The Structural Frame
The main 'skeleton' of the home is called the structural frame. The materials for the structural frame can either be steel, reinforced concrete or timber. The framing is divided into various parts listed below.

Foundation - compared to the human body, the foundation of a house would be equivalent to the foot of a human being. The foundation provides support and carries the entire frame of your home. It transmits the forces induced by the weight of the house and all other loads into the ground. These loads would include earthquake, wind, the weight of the house and the occupants themselves. So naturally, if the foundation of a house fails, the entire house would either settle or tilt which would mean that you could no longer live in your house. There are many types of foundation and the use of each type would mainly depend on the type of structure and the condition of the ground. For the usual 2 or 3 level home, a shallow foundation consisting of an isolated spread footing is commonly used. It is about 1.2 x 1.2 meters in size and is embedded at a depth of about 1.2 meters beneath the ground. The type of foundation system would depend on the type of soil that is dependent on the location of your property.

The foundation provides support and carries the entire frame of your home.

Columns - this is like the spinal column and without this, the house cannot stand by itself. In Tagalog, this is the 'poste'. The column can either be cast in place (constructed on site) or prefabricated and assembled on site for modularized housing units. Some columns are exposed and some are flushed into the walls. For flushed columns, you may never notice these along the walls of your house. The material for the column can either be steel, reinforced concrete or wood.

Floor Slab - the flooring in the house is called the slab. If you are on the first floor, it is called a slab on fill. The term 'fill' is simply the existing ground level or the backfill soil. For the second floor slab, it is called a suspended slab. The second floor slab can either be made of wood, concrete or even steel. Concrete is more popular these days and is called 'buhos' in Tagalog.

Beams - or as in 'biga', these interconnect the columns and carry the slabs. These beams also support the suspended slabs. For difficult soil conditions (soft soils) a tie beam is used. The tie beam interconnects the isolated footings in order to make the foundation system as rigid as possible. Again, these beams can either be made of steel, reinforced concrete or wood.

Wall partitions - wall partitions can either be made of concrete hollow blocks, styropor panels with mesh sprayed with high-pressure concrete mix, weatherproof panels on frames or pre-cast panels. These partitions protect us from the heat of the sun and the cold of the night. These panels are called exterior panels if they are exposed to the exterior environment. Interior panels serve as separators between the rooms and other living spaces inside the house.

Roof framing - the roof framing consists of the truss and purlins. These can either be of wood or steel the latter being more popular these days because of its longer life span. The roof framing supports the roof of the house, which can either be made of galvanized iron sheets (G.I.), clay or asphalt shingles.

The roof framing, usually made of steel, supports the roof of the house.

Roof - the roof provides the house with protection against the weather. It usually includes a layer of insulation installed below it to prevent rays of the sun from heating up the interior, which may have inconvenient or even damaging effects.

During the design phase of your home, the structural engineer (who is of course a civil engineer) analyzes the various loads in which your home is subjected to - the loads induced by the occupants, furniture, weight of the structure, wind loads, and earthquake loads.

Aside from the structural frame, many other parts compose a complete and livable home.

Staircases
The stairs provide access between the levels of the house. It also acts as the centerpiece of some homes as it can be beautiful and decorative. It is usually made of a concrete base, wooden planks and steel railings.

Doors
The doors provide people and objects means of entering or exiting the house. These usually have shutters made of wood, pvc, or steel, and glass, which opens and closes in a variety of ways.

Windows
Windows give the occupants a good view of the outside. They also let sunlight in the house and often, permit air to go in and out when extra ventilation is needed. They also have shutters usually made of steel and glass and grills for security and decorative purposes.

Electrical wirings are the arteries and veins, while the pipes for plumbing and drainage act as the digestive and excretory systems of the house.

Electrical Wirings
Compared to the human body, electrical wirings are the arteries of the house. They deliver electricity necessary to activate most of the appliances and lighting in the house. The electrical engineer designs the copper wires to run throughout the house where it is needed. They place these wires in conduits usually made of PVC embedded in the concrete or hidden above the ceilings.

Plumbing
Like us, houses need a means of getting water in and around the house. Plumbing, including the hot water line, delivers the water for use in various activities in the house - cooking, laundering, bathing, cleaning, etc. PVC and iron pipes of various sizes are commonly used to go around the specified spots in the house. Most of the water lines are installed underground and some are embedded in the concrete frame of the house.

Drainage
Used water and waste from the house also need a way to get out of your house. PVC and iron pipes are usually set through concrete around the house to dispose of its contents to drainage areas. Septic tanks are set underground for storage of wastes from the bathroom. Drainage also includes the gutters and downspouts, which guide the flow of water from the roof down to the catch basins on or below the ground.

Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Our bodies perspire when we feel hot to reduce the temperature and we need to drink or find other means of cooling down. Similarly, a house can be too hot, or too cold, and in many cases, can be uncomfortable to the occupants. That is why houses have a system for making the house more comfortable to live in.

Ventilation and air conditioning are provided for more comfort.

Ventilation and air conditioning freshen up the air and regulate the temperature inside the house to the occupants' preference. Vents are placed in strategic spots in the house to let air in and out of the house. Air conditioning units are commonly installed in houses here in the Philippines and in other tropical and hot areas. In cold countries, heaters and fireplaces are commonly installed to warm up the interior of the house.

Fence and Gate
Fence and gates are often installed around the perimeter of a lot to define the boundaries of the property. It is also used for security and some decorative purposes, and for some, to give privacy to the occupants inside. Wood, reinforced concrete, steel, or even plants, are used as fence around the lot, while decorative steel are usually hinged to concrete columns to serve as gates.

Finishing and Furnishing
People often wear make up to look good. Houses too, are given finishing and furnishings to make the place beautiful and to suit the character of the owner. Many different types and combination of finishes can be applied to a house to give it its own personality. These finishes range from flooring to wall finishes to ceilings. Other more useful parts such as the cabinets, fixtures and cabinets also add some decorations for the house.Once everything has been put in their respective places, the house is ready to be occupied.