Additions

A modern remodel takes shape on the California coast -- with light, views, privacy, and budget in mind by Michelle Leise

A bright new kitchen blooms from an inspired mix of light, space, and materials by Rick Proppe

Thanks to interlocking foam forms, you can form, pour, and insulate any small foundation in a single day by Rick Arnold

Grafting the right foundation onto a house that's neither square nor level by Rick Arnold

A thick mortar bed over a vinyl membrane makes a sturdy base for tile, but it pays to test for leaks by Tom Meehan

The bones beneath concrete's muscle, rebar has to be cut, bent and tied properly to do its job by Howard Stein

by Fred Lugano

Assembled with regular building skills, ICFs form airtight, insulating concrete walls that finish with standard materials by Andy Engel

Cementitious backerboard speeds up the job, but start with a subfloor that is firm and flat by Dennis Hourany

They hold up the house, hold back the earth and keep out the water. If they're not level and square, you may end up custom-cutting every rafter. by Rick Arnold, Mike Guertin

Start with a sturdy wood underlayment, and plan the layout to get cut tiles in the back by Dennis Hourany

Fill up a trench with concrete -- what's to know? If a house is going to stand on those little sidewalks, they'd better be straight, level and correctly placed. by Rick Arnold, Mike Guertin

Get evenly spaced courses and consistent mortar joints by using the proper layout, mortar consistency and troweling techniques by John Carroll

Used overseas successfully for decades, this innovative foundation system uses carefully placed insulation and a slab with integral footings instead of conventional deep frost walls by Christopher R. Kendall