'Smart homes' - domiciles equipped with interconnected digital devices - are on the rise, but in truth 'smart' homes have been around for a while. After all, if care and forethought weren't applied during every stage of building a house, then the final product probably wouldn't stand for long. Here is an essential guide for how modern homes, 'smart' or otherwise, are built from the ground up – literally figuratively.

 

First, real estate must be secured. Land is a finite resource, obviously, so the cost of this part depends a lot on market forces. The tract of land that a new house will be built on may already have a house or another structure on it, in which case (once it is paid for) demolition comes next. Lots of factors go into choosing a piece of land for a house - its location, zoning, groundwater, and elevation just to name a few.

 

After land is secured, a foundation must be built. The heavier the house that is going to be built, the deeper and sturdier the foundation for it needs to be. Also, different climates call for different foundations – houses that are built close to the ocean or within hot zones for natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.) need to have stronger foundations. Foundations aren't just big blocks of concrete; they also contain important anchors for support structures to be connected to, in addition to special coatings that prevent moisture collection, heat loss, and damage caused by vibration.

 

Once the foundation has been built and inspected, the framework can then begin to be made. For ordinary, contemporary homes the supportive elements are rarely visible in the finished product (some architects, however, have found that their customers want for their homes to be the exception). Raw steel beams, rebar, two-by-fours – these materials usually are all covered up by plaster, fine wood, and other materials. But they are what's responsible for holding a house up. Some homes, called 'modular homes,' can have their framework built à la Lego, out of pieces that come prefabricated from a factory.

 

During the foundation stage and the framework stage, security is a concern to note – building materials can be valuable and unfortunately they might be stolen when they are left in the open. To prevent this from happening security measures can be taken, for instance a watchman can be hired to watch the jobsite. Or, cameras can be installed to prevent theft. Concurrently, exposure is a risk. The materials that are used to build a house's foundation and framework are more susceptible to corrosion by the elements than the materials that are used to fabricate its 'outer shell' (its roof, its walls, etc.). Shielding inchoate houses is a step in the home-building process that should not be overlooked.

 

Finally, after the foundation and framework are built and their mutual integrity has been tested, the framework can then be adorned. Wires and pipes are usually the preceding concern as placing walls, floors, insulation, and other elements beforehand can negatively affect the efficiency achieved by their physical arrangement.

 

Throughout the process for building a house, a lot of raw materials get used. This can pose a problem if the footprint, i.e. the real estate the house will sit on, for the project is limited in size. Ideally raw materials will only arrive at the jobsite close to the time during which they are used in construction. Also important, they will be thoroughly inspected for defects, properly and visibly labeled, and available in amounts that are only slightly excessive - mistakes happen on jobsites, so extra materials need to be on-hand, but having too much as backup can cause the jobsite to be cluttered. An overpacked jobsite is unsafe and unsatisfactory to work in.