Builder's Guide to Foundations and Floor Framing (Builder's Guide Series) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "All residential and light commercial structures require a foundation that is secure enough to keep the walls and roof permanently in place..." (more)
Key Phrases: prescribed grade elevation, temporary sills, footing plate, American Plywood Association, National Design Specification, Exterior Group (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Win more profitable foundation and floor framing jobs. There's one sure way to grab your share of the lucrative residential foundation and floor framing market: the new Builder's Guide to Foundations and Floor Framing. Veteran contractor Dan Ramsey guides you through all the latest techniques for planning, constructing and maintaining safe and efficient foundations and floor framing. You get insider tips on estimating, meeting code, preventing accidents and mistakes, working with new tools and materials and more-advice you need to turn your expertise into big profits. The crystal-clear, step-by-step instructions-plus over 200 how-to drawings, forms, charts and worksheets-make it easy to: analyze site conditions; read construction plans and drawings; design and install forms; install porch floors and retaining walls; work with concrete floor slabs; install precast concrete; design, build and install wood foundations; install posts and girders; much more.

From the Back Cover

Vital information for professionals who want to keep pace with the latest advances in foundations and floor framing Part of McGraw-Hill's Builder's Guide Series aimed at keeping construction professionals up to date with building techniques and technologies, this book examines one of the most lucrative areas of the business. You will find the latest information on recent developments that can economize and streamline the foundation process, such as the new concrete stay-in-place forms. This practical, highly manual is filled with drawings, charts, graphs, tables, and worksheets that supplement the informative text. For both residential and light commercial construction, you'll get complete details on how to install and repair foundations and floor framing. Author Dan Ramsey begins with an overview of foundation basics. From there, each subsequent chapter provides in-depth coverage of a specific topic: Location and excavation; Concrete and masonry; Foundation walls and piers; Concrete floor slabs; Wood foundations; Floor framing. You'll also find money- and time-saving tips on how to avoid mistakes and prevent accidents on the job. Ramsey even includes material on maintaining and repairing equipment and tools. This one-stop sourcebook has all the information you need to stay on the cutting edge of the field and ahead of the competition. Includes helpful glossary of terms and appendix listing resources and telephone numbers

Product Details

• Paperback: 294 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070525528
• ISBN-13: 978-0070525528
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,338,388 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Similar to other books, little new info, somewhat outdated, October 20, 1999

By	Jonathan L. Voss ([e-mail]) "chsj... (Saint Cloud, MN) - See all my reviews

"Foundations and Floor Framing" by Dan Ramsey is at best a recitation of previously published (and sometimes outdated) material and methods, and at worst flat out plagerism. Perhaps in his acknowledgements Mr. Ramsey should have thanked the folks at Drake Publishing, for much of his book is suspiciously similar to Drake's 1973 book "How to Build Woodframe Houses" (ISBN 0-87749-493-2). Consider, for example, the following passage from Chapter 2, page 48, of "Foundations and Floor Framing:" "The next step, after the corners of the structure [house] have been established, is to determine lines and grades as aids in keeping the work level and true. The batter board (figs. 2-1 and 2-2) [fig. 1] is one of the tools used to locate and retain the outline of the structure [house]. The height of the boards is sometimes established to conform to the height of the foundation wall." The above passage also appears in chapter 1, pg. 3, of "How to Build Woodframe Houses" with the bracketed words replacing those directly preceeding them. This similarity occurs throughout much of Ramsey's book with only subtle changes in wording making the two books distinct from one another at many points. Moreover, the figures, while numbered differently, are identical! For the most part this is all fine and well from an informational standpoint as I was interested in those methods which have been proven and time-tested. However, some of the information was simply outdated. How many homebuilders are still laying diagonal subfloors as Ramsey (and, not surprisingly, the 1973 Drake publication showing the exact same figures and information) suggests? Furthermore, little information is given regarding specific, recent information and advancements in concrete adhesion, sealers, waterproofers, barriers, and insulation products. In the case of preservatives for wood foundations Mr. Ramsey did site the National Forest Products Association's Manual. But here again he simply copied the information in that manual. The book is seemingly a regurgatation of others' (sometimes outdated) work.