A square is the most economical shape to build for anything under 32 ft. square. Above that, a rectangle is more economical. The roof and foundation are the most expensive shell components, with the exterior walls coming in last. These big 3 determine the basic cost more directly than your interior layout. Design on a 24-inch framing module. Everytime you can place a door or window opening within that module you save on framing costs. At least butt one side of each opening up against a stud on the module. Use 24-inch on center framing (called "Optimum Value Engineering" or "Advanced Wall Framing") for your exterior framing (16-inch o.c. for the roof for strength). This also gives you more space for insulation and reduces thermal bridging because you have fewer wood studs--reduces your costs to heat/cool. In TX I would think a slab on grade is readily built, but you have some unstable soils, which can make a slab slide, so check with informed builders there. If you can use it, the slab on grade is cheapest. Here in GA you also get the lowest property tax rate for that foundation. Check with your local tax assessor's office for that info. You need to consider your taxes, utility bills down the road; not just the cost to build. Have your builder use roof trusses rather than stick-built roof framing. Most do now. Allow your builder or direct your designer to play with the roof overhang and roof pitch a little. A small change can optimize your materials use for both sheathing (very expensive) and framing lumber. Keep your roof simple. Omit dormers and excess gables and all of those that are non-functional. If you're building a 2-story, stack the framing so it lines up vertically. Place your large openings (garage doors, patio door, wide windows) in nonbearing gable ends to minimize header and wall-framing. As to the interior, the fewer walls, the lower the cost. You'll get to interior finishes later, which is usually about 40% of your total cost, but a lot of us don't want to shave money off there, because that's what we value most. Save your money on your shell. There are a million more ideas, and your builder or designer won't tell you most of them because it is not their concern, generally, to reduce your costs. Get a copy of Fernando Ruiz' book titled Building An Affordable House. It is based on his work with production builders, so you won't want to do all the things in there, but his designing the basic shell for economy is PRICELESS!

I bought the ACQ and the "TufCote" screws from one of the largest and most reputable lumber mills in town. I asked THEM which screws to use with my wood decking -- then the second time with the Trex as well. I wanted to do it right. They had thought the cause of the ACQ decking cupping and snapping screws was a due laying down very wet decking during a very hot period with full southern exposure. They felt the combination just baked the wood and offered me a slight discount on the Trex. I even had a rep from Simpson some out to look at my deck and they offered me more coated trimheads! So now I have a resurfaced Trex decking with screws ready to fail again? How bad do you think it would mess up the decking to unscrew the coated trim heads and replace them with a stainless steel at this point? Not sure if it would chew up the Trex. Do you think I need to replace every screw or maybe just 1 per joist? I may be about to unscrew them, replace with SS and pound the material in place... ah, what a nightmare! At least I didn't use TrapEase scews which you can't back out. Looks like I need to have a meeting with the lumber mill.

It's been 4 years now and our Portico deck still looks good. It appears that it gets slightly more porous as it ages, making it a little more difficult to power wash the winter's dirt off. It still beats staining though and there are no splinters. I also have noticed some spots of unknown origin, possibly tree sap, that appear. The pressure washer removes them, but they eventually return. Another poster reported the same problem and was very unhappy. I guess our expectations are a bit lower. We remain happy with the decision to go with portico. We used mahogany on the upper deck two years earlier and that, in spite of yearly applications of Australian Timber Oil, is weathering not much better than the original pressure treated pine. I find that spraying with Olympic Deck Cleaner with a garden sprayer, followed by pressure washing cleans it up rather easily. My neighbor built a deck with Ipe last summer, that was our alternate choice when we were making our selection. We decided against it because I had a sample board laying on the deck for several months and it was warping and splitting. I will see how their's holds up over the years to see if we made the right choice. I don't think the perfect deck material has been developed yet... I hope this helps.

In search of 40 planks (16' x 5" x 1 1/4") - 293 sq. ft. in discontinued Trex 'Contour' Series - older Winchester Gray with wood grain surface. NOT newer 'Select' series (too dark & different dimensions). Prefer unused planks. Located in the Western States but can pick up or arrange for shipping. Sample of what I am searching for below.