There are several things that you should be aware of when building your new home. Footings are a critical component in the building process and serve as the start of any foundation. Here are some of the key terms that are often associated with footings and foundation:

Footing - a stable support for the foundation wall to rest on the soil.

Foundation wall - one of the most important structural elements of your home. It is a wall which rests on the footers of the foundation, and provides support for the weight of a home.

Slab -  the concrete slab is a surface that is flat, uniform, at ground level, and is not segmented - such as a garage slab or basement floor.

Peer pad - a support footing for a structural load to rest upon, such as a column.

Rebar (Reinforced Steel Bar) - included in the poured concrete to help distribute the load and reinforce the hardened concrete. The rebar is usually made of steel and is cast with ridges for better adherence to the concrete, and when placed in poured concrete, it strengthens the completed structure.

String line - one of the oldest and most basic of tools and is commonly used when laying out your footing to help create a straight line between two reference points.

This short video will help guide you on what to look for when building your home. If you have any additional questions, please visit a Winchester Homes' Sales Center.

The material that appears on our site, or other media outlets, is for informational purposes only.  This video clip is instructional and is intended to serve as a means of demonstration only.  The purpose of this video is to provide our customers with useful information regarding the materials, construction processes, facilities, and appliances in the home.  The  materials, location of facilities, and appliance models may differ in your home.  This video is not intended to replace your manufacturer’s instructions or warranty requirements.  Please refer to your Home Owner’s Manual, or literature provided to you by the manufacturer, prior to operating any facility or appliance in your home.  Operating an appliance contrary to manufacturer instructions could void your warranty.

When buying your new home, it is important to understand what you are looking at on a site plan. A site plan is a set of drawings that demonstrates what a site will look like once it is complete. This may include information such as home location, walk-out versus buried basement conditions, topography of property, and location of utility lines, drainage, and public easements.

Here are a few key terms to remember when reviewing the site plan:

Building Restriction Line (BRL): The BRL is the area where the home must be constructed within. 

Easement: This is an area designated on a homesite that permits specific utlilties to be legally installed.

Property Line: This is the legal boundary of the parcel of land. 

Contour Lines: These depict the topography and elevations of the site. The closer together these lines occur, the steeper the slope of the land. Contour lines can also depict drainage patterns.

 

This short video will cover the basics of reading a site plan when buying a new home. If you have any additional questions, please visit a Winchester Homes' Sales Center.