Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from 2009

Metal Fabrication

The exact origin and time of when man began working with metal is unknown, but there is no question that this monumental discovery has constantly held an extremely important place in human society. Rudimentary metalworking emerged during the earliest civilizations with the discovery of seven primary metals: gold, silver, mercury, copper, lead, tin and iron. These metals were used for decorative pieces such as jewelry and religious relics, as well as for more functional uses such as tools, currency and weapons. Using heat and tools, early metalworkers began crafting many of the objects that we could not imagine living without today. Over time, metal work became increasingly advanced and gained value in society. Today metals and metal alloys (the combination of two or more metals) are fabricated for use in virtually every commercial industry. Metal fabrication has played pivotal roles in the advancements of technology, transportation, agriculture and construction. In general terms, metal

Construction Safety Management Plan

Construction Safety Management Plans (CSMP) must be specific to the organization and to the project, in other words you cannot have a generic CSMP; they will not be accepted by OSHA inspectors when they visit and audit your worksite. Experience has shown that the best written CSMP are those prepared with consultation of key players of the delivery team ie coalface staff and first line management (work supervisors, team leaders and employees). Employees take ownership of the CSMP written in consultation with them and embrace them much more at the time of implementation. Furthermore, the CSMP must reflect your organization and current work practices and not someone else work methods. What I mean is that when you write up your Construction Safety Management Plans, it must be written around your current work practices and the way you run your business. For example, for excavation works each organization may have its own way of doing the activity and some may use different type of equipment

Concrete Coatings

The presence of pinholes in concrete flooring is often an indication of an industrial floor coatings failure. When the concrete surface is applied with a film of coatings, air is trapped between the surface and the coating. A chemical reaction to warm temperature causes trapped air to rise to the surface and force its way out, creating crater-like surface indentations or pinholes. Furthermore, when liquid industrial floor coatings settle into the concrete's minute nooks and vents, air is displaced from these nooks and travel to nearby areas. When the displaced air has gathered enough force, it will eventually cause a mini-eruption to form pinholes. The causes of pinhole formation should be identified, with the corresponding solution promptly undertaken, to address the problems caused by this unsightly blister-like signs of industrial floor coatings failure. Working with Heat or Warm Temperature One major cause of pinhole occurrence is warm temperature. When the concrete surface is

Construction Cost Estimating Software

A construction business, by definition, exists to be profitable. You must ascertain if a job or project will be profitable before it even begins. Fastest way to determine profitability? Easy - produce a careful cost estimate. For a small or medium builder, the procedure without Cost Estimating Software is mostly simple for small jobs. The builder will meet with the client and generate an approximate range estimate on the spot. A broader project will entail a blueprint review and formal proposal, as well as a elaborate budget quote. Smaller projects don't take more than a notepad and clipboard. Larger jobs need much more time-consuming brainwork. Materials and labor costs need to be reckoned correctly. Contingencies must be factored in. The most accurate estimate will have the most thorough work and will show profitability clearly. Cost Estimate Software On little projects, many smaller contractors will simply apply an industry average. Numbers such as general cost per square foot o

Advantages of Steel Building Construction

You can't help but notice that all over the country there is an increasing trend towards the construction of steel buildings for commercial use. These buildings have mostly pre-engineered components of structures which need to be installed at the construction site. This is a fast and economical way of putting up a number of structures in quickest time. Pre-engineered metal buildings are much suitable for completing housing facilities for large engineering projects or industrial complexes. From cost point of view, these buildings work out cheaper. Normally such projects are time bound, which demand moving men and materials within calculated number of days to commence work. Executors of projects do not have sufficient time to construct conventional brick and mortar structures. People moved from other places require being properly sheltered in least number of days to commence main project activities. With a pre-engineered building, only ready to install metal roll up door is practical

discuss Green With Steel Buildings

It can be difficult to understand the need to "go green" for the larger scale of environmental preservation. But there is one aspect of going green that should immediately grab your attention: the cost savings. The financial benefits that come with energy conservation are hard to ignore. Energy consumption is the largest and most controllable operating cost of a commercial building. This is becoming more and more evident as energy and utility costs increase at alarming rates and show no signs of slowing. Steel is the least expensive material of all the available construction materials. Furthermore, properly treated steel is weather resistant, meaning your steel building will require little or no maintenance. The unmatched strength of steel also makes it the perfect material for buildings that require an open floor plan, where large open space is needed. A great advantage of new steel building construction is that they can be prefabricated. These pre-made steel structures can

Residential and Commercial Architects

Sydney, the metropolis of Australia is known for its architectural marvels. The city is surrounded with some of the finest specimens of contemporary architecture that have been designed and developed by commercial architects in Sydney and residential architects of Sydney. This is one of the reasons why it is known as one of the beautiful cities of the world. A lot of people feel that this credit should be shared between the commercial architects of Sydney and the residential architects of the Sydney. The Harbour City, as it is popularly known, is home to some of the finest commercial architects of Sydney and residential architects of Sydney. The city is a display board of extravagant and stylised edifices of some of the leading Residential and Commercial architects that are residential accommodations and commercial spaces. It is often said for this place that the commercial architects of Sydney have designed the city in a unique way where the skyscrapers are the architectural ornaments

Learning about Architectural Ironmongery

Architectural Ironmongery, or simply Ironmongery, refers to the use of iron to form new products, used in building and construction industry. It is derived from the field of iron industry. Iron is a hard metal. It has wide spread applications in the manufacture of home and industrial hardware. In Architectural ironmongery, high quality metal is used for making items in order to prevent corrosion. It has transformed into a whole industry. In industry, the most sophisticated instruments are used to make various products like banisters, handles railings, windows, door knobs, overhead closers, cupboard and many other accessories. During the construction of the house, the architecture of the house goes through various phases and steps. Each step has to be done on right time, in the right place and with the correct mood. After the structure of the house is complete, architectural ironmongery is the next step in the construction of the house. You may choose the accessories of the house on the

best way to choosing a building contracter

Whether you are a business or an individual who needs some work done on your house or a building, you will need to know how to go about choosing a contractor who won't let you down. When there are so many different companies to choose from, you will need to know how to separate out the ones who leave the job without finishing everything and stick you with a bill that is much too high for the quality of work done. This article will give you some of the best tips on how to make sure the contractor you hire is the right one for your project, no matter what it is. To avoid choosing a contractor that you will later see in court over some dispute, one of the first things you must do is to keep your options open and look through a list of at least three contractors with a good solid reputation for getting the job done every time. You will want to make certain that these contractors on your list have a spotless record, so you know that whatever work they do for you, it will turn out just t

Green Home Construction

It is fairly common now to hear the term green home, especially when dealing with newly-constructed houses. While there is not enough space here to go into the details, this article is meant to be a summary of the topic. LEED for Homes LEED means Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and it refers to residential properties that meet certain specific criteria relative to: (1) the site itself on which the building is built; (2) the location of the structure relative to shopping, schools, parks, and so forth (called linkages; (3) water efficiency (both in the structure and on the site); (4) energy and atmosphere; (5) awareness and education; (6) materials and resources (what the house is built of); and (7) indoor environmental quality. A Sustainable Site One example of a sustainable site is one, for example, that does not require the destruction of wetlands or removal of threatened or endangered native animal and/or plant species from their habitat(s). In other words, a sustainabl

Features of Eco Homes

With more and more people preferring to build homes that are completely in harmony with its surroundings, more and more suppliers of kit homes are also offering eco home designs that will suit owner builders from all parts of the country. But how exactly do you identify an eco-friendly kit home? Eco homes have passive solar system in which the houses are oriented to maximize the benefits derived from natural sunlight. This means that the sides of the house are made of glass or have large windows that will allow natural light to come flooding in. Most homes also have decks to provide shade during summer season. Another distinctive feature of eco homes is its passive ventilation system, in which air is piped under the flooring to provide warm air during winter and cools the interiors during summer. This means less energy load for conventional heating and cooling systems, leading to lower utility bills. Kit homes with eco-friendly designs are also well-insulated. The walls of this type of

Green Building Considerations For Prospective Homeowners

For prospective homeowners concerned about environmental sustainability, discovering the potential of green building concepts is essential before choosing a residence. This article describes how green building ideas are available in many choices typically made by home buyers. Your new home's design and location present you, the prospective homeowner, with many opportunities to go green. For example, homebuyers have choices when it comes to what builder to choose and what community or neighborhood in which to build. Other factors to consider are building material choices and designing homes for maximum energy efficiency. Choose a Home Design Look for a builder with a proven record of building with green concepts. This builder can offer existing home floor plans that include green principles. Alternatively, you can approach this problem by selecting an architect for a custom home plan or a green building home design. In this alternative, once you have a floor plan, you can shop for a

Green Terminology For Homes

Green terminology is used quite a bit these days in order to promote products and services as well as to sell homes. Understanding which terms are true green terminology words and phrases and which terms are simply greenwashing terms can go a long way in helping prospective home buyers in their search for the perfect "green" home. Green homes are energy efficient and make use of green materials in their quest to be environmentally friendly. They incorporate green flooring materials, solar energy, green building materials, energy-efficient windows, and energy-efficient products. Green flooring materials make use of eco-friendly products. They can include bamboo flooring, cork flooring, linoleum flooring, recycled carpeting, and eco-friendly wood flooring. Typically, more than one type of green flooring product can be used in the construction of a green home. Solar energy is typically provided through the inclusion of solar panels that are often located on the roof of the home.

Studying the Effects of MDIA

There was a first law enacted in July 2008 before the Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act or MDIA was created. The MDIA was a spin off of the first law and it came into effect on July 30, 2009. The Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act was supposed to take effect not in July 2009 but in October 2009. The early implementation of the said law by the federal government came as a surprise to all professionals such as real estate agents, brokers, banks, lending institutions and borrowers as well. The dictates the closing time span with regards to the home loan. Before this act was implemented, the normal process of applying for a loan starts out when the commercial bank or other lending firms gives out a good faith estimate or a truth in lending to the borrower. This process is done after the borrower has filled up the standard application form. The good faith estimate only takes about three working days to be sent out by the bank to the borrower. The new law, MDIA, on the other hand, cancels

Growing Real Estate Fraud

An article in Forbes talked about a report released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation this week stating that real estate fraud cases were on the rise. They said reports of suspicious mortgage filings increased 36% during fiscal 2008 compared with 46,700 filings the year before, and that 2/3rds of all pending FBI mortgage fraud investigations last year involved more than $1 million at a clip, putting a rough estimate of the total at $1 billion. It's easy to understand why people would try to exploit a bad economy to help themselves, since that's what criminals do, but it's scary to see just how pervasive it is. Just this week, there were four instances in four different states confirming what the FBI stated. In North Carolina, banking regulators fined mortgage lender North American Real Estate Services Inc. $320,000 and revoked its state operating license after ruling the firm used shell companies and fictitious names to avoid state regulation. They also ordered the com

current realesate information

it is a general misconception that Realtors and multiple listing services (MLS) available online provide the most reliable and timely information about the current state of any local real estate market. While it is true that people in the profession have a good understanding of broad sales trends and price movements, they rely on outdated information that is based on past trends in sales of comparable properties in large market areas. However, what is true for the board (macro-level) housing market may not necessarily be true for the small (micro-level) market. And usually it is NOT. Factors that affect home prices, such as job and income growth, may differ substantially among different neighborhoods in a broader housing market, which would thus reflect in different ways on future demand and values of homes between the broader and the block-level markets. Therefore, Realtors and the Web-based MSLs, such as RealtorTrack.com and Zillow.com, which rely on trends in broad markets and use a

Tips For Finding a Good Realtor

If you already know your full situation by heart, if you already know what you wish for your home to have, and already know what it is you need, other people need to know, too. Locating the ideal realtor will aid you in improving your changes in receiving exactly what it is that you want, as well as locating great deals in today's market. If you are unsure of what you should be looking out for, here are some general guidelines in finding the ideal match for every single one of your needs. One very easy way to ensure that you are in touch with the ideal person is by doing some research. It is highly like that every realtor you come across will come with a reputation on their services and the things they can offer others. By going through online sources or asking others, you could begin looking for the ideal person and getting rid of potential realtor problems with those who simply aren't there to look out for what is best for you. It isn't just what other people are saying t

What Happened to the Real Estate in Rome?

Real estate in Rome has always been a lucrative business for many reasons including its political and economic role. Even though Rome position in the property market is somewhat less attractive than the position of Milan, mainly due to the higher concentration of international businesses and more flexible bureaucratic structure in the northern "capital," it still has the excellent opportunities to invest. The interest from the investors both international and local has remained very high over the last years and it has been driving the yields on all major types of properties down. When you search ViaCasa.it, it is possible to compare the volume of investments in Rome in 2005 with the volume in 2008. It is clear that the restricted supply of the qualitative property and the constant decline in yields has led to the decrease in the volume of the real estate transactions in Rome by more than 5% over the last years. Office property contributed the most to the total volume of trans

Why the Real Estate Market is Good?

You may have ventured into a lot of businesses out there for years but you haven't tasted the sweet success that you have been wanting. Many people have had the dream of achieving total financial freedom, but unlike them, you can be a big difference and make that dream turn into reality. You may have stumbled upon people making a buzz about how they have made money by investing their time and effort in the real estate industry. And this may be your chance to do the same. Is Real Estate Really A Good Investment, and How can you Truly Succeed in this Business? In the real estate industry, selling goes beyond conveying the value of the products and the services you offer to the prospects. It is about channeling the worth of doing business with you. Selling and finding motivated buyers are all about getting in touch with the buyers and becoming their choice. To be truly successful at this venture you need timing. Timing implies being the first or second person that the motivated buyers

Common home building proablem

Contracting your own home is a noble undertaking, and one that requires a good bit of pre-construction planning. It is important to anticipate things that can go wrong in the building process. Mistakes can be very costly to overcome, so becoming aware of some of the common problems that plague home builders, from novices to experts, is in order. Following are some of the major things to watch out for. Inadequate planning. Don't jump into the project without a complete and well thought out plan. All your decisions--from design to construction methods to decorating--should be made from the start and there should be nothing left to chance. Since this is likely your first major construction project, it is important to gain as much knowledge as possible about every phase of the process, including the pre-construction tasks such as estimating and time management scheduling. In fact, these planning tasks will set the stage for the overall success of the entire project. Many people

14 steps to take before you purchase land 4 developement

DUE DILIGENCE can make the difference between failure and reaching success when it comes to any purchase, but especially when buying property for development. I know you wouldn't do it, but I am often amazed that some people will purchase acreage with the intention of splitting and making some money without at least checking on whether the proposed split is feasible or even legal. Never rely on anyone's say so, even your real estate agent's, that you can easily split land and turn a profit. Even if the proposed split is legal, a developer must still determine whether a state public report will be required prior to lot sales and what getting one issued will involve. Always exercise due diligence before you make your offer; Failing that, certainly before you close your deal. START by asking your agent if a state public disclosure report is available on the property in question. Among others, this is a good reason to use a licensed real estate agent. All licensed real estate

Reasons to Survey your land

Although a land survey may seem tedious and unnecessary, in fact there are many cases in which you should have your land surveyed, to save confusion or legal troubles later. If you have two surveys done, they will nearly always have slight differences, because land surveying is as much an art as a science. Measurements are always subject to error. In land surveying, these measurements are often taken from landmarks such as fence posts; in two separate surveys, the same landmarks may not be available, or may have shifted. A land surveyor will research the documents available about your land, including titles and previous surveys. Then, they will physically measure the property, and check these dimensions against the previous records to find any discrepancies. Land surveyors can also use electronic equipment, GPS positioning, or other devices to determine the boundaries of your property. You should always consider a new land survey if you are buying a piece of real estate. Even though ma

Buying a land on tight budget

Purchasing land for the purpose of building a new home site can be fun. You may go it alone or seek the help and instruction of a professional (real estate) agent or broker. I always advise you select an agent that is quite familiar with your target area which can be a benefit, as much of the information required upfront is done for you. But in reality, how much information will an agent extract on a given parcel of land? This is where you, the land buyer, must do some homework. You need to become aware of several key factors before you sign on the dotted line. Remember, it is always advisable to select a parcel that isn't overly expensive to develop. Take for instance, a parcel of land that won't leave you running to your bank for more money to put out thousands of dollars in a septic system, if one is required. In many cases, one of these systems could ruin the aesthetic view of your homesite i.e; Mounded septic systems, where gravity flow is not obtainable except through the

A Commertial Construction Company

There are lots of different types of buildings that require different types of construction, but a commercial construction company is capable of building virtually anything except housing, which is left to residential construction companies. Almost everything you see that isn't a private residence is the work of a commercial construction firm, including privately owned shops, malls, parks, museums, government buildings, and others. These places vary so greatly in how they are constructed and what they consist of that commercial construction companies have to keep a large variety of specialists on hand to complete the various tasks required. In this article, we'll take a look at some common types of labor included in commercial construction, as well as the different types of specialists that are involved in many construction projects. The most obvious specialist that virtually every commercial construction company project will require is the architect. They are responsible for t

Living Green Designer Homes

Green homes are houses that are kinder to the planet. They use lesser energy, produce less waste, and are a healthier environment for the people inside. Green homes come out of a philosophy of being more eco-friendly to the environment. They save on electricity, find ways to cut down on carbon-waste and general energy consumption. Green homes can put money in your pocket, and give you the peace of mind you are doing your bit to help sustain our planet. Energy Most of us would to make the world a little "greener" by reducing our home energy consumption. There has been improvement in building techniques and materials over the last couple of decades, which means that homes are becoming more energy efficient. Do you dream of a house with no carbon emissions and zero-net-energy use? This can be achieved with a strategy that includes alternative energy sources, and conscientious fabrication methods and standards. We can channel in green energy into our homes without breaking the ba