Guides & comparisons
The decisions that come before the measuring: how thick, which material, what spacing. Each one ends at the calculator that does the arithmetic.
Guides
- How Thick Should a Concrete Slab Be?Four inches for foot traffic, five to six where vehicles park. What each inch costs, and why the base under the slab matters more than the last inch of concrete.
- What Does a Deck Cost Per Square Foot?Why the per-square-foot number ranges so widely, which half of the budget actually moves, and what changes when the deck gets taller rather than wider.
- Fence Post Spacing: How Far Apart, and How DeepEight feet for wood, six for vinyl, and why corners cost more than runs. Post depth by frost line, plus the counting mistake that leaves you a post short.
- How Far Can a Floor Joist Span?Rough spans for 2x6 through 2x12, what changes them — species, grade, spacing, load — and why the span table is the only answer that counts.
- How Many Tons of Gravel Do I Need?Cubic yards to tons, the compaction allowance that catches people out, and the depths that actually work for a driveway, a base course and a drain.
- How Much Concrete Do I Need?Volume in cubic yards, the waste allowance nobody adds, and the point where bags stop making sense and a truck starts. With the arithmetic shown.
- What Is a Roofing Square, and How Many Do I Need?A square is 100 square feet of roof — not of house. The pitch multiplier, three bundles per square, and why a 2,000 sq ft home has far more than 20 squares.
- How Much Extra Tile to BuyTen percent for a straight layout, fifteen for diagonal, twenty for herringbone or a patterned tile — and why you round up twice, not once.
Comparisons
- Carpet vs Luxury Vinyl PlankWhat each costs installed, how long each lasts, and the room-by-room answer — including the one where carpet still wins outright.
- Composite vs Pressure-Treated DeckingUp-front cost against twenty years of upkeep, plus the practical differences — heat, span, scratching and fasteners — that decide it on a real deck.
- Paver Patio vs Concrete PatioConcrete is cheaper to install and cracks; pavers cost more, never crack as a unit, and can be lifted and reset. What each costs and what each asks of you.
- Roof Trusses vs RaftersEngineered trusses are faster and cheaper on most roofs; stick framing wins where the attic has to be usable or the plan is complicated. What decides it.
- Concrete Slab vs Pier FoundationA slab is more concrete and a finished floor; piers are less concrete, faster on a slope, and leave the services accessible. Which suits which build.
- Vinyl vs Wood FenceTwice the price for no maintenance, or half the price and a stain every few years. What each one does over twenty years, and which repairs are possible.