Site Work and Foundations

Hold back the earth with blocks, concrete, timbers, or stone. Here's how different systems stack up. by Eric Nelson

by Michael Mitrano

Stacked on a stable base, interlocking concrete blocks offer a mortarless solution to common landscaping problems by Andy Beasley

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

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

If you assume the foundation is accurate, you may end up custom cutting each rafter and fussing with every miter in your trim by Rick Arnold, Mike Guertin

by George Nash

Three basic shoring techniques for making structural repairs by W. Whitie Gray

Save your mortar for pointing, bed your stones in concrete, and remember there's no substitute for gravity by Stephen Kennedy

Precision-ground concrete blocks make it easy to build a wall by Rob Thallon

by Tom Bender