Q. I'm thinking of a career in new home construction and know very little. One of the things I don't fully understand is the foundation footer. I'm also stumped about piers. What's the real purpose of ...

Q. I'm not very good at reading blueprints. On the ones for my new home, the architect has drawn a step footing. Is this an accepted way to put in a foundation? Why can't the footer that rests under ...

Building my own cottage is something I’ve dreamed about for as long as I can remember. But in my mind, it was a much smaller, simpler endeavour than it turned out to be. Building a house in the city ...