Foundations & Structure
Wood & Metal Framing
Wood and light-gauge steel framing, engineered roof trusses and wind connectors built to the drawings and checked before walls are closed.
Overview
Framing turns a foundation into rooms. Walls, floors, roof trusses, sheathing and the metal connectors that tie them together define the shape of the building and carry its loads – including the uplift forces a roof sees in a storm. Framing accuracy also sets up every trade that follows: cabinets, tile, drywall and doors all depend on straight walls and square openings.
We plan and supervise framing carried out by specialist framing trade partners, building to the structural drawings and the engineered truss package. We check stud spacing, headers, sheathing fastening and connector installation against the drawings before the framing inspection, because once insulation and drywall go in, those details are no longer visible.
Who it’s for
- New homes with wood-framed upper floors or full wood-frame construction
- Additions framed in wood on a new foundation or over an existing structure
- Commercial interiors and tenant spaces using steel stud partitions and ceilings
- Block homes needing roof trusses, gable walls or interior partitions
- Renovations that reconfigure interior walls, ceilings or rooflines
What’s included
Typically included
- Review of structural drawings and the engineered truss package before framing starts
- Sill plates on concrete using treated lumber and anchors per the drawings
- Wall framing with headers, king and jack studs, and blocking for cabinets, grab bars and fixtures
- Floor systems using dimensional lumber or engineered joists where specified
- Roof truss setting with bracing and connectors to the tie beam or top plates per the truss layout
- Wall and roof sheathing fastened to the specified nailing pattern
- Light-gauge steel stud framing for partitions, soffits and ceilings in commercial work
- Installation of straps, hold-downs and hurricane connectors along the load path
- Pre-inspection walkthrough and coordination of the framing inspection with the building department
Common exclusions
- Structural and truss engineering, provided by licensed engineers and the truss manufacturer
- Structural steel beams and columns, which are fabricated and erected as structural steel
- Roofing materials above the sheathing, installed by a licensed roofing contractor
- Insulation and drywall, which follow framing as separate scopes
- Correcting hidden rot or termite damage found in existing framing, priced once the extent is known
Every proposal lists its own inclusions and exclusions in writing.
Materials, design options & upgrades
How pricing works
Framing is normally priced by the square foot of framed floor area, with roof framing, sheathing and connectors counted from the drawings. An estimate is built from the floor plans, elevations, structural sheets and the truss package, which together give lumber, truss, sheathing and hardware quantities.
Roof complexity and ceiling heights move framing cost more than floor area alone. When framing is part of a new home, addition or renovation, it is priced within that project’s budget.
What changes the cost
- Roof complexity – hips, valleys, vaulted ceilings and multiple planes
- Wall heights and the number of stories
- Wood versus light-gauge steel, and any engineered lumber
- Wind-load requirements and the connector and sheathing schedule they drive
- Interior detail such as soffits, coffered ceilings, niches and blocking
- Lumber and truss pricing at the time of order
- Working over or around an occupied or existing structure
If this work is part of a larger project, it’s priced within that project’s budget — please don’t add separate estimates together. Read the pricing guide.
Typical stages
Drawing review and truss order
We review the structural drawings and coordinate the engineered truss package so trusses are ordered in time.
Plates and walls
Sill plates are anchored and walls are framed, plumbed and braced, with openings sized to the window and door schedules.
Floors and trusses
Floor systems are installed and roof trusses are set, braced and connected per the layout.
Sheathing and connectors
Wall and roof sheathing go on to the nailing schedule, and straps and hold-downs are completed.
Check and correct
We walk the framing against the drawings and resolve items before the inspection.
Framing inspection
The building department inspects framing, typically after rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC are in, before insulation.
What affects the schedule
- Truss manufacturing and delivery lead time affects when roof framing can begin
- Roof sheathing should be dried-in quickly during the wet season to protect the framing
- The framing inspection usually waits on mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-ins
- Lumber availability and price changes can affect ordering
Questions & answers
How is framing protected from termites and moisture in Florida?
Treated lumber is used where wood contacts concrete or masonry, soil is typically treated before the slab, and the building is dried-in promptly. Borate-treated framing is an option. Keeping wood dry after it is enclosed matters as much as treatment.
What are hurricane straps and who decides where they go?
They are metal connectors that tie roof trusses to walls and walls to the foundation so wind uplift has a continuous path to the ground. Their type and spacing come from the engineer’s drawings and the truss layout, and the framing inspection checks them.
Wood or steel studs for a commercial space?
Many commercial interiors use steel studs because the building type or code requires non-combustible construction, and steel stays straight. Your design professional and code requirements typically set the choice.
Start here
Planning wood & metal framing?
A short form — three steps, a few minutes. Share plans or photos if you have them. We’ll review it and follow up using the contact details you provide.