Brandon Colella is a resident of Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and is a third-generation home builder with over 25 years of experience. The president of Clayton Construction Inc., Brandon Colella has completed numerous residential construction projects during his career. Every residential project has six distinct stages.
The first step in any residential construction is planning the construction and securing any permits required. The building plans must be produced with an architect or designer, and finished plans must be sealed by a licensed engineer. Depending on the site of construction, the next phase will consist of clearing the land and doing any masonry work, such as laying a foundation.
When the foundation is settled, the carpenters can then get started on framing the building. This includes all interior framing and roof trusses. The next stage will consist of the exterior framing, when tradespeople such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC specialists, and others come in to do their work.
Once the plumbing and electrical are completed, the rest of the building can be put together. This includes insulation, drywall, and flooring. The last stage of the project consists of completing landscaping and any other work that is scheduled for outside of the building.
