the deed would be so helpful I think to all potential home owners. I could see unscrupulous builders not wanting to show off what they have built but why do high end builders not do this a standard practice?
@glen74 My experience has been that all of the GC's on our projects take pictures (or video) of every wall before they are closed up for future coordination. It would be pretty cool to make a Matter Port VR of the framing and rough-ins though!
Love the communication and it’s soooo crucial to a smooth build. What I’ve started using, as the home owner, to communicate with my GC and trades is Trello.com. As an IT guy we use Agile boards for everything and a fellow IT nerd and home renovator showed me he transferred those skills capabilities when communicating on his renos using work boards to communicate. Electronic versions of what this homeowner/GC so brilliantly did via paper.
Okay, did I watch the wrong video? I was expecting to be shown what not to do, and instead I get a video praising this, that, and whatever........maybe "pitfall" doesn't mean the same thing to contractors?
@@1sttigertiger426 I saw at least where Wade was trying to get in a word eedgewise. Too bad... Matt's a fast talker! I think I have found my own match in that regard, though I can't say for sure!
It was my idea to shoot this project and have a different intro like you'd see on the evening news - "I'm Kate Snow in for Lester Holt tonight." But of course we discussed this and I let Matt do his thing after the intro, its HIS show!
Wow, I am an AV Consultant for corporate/govt/defence stuff, and am used to issuing drawings with locations specified (say LV cable loops for Eqpt rack on casters). Then I walk the site with contractors and mark up with a Texta (Sharpie). We are always concerned about proximity of electrical switchboards and dimmers to AV signal. I drive Electrical Consultants mad about specifying phases/earthing etc. However, am hoping to build a sustainable home in a few months as an Owner/Builder and have worried about what happens when I am cannot be there (2.5 hour drive from Sydney). This video has some excellent ideas. BTW - the government mandates that Owner/Builders undertake and pass a training course. This Architect's communication methodology is fantastic. Enjoyed your vid, always.
Of course, being an architect, it helps that he's got a very good idea about what he wants and what he doesn't. The worst is when an inexperienced homeowner GC's (usually to save money) and frequently changes his or her mind without understanding the workflow and how trades interact.
Nice Neptune water meter and remote read radio (MIU). We need to relocate that remote read radio to the outside of your house so the water utility can read your meter better. Perfect time to run that wire (in small conduit) is during construction.
The tank less water plumbing next to the electrical panel may be to code but is a concern for me. Small leaks can be big problems for the unsuspecting entering the room.
Does exposed structural steel have to have fireproofing in detached residential construction? Like intumescent paint or something? Or can it be just exposed for a 1 or 2 story build?
I need help Matt. We are building a new home and I'm having trouble figuring out what I need to support a 24x 32foot addition. 1 floor full basement. I want to keep it open as possible. What's sufficient enough.
We plan on having a house built in the next couple of years. I'm thinking I will have built it about 6 times before we even break ground and that's even before I drive my General crazy with bad drawings and sketches. Matt, as a side note, can you finish off your Better Framing Options video by showing what to do with masonry (cinder block) walls? We are planning on building in Florida where a lot of home construction is cinder block. How do you vapor barrier that and where? Best ways to anchor veneers through an insulation layer? You have explained stick-built and ICF, but I would like to see your take on Best Practice for a cinder block house.
In commercial settings I see metal (aluminum?) framing inside concrete buildings. Its a plug and play system, easy to put up, loads of options to run wiring and waterlines and fasten wall and roof panels to.
Awesome job Dave! Dave isn't a builder, but he will be a much much much better architect when he is done here. Every architect should have to build before designing other peoples homes.
@@kenbrown2808 I had to look that reference up but yes. A good example (and an early lesson for me) is why the "edge of hood" is marked on the wall. The plumber and I had a discussion about where the drain line in the wall would go but I didn't mark it out for him before I left the site that day. Well he installed it one bay over from where we discuss because he found it avoided some complications once he got to the floor above. The bay he then occupied was where the 10" range hood duct was planned to exit... The hood location layout was done because we had about a 1/8" tolerance to get the range hood duct out of the house before it interfered with the upper cabinets...
@@thresholdstudio some plumbers seem to be the worst at putting pipes in the way of everybody else. in some cases it is unavoidable, but in many cases, just moving the pipe over four inches would save a lot of headaches. there should never be a horizontal between 42 and 50 inches above the floor, and never a vertical centered in a bathroom vanity space or within five inches of a kitchen window. but the root of that comment was an architect who said "but can't the anchor bolt just pass through the (zonal electric) heater can?
I was intrigued myself. I’m starting electrical rough on my house in three weeks so I’m gonna research it this week. Stay tuned. I’ll tell you what I find!
How does that wifi panel work? Shunt trips controlled by relays or just relays after the breaker? Can you turn power back on wit it? Maybe something like a lutron lighting control panel?
This must be an exception. Most builders I know dislike architects because they design and not understand the logic of why a certain window feature will cause water damage. But the architect demanded those windows and after 10 years, they failed. Plus, seeing that frogtape is great but when they put the floors in, will it need to be redone over the new floors and sheetrocked walls for cabinet locations? Might be wise to printout tabloid or larger 2D & 3D printouts of details for each room and post. I did this for my kitchen-we found some issues sooner than later with this help. I think a future build show should be the question: will we see a failure of products 20 years from now? Say ZIP wall foam decomposing and resulting in millions of dollars in abatements? (Look at the protests of Rockwool? Or that many contractors built townhomes in the 80's with OSB on roof, only to have heat from sun cause it to fail, and roofer/firefighters would fall through on inspection. I know, as I owned one and had to have new roof sheathing. I think its good to be skeptical...and informed.)
I could see the architect floor layout making sense. And great for the installer. But bringing in in the wife and kids and expecting them to visualize the layout 3' up in the air may be a fault of the training. I'd do it in cardboard at counter height before I could rely on a sign off. Clients tend to need more visual. And I suggest good old beige tape if you don't have frogtape sponsorship as it sticks great and it probably won't be pulled up when the finish flooring goes down anyways.
Matt, in the video about your personal house mistakes you mention the mistakes with builder or spec plumbing fixtures, is there a brand you recommend like Delta or ? Danny (Peyton, Colorado)
@Matt Risinger great video on a few tips when you're the Owner/GC. I was a Owner/GC about 15 years ago (did it 9 months) and you definitely need to make sure you stay one step ahead of all the subs so there are no delays. Now, I've been following you on RUclips to catch up on new building techniques since my wife and I recently decided to build a new custom home. In fact, we'll be incorporating a lot of what I've learned into our project. I've even reached out to Miguel at Positive Energy to help us with our Mechanical design. Maybe a possibility of us collaborating on some content?
@Paul Frey - It does a few things that I found interesting. First is that it can detect a leak and turn the main off automatically averting costly damages. And second, it shows you your consumption at each source. The data from the Flo (and Leviton panel) is what I'm most interested in learning from.
Please explain to me what you mean. Cabinets go here so no Rock?? We rock every inch of the interior space. I really like your mechanical room. The last one I did was huge. 25 x40 feet. 2 floor mounted tankless water heaters. 2 low pressure hot water boilers for radiant heat. 2 air conditioner units. A water filtration system that I had never seen one this size before. “Massive”
Curt Miller I wonder why? We sheetrock everything fire tape what the cabinets cover. That way if the cabinets don’t cover all of the untextured you can just do a bit of texting.
@@ltsgarage7780 Easier to hang cabinets since you don't need to line up with studs. however, I've just hung drywall on top of the plywood, or added 2x10 blocking in between the studs where cabinets get hung. Not sure how the inspector will handle walls without sheet rock. its possible Plywood can an acceptable option, but they might require you to apply intumescent paint for fire protection.
Guy Tech who is responsible for redoing the end of the plywood if the cabinets come up 1 inch shorter than what the plywood is?? Cabinet guys need to be paid if the need to come back pull the cabinets down so someone can install rock. And put them back up after the rocker is done.
Most stuff is wireless now, and everything will be by the end of the decade. So it's a waste. We ran cat 5 in my parents build in 1998. All rooms. Only ever used 1 Jack, and now none are used at all but there are more computers than ever.
Been using tape and markers to layout cabinets or walls for years. And nobody skips putting sheetrock behind a cabinet, it's the only fire barrier you have to keep smoke from penetrating the wall cavity. And a 30" sink base is what we put in 1br efficiency apartments. At least get yourself a 36" with a real sink.
From watching it and seeing what this guy was doing right and comments about how it wasn't common and should be done: 1) Communicate and co-ordinate 'the plan' with contractors and site workers so everybody's on the same page 2) Post notes and mark out the job so that the contractors who've forgotten how to read prints get the message where and how stuff goes and details aren't forgotten. 3) Check up frequently during the job to catch mistakes before they've been overlaid with other work that makes them uncorrectable.
@@TheJayDawgZ it's probably based on the local building code. Some would require a fan depending on the geology or an area where it is known that high levels have been monitored.
@@terrencesauve YEah but ive never built anything close to high levels of radon even minute levels. so I would like to know how they are getting rid of it (Looks like its just being moved from one part of the house to another)
Its fairly normal her in the northeast. I think its in the granite. Many homes have the pipes ran when being built and have a test done after the house is finished.
@@ericwotton2046 Is it just pipes laid over the foundation or is it some sort of catchment system? SOrry but I build in the south west and we don;t have any radon problems.
Damn wish I had the skills to do something like this. I work on medical Imaging equipment but I secretly envy the guys that are in trades. Those are skills I wish I would of acquired early on in life.
RE: 7 DUMB THINGS MATT #1 issue: HARD WATER people can save thousands, yes thousands, of dollars by getting a high quality water softening system. Here is where you really do not want to "Cheap it out!" it requires more soaps, detergents, cleaning agents to clean with hard water - a huge amount. To demonstrate this, I used two 300 ml Erlenmeyer flasks, one with hard water in it, the other with soft water. Put a drop of liquid dish soap in both, placed the rubber stoppers, and shook them at the same time. The flask with soft water sudsed up with lots of bubbles, the water is clear, there is no film on the inside of the flask but the air space is filled with bubbles. The other flask with hard water - nothing no suds no bubbles. After an additional 10-15 drops of the same detergent what you see is a milky white appearance of the liquid that you cannot see through, a film of the same appearance on the inside of the flask and bubbles, well sort of. Constant spotting on everything where water is used, which requires using harsh chemicals to clean up mineral (rocks) deposits, something that would not be present if you had soft water. You would save hundreds of dollars in cleaning chemicals and TIME not having to clean up all the water spotting everywhere. Personal cleaning and bathing is much more satisfying. The "squeaky clean" idea arose from so many minerals left on your body after bathing that you have that squeaky feeling - HEY YOU DUMMY that means you are NOT clean! Try this, wash you hands in your hard water, then take just a small sprinkling of baking soda on your hands (a salt) and rinse you hands. Notice the smooth slick feeling once the soda dissolves? That is what clean skin, rinsing off with softened water will feel like - that's clean! Clothing will last longer with no minerals (miniature rocks) being deposited in clothing. It is like getting sand into everything, it will wear our much faster. I used to sell water softeners, I could go on and on. Consider all the DUMB choices you made in this house - having a good quality water softening system will save you as much money as you spent on all the DUMB ideas in this house. Your wife is DUMB I recommend getting a new wife that wants a water softener system. You save Time, Money, Effort EVERY DAY with soft water.
I've been in the California C-7 "Low Voltage" industry for 30 years. By the way, I hate that name, but Sacramento stuck me with it, so I've lived with it. During my entire career, I've always come across a sparky who thought his sh*+ don't stink when we come face-to-face simply by sheer virtue of voltage (the 91 volt threshhold). Now, the tables have flipped. The sparkies are deflating their chests with their tails between their legs, turning to me for answers. While they played with 480 volts (the light turns on, the light turns off, big f*ing deal), I put together access control servers, programmable logic controllers, mass storage arrays, video servers, biometric interfaces, and an occasional central vacuum system. That Leviton smart home panel is only the beginning, and I'm about to start charging for my computer and network administration skills. Lesson to be learned: You should have been nice to the alarm guys.
I ran into a residential sparky that thought he was God’s gift to the world, I could and have done his job countless times. Thankfully he moved on from the company that we use and I don’t need to see him anymore.
@@Iamthathillbilly Many other stories just like ours are going to surface as the years progress. Those guys are going to have to evolve or pay us to figure it out for them. It's nothing personal, and we can be the bigger, cordial men. It's just gonna cost them, that's all.
Proof that real “nuts and bolts” Architects can be good Contractors. And vice versa, true craft oriented Contractors can be really good Architects. I’d like to see more cross pollination in these two professions. Architects should spend at least a year or two building before they draw one line.
You can do all that, but there’s no guarantee the subs will even pay attention- actually, the more pre planning and regimented you are, the more the subs resent it sometimes.
Matt apparently our "older" house has drain pipes from our washing machine that are not wide enough. And apparently newer washing machines just wash lint down the drain. So every few months I'm having to snake it because our washing machine drain will backup during the drain cycle. What could I possibly do?
Is there room to add a slop sink next to the washer? I built a “lint screen” that sits off the bottom of the sink about 3” from the bottom, clean the screen about once a week, works good for me, didn’t want to clog my septic with lint.
@@woohunter1 not on the inside. I thought about something like that outside on the opposite wall. Run the drain into that, then run the sink's drain back into the main drain?
lordneeko according to plumbing codes, washing machines should be in a 2” line, unless discharging into a laundry sink, then the drain can be 1 1/2”. Is this in a basement or first floor slab?
I had a plumber recommend running a whole new drain line along the outside of the house all the way to the clean out for the septic. That sounded "ugly"
Pitfalls Clarified
1. Lack of communication
Being a first time GC, expect a million questions from trades and customer(s). Any pre-communication you can do allows you as a GC to focus on the future and preventing future issues.
2. Work tasks that don’t clearly “belong” to a specific trade or sub.
For instance, on my first GC job for my own home, everything from the obvious (providing a dumpster, first aid kid, access to site) to the not obvious (unexpected material procurement, environmental abatement issues that come up and the plumbers that need blocking in the wall for a diverter shower valve but can’t seem to figure out a circular saw to cut their own and the framers already went home for the day). Guess who is responsible? That’s right the GC whether they do that themselves or not.
3. Managing Scope “creep” or expanding work
This was lightly touched on in the video - when customers or trades see something that’s different in their mind from the plans, the GC works with the customer to resolve any impasses - critical to either anticipate or present clearly to each involved party or risk delays and overruns.
THIS is what I needed to understand. Thanks Andrew.
That’s what my ex wife didn’t understand...
Andrew Schmidt I work with customers when there are changes in the Plumbing. When there is a change order I’ll work it out with the owners. Settle on an extra charge. Put it in writing get the owners signature then get the contractors signature. Then gives a copy to both my GC and owner!
Also on that final paper will be hours or days this will extend my part of the job!
I’ve been in the plumbing business for 40 plus years. I started in the 70’s by myself. Worked to one of the largest in my area back to just by my self. I enjoy working on my own again. I work when I want and don’t work when I don’t want.
Andrew Schmidt one more thing. As long as there is blocking on the job. I put all my own Blocking in. After installing my blocking I put my initials on it. Then take pictures of everything. If someone removes my blocking. I have proof for the reason I’m not paying to open up a wall to install or reinstall blocking
LT's Garage - nothing but respect for your approach and experience - thank you
My dad was a GC most of his life. I grew up with early morning phone calls to tradesmen before they set out to various jobs. I learned a lot about the trades as I just sat there eating my oatmeal before school. :) The value of effective communication was DEEPLY ingrained in my young brain.
I grew up to be a marriage therapist. ;)
What's the wink for?
Sometimes I do feel like a marriage/relationship therapist while designing homes...
I've been a builder for many years and have seen quite a fair bit of sheds. The plans in ryan's package ruclips.net/user/postUgkxB7IXYxLzb_Ichhe45zM3Im5xfEiSp9vB have some of the nicest looking sheds i've seen in a while.
Young Project Manager here. Please keep content like this coming. It’s super helpful.
Owner builder also - incredibly rewarding experience, I would love to do it again. I did the same thing with tape for kitchen layout!
Did anyone even ask
Love these homeowner build walk-throughs! So valuable to build show fans, like myself, who aren't general contractors.
I took a class in college (architecture school) where visiting critics taught a class on real estate design development. The teachers were partners in an NYC architecture firm that found ways to also act as investor/developers in addition to their client work. Anyway, they walked us thru some units in Dumbo, Brooklyn where they actually used chalk markings while under construction to mark they layout of cabinetry, walls etc. They designed a whole event around this so that they could walk potential buyers thru and sell the units before they were even finished. They shared the marketing materials for the “event” and the graphic design sort of mimicked the chalks crudeness as a theme ... I thought it was really cool and creative. His tape on the ground to communicate with the builders reminded me of this.
Pratt?
As an architect and a GC, I loved some of his ideas for mechanical room and the green tape. The communication is key. I’ve found that despite very complete drawing sets and meetings with subs to outline the details, a laborer can and will drill in the exact wrong spot. The green tape is an excellent idea to reduce the possibility of mistakes.
So true! I've found that only the GC is looking at the construction document set. The subs need clear direction.
I’ve been using frog tape for the same thing for at least 6 years now. The same reason, couldn’t be on site, so laid everything out once and guys knew what to do from there on.
A lot of time spent doing layout that the subs should be doing themselves, that is if they are given the correct architectural drawings with CAD dimensions on them, and the millwork drawings provided by your cabinet supplier. reflected ceiling plans c/w dimensions for lighting and HVAC are key to coordination of those two trades, and mechanical and electrical consultants can usually be lazy and not include them in their drawing package, so the architect should always make sure that is part of the total IFC set. As for the marking of no board here and there, I am surprised that for the nominal cost of drywall that he skipped it. It definitely throws the STC rating of the wall out the window, not to mention burn time if that is a concern. I did like the screws aligned though lol
Matt straight up stole the show back! 😂
That was the plan, its HIS show!
Thanks Wade. Definitely didn’t want you to feel left you. For everyone else, stay tuned for more Co-hosting from Wade. Or goto BuildShowNetwork.com to see his videos
I'm an electrician, I have never seen a homeowner/gc that doesnt lay out stuff in painters tape on the floor. Was amazed when I heard you say you haven't seen that. It works out great and there are way less phone calls throughout the day to ask about cabinet layout. For some reason the damn cabinet drawings are never accurate to the final product.
I think it was using frogtape instead of blue tape he was talking about.
Hey Matt,
Im a young Project Coordinator. These videos targeted to younger builders are great. Keep it up !
Will do!
Those great ideas have made for a really great video !!!
Thanks gentlemen !!!
Matt loves making up new ways to say words he call a general contractor a "G.C"...matt is creating a new language..love it..and matt is making builders step their game up and do it right..
As a licenced electrician I love this method of desired layout.
Yeah mark the floor and use a laser up, way easier than running a tape on a ladder. Now that those lasers are affordable.
@@nevermindthebull0cks my results varied.
Please do a follow up on that leviton load center! Please, please!
Barrington is a wonderful small town, I lived there age 10,11. Rumstick Rd. Less than a mile from the beach.
Great layout for your crew. I love it when you get to the "Welcome to" Disney + add comes on and interrupted your tag line. Love you guys so much good info.
In our last kitchen remodel we added a six-inch wide 3/4" MDO "belt" around the whole kitchen at the top of the upper cabinets. Never have to even think about where screws could go, just screw the cabinets in everywhere necessary.
The walls were fully enclosed and plastered, because in South Florida, with an older house, the inside of the walls are basically abandoned to the local wildlife...
Great ideas, so simple and effective for getting it right the first time! Thanks!
I'm making a book that will have drawings, measurements and photos to show where everything is behind the drywall.
It will be kept in a box beside the electrical panel.
Outstanding
You guys are awesome. Always super informative and lots of good ideas. Keep up the great work
This is video for me Matt! I want to be GC my own build one day. Hopefully I can learn for the best.
Loved the everyone do the “on the build show” at the end 👌😂
When Matt Risinger likes your comment and literally makes your week hahah #your the man Matt
Thank you - that is beautiful!! Love it!
Great video. Such organization and attention to detail.
Planning my own build when I retire in a couple years. Good info!
It's nice to know there are other guys who think a bit like I do...
Super Tidy, Structural 1. Impressive fog tape usage for layout of wires.
Brilliant. Its ALL in the details.
You educated me so much. Can’t wait to build my own. Would be cool if you could find a house where they have to do slab on grade but there is such difference in slab height that it will be easier to put in a basement instead of pouring slab and how you would watered proof it and all that fun stuff I love hearing you talk about.
Overall really great points. Thanks for this!
Great job Wade!
Vids with Wade coming. Yes!
I liked the utility room. One thing I would have done differently is install a wall mounted rack for the low voltage instead of the cabinet.
Love the mechanical room!!! Crisp and clean!!! I love a good electrical panel that the electrician took the time to make it perfect......the other trades coming into THAT mechanical room are going to be like.....oh, my stuff is going to shine better the his stuff does!!! :P Good stuff!
it's not perfect. it's surface mounted with exposed romex above it.
@@kenbrown2808 Totally agree, if the plywood is standing off the wall then why not flush mount panel and hide romex? Also the on-demand and gas/plumbing could have been 3 feet to the right and away from the panel
Exactly! Set the tone up front and the other trades tend to follow the lead in terms of installation thoughtfulness and quality.
@@geoffwood2712 all that exposed plumbing could have been inside the wall, as well.
@@thresholdstudio a good example can't fix a bad workman.
Very smart, I like the FrogTape idea. Wish this was talked about 4 months ago so I could have done it, I tried blue tape and it just doesn't last in a construction environment.
gorilla tape lasts quite a long time too with a silver sharpie.
Blue is hard to see the writing on as well imo. Regular white or green is a better contrast. Duct tape and sharpie is ok, but it will wipe off if it get handled much. I labeled a school panels home run pulls like that once and had a pretty hard time reading it later.
Spray paint is best on the floor. Frog tape your lines first, spray, then peel up the tape. Voila~
The green Frog tape is key. I tried the other colors too (to communicate different things) but it didn't hold up like the green tape.
Years ago when we build are home. One thing I did one weekend after HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical was done and the site was quite was take lots of pictures. I even made a tape measure out of white ribbon which I would stick up with thumb tacks. Then took my pictures. This was in the day of film. Had all the pictures printed and kept it with the deed to the house. 20 years after building the house we added a fireplace. I went back and looked at the photos and it allowed us to get a clear picture of what was going on behind the walls. Allowed the bid on the project to be more refined as the contractors new what was behind the walls and what they would need to do. We did have a HVAC line in the wall but knowing before hand was a great help. When we down sized in retirement we passed the photos to the new owners. They loved that they could see what was in the walls. I don't know why builders especially today, in the age of digital 360 degree cameras, don't do this with every home. Having the photos placed with the deed would be so helpful I think to all potential home owners. I could see unscrupulous builders not wanting to show off what they have built but why do high end builders not do this a standard practice?
@glen74 My experience has been that all of the GC's on our projects take pictures (or video) of every wall before they are closed up for future coordination. It would be pretty cool to make a Matter Port VR of the framing and rough-ins though!
This is reality, great to spot light this in a video
Love the communication and it’s soooo crucial to a smooth build. What I’ve started using, as the home owner, to communicate with my GC and trades is Trello.com. As an IT guy we use Agile boards for everything and a fellow IT nerd and home renovator showed me he transferred those skills capabilities when communicating on his renos using work boards to communicate. Electronic versions of what this homeowner/GC so brilliantly did via paper.
Okay, did I watch the wrong video? I was expecting to be shown what not to do, and instead I get a video praising this, that, and whatever........maybe "pitfall" doesn't mean the same thing to contractors?
Maybe a few masks would be smart
@@martinphillips7221 Yeah, when was this shot?
Love to see Architects living up to the “Master Builder” origins of the trade. Design/Build really is the future.
If you consider drawing a few lines on frog tape building let alone the work of a "master builder" boy do I have something to sell to you!! :)
He’s not doing any ‘master builder’ duties, he’s simply doing GC tasks that will benefit his own wallet and stress lol..
Never seen a "field correspondent" take over the show. Of course it's Matt's show, so... Wade looks pretty chill, maybe this was discussed beforehand?
Of course it was discussed beforehand. Accidental stuff in slick video production is rare.
Nah...there was a little awkwardness with Wade. Maybe he was a little disappointed. Since Matt took over, Wade didn't have anything to say.
@@1sttigertiger426 I saw at least where Wade was trying to get in a word eedgewise. Too bad... Matt's a fast talker! I think I have found my own match in that regard, though I can't say for sure!
It was my idea to shoot this project and have a different intro like you'd see on the evening news - "I'm Kate Snow in for Lester Holt tonight." But of course we discussed this and I let Matt do his thing after the intro, its HIS show!
I wonder if he organizes the soup cans in alphabetical order and labels facing forward ! Impressed with utility room !
@1:42 best part of this video is matt's "mmmmmmmm" at the "laser them up" haha
Wow, I am an AV Consultant for corporate/govt/defence stuff, and am used to issuing drawings with locations specified (say LV cable loops for Eqpt rack on casters). Then I walk the site with contractors and mark up with a Texta (Sharpie). We are always concerned about proximity of electrical switchboards and dimmers to AV signal. I drive Electrical Consultants mad about specifying phases/earthing etc.
However, am hoping to build a sustainable home in a few months as an Owner/Builder and have worried about what happens when I am cannot be there (2.5 hour drive from Sydney). This video has some excellent ideas. BTW - the government mandates that Owner/Builders undertake and pass a training course. This Architect's communication methodology is fantastic.
Enjoyed your vid, always.
Matt, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
I Thank You
OCD much? Haha 😄 But it takes one to know one. Great mechanical room! Great organization.
Of course, being an architect, it helps that he's got a very good idea about what he wants and what he doesn't. The worst is when an inexperienced homeowner GC's (usually to save money) and frequently changes his or her mind without understanding the workflow and how trades interact.
Nice job site!
The scope gap hit me hard.
Describes really well my thinking on my buildout... I made a few more mistakes.
Great job.
Nice Neptune water meter and remote read radio (MIU). We need to relocate that remote read radio to the outside of your house so the water utility can read your meter better. Perfect time to run that wire (in small conduit) is during construction.
@Slade The Original - the utility installed the remote read in the basement. I'm assuming they know what they are doing and it will work...
lol man, that classic architect handwriting.
Ha! In my architecture school we had to do a hand writing assignment where we had to do page after page of the alphabet in “architectural” lettering.
“Bishwasher” caught my eye.
The tank less water plumbing next to the electrical panel may be to code but is a concern for me. Small leaks can be big problems for the unsuspecting entering the room.
Does exposed structural steel have to have fireproofing in detached residential construction? Like intumescent paint or something? Or can it be just exposed for a 1 or 2 story build?
Can someone link the breakers and breaker box? Wifi controlled? 😍😍😍
Omg that Leviton panel.
I need help Matt. We are building a new home and I'm having trouble figuring out what I need to support a 24x 32foot addition. 1 floor full basement. I want to keep it open as possible. What's sufficient enough.
The Leviton panel is pretty sweet. Never even heard of them.
We plan on having a house built in the next couple of years. I'm thinking I will have built it about 6 times before we even break ground and that's even before I drive my General crazy with bad drawings and sketches.
Matt, as a side note, can you finish off your Better Framing Options video by showing what to do with masonry (cinder block) walls? We are planning on building in Florida where a lot of home construction is cinder block. How do you vapor barrier that and where? Best ways to anchor veneers through an insulation layer? You have explained stick-built and ICF, but I would like to see your take on Best Practice for a cinder block house.
In commercial settings I see metal (aluminum?) framing inside concrete buildings. Its a plug and play system, easy to put up, loads of options to run wiring and waterlines and fasten wall and roof panels to.
Dang I was excited to see another presenter on here. Too bad he didn't have a chance when he got to the build site.
Pretty sure Matt loves to hear himself talk, lol.
@@aevangel1 lol, what's the name of the channel again???
If you want more presenters, wait until you find out about The Build Show Network. Videos from all kinds of guys in all kinds of specialties.
Thanks Jennifer! Go check put BuildShowNetwork.com for more from Wade and several other contributors
@@aevangel1 Matt is the spitting image physically and mentally of a director at my job and that guy talks and talks and talks and talks.
Awesome job Dave! Dave isn't a builder, but he will be a much much much better architect when he is done here. Every architect should have to build before designing other peoples homes.
not sure that will improve all of them.
The process has been an education in nuance for sure!
@@thresholdstudio or at least an understanding of the fundamentals of the pauli exclusion principle.
@@kenbrown2808 I had to look that reference up but yes. A good example (and an early lesson for me) is why the "edge of hood" is marked on the wall. The plumber and I had a discussion about where the drain line in the wall would go but I didn't mark it out for him before I left the site that day. Well he installed it one bay over from where we discuss because he found it avoided some complications once he got to the floor above. The bay he then occupied was where the 10" range hood duct was planned to exit... The hood location layout was done because we had about a 1/8" tolerance to get the range hood duct out of the house before it interfered with the upper cabinets...
@@thresholdstudio some plumbers seem to be the worst at putting pipes in the way of everybody else. in some cases it is unavoidable, but in many cases, just moving the pipe over four inches would save a lot of headaches. there should never be a horizontal between 42 and 50 inches above the floor, and never a vertical centered in a bathroom vanity space or within five inches of a kitchen window.
but the root of that comment was an architect who said "but can't the anchor bolt just pass through the (zonal electric) heater can?
Tells us more about the electrical panel please.
I was intrigued myself. I’m starting electrical rough on my house in three weeks so I’m gonna research it this week. Stay tuned. I’ll tell you what I find!
How does that wifi panel work? Shunt trips controlled by relays or just relays after the breaker? Can you turn power back on wit it? Maybe something like a lutron lighting control panel?
This must be an exception. Most builders I know dislike architects because they design and not understand the logic of why a certain window feature will cause water damage. But the architect demanded those windows and after 10 years, they failed. Plus, seeing that frogtape is great but when they put the floors in, will it need to be redone over the new floors and sheetrocked walls for cabinet locations? Might be wise to printout tabloid or larger 2D & 3D printouts of details for each room and post. I did this for my kitchen-we found some issues sooner than later with this help.
I think a future build show should be the question: will we see a failure of products 20 years from now? Say ZIP wall foam decomposing and resulting in millions of dollars in abatements? (Look at the protests of Rockwool? Or that many contractors built townhomes in the 80's with OSB on roof, only to have heat from sun cause it to fail, and roofer/firefighters would fall through on inspection. I know, as I owned one and had to have new roof sheathing. I think its good to be skeptical...and informed.)
I could see the architect floor layout making sense. And great for the installer. But bringing in in the wife and kids and expecting them to visualize the layout 3' up in the air may be a fault of the training. I'd do it in cardboard at counter height before I could rely on a sign off. Clients tend to need more visual.
And I suggest good old beige tape if you don't have frogtape sponsorship as it sticks great and it probably won't be pulled up when the finish flooring goes down anyways.
Matt, in the video about your personal house mistakes you mention the mistakes with builder or spec plumbing fixtures, is there a brand you recommend like Delta or ?
Danny (Peyton, Colorado)
Great video...but what did it have to do with the title??
@Matt Risinger great video on a few tips when you're the Owner/GC. I was a Owner/GC about 15 years ago (did it 9 months) and you definitely need to make sure you stay one step ahead of all the subs so there are no delays. Now, I've been following you on RUclips to catch up on new building techniques since my wife and I recently decided to build a new custom home. In fact, we'll be incorporating a lot of what I've learned into our project. I've even reached out to Miguel at Positive Energy to help us with our Mechanical design. Maybe a possibility of us collaborating on some content?
There was mention of a water flow meter. Can you tell me more about it and some of the drivers to install one?
@Paul Frey - It does a few things that I found interesting. First is that it can detect a leak and turn the main off automatically averting costly damages. And second, it shows you your consumption at each source. The data from the Flo (and Leviton panel) is what I'm most interested in learning from.
Please explain to me what you mean. Cabinets go here so no Rock??
We rock every inch of the interior space.
I really like your mechanical room. The last one I did was huge. 25 x40 feet. 2 floor mounted tankless water heaters. 2 low pressure hot water boilers for radiant heat. 2 air conditioner units. A water filtration system that I had never seen one this size before.
“Massive”
Looks like they put plywood on the walls where the cabinets hang.
Curt Miller I wonder why? We sheetrock everything fire tape what the cabinets cover. That way if the cabinets don’t cover all of the untextured you can just do a bit of texting.
There is plywood behind the cabinet locations so when they are installed you don't have to search for studs - you have continuous blocking everywhere.
@@ltsgarage7780 Easier to hang cabinets since you don't need to line up with studs. however, I've just hung drywall on top of the plywood, or added 2x10 blocking in between the studs where cabinets get hung. Not sure how the inspector will handle walls without sheet rock. its possible Plywood can an acceptable option, but they might require you to apply intumescent paint for fire protection.
Guy Tech who is responsible for redoing the end of the plywood if the cabinets come up 1 inch shorter than what the plywood is??
Cabinet guys need to be paid if the need to come back pull the cabinets down so someone can install rock. And put them back up after the rocker is done.
All those panels and no network rack....should have a small 19” cabinet with Ethernet home runs.
Most stuff is wireless now, and everything will be by the end of the decade. So it's a waste.
We ran cat 5 in my parents build in 1998. All rooms. Only ever used 1 Jack, and now none are used at all but there are more computers than ever.
Been using tape and markers to layout cabinets or walls for years. And nobody skips putting sheetrock behind a cabinet, it's the only fire barrier you have to keep smoke from penetrating the wall cavity.
And a 30" sink base is what we put in 1br efficiency apartments. At least get yourself a 36" with a real sink.
Love watching the buuuuiiiilllllddd show!
This is an outstanding job. In reality a good builder shouldn't need the GC or homeowner to hold hands. It's just good business
That electrical panel looks awfully close to the sump... code around MI is it has to be at least 5 ft away from one another I believe
I went to Jr. High school there. Lived on Hilltop Street. 1975.
Great video, thanks for sharing these ideas! I might have missed it, what were the 3 pitfalls?
From watching it and seeing what this guy was doing right and comments about how it wasn't common and should be done:
1) Communicate and co-ordinate 'the plan' with contractors and site workers so everybody's on the same page
2) Post notes and mark out the job so that the contractors who've forgotten how to read prints get the message where and how stuff goes and details aren't forgotten.
3) Check up frequently during the job to catch mistakes before they've been overlaid with other work that makes them uncorrectable.
Yes! Thanks
In California You need 5/8” sheet rock behind your cabinets for fire code. I would think its code everywhere.
Not code here. Are they worried about countertop appliances catching fire?
Dude I was thinking the same thing! We always drywall and at least tape the seams in those areas, could be nasty if a rodent got back there.
Why would you think it’s code everywhere? Like California car emission regulation is everywhere?
Johnny Bash blower door was 0.92ACH50 - no worries about rodents getting in!
Small drops make an ocean. These tips make the final product
There's painter's tape in lots of colors. Easy to get something to stand out.
That was 100% a paid ad.
@@trevorhardy3544 I would love it if Frog Tape reimbursed me for all that tape - it does a great job but it's not inexpensive stuff!
When will the Build hats be available??? I'd buy right now.
The GC on my Dad and Stepmom's remodel did the same thing with the tape. Do a lot of people not do that?
Matts excitement couldn't help it, he had to take the lead.
Signoff never gets old
😂
One pitfall is some local bureaucracys don't want to let a homeowner without a GC license pull permits.
The other is financing. That’s the one I’m running into
Florida residents have a legal right, with minor exceptions, to act as their own contractor. Abiding by the same rules as a GC.
is there a lot of radioactive radon gas venting in the house/area?
I saw that, radon vent. also me RADON VENT!? I would like a follow up on that.
@@TheJayDawgZ it's probably based on the local building code. Some would require a fan depending on the geology or an area where it is known that high levels have been monitored.
@@terrencesauve YEah but ive never built anything close to high levels of radon even minute levels. so I would like to know how they are getting rid of it (Looks like its just being moved from one part of the house to another)
Its fairly normal her in the northeast. I think its in the granite. Many homes have the pipes ran when being built and have a test done after the house is finished.
@@ericwotton2046 Is it just pipes laid over the foundation or is it some sort of catchment system? SOrry but I build in the south west and we don;t have any radon problems.
those water lines seem uncomfortably close to the electric panel
inexperienced ?
@@jdoftx NEC
Damn wish I had the skills to do something like this. I work on medical Imaging equipment but I secretly envy the guys that are in trades. Those are skills I wish I would of acquired early on in life.
Retirement wont be as good as your field I bet.
so many OSB engineered wood sheets. firefighters hate these engineered woods for obvious reasons
GCs hate owner builders since they actually care about the project and usually do an outstanding job.
RE: 7 DUMB THINGS
MATT #1 issue: HARD WATER people can save thousands, yes thousands, of dollars by getting a high quality water softening system. Here is where you really do not want to "Cheap it out!" it requires more soaps, detergents, cleaning agents to clean with hard water - a huge amount. To demonstrate this, I used two 300 ml Erlenmeyer flasks, one with hard water in it, the other with soft water. Put a drop of liquid dish soap in both, placed the rubber stoppers, and shook them at the same time. The flask with soft water sudsed up with lots of bubbles, the water is clear, there is no film on the inside of the flask but the air space is filled with bubbles. The other flask with hard water - nothing no suds no bubbles. After an additional 10-15 drops of the same detergent what you see is a milky white appearance of the liquid that you cannot see through, a film of the same appearance on the inside of the flask and bubbles, well sort of.
Constant spotting on everything where water is used, which requires using harsh chemicals to clean up mineral (rocks) deposits, something that would not be present if you had soft water. You would save hundreds of dollars in cleaning chemicals and TIME not having to clean up all the water spotting everywhere. Personal cleaning and bathing is much more satisfying. The "squeaky clean" idea arose from so many minerals left on your body after bathing that you have that squeaky feeling - HEY YOU DUMMY that means you are NOT clean! Try this, wash you hands in your hard water, then take just a small sprinkling of baking soda on your hands (a salt) and rinse you hands. Notice the smooth slick feeling once the soda dissolves? That is what clean skin, rinsing off with softened water will feel like - that's clean!
Clothing will last longer with no minerals (miniature rocks) being deposited in clothing. It is like getting sand into everything, it will wear our much faster. I used to sell water softeners, I could go on and on. Consider all the DUMB choices you made in this house - having a good quality water softening system will save you as much money as you spent on all the DUMB ideas in this house. Your wife is DUMB I recommend getting a new wife that wants a water softener system. You save Time, Money, Effort EVERY DAY with soft water.
I've been in the California C-7 "Low Voltage" industry for 30 years. By the way, I hate that name, but Sacramento stuck me with it, so I've lived with it.
During my entire career, I've always come across a sparky who thought his sh*+ don't stink when we come face-to-face simply by sheer virtue of voltage (the 91 volt threshhold).
Now, the tables have flipped. The sparkies are deflating their chests with their tails between their legs, turning to me for answers.
While they played with 480 volts (the light turns on, the light turns off, big f*ing deal), I put together access control servers, programmable logic controllers, mass storage arrays, video servers, biometric interfaces, and an occasional central vacuum system.
That Leviton smart home panel is only the beginning, and I'm about to start charging for my computer and network administration skills.
Lesson to be learned: You should have been nice to the alarm guys.
I ran into a residential sparky that thought he was God’s gift to the world, I could and have done his job countless times. Thankfully he moved on from the company that we use and I don’t need to see him anymore.
@@Iamthathillbilly Many other stories just like ours are going to surface as the years progress. Those guys are going to have to evolve or pay us to figure it out for them. It's nothing personal, and we can be the bigger, cordial men. It's just gonna cost them, that's all.
Proof that real “nuts and bolts” Architects can be good Contractors. And vice versa, true craft oriented Contractors can be really good Architects. I’d like to see more cross pollination in these two professions. Architects should spend at least a year or two building before they draw one line.
It's always in the details. If you don't involve yourself at that level, you must accept whatever the tradesman give you.
Why didn't he insulate behind the plywood before it went up? He did the rim joist, but not the wall?
Exterior insulation
for thos of us not rollin in cash IPG makes a great tape called PG5 way cheaper and better tape all around
You can do all that, but there’s no guarantee the subs will even pay attention- actually, the more pre planning and regimented you are, the more the subs resent it sometimes.
Matt apparently our "older" house has drain pipes from our washing machine that are not wide enough. And apparently newer washing machines just wash lint down the drain. So every few months I'm having to snake it because our washing machine drain will backup during the drain cycle. What could I possibly do?
Is there room to add a slop sink next to the washer? I built a “lint screen” that sits off the bottom of the sink about 3” from the bottom, clean the screen about once a week, works good for me, didn’t want to clog my septic with lint.
@@woohunter1 not on the inside. I thought about something like that outside on the opposite wall. Run the drain into that, then run the sink's drain back into the main drain?
lordneeko according to plumbing codes, washing machines should be in a 2” line, unless discharging into a laundry sink, then the drain can be 1 1/2”. Is this in a basement or first floor slab?
@@woohunter1 first floor slab
I had a plumber recommend running a whole new drain line along the outside of the house all the way to the clean out for the septic. That sounded "ugly"