By Myron R. Ferguson What do we base the choices we make on? Do we actually see the full picture or calculate the cost all the way through? I have witnessed a contractor driving out of a lumber yard with a few pieces of metal corner bead in the back of the truck. They hit a…
I Just Need One Good Worker By Myron Ferguson aka “That Drywall Guy™” Maybe we all don’t notice the same things. But most people I know joke about road construction crews particularly a crew working on a city street. To most people it looks like there are way too many workers because usually there are…
Don’t Learn the Hard Way: LEARN By Myron Ferguson Finally this year NYS will implement a new energy code. Many of the builders I have been talking to have a lot of anxiety about this and to be honest so did I. In order for myself to be updated on the NYS Code I just…
TRUSS RAFTER What is a Truss Rafter? Trusses are pre-engineered and manufactured assemblies that take the place of conventional rafter, ceiling joist – roof construction. Trusses are usually installed across the entire width of a home and transfer the load to the outside walls and through them to the foundation. Houses that are constructed using…
By Myron R. Ferguson About 10 years ago I organized a field trip to a drywall factory. I took my employees, my father, the owner of the local drywall yard, and that’s about it. Turns out visiting a drywall factory is not at the top of most people’s list like it was on mine. The…
CAN A SUBCONTRACTOR MAKE CONSISTENT MONEY?…. Myron’s perspective Being a drywall contractor I really like what I do for a living, but I wouldn’t do it every day for free. Matter of fact, if I could make more money doing what I do, I would like what I do even more. But I guess…
One of my favorite magazine ads is of a drywall contractor standing in front of a couple who are his customers. He is gesturing toward a white painted wall that is completely bare. The caption reads: “MOST ART IS APPRECIATED WHEN IT IS SEEN -YOURS IS WHEN IT ISN’T” I recently had a general contractor ask me…
Drywall panels are typically produced in lengths up to 16-ft and standard widths of 48 and 54 inches. The long edges of drywall panels are tapered slightly to accommodate joint tape and compound. The panel ends are cut square and finished smooth with the gypsum core exposed, and are thus un-tapered. Similarly, whenever a contractor…
Understanding air movement, air exchange, humidity, and the proper alignment of building materials is important. Many basements are damp, musty, leak air, and have little natural light but most of this can be overcome with the proper understanding of building science and safety considerations. The bottom line is that it’s senseless to spend time and…
On my recent project of hanging and taping a new house we had to hang all the ceilings before drywall was even brought in for the walls because blown in cellulose was being installed . Just before the insulators were scheduled to come, I visited the job to inspect all the air sealing that was…