Framing a house perfectly on day one is only half the battle. Once a custom home sits out in the weather, absorbs moisture from the rain, and bakes in the summer sunshine, the wood is going to move. In this video, we tackle a crucial step that 99% of framing crews skip: tuning the house and checking our work before the drywall and finish carpenters arrive.

We take our 6-foot Stabila R-beam level through the entire job site to check doorways for plumb and eliminate cross-leg issues before the door jambs are set. You’ll see exactly how we inspect cabinet walls and tile backer areas for flatness, identify bowed studs or wonky lumber, and fix framing mistakes using a Martinez hammer, a circular saw, and residual material shims.

Whether you are a custom home builder, a professional framing contractor, or a homeowner managing a new construction build, this quality control process is what separates a standard build from high-performance building science. Taking the time to pick straight material—like PWT LVL studs for balloon-framed walls—and fixing the "good, the bad, and the ugly" now saves thousands of dollars in finish carpentry labor and prevents wavy drywall down the road.

If your framing crew isn't walking the job with a level to fix these outliers before insulation, it might be time to fire your framer.

Timestamps

• 0:00 - Why You Should Fire Your Framer (Intro & Banter)
• 0:15 - Wood Moves: The Importance of Post-Weather "Tuning"
• 1:13 - How to Check Doorways for Plumb & Cross-Leg
• 2:23 - Inspecting Kitchen Cabinet Walls (LVL Studs vs. Dimensional Lumber)
• 3:25 - Fixing an Out-of-Line Block & Minor Lumber Variations
• 3:50 - Checking Two-Story Shear Walls for Flatness
• 10:00 - Pulling Nails and Readjusting Wonky Door Framing
• 11:22 - Moving an Out-of-Plumb Stud with the Martinez Hammer
• 12:30 - Prepping Shower and Tile Backer Walls (16 vs. 24 on Center)
• 16:13 - Countertops
• 17:00 - Fixing Bypass Closet Doors to Prevent Track Shimming
• 17:52 - Handling Rough Openings and Framing Adjustments (OSB Shims)

📱 Connect With Me

Instagram: @awesomeframers

TikTok: @awesomeframers

YouTube: Pioneer Builders Inc

Website/Blog:
https://awesomeframers.com/

Company: Pioneer Builders