Plan to add a room - Framing Help needed

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Plan to add a room - Framing Help needed

Priya ThomasPro Member
Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2017 · 135 posts · 61 votes

We are planning to add about 400 sft suite. Though we can finish most of the interior work, we are skeptical about foundation and framing. How do we go about it? We might be willing to hire a professional for this work. We are located in Cincinnati, OH. Please do refer if you have used a contractor for this kind of work.

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Peter Green
Contractor · Lees Summit, MO · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 9 votes
9y
I am a framer. There is more that goes into framing than I can or care to put into one post. I would recommend renting a carpentry book on it. Framing is not rocket science. You can do it. Larry Haun has an excellent video on YouTube about framing that I would definitely recommend in addition to his book. Put chalk lines on the floor where your walls will go. Lay out your plates (top and bottom 2x4s, or 2x6s depending on wall thickness) inside your lines. If your plates are tight and square on the ground then the walls will be tight and square when you stand them up. Overlap the double top plate (called the crown plate) to tie the walls to one another. Brace the walls with kickers, making sure they are straight and plumb. Keep the kickers on the walls until the rafters and sheathing are on. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions. I'll try my best to answer.
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  • Kyle Federmann
    Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2016 · 14 posts · 2 votes
    9y
    PM me I have a guy that could give you a bid that I've worked with on a $300k+ remodel
    0Reply
  • Peter Green
    Contractor · Lees Summit, MO · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 9 votes
    9y
    I am a framer. There is more that goes into framing than I can or care to put into one post. I would recommend renting a carpentry book on it. Framing is not rocket science. You can do it. Larry Haun has an excellent video on YouTube about framing that I would definitely recommend in addition to his book. Put chalk lines on the floor where your walls will go. Lay out your plates (top and bottom 2x4s, or 2x6s depending on wall thickness) inside your lines. If your plates are tight and square on the ground then the walls will be tight and square when you stand them up. Overlap the double top plate (called the crown plate) to tie the walls to one another. Brace the walls with kickers, making sure they are straight and plumb. Keep the kickers on the walls until the rafters and sheathing are on. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions. I'll try my best to answer.
    2Reply
  • Matthew Paul
    Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    9y

    Foundation is easy , break out the shovel and start digging .  

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  • Mike McCarthy
    Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y
    I'd say it's not easy to do foundation work nor framing. If it's something you want to learn, I'm sure you could and get good at it. BUT, the first time or 4 that you do it, you'll make mistakes, have to redo parts, and it will take MUCH longer than you think it will. By the 3rd or 5th time you do it, it'll start flowing and you'll get good at it. The question is whether you want to learn all the details on how to do it correctly, or hire it out.
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  • Account Closed
    Investor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2015 · 117 posts · 39 votes
    9y
    The question is not can you do it but will the village/ town allow it. Foundations and rough framing must be inspected. In most cases a license would be required. This is not something a newbie should try and tackle..
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  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    9y

    @Peter Green is right on the money - it's not rocket science, but framing an interior non-load bearing wall without openings is different than an exterior window & door wall. The interior won't have any real consequences for doing it wrong or taking shortcuts other than making life harder on your drywall and trim guys. The exterior could make your roof sag on that side, make windows hard to open (or even break!), doors jam, and even have the roof collapse on that side. If you have no experience framing, you should leave exterior walls to a professional. 

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