Framing Contractor in Rhode Island: Getting the Structure Right

Framing is the structure of the house: the floors, walls and roof that everything else hangs on. You stop seeing it once the drywall goes up, which is why it has to be right before that happens. Mistakes in framing show up later as sagging floors, cracked drywall, doors that won’t close, and leaks.

Framing Work We Do

• Remodels: moving or removing walls, new openings, and reframing kitchens, baths and basements.
• Additions and dormers: new floor, wall and roof framing tied into the existing house.
• Rot and water damage repair: replacing decayed sill plates, studs, rim joists and sheathing found when siding, windows or roofing come off.
• Window and door openings: new rough openings with proper headers, and reframing openings for larger or egress windows.

What Good Framing Looks Like

• A continuous load path: loads from the roof travel down through headers, posts and beams to the foundation without gaps.
• Proper connections: built-up beams fastened so the plies act together, and the right hangers, straps and plates at beams, posts and foundation pockets.
• Plumb, level and square: walls and floors set right so finishes, cabinets, windows and doors go in correctly.
• Sheathing and nailing: sheathing fastened to the required pattern so the walls and roof resist wind.
• Ready for the envelope: openings framed so windows and doors can be flashed and sealed properly.

Removing a bearing wall, adding a beam or adding a second story needs a structural design. We work from engineered details where they are required and pull the building permits for the work.

Check It Before It’s Covered

The best time to catch a framing problem is before insulation and drywall go in. On our jobs, open walls are when we look for hidden rot, missing connections, and water damage that needs to be traced to its source. If you are buying a house or dealing with an old leak, I also evaluate framing and water damage as a building envelope consultant.