Plan to add a room - Framing Help needed

[Priya Thomas]

We are planning to add about 400 sft suite. Though we can finish most of the interior work, we are skeptical about foundation and framing. How do we go about it? We might be willing to hire a professional for this work. We are located in Cincinnati, OH. Please do refer if you have used a contractor for this kind of work.

[Peter Green]

I am a framer. There is more that goes into framing than I can or care to put into one post. I would recommend renting a carpentry book on it. Framing is not rocket science. You can do it.

Larry Haun has an excellent video on YouTube about framing that I would definitely recommend in addition to his book.

Put chalk lines on the floor where your walls will go. Lay out your plates (top and bottom 2x4s, or 2x6s depending on wall thickness) inside your lines. If your plates are tight and square on the ground then the walls will be tight and square when you stand them up. Overlap the double top plate (called the crown plate) to tie the walls to one another. Brace the walls with kickers, making sure they are straight and plumb. Keep the kickers on the walls until the rafters and sheathing are on.

Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions. I'll try my best to answer.