Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or don't know which end of the hammer to hold, you may be one of the many homeowners who do not fully understand how their houses are put together. Here is a simple explanation of house construction and terminology from the ground up:

1 Foundation: The first step in building a house is to construct a foundation. Foundations begin with footings, which are the part of the foundation that is below ground. In Georgia, footings can be brick in some older houses (pre-1940) or poured concrete in some older and all newer houses. Footings must be installed on stable soil. A house is only as strong as the ground it sits on. A foundation is installed on top of the footings. Older foundations can be brick piers or solid brick walls. Newer foundations are usually poured concrete or concrete block walls.

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2 The frame: The great majority of homes in the southern United States are wood-frame structures. There are two primary techniques for wood framing. In older homes "balloon" framing was used. In most homes constructed after the 1920s, "western platform" framing was used.

• With both framing methods, the frame of the house consists of the floor frame (joists), the wall frame (studs), the ceiling frame (ceiling joists) and the roof frame (rafters). Also a part of the frame is the material installed directly on top of the floor joists, called floor sheathing; the material attached directly to the exterior side of the wall studs, called wall sheathing; and the material installed on top of the roof rafters, called roof sheathing.

• In western platform framing, the floor framing system is installed on top of the foundation walls. The wall studs are then installed on top of the floor framing, and the ceiling joists and rafters are then installed on top of the wall frame.

• Balloon framing differs from western platform framing in that the wall studs are installed on top of the foundation and extend all the way up to the roof. In this system, the floor frame is attached to the wall studs. Because they must extend from the foundation to the roof, balloon framing requires extremely long studs. It was the unavailability of long lumber that gave rise to western platform framing.

3 Roofing: After the frame is in place, the next step typically is to install the roofing. Most roofing in our region of the country is asphalt composition shingles; however, there are also metal, tile, wood and slate roofs.

4 Exterior surfaces/siding: The next step is to install the siding. Several different sidings are typically used in our area. These are brick, fiber cement (HardiPlank), wood, wood composition and stucco. The purpose of the siding is to protect your house from the elements.

5 Mechanicals: At some point after the framing is complete, the plumber, electrician and heating/cooling contractors do their "rough" installations. Generally speaking, the rough installations are the parts of the mechanical systems that are hidden behind the finished surfaces.

6 Interior finishes: After the house has been "weathered-in," the finishes can be installed on the interior side of the wall studs. In older homes plaster was typically used. From approximately the 1960s to the present, drywall has been the most common interior wall finish. Wood or wood composition paneling is also often used. After the interior wall finish, interior trim, cabinets and countertops are installed.

7 Mechanical finishes: Once the interior surfaces are complete, the final mechanical installations can take place. These include plumbing fixtures, furnaces and air conditioners, and electrical fixtures, switches, receptacles and cover plates.

Send home repair questions to Ask the Inspector at H&G@ajc.com. Because of the volume of mail, not all questions can be answered. Our expert, Bill Garwood, spent 15 years as a building contractor before becoming a home inspector in 1990. He is part owner of a residential inspection firm and a company providing training in building inspection and codes.