This is a quick rant. So many times we see dimensions on a house plan that read a wall height of something like 9'3.5" or 12'4", etc. I think this represents one of the largest disconnects between home designers (architects included) and the "real" world. The "real" world deals with manufactured dimensions - a stud length of 104 5/8" or a sheet of OSB 48"x108", etc. When a home designer or architect designs a structure and does not take into consideration the dimensions of standard available product - guess what - you're going to buy something that will almost certainly be thrown into the dump - the "throwing money away" part. And waste on the jobsite, by just about any definition, is not "green".

Encourage your home designer or architect to familiarize themselves with the standard dimension of manufactured products. Cutting materials on the jobsite (or in our factory) wastes both time and money - money that you will pay and receive no benefit for. Is a 9ft clear height ceiling THAT important? Really? Because you've got to build a wall higher than 9ft (and therefore cut 10ft or longer sheet materials) to allow for the hanging of floor systems, or sheet rock, etc. And I can almost guarantee you it could add thousands of dollars to the cost of your home (total cost of materials tossed away plus the labor to cut it to size and take the scrap to the dump - or figure out how to use the scrap on-site).

Hey, Keep It Simple. Please.