Demolition and framing

What happens

This is the visible phase. The demo crew opens up the existing roof and any first-floor walls being modified. The framing crew builds the new second-story walls, roof, and any first-floor structural changes. Exterior sheathing goes on, weather-resistive barrier (WRB) goes over it, roof underlayment goes on the new roof. The house is now "dried in" — sealed against weather, ready for MEP rough.

Sequence

1. Roof tear-off — old roofing, sheathing, framing as needed.
2. First-floor structural mods — new beams, posts, headers per the structural drawings.
3. Second-floor framing — joists, subfloor, exterior walls, interior walls.
4. Roof framing — rafters or trusses, ridge beam, sheathing.
5. Exterior sheathing + WRB — house wrap or equivalent.
6. Roof underlayment — synthetic felt or self-adhered membrane at edges and valleys.
7. Window and door rough-in — new units installed in framed openings.

Inspections

PP&D framing inspection happens after framing is complete and before any insulation or drywall:

• Framing inspection — verify member sizes, spacing, connections, hold-downs, shear wall edge nailing.
• WRB inspection — verify continuous water barrier, lap directions, flashing details.
• Roof underlayment inspection (sometimes combined with framing).

The structural engineer typically does a site visit at framing completion to confirm the work matches the stamped drawings. Their letter goes in the project file.

Weather

Portland's wet season (October–May) makes "dried in" matter. The GC plans the framing schedule so the roof is on and underlayment is complete before the first soaking rain. Houses left framed-but-not-dried-in over a Pacific NW winter develop sheathing damage and mold problems that cost more to fix than the schedule would have.

What can change scope here

Demo phase commonly surfaces:

• Rotted sills or rim joists. Replace and continue. Eats some hidden-condition allowance.
• Knob-and-tube remediation more extensive than expected. Common on pre-1950 houses.
• Balloon framing complications that require a structural engineering supplement.
• Existing-condition discrepancies vs. the as-built drawings — usually small, occasionally requires a permit revision.

Most of these are routine. The hidden-condition allowance line in the contract is what makes them administrative rather than confrontational.

When this is done

When the house is dried in, framing is inspected, and the structural engineer has signed off. MEP rough can start.