It's Good To Be Square!

By Ted Joffs

Date: 02/17/2004 Topics: Gardening | Home Improvement > Building

Post Feedback!

Email Friend

Print

Get Responses

Bookmark

del.icio.us

Link

Rate:

Recently, I had the opportunity to replace tile in a newer home built through a "nameless" contractor. I noticed a few problems with the construction; the walls were not square. With the determination of a madman condemned to work in a crooked house, I took it upon myself to see if it was just me that found a home with crooked walls. To my amazement, 27 of the 32 homes I visited were built out of square.

Having a home out of square makes it difficult to remodel, and can cause undue stress cracking in the drywall. In the case of the home above, here is what I found:

The bathroom wall behind the pedestal sink was curved...yes curved.

The open passways (doorways without doors) were slanted at the baseboards.

The cupboard shelves in the kitchen were not installed correctly, as the cupboards were forced to be skewed to flush with the walls.

One shelf did not even hold anything, as it would fall with any weight.

The lack of square in the 84% of homes is scary. To keep the remodeler's nightmare from becoming reality in your new home, here are a few tips for you to review during the construction of your dream, or not so dream home:

Run a level horizontally along the new framing (walls before drywall). When you set the level on the wall it should NOT rock back and forth. If it does, then you have bowed (think bow and arrow) 2x4's. Mark each bowed board with a big red X, and let your contractor know you need them replaced. There is no excuse for bowed wood in a new home.

Obtain a square (metal ruler of sorts in the shape of an "L") and verify that all the window, door, and passway wall ends are square. Chances are they are not. This is especially necessary on passways where shims can not be used to square a window or door. With the same square, verify that all wall corners are square. If they are not, then laying new flooring in the future will be difficult. This can also wreak havoc on your future plans to create room additions, etc.

Use your measuring tape. If walls are supposed to be the same length, or a specific length (they are...trust me), make sure that they are. One quarter of an inch can make all the difference.

It is usually best to inform your contractor that you will be checking square during the construction phases. This will motivate him to ensure it is square for you. Remember, your contractor was hired to build your home to blueprint specifications; blueprints don't have wavy, non square walls (usually).

As a reminder, be sure your contract has an out. Make sure that if your contractor does not perform to your likes, you can get out of the home. Always have your contract reviewed by a realtor or lawyer.

About The Author:

Ted Joffs is the General Operations Manager of http://www.BeyondBuilding.com and has a vast array of experience in construction. He can be contacted at: jws@beyondbuilding.com.

Jump to Feedback | Post feedback