Principles of Residential Construction: Essential Skills and Practices

By:

• Learn every phase of homebuilding, from foundations and framing to finishing.
• Build hands-on construction skills with tools, safety training, and practical lab activities.
• Prepare for industry certifications and construction careers with real-world applications.

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Title Overview

Principles of Residential Construction: Essential Skills and Practices and the accompanying Lab Workbook are built to support students as they practice the employability and technical skills required to successfully complete each phase of homebuilding construction. Students will get hands-on from day one as the theory, skills, tool identification, and safety information are introduced alongside hands-on exercises in the shop. Author R. Jack Jones draws from his experience as a college and high school educator to organize this new comprehensive package. Each chapter introduces a new phase of construction and includes 9 lessons to orient students to related careers and industry topics, followed by construction path fundamentals and skills. Additional lessons in each chapter introduce the materials, tools, safety concerns, math skills, drawings and plans, and sustainable practices related to each phase of construction.

The lab workbook (available in print and online) provides short, hands-on lab exercises that allow for meaningful growth toward mastering key skills paired with knowledge questions to test for understanding.

The textbook, featuring a flexible and consistent layout with chapters organized by the phases of construction and lessons organized by topic, allows instructors to teach their course chronologically by construction path (excavation and foundation, framing, drying in, etc.) or thematically by topic (industry and careers, materials, tools, safety, etc.).

The complete package, with alignment to the Home Builders Institute (HBI) Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) Core and Green Core exams offered by the National Association of Home Builders and NOCTI, allows students to earn industry-recognized certification and programs to meet accreditation standards.

Chapter 1: Preparing for Construction

Lesson 1.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 1.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 1.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 1.4 Materials

Lesson 1.5 Tools

Lesson 1.6 Safety

Lesson 1.7 Math

Lesson 1.8 Drawings

Lesson 1.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 2: Excavation and Foundations

Lesson 2.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 2.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 2.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 2.4 Materials

Lesson 2.5 Tools

Lesson 2.6 Safety

Lesson 2.7 Math

Lesson 2.8 Drawings

Lesson 2.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 3: Framing Systems

Lesson 3.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 3.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 3.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 3.4 Materials

Lesson 3.5 Tools

Lesson 3.6 Safety

Lesson 3.7 Math

Lesson 3.8 Drawings

Lesson 3.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 4: Drying In

Lesson 4.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 4.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 4.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 4.4 Materials

Lesson 4.5 Tools

Lesson 4.6 Safety

Lesson 4.7 Math

Lesson 4.8 Drawings

Lesson 4.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 5: Exterior Finishes

Lesson 5.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 5.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 5.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 5.4 Materials

Lesson 5.5 Tools

Lesson 5.6 Safety

Lesson 5.7 Math

Lesson 5.8 Drawings

Lesson 5.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 6: MEP Systems Rough-In

Lesson 6.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 6.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 6.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 6.4 Materials

Lesson 6.5 Tools

Lesson 6.6 Safety

Lesson 6.7 Math

Lesson 6.8 Drawings

Lesson 6.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 7: Interior Insulation and Surfaces

Lesson 7.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 7.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 7.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 7.4 Materials

Lesson 7.5 Tools

Lesson 7.6 Safety

Lesson 7.7 Math

Lesson 7.8 Drawings

Lesson 7.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 8: Interior Finishes

Lesson 8.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 8.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 8.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 8.4 Materials

Lesson 8.5 Tools

Lesson 8.6 Safety

Lesson 8.7 Math

Lesson 8.8 Drawings

Lesson 8.9 Green Building and the Future

Chapter 9: Finish MEP Systems and Punchlist

Lesson 9.1 Industry and Careers

Lesson 9.2 Fundamentals

Lesson 9.3 The Construction Path

Lesson 9.4 Materials

Lesson 9.5 Tools

Lesson 9.6 Safety

Lesson 9.7 Math

Lesson 9.8 Drawings

Lesson 9.9 Green Building and the Future

Instructor Resources

Hit the ground running with G-W's Online Instructor Resources that save you time and make it easier to prepare for class, reinforce new concepts, and assess learning. Created by educators for educators, these complete teaching packages are ready to go and will instantly make a difference in your class. Best of all—Instructor Resources are free with qualified purchases!

Lesson Plans and Activities
Experienced teachers have developed detailed lesson plans and creative activities to accompany the textbooks. There's no need to spend days recreating your courses—they have done it for you!
PowerPoint Presentations
Editable slides for each chapter engage a variety of learning styles, improve student focus, encourage discussion, and provide visual impact.
Workbooks
Creative workbook activities inspire students to review and apply concepts.
Interactive Content
Additional interactive content including flash cards, animations, and interactive activities enhance the learning experience.
Assessments
The new cloud-based G-W Assessment platform allows you to create, customize, assign, and print prebuilt questions and tests. No more downloads, uploads, or imports needed! Integrate it with your LMS for autograded assignments, advanced reporting, and scores that flow into your gradebook.

Standards and Correlations

Florida

Home Builder's Institute

NOCTI Correlations

About the Author

R. Jack Jones

is an Associate Professor of Building Construction Technology and Residential Construction Technology and Management at Pennsylvania College of Technology, a Penn State Affiliate. As an educator, he enjoys watching students' skills, understanding, and passion for a trade develop during their time in his program. As a professional, he has over 25 years of experience working in the construction industry as a carpenter, general contractor, and educator. He has been a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and has experience in both commercial and residential construction. Mr. Jones earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration through Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and serves as an Outreach Trainer for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He is an honorary member of The National Society of Leadership and Success, where he received the Excellence in Teaching Award. Additionally, Mr. Jones is a member of the Rochester Builder's Exchange, and has been designated as a Certified Installer by the Vinyl Siding Institute.

Course Content

What Educators Are Saying

Quote The layout of each chapter is a huge benefit allowing lesson plans of math and technique to be explained alongside of the theory. It makes sense and flows well.

Cameron Wambsganss, Erie 1 BOCES: Potter Career and Technical Center

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