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Explaining Some of the Construction of a Dwelling 

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To understand the construction defect claim and the litigation  surrounding construction defects, it is necessary to first have a basic  understanding of construction, what is proper and prudent and what can  go wrong. Building codes prescribe basic standards. When these standards  are not followed, or not followed carefully enough, a building can  fail. It may leak or lean or even fall down.  Typical single-family homes built during the last century were  constructed with a wood frame built on top of a concrete foundation. The  foundations are either raised on piers or poured flat on grade. The  lumber that makes up the wood frame is usually jacketed with lath (thin  wood strips) or a moisture barrier paper with a wire covering that is  covered with stucco (a durable porous concrete product), exterior  insulation and finish systems (artificial stucco) or wood or vinyl  siding. The interior walls are usually finished with drywall (gypsum  covered in paper that, when finished, gives the appearance of lath and  plaster) or, in older structures, wood lath and plaster. Basic  single-family dwellings are usually one to two stories in height and  range from 900 to 3,500 square feet. Of course, there are also  \\u201cmansions\\u201d where a single family may reside in a 20,000 square foot  structure. It is becoming common to remodel old dwellings of 900 \\u2013 1100  square feet into 5,000 to 7,000 square foot \\u201cMcMansions\\u201d on small  residential lots. These extreme remodeling efforts often run afoul of  claims of construction defect.  Footings  Failure of footings can cause the dwelling to sink, slip, or lean,  causing plaster walls and stucco to crack; roofs, windows, and doors to  lose their watertight seals; and doors to creak.  Foundations  In addition to footings, foundations can be created using piles of wood,  concrete or sometimes metal columns that are driven into the ground and  used to support the structure and prevent it from sinking. Piles are  either driven down until they hit bedrock, or if bedrock is too  difficult to reach, the piles are driven to a depth where the soil  friction against the side of the pile is sufficient to prevent any  further downward movement.  Framing  Standard walls are 8 to 12 feet high. Boards approximately two inches by  six inches (2x6s) are commonplace in residential construction because  they provide a wider cavity that accommodates more insulation than the  standard; approximately two inch by four inch boards (2x4s). The 2x4 is  still most popular for most remodeling and add-ons.  Framing consists of top and bottom plates, wall studs, headers, and  trimmers/king studs as needed for window and door openings.  \\xa9 2021 \\u2013 Barry Zalma