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Avatar for Homemade Design
Homemade Design
3.7(
322
)
Major Home Repairs (General Contractor)

Serving Gretna, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2006

Credit card accepted

"I never contacted the provider or used this service in anyway. I have to
write this review so that the request to write this review stops
popping up.
The rating is bogus as it is required to be able to submit.
"
Pennsylvania Master Bathroom
Boston Small Condo Kitchen
California Client Saves with HMD Designer Discounts
Recommended by54%of homeowners
Avatar for Jill Seidner Interior Design
Jill Seidner Interior Design
3.5(
89
)
Major Home Repairs (General Contractor)

Serving Gretna, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2006

Credit card accepted

"Once I sent her all the measurements, it took her a little while to get the options back to me.  Overall, they're good designs.  However, they're very simplistic and give general ideas for space planning.  I was hoping to have a better idea for sizes of furniture for the space and some variations on staging.  
Jill was very responsive when I did have a question.  I'm not sure how helpful it is to have a virtual design done.  If we lived in similar cities, I'd probably use her again for help with additional designs.
"
Recommended by55%of homeowners
Avatar for Brandon Freeman
Brandon Freeman
5.0(
1
)
Major Home Repairs (General Contractor)

Serving Gretna, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2024

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"Awesome work ethic and attention to detail. Brandon took our vision of what we wanted our kitchen and new floors to look like and brought it to life. He was very thorough and made sure everything was exactly the way we wanted it. He gave us realistic expectations and was very honest about timeframe to completion of the job. His team were very clean and during the work process maintained a clean environment carefully getting up dust and demo materials before leaving the job. He was also very respectful of our dog who lives in our home while his team worked. I highly recommend his services to anyone looking for remodeling and restoration of the home. We look forward to hiring Brandon and his team for future projects at our home."
Recommended by100%of homeowners
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Unfinished Carpentry questions, answered by experts

Joists do distribute their load to beams, but they don’t sit on top of the beams. Instead, home builders nail or screw the joists directly to the beams such that the end of the joist butts up against the edge of the beam. Beams can sit on other beams for support, but you’ll never see a joist sitting on top of a beam or another joist.

An A-frame home can be cheaper to build than a traditional house, but that is not always a given. Prices can be fairly similar in some cases, depending on the location, design, and necessary site preparation. Costs for an A-frame typically run between $100 to $200 per square foot, which is comparable to the cost of a traditional home. The cost of an A-frame can come in under those numbers if you opt for a prefabricated kit.

Your local building code will list all the framing requirements for whatever type of structure you're building. Most exterior walls require spacing of 16 inches on-center, while many non-load-bearing interior walls only require 24 inches of spacing. However, there are also varying requirements depending on your construction material, so checking your municipality's rules is essential.

Yes, you can find ceiling joists using simple tools if a stud finder isn't available.

Using a hammer requires patience and a keen ear. Gently tap the ceiling in a grid pattern, listening for sound changes. A hollow sound indicates space between joists, while a solid, dull thud suggests a joist. Mark the location with a pencil and confirm by tapping from different angles.

Alternatively, you can use a nail, but this method will leave small holes. You'll feel increased resistance when the nail hits a joist. Mark the spot and repeat the process every 16 or 24 inches to map the joist locations. This method is considered less reliable than using a stud finder.

You should avoid drilling or cutting into load-bearing beams because removing material will weaken it and increase the risk of structural damage or even collapse. If you do need to drill into a load-bearing beam, speak with a structural engineer first to discuss where it’s safest to drill and the width and depth of the bit that’s safe to use.

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