Before the drywall arrives: soundproofing, radon stubs and blocking a crew should not skip

Mineral wool in a standard wall is a start, but the studs still carry sound from one side to the other. In ROCKWOOL's published assembly data, a single row of 2x4 studs at 16 inches with 3.5 inches of mineral wool and 5/8-inch drywall on both sides rates STC 36. Staggered studs at 24 inches with 5 inches of insulation reach STC 50. Two separate rows of studs with a 1-inch air gap reach STC 60. The company also warns that outlets, doors and other openings let sound bypass an otherwise good wall.

Where the local code includes the radon appendix of the International Residential Code, the passive pipe has to be complete before the ceilings close. Lakewood, Colorado, which adopted 2021 IRC Appendix F in 2023, sums up the basics in a builder handout: a 3- or 4-inch solid pipe from below the slab through the roof, a "Radon Reduction System" label on every exposed section including the attic, access to the pipe in the attic for a future fan, and a junction box on a dedicated circuit up in the attic or out on the roof. The city checks that circuit at rough electrical inspection and the labels at final. Homes get a radon test once construction wraps up, and a fan goes on if the passive pipe does not bring radon down far enough.

Check every door and window jamb for bowing before drywall returns lock it in. DuPont sells its Great Stuff Pro Window & Door foam as a minimal-expanding, low-pressure sealant and says it will not push frames out of shape when installed correctly, with its pressure build rated under the AAMA 812 standard. If a jamb has moved, cut the foam out and reshim now. Missing blocking for cabinets, grab bars, shelving or ceiling board edges goes in on the same walk.