Framing is one of the most exciting stages of your custom home build. It’s the moment your home starts to take shape above ground, as walls, floors, and the roof structure come together. This phase defines your home’s form and layout, setting the stage for everything that follows.
At Parry Custom Homes, our framing process is carried out with precision and care, following your engineered plans exactly to ensure structural integrity and design accuracy.
1. Begin Framing First Floor Deck & Walls (Pour Basement Depending on Lot)
The framing crew starts with the construction of the first-floor deck. This includes installing beams, joists, and subflooring, which creates a stable platform for the rest of the home.
Once the deck is in place, the exterior and interior walls are framed according to your home’s architectural plans. Openings for windows and doors are accounted for precisely to ensure a proper fit during installation.
If your lot includes a basement and the slope or site conditions allow, the basement slab may be poured during this phase. In some cases, it may be completed later in the process.
This is the first moment your home begins to rise above ground, and the layout starts to become real.
2. Frame Second Floor & Walls
If your home design includes a second story, framing continues upward with the installation of floor joists, followed by second-floor walls.
Exterior and interior walls are framed to plan, with temporary bracing added to maintain alignment and ensure safety throughout construction.
This step adds another level of dimension to your home—literally—and begins to define how your living space will come together.
3. Set Roof Trusses
Pre-engineered roof trusses or rafters are installed next. Depending on the size and design of your home, these may be placed using a crane or by hand.
This stage establishes the roof’s overall shape, pitch, and structural framework, laying the groundwork for future roofing, insulation, and ventilation systems. Accuracy is critical here, as even small deviations can impact multiple systems down the line.
4. Install Roof Sheathing
Once the trusses are set, roofing sheathing—usually OSB or plywood—is installed across the roof frame. This creates a solid surface for roofing materials and protects the structure below.
With the sheathing in place, your home reaches a key milestone: it’s now considered “dried in.” This means it’s closed in from the top and ready for weatherproofing to begin.
5. Finish Framing Interior Walls
Next, non-load-bearing interior walls are framed throughout the home, following the architectural layout. This includes walls for bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, hallways, and other spaces. It also includes openings for staircases, soffits, and other specialty design features.
At this point, you’ll be able to walk through the framed structure and experience your home’s flow and room proportions firsthand. Many soon-to-be homeowners find it difficult to visualize a home when they’re looking at a concrete slab, but with walls now in place, the layout becomes tangible and real.
6. Pour Concrete in Basement & Garage (If Not Already Completed)
If the concrete slabs for your basement or garage were not poured earlier, they are completed now. This includes forming, pouring, and finishing the concrete.
Proper slope and curing, much like the earlier concrete phases, are critical, especially in areas like the garage, where drainage and durability matter. These slabs must be fully cured before any mechanical, plumbing, or HVAC systems are installed.
7. Install Windows & Interior Stairs
With the structure framed and roofed, it’s time to fully enclose the home. Windows are installed according to the energy code and manufacturer specifications to ensure a tight, weather-resistant building envelope.
Interior stairs are framed and installed during this phase, allowing safe access to all levels of your home. This step is important for walk-throughs and for trades working on mechanical rough-ins.
At this point, your home is fully framed, enclosed, and ready for the next stage: mechanical systems.
