Construction Math

Jordan Smith is the CEO and Founder of Smith House Company, a design+build firm  based in Austin, Texas. He learned to build and weld while working on the farm with his grandad, and after earning a degree in Welding and Materials Engineering, he spent the next 10 years working in the heavy construction building everything from robots to ships to offshore oil rigs before transitioning to residential construction. After spending a couple of years working with industry leading builders in Austin, Jordan and his wife Veronica struck out on their own to form Smith House Co

Learn essential construction math skills, including measuring, conversions, and geometry to be more efficient.

Class Overview – This class will give you the foundation to make any job more efficient and profitable.

Measurement Review – Nearly all of construction math starts and ends with the measuring tape.  Learn how to master yours.

Increments & Fractions Review – Jordan outlines the key increments used in measuring and identifies the most commons fractions to memorize to make the day-to-day math in construction easier.

Subtracting Fractional Measurements – A confident foundation in fraction subtraction will help you deliever measurements on the job and do things like rip plywood more efficiently.

Dividing and Multiplying Fractional Measurements – Dividing and multiplying fractions are two sides of the same coin.  Jordan teaches you tricks for doubling, halving, and quartering measurements in your head.

Equal Spacing:  Shiplap – Using division, learn how to evenly lay out a fractional number of pieces of shiplap across the wall of a room.

Equal Spacing: Deck & Stair Railing – Learn to make sure the balusters on a cable deck railing and set of stairs will both be up to code and look great.

Equal Spacing: Deck Balusters – Jordan teaches you an insider trick for evenly spacing out deck balusters every single time.

Calculating Areas of Floor Plans – Review the formulas for area for basic geometric shapes, and apply those formulas to the areas of floor plans and other drawings for construction.

Calculating Volumes of Interiors – Jordan shares how to calculate volumes for common construction problems, from HVAC estimates to pouring concrete.

Angles & Triangles: Foundation Layout – Learn to take the time-consuming guesswork out of foundation layout and square your corners every time.

Basic Trig: Cuttinga Staircase Handrail – A single trigonometry function can go a long way in making accurate angled cuts before even showing up on the job site.  Learn how.