Kitchen Hood Venting Requirements
In faulty construction practices when building or remodeling a kitchen, unskilled or unqualified contractors can vent the kitchen hood improperly, which could potentially create a [...]
ADA Compliance and Building Codes
In September 2010, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) published the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all [...]
Pool, Spa or Hot Tub Permit Requirements
Did you know that if you wanted to add a swimming pool to your residential property that there are permits, documents and fees required? Fairfax [...]
Beware the Dangers of ZIP System Exterior Sheathing
As construction experts, we notice when new home construction is going up in our region of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. And one thing we’ve [...]
Understanding Contractor Payments
There is a lot to understand when working with a contractor, not the least of which are the contractor payment requirements that come along with [...]
What is an Overdrilled Beam or Stud?
Overdrilled Beam When Först Consulting Group is performing a detailed inspection, one of the things we can cite as a code violation is [...]
Common Issues With Metal Roofs
Although shingled roofs are most common, there are still a number of people who prefer a metal. A metal roof is beautiful, durable and requires [...]
Do I Need to Worry About Insulation in Summer?
Although most people think about insulating their homes against winter’s cold, summer is also a time when insulation plays an important role. Insulation was designed [...]
Is Your Home Builder Taking Shortcuts?
When you build a new home, you trust the contractor you hired. After all, you vetted them by checking their references, looking up their service [...]
Feeling a Draft? You Need an Energy Efficiency Audit.
With summer’s hot months ahead, it is surely pleasant to have a good, energy efficient, air conditioning unit. But what good is spending all that [...]