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Squeaky floors don’t always mean structural damage. Usually, it’s caused by friction somewhere inside your floor—whether it’s a loose floorboard or a gap between the subfloor and joists. If there is structural damage, you’ll notice other signs like soft or sagging floors, cracks that go from the wall to the ceiling, and horizontal cracks on your foundation.

The best way to determine if ceiling cracks are structural is to hire a ceiling contractor to inspect the cracks and provide a professional opinion. That said, you might be able to make an educated guess based on the size and appearance of the crack. Larger cracks, cracks accompanied by sagging or discoloration, and cracks that travel from the ceiling down the walls are all signs of structural issues.

Trusses and rafters each have advantages and disadvantages, so one isn’t necessarily better than the other. For example, trusses are more affordable and often come in prefabricated kits, so they’re easier to build than rafters. However, rafters are available in a variety of designs, so it’s easier to find one that fits your style preferences. Plus, if you want to build an attic at some point down the line, it’s far easier to do that with rafters rather than trusses.

The primary reason homes have crawl spaces is so the foundation can reach down below the frost line to avoid dangerous soil movement and structural damage when the ground freezes. They’re more popular in colder climates where the ground freezes down to a few feet, and slabs are most popular in warmer areas where there is no frost line. Crawl spaces also provide a space for utility lines to run where they’re at less of a risk of freezing.