Text 3. Preparing a wood-frame house construction

Wood-frame house construction continues to predominate in many countries. ___1___ In fact, a wood-frame house repre­sents an environmentally responsible choice. Wood is a renewable resource which, if properly managed and utilized, can enhance our quality of life, sustain our natural environment, and contribute to the economy.

Due to a wide variety of homes in terms of style and size, and the differ­ences in building techniques, ___ 2___ Many factors apply, such as whether a single house or a whole subdivision is being built, as well as other factors such as weather, site conditions and the avail­ability of labour and materials.

___3___ It is assumed that a typical two- or three-bedroom house is being built by an average builder employing sub-trades. The steady decline in construc­tion time is due largely to the introduction of sheet and panel goods, such as drywall and plywood, factory-built components such as roof trusses, windows and cabinets, and plastic piping for sani­tary plumbing. Specialized power tools and equipment also helped reduce manual labour. ___4___ If it is a very large or highly detailed building, 20 or more weeks may be needed. On the other hand, completing a small, simple dwelling may only require eight to ten weeks.

There are a number of stages in constructing a house which must be properly planned, co-ordinated and executed by the builder. ___5___ The amount of time needed to develop a complete set of plans, estimate the cost of the dwelling, arrange for financing and obtain a building permit and all other required approvals, will vary consid­erably. Providing access to the building site and arrang­ing for temporary power may also take place during this stage.

It is important for do-it-yourself and less experienced builders to obtain advice on local conditions and practices. ___6___.

Sentences to be inserted

a) The first stage is also referred to as the pre-construction stage.

d) it is difficult to say exactly what is a typical house construction process.

c) The description of the typical house construction process is based on the wood-frame house construction techniques.

d) In fact, a wood-frame house repre­sents an environmentally responsible choice.

e) It is also important to add in several weeks time to allow for unavoidable delays.

f) Thus, normally, about 16 weeks is required from start to finish.

Read text 4 divided into parts. Find answers to the questions which come before each of the coming passages.