Construction could take between 4 to 8 months from issue of construction permit to finish for a average sized home. A larger house, with more options custom features, fancier finishes, and more owner involvement — especially if the owner has little construction experience — may take longer. The actual schedule of completion for your specific project will vary based upon many factors including, but not limited to, size and degree of difficulty of the structure, site and weather conditions, material and contractor availability, crew sizes, effective scheduling and communication, the knowledge and experience of those managing the project, and perhaps most significantly, the number, timeliness, and complexity of the changes you will inevitably make to the original contract after construction has already begun.

Large additions, depending on the size and scope, may take about the same time.  A smaller addition like adding a bedroom will probably take less. Detached garages may take only 1 month.

(CNN) — Strontium sulfide, a material that can emit corrosive gases in moist air, was found at trace levels in testing of Chinese-made drywall, the Florida Department of Health said.

Gas emitted from defective drywall corrodes copper wiring, turning it black, some Florida homeowners say.

The drywall samples gave off a sulfurous odor when heated, and in at least one case, sulfide gases corroded copper coils in an air conditioner of a Florida home containing Chinese drywall, said the department, which commissioned the study.

But more testing is needed to determine whether strontium sulfide was causing the odor and contributing to the corrosion, the department said. And more tests are required to determine whether the drywall poses a threat to human health — a process that probably will take at least several months, state toxicologist Dr. David Krause told reporters Monday.

“It’s very hard to predict when we’ll have the answers [relating to possible health hazards]. … We’re moving as quickly as possible,” Krause said.

Concerns about Chinese-made drywall, which is suspected by some homeowners of ruining appliances and causing health problems, emerged in Florida last year but have transcended state lines, with class-action lawsuits alleging it has caused problems in at least three states: Florida, Louisiana and Alabama. The Florida Department of Health has received about 150 complaints, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says it is investigating the Florida allegations.

Homeowners’ lawsuits against certain manufacturers and suppliers contend the drywall has caused them to suffer health problems such as headaches and sore throats, and left them facing huge repair expenses. The drywall is alleged to emit sulfur-based gases that smell of rotten eggs and corrode piping and wiring, causing electronics and appliances to fail.

The Florida Department of Health said complaints there generally involve homes built between 2004 and 2007, around the time a building boom and post-hurricane reconstruction caused a U.S. drywall shortage and spurred builders to use imports.

Read the rest of the article here. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/24/chinese.drywall/

Smell Does your home smell like rotten eggs or ammonia (sometimes a sweetish smell)? Is it more noticeable when entering your home and then seems to dissipate? The level of odor varies greatly in each home as does each person’s ability to detect the odor. Of course, the strength of the odor also depends on how much drywall was used in the home. Significantly, some homeowners report no smell, but their home clearly has Chinese drywall. In short, do not rely on your nose alone.

Air Conditioner:
Have you had repeated A/C problems? Have you replaced your evaporator coils?

Do they look like this?

When selecting a home professional, using a few guidelines can help protect you from fraudulent contractors. These warning signs indicate a contractor who may be running a scam:

• Does not list a number in the phone book.
• Asks you to get required building permits.
• Only accepts cash.
• Solicits door-to-door.
• Says you will get a discount if you find other customers for that contractor.
• Says your job will be a demonstration.
• Offers exceptionally long guarantees.
• Asks you to pay for the entire job up front.
• Tries to scare you into signing for repairs claiming they are urgent.

Always read and understand every word of a contract before signing. If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification.

By: Tom Silva, This Old House magazine

1. Get recommendations
Start with your friends and family and then check in with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry for a list of members in your area. You can also talk with a building inspector, who’ll know which contractors routinely meet code requirements, says This Old House general contractor Tom Silva, or pay a visit to your local lumberyard, which sees contractors regularly and knows which ones buy quality materials and pay their bills on time.

2. Do phone interviews
Once you’ve assembled a list, Tom recommends that you make a quick call to each of your prospects and ask them the following questions:

•Do they take on projects of your size?
•Are they willing to provide financial references, from suppliers or banks?
•Can they give you a list of previous clients?
•How many other projects would they have going at the same time?
•How long have they worked with their subcontractors?

The answers to these questions will reveal the company’s availability, reliability, how much attention they’ll be able to give your project and how smoothly the work will go.

3. Meet face to face
Based on the phone interviews, pick three or four contractors to meet for estimates and further discussion. A contractor should be able to answer your questions satisfactorily and in a manner that puts you at ease. Tom says that it’s crucial that you two communicate well because this person will be in your home for hours at a time. On the other hand, don’t let personality fool you. Check in with your state’s consumer protection agency and your local Better Business Bureau to make sure contractors don’t have a history of disputes with clients or subcontractors.

4. Investigate the facts
Now that you’ve narrowed your list, put your research to use. Call up former clients to find how their project went and ask to see the finished product. But Tom says you shouldn’t rely on results alone. Even more important, visit a current job site and see for yourself how the contractor works. Is the job site neat and safe? Are workers courteous and careful with the homeowner’s property?

5. Make plans, get bids
You have your short list of contractors whose track records seem clean and whose work ethic looks responsible. Now it’s time to stop looking back at past work and start looking forward to your project. A conscientious contractor will want not only a complete set of blueprints but also a sense of what homeowners want out of a project and what they plan to spend.

6. Set a payment schedule
Payment schedules can also speak to a contractor’s financial status and work ethic. If they want half the bid up front, they may have financial problems or be worried that you won’t pay the rest after you’ve seen the work. For large projects, a schedule usually starts with 10 percent at contract signing, three payments of 25 percent evenly spaced over the duration of the project and a check for the final 15 percent when you feel every item on the punch list has been completed.

7. Don’t let price be your guide
“Throw out the lowball bid,” says Tom. “This contractor is probably cutting corners or, worse, desperate for work” — hardly an encouraging sign in a healthy economy. Beyond technical competence, comfort should play an equal or greater role in your decision. The single most important factor in choosing a contractor is how well you and he communicate. All things being equal, it’s better to spend more and get someone you’re comfortable with.

8. Put it in writing
Draw up a contract that details every step of the project: payment schedule; proof of liability insurance and worker’s compensation payments; a start date and projected completion date; specific materials and products to be used; and a requirement that the contractor obtain lien releases (which protect you if he doesn’t pay his bills) from all subcontractors and suppliers. Insisting on a clear contract isn’t about mistrust, Tom assures us. It’s about insuring a successful renovation.

Finally, remember that as soon as a change is made or a problem uncovered, the price just increased and the project just got longer. The four most expensive words in the English language? “While you’re at it….”