One of the most important decisions you'll make in building a new home is what to use for the exterior walls and roof. This include, in some cases, whether you're going to build the home on site or have a prefabricated home assembled on your property. You will also have many choices -- and criteria for making choices -- for exterior wall cladding, for windows and doors, and for wind protection for windows and doors. This section of the Web will also provide information about attached and detached structures and paved areas.
Related articles:
- Building Systems: Contains brief descriptions of currently available building systems for exterior walls and roofs. Some of their major properties that relate to sustainable development are mentioned. A generalized assessment of how each building system integrates and balances the five criteria for Louisiana conditions is included.
- Comparison of Features of Building Systems: This is a comparative summary of available building systems that sufficiently integrate and balance the five criteria for a sustainable Louisiana house and have particular advantages in specific conditions.
- Site-Built vs. Site-Assembled Homes
- Fortifying the Roof Against Wind Damage: Sooner or later, all roofing needs to be replaced. If a roof covering is old and worn, patching or limited repairs won't help. A roof tends to wear uniformly in most parts of the country, and even the best roofing materials will eventually succumb to weathering. If you're not certain about the condition of the roof, this article has tips on how can you recognize when it has problems.