For our privacy policy, click here . For our user agreement, click here . These new building materials facilitate the transformation of the architect's blueprints into a quality-built home. Back in the 1950s, homes were built using a more or less standard method. Prefabricated floor and roof trusses, fiberglass doors, engineered wooden beams and a host of other advances in building materials are just some examples of what has made the home-building process easier in the last decade or so, and new ideas are constantly coming to the fore.
Specialized companies manufacture trusses in their plants.
The truss is transported directly to the job site and fitted in place. The traditional approach strongly resembled the barn raising from the old West, where neighbors gathered to bang nails and hoist lumber until the job was done. Construction crews once had to nail every plank, one by one, into place, and where added strength was required, they would double or triple up on the lumber to create a big beam. The trusses, particularly in the case of the roof, cut out much of the labor and simultaneously enhance quality. The company is using dimensional roof shingles, which add to the aesthetic appeal of the units.