Wellesley MA Residential Realtor Shares Basic Building Knowledge

I could barely read a blueprint when I married my builder husband. Sixteen years later, I am proud to say that I am now a literate blueprint reader. Here are some terms that I believe every homeowner, male and female, should know before embarking on renovations, home improvements or additions.

1. What is the difference between a 2’x4’ and a 2’x6’?

The dimensions refer to the thickness and width of the boards (studs) which are the supports that make up the wall framing. Two by six studs provide 2 additional inches for insulation. Though they are slightly more expensive, a homeowner can potentially save on heating and cooling costs whether you live in Wellesley or Fort Myers.

2. What is a sump pump? Or is it “sub pump”?

A sump pump is a pump used to remove water that has accumulated in a sump pit. A sump pit, commonly found in your home’s basement, is a hole to collect ground water that percolates up under your foundation. The pump will engage if unwelcome water appears in your basement and eliminates the need for you to use an industrial wet/dry vacuum to remove the water (an unpleasant task that I have experienced while my husband was traveling and I was pregnant with twins – a story for another day!)

3. What is a load-bearing wall?

Simply put, if you knock down a load bearing wall on the first floor, you are removing the support for the second floor or the roof. This is annoying for the homeowner who longs to knock out the wall between the kitchen and family room to create a larger, open space and is told that the wall is load bearing. Have no fear, you can put in a header! Which brings me to…

4. What is a header?

Well, when you take out that load-bearing wall to create a fabulous new kitchen/family room, you will need to put in a big, heavy beam called a header along the ceiling to support the floor above. This beam might be a conventional 2” x10” board or a newer product called an LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) beam. LVLs are essentially several layers of plywood glued together which can carry a greater weight than a regular board and thus allow for a larger opening. A header can be dressed up with fancy mouldings or trim to make it less obtrusive and/or more decorative.

5. What are joists?

Joists are the big, strong boards that builders lay horizontally to create a sturdy floor. They either rest on top of the foundation or on top of the first floor walls. When they rest on top of the first floor walls, the underside becomes the first floor ceiling and the top part become the second level’s floor.

So the next time your builder says “We’ll just sister up the ceiling joists with an LVL header,” you can nod sagely and know that in layman’s terms he is planning to add support to the second floor while dazzling you with builder speak.

Jane Neilson

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