Wind and seismic loads, which produce lateral stresses on a house, are managed by tightly interlocking framing members. Plywood sheathing or wood or metal crossbracing interconnect framing members, creating a sturdy triangular form and-together with foundation bolts-lock walls to foundation. The roof is protected from wind uplift by steel strapping.

Like wall studs and floor joists, rafters and trusses are spaced every 16 or 24 inches from center to center. Most roofs utilize 16-inch spacing for strength and rigidity. Rafters are usually positioned directly above wall studs. A truss is one contiguous double rafter/ ceiling joist unit. Truss construction is just as strong but is lighter weight and uses smaller sizes of lumber than stick framing. Because trusses are carefully engineered units that shouldn't be cut, they are not a good choice for roofs that may be modified at a later date. And because they have several intermediate support members, they don't allow use of the attic space.

The angle of a roof is measured and referred to by either slope or pitch. The slope of a roof is the number of inches a roof rises in 12 inches of horizontal run. A roof with a 5-in-12 slope rises 5 inches for every 12 inches of horizontal run. Pitch expresses the same two measurements as a fraction. The same roof has a 5/12 pitch.

You've probably noticed that different roofs have different shapes. Houses can have gable, hipped, mansard, gambrel, flat or shed roofs. Many homes combine varying roof types on one roof. It's quite common, for example to see a hipped roof with gable dormers. Roof shape is one of the key factors in setting the architectural style of a house.

Roof shape also dictates how difficult and costly a roof is to build and how it will serve. For example, flat, shed and-in some case-gable roofs tend to be relatively affordable to build. Gambrel and mansard roofs offer more head height for attic rooms. Shed roofs are usually the easiest type to connect to an existing roof when adding-on.

Roof framing can be simple or complex, depending on the roof. Overhangs, hips and dormers add greatly to the complexity of the framing. Here the major framing components are shown.

A raised floor is constructed with a wooden framework that bridges from one exterior wall to another. This framework may or may not be supported intermediately by girders, beams or walls. On upper levels of a house, the underside of the floor framing generally serves to back ceiling materials. Ceilings are usually built just like floors, only they may be constructed of lighter materials because they're not intended to carry the same loads.

A floor's framework is made up mostly of wooden joists that run parallel to one another at regular intervals. Floor joists are typically 2 by 8s, 2 by 10s or 2 by 12s; ceiling joists are usually smaller-2 by 6s or even 2 by 4s in older homes. Some newer homes have manufactured, I-beam shaped joists.

Floor joists, spaced on regular intervals, span the areas between supports such as walls, foundations, girders and beams. Normal spacing is 16 inches "on center" (from center to center), though some floors may have joists on 12-inch or 24-inch centers. Joist sizing and spacing are determined by building codes, which are based on engineering requirements.

Joist headers run perpendicular to joists, capping their ends.

At foundation level, floor joists rest directly on a sill that is treated with preservative so contact with the foundation will not encourage termites or rot. Exact construction and connection with wall studs depends upon the method of framing.

Subflooring provides a base for finish flooring and also serves as a platform during construction. It may be made of boards laid either at right angles or diagonally across joists. Or the subfloor may be made of plywood or other panel products that are laid perpendicular to joists.

Solid blocking or metal bridging prevents joists from twisting and helps distribute loads evenly.

Joists are spliced over beams or other supports. They may be butted end-to-end and connected with plywood gusset plates or lapped.

Wherever an opening occurs, such as for a staircase, joists are doubled up at the perimeter and capped with perpendicular headers.

Source:
http://www.hometips.com

To remove the old wallpaper, use a wallpaper scraper. The paper should come loose pretty easily. If it doesn't, try wetting the wall with sponge soaked with hot water. After wetting the walls, let it sit for about 15 minutes and then scrape horizontally.

Once you've removed all of the old paper, you're ready to start over. You'll need to get correct estimate of how much wall space you have to cover. Get as exact of number as you can because it's frustrating to run out and have to have a second wallpapering session. It's also not fun to pay for more than you need.
Measure the room with care and then multiply the entire distance in feet around the room by the height of the walls. To determine how many rolls of paper to purchase, divide the total square feet of wall area by the number of square feet in the roll.

Once you're ready to start, head to a corner of the room. A corner - or a spot that's usually hidden by a large piece of furniture is the best place to start.

The pattern of the paper should be lined up at the ceiling, when cutting the paper. To be sure your paper will cover the full length of the wall PLUS at least 2 inches at the top and bottom. This will guarantee that there will be enough to cover the full length of the wall and if the pattern needs matching, there is room to adjust.
It is a good idea before you begin pasting to place a plumb line on the wall.

Next you need to wet the paper completely, if it is pre-pasted allow it to set for a few minutes in the paper water bath. If you are using not pre-pasted paper and are placing the adhesive to the back of the paper, make sure it is totally covered.

To place the paper on the wall, lay it on the wall and smooth down very lightly with a soft wallpaper brush. The paper can be moved around with ease into position while it remains wet.

Use a hard bristled brush to smooth out the air bubbles. If bubbles are left the paper will buckle or peel in the future.

Next, use a damp sponge or rag to wipe off the glue that seeps out at the edges. Seal the edges by rolling with a wallpaper roller.

When you are working in a corner, hang the paper in two parts. Measure the distance from the corner to the previously hung sheet. Cut a strip of paper ½-inch wider than the distance. The strip should be hung so that the paper overlaps the corner. Using the remainder of the sheet, from which the strip was cut, measures the full width and mark a plumb line that width in on the new wall. This strip can then be pasted in the same manner.

One of the keys laying down tile is preparing the floor properly. Glazed ceramic tiles can be laid directly onto a concrete floor, as long as the floor is dry and in good sound condition. If you have a timber floor, you can lay tiles directly onto the timber, but only if the timber is strong enough to support the extra weight of the tiles. Tiles in mass can be very heavy, so check with builder to see if your timber floor will take the weight. If not, here are some things that you can do:
• Cover the floorboards with exterior grade plywood; make sure that the plywood is securely fixed onto your floor. This can be done with special floorboard adhesive and then some you can either nail it or screw it down to the floor.
• Make sure that the floor is completely level; you may need some leveling compound to do this.

Once you have your floor properly prepared, the next step is to start laying out the tiles. If you want the end result to look professional, do it carefully and properly.

Start off by finding the center of the floor; this will be your starting point. Lay the tiles out onto the floors from the center out towards the walls, making sure that any patterns are properly aligned. You'll need to allow space for the grout to go into. See how many whole tiles will fit onto the floor area.

As you lay the tiles, use tile spacers to mark the gaps between the tiles. Use a level to make sure that all of the tiles are straight with each other.

The challenging part is the edges of the room. To measure these tiles, lay a whole tile over the last whole tile laid. Then place the edge of the tile next to the wall. Mark the tile and then cut it to size. To cut the tiles you will need either a diamond tipped blade or you can rent proper tile cutters from your local home improvement store.

Once you have the pattern of the tiles set out, use a high-grade tile adhesive to put the tiles down. Some adhesives dry quickly, so you may need to be fast.

Let's start by looking at storage. Having adequate storage is the key to having an efficient workspace that is not cluttered. Choose furnishings that can perform double duty jobs like an armoire that can store files and house the media equipment at the same time. If you home office needs to accommodate drop in houseguests you may need to decorate around a hide-a-bed couch as well.

Computers, faxes and scanner equipment are a necessity for home offices. Center your budget around suitable housing for those items. Some desks and work centers allow the computer to be concealed inside the desk top or have built in cabinet doors to close when not in use.

Next, let's think about lighting options. Warmth can be quickly added to your workspace with well-placed lighting options. An adjustable desktop lamp can look decorative and inviting while reducing glare to your computer screen.

Make sure you do not close yourself off to the outside world. Choose window shade and fabric treatments that allow you to control the amount of light into your workspace. Use soft, translucent window shades to reduce glare but give you a view outdoors.

Now, let's talk decorating. Have fun decorating your space. After all there are not any corporate rules to follow - you are the boss here. Include some of your personality into the decorative furnishings and colors. Strive for a look that is somewhere between residential and commercial by choosing patterns that are soothing and warm rather than harsh, stark or cold.

Choosing a base color the rest of the home is decorated with can help tie your office to the residential part of the house. You may choose to paint the walls in a darker tone than the rest of the home or add a glazing technique over the top to promote the reflection of additional light. Don't be afraid to use lots of wood molding or rich wallpaper. Hang inspiring artwork or use mirrors to reflect any interested focal point of the room to keep your energy flowing while you work. Large houseplants or trailing vines in a basket can also help bring nature in to your office space.

An overstuffed chair and ottoman can not only add a space to read up on a report or review your work but can add an inviting look to your room. Add a chenille throw or a couple of pillows to create a cozy warm setting.

Sources:
http://wy.essortment.com/howtolaycer_rcbx.htm
http://sd.essortment.com/wallpaperingtip_oze.htm

Siding may be formed of horizontal boards, vertical boards, shingles, or sheet materials. In all four cases, avoiding wind and rain infiltration through the joints is a major challenge met by overlapping; by covering or sealing the joint; or by creating an interlocking joint such as a tongue-and-groove or rabbet.

Since building materials expand and contract with changing temperature and humidity, it is not practical to make rigid joints between the siding elements.

Siding is made of wood, metal, plastic or composite materials. Various composite materials are also used for siding: asphalt, asbestos, fiber cement, aluminum (ACM) etc. They may be in the form of shingles or boards, in which case they are sometimes called 'clapboard'.

The siding may be attached directly to the building structure (studs in the case of wood construction), or to an intermediate layer of horizontal planks called sheathing.

Siding is often made out of wood in overlapping horizontal rows or courses, called clapboard. In colonial times, Eastern white pine was the most common material. Wood siding can also be made of unpainted weather-resistant woods such as redwood.

Vertical horizontal siding can have a cover over the joint: board and batten. This is popular in American wooden Gothic revival houses.

A well-chosen selection of contrasting trim and accent colors can draw attention to architectural details and disguise design flaws. A poor selection can make a house seem flat and featureless.

So how do you decide what colors are right for your home? Here are a few pointers from the experts at hometips.com to guide you as you choose house paint colors:

• Historic Authenticity - If you are planning to paint an older home, you have three options. You can hire a pro to analyze old paint chips and recreate the original color, you can refer to historic color charts and select shades that might have been used at the time your home was built, or you can fly in the face of history and choose bright modern colors to dramatize architectural details. The third option can produce startling and exciting results. But before you buy 10 gallons of bubblegum pink, it might be good to get your neighbors' approval.
• Neighborhood Context - A fluorescent colored Victorian that looks splendid in San Francisco will seem wildly out of place in more conservative neighborhoods. Even if you are opting for a more subtle scheme, you'll want to make sure that your colors are compatible with the houses next door.
• Existing Colors - Your house is your canvas, but it is not blank. Some colors are already established. What color is your roof? Is there mortar or other siding that will not be painted? Will doors and railings remain their existing colors? New paint does not need to match existing colors, but it should harmonize.
• Interior Colors - It may seem comical to paint entire house based on the pattern of a pillow case, but this approach does make sense. The color of your furnishings will guide you in the selection of your interior paint colors, and your interior paint colors will influence the colors you use outside. Once again, your goal is to harmonize.
• Accents - Depending on the size and complexity of your home, you may be choosing two, three or as many as six colors. In addition to the color you select for siding, you'll want to select accent colors for trim and details such as shutters, moldings and columns. This can be tricky, because too many colors will overwhelm your house and too few will make it seem two dimensional.
• Darks and Lights - Light colors will make your house seem larger. Dark siding or dark bands of trim will make your house seem smaller, but will draw more attention to details. Darker shades are best for accenting recesses, while lighter tones will highlight details which project from the wall surface. On traditional Victorian homes, the darkest paint is often used for the window sashes.
• Harmony and Contrast - Contrasting colors will draw attention to architectural details. But, extreme contrasts will clash and actually detract from details. To be safe, consider staying within a single color family. For some accents, try using a darker or lighter shade instead of a different color.
• Balance - A burst of a single color on just one part of your home may give it a lopsided appearance. Strive to balance colors over the entire building.
• Durability - The more intense a color, the more likely it is to fade. After a few years, vivid blues and deep reds will seem more subdued. Dark colors also pose more maintenance problems. Dark colors absorb heat and suffer more moisture problems than lighter shades. And because dark paint fades, it's difficult to touch up.
• Sheen You thought you only had to pick colors? Sorry! In addition, you'll also need to decide on the sheen of your paint -- glossy, semi-gloss or flat. The glossier the surface, the more likely it is to show imperfections, brush strokes and touch up marks. On the other hand, glossy surfaces are easier to clean. Many homeowners opt to use flat paint for walls and semi-gloss or glossy paint for columns, railings and window sashes.
• Color Deceptions - Color swatches look very different when they are brought out of the store and viewed in natural sunlight. Also, colors appear lighter on large surfaces than they do on small samples. It's best to test your selected color in one area before buying gallons of paint.

A disadvantage of stain is that it fades more quickly than paint and therefore requires more frequent re-coating. But if you apply two or more coats at one application, you can extend the life of the finish considerably. Another downside is that lap marks are more difficult to eliminate because stain dries more quickly than paint. You can minimize them by applying a second coat, but this may darken the finish, so be sure to test it out first.

As you work, be sure to mix the stain at regular intervals because the pigment settles rather quickly.

• Rent (or buy) a power washer, which uses your garden hose to shoot a high-pressure jet of water. Work from top to bottom to keep the dirty water below the areas you have just cleaned.
• Make up a solution of 1 tsp. tri-sodium phosphate dissolved in a gallon of water. Use this to clean siding, masonry, rock, wood, and painted surfaces.
• Treat mildew with regular laundry bleach applied with a sponge. Dark or heavy stains might benefit from a good scrubbing with a wire brush and a solution of 1/4 cup muriatic acid in 2 1/2 cups of water.
• Get rid of rust on hardware and window screens with a kerosene-soaked rag.
• Bring out the beauty of naturally weathered wood with oxalic acid applied with a scrub brush (read the manufacturer's recommendations for dilution).
• While cleaning, keep an eye out for maintenance problems ' peeling paint, loose bricks or shutters, etc.

Sources:
http://www.ehow.com/how_14454_clean-exterior-house.html
http://architecture.about.com/cs/repairremodel/a/pickcolors.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siding
http://www.hometips.com/articles/paint/exterior_staining.html

• What does the inspection cover? Make sure the inspection and the inspection report meet all applicable requirements and comply with the ASHI Standards of Practice.
• How long have you been in the profession and how many homes have you inspected? Again, ASHI Members are required to have completed at least 250 paid professional home inspections and passed two written exams that test the inspector's knowledge.
• Are you specifically experienced in residential inspection? The answer should be yes. If someone says they have specialized training in something like construction or engineering but not in residential inspection, you may want to move on to the next candidate.
• Does the inspector's company offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection? The answer should always be no. This is against the ASHI Code of Ethics because it might cause a conflict of interest.
• How long will the inspection take? The average for a single inspector is two to three hours for a typical single-family house; anything less may not be enough time to do a thorough inspection. Some inspection firms send a team of inspectors and the time frame may be shorter.
• How much will it cost? Costs vary quite a bid depending on the region, size of the house, scope of services and other factors. A typical range might be $300-500, but consider the value of the home inspection in terms of the investment being made.
• Does the inspector prepare a written report? Ask to see samples and determine whether you understand the report.
• Does the inspector encourage the client to attend the inspection? This is a valuable educational opportunity for you to learn about how things work around what could be your house, and the inspector may point out things that don't quite merit a mention in the report but which you should keep an eye on. An inspector's refusal to allow you to be present should raise a red flag.
• Once you've found an inspector you like, ask him for references, then follow up and contact those clients. Two key questions - whether they discovered any major defects after the close of escrow that the inspector missed, and whether they'd use the inspector again.

More than three-quarters of buyers hire inspectors. Most of those buyers have a clause in the purchase contract that makes the sale contingent on acceptable results of an inspection. The buyer can void the purchase or renegotiate the offer if serious problems are found.

The cost of a home inspection varies by inspector, region and size of house. A common price is $200 to $250. A typical home inspection includes an assessment of:
• exterior features such as outside walls, soffits, decks, the roof, chimneys and drainage conditions
• interior items, such as the condition of windows, doors, plumbing fixtures and electrical outlets and switches
• heating and cooling systems
• the attic and crawl space and whether they have adequate insulation and ventilation

Inspectors do things visually; they don't take things apart. They look for safety hazards and surprises that aren't usually seen by the average set of eyes.

Likewise, you usually have to hire specialists to assess the conditions of swimming pools, septic systems, underground storage tanks for heating oil and the health of trees and shrubs (don't blame the inspector for not detecting a dead tree in the winter). There are exceptions: some general inspectors are qualified to examine swimming pools and septic systems.

Not all inspectors assess appliances, such as washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and stoves.

Inspectors who are members of ASHI are forbidden to have a professional interest in the sale, repair or maintenance of a property they inspect. They're not supposed to use their inspection business as a way to find customers for a handyman service that they happen to own.

Remember that the home inspection report is not a wish-list for buyers. Read your contract carefully-it dictates which systems should be in good working order at closing. If the roof is older, but doesn't leak, it's in good working condition. The same is true for older appliances.

Your contract may also state that you are under no obligation to make any repairs at all-although the buyers can then likely withdraw from the contract. Don't feel you must comply with unreasonable demands for repairs.

Sources:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/real-estate/home-inspectors1.asp
http://www.americanhomeguides.com/homebuying_tips_view.php?RowID=91
http://homebuying.about.com/cs/homeinspections/a/pass_inspection.htm