Archive for the ‘New Construction’ Category

How to Build a Brick Wall

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

There is something about constructing walls that gives individuals a sense of fulfillment. This is the reason why that even though you can appoint a bricklayer to do the job for you; you feel that you want to try to build your brick wall yourself. Whether you plan to pursue a professional bricklaying career or just want to enjoy it as a pastime, constructing a brick wall needs careful study of the basics of brick wall construction.

MATERIALS THAT YOU WILL NEED IN CONSTRUCTING A BRICK WALL

You need to gather all the materials that you need to build your wall like a mortar mix, jointer, level, hammer, H2O, brush, wall ties, tape measure, nails bricks, trowel, shovel, line and wheel barrow. You also need to wear safety equipment at all times so that you will be protected from any untoward accident.

The trowel, which is a triangular metal shaped material is the main tool that you need to make your wall. You will need a trowel to evenly spread the mortar mixture as you assemble the bricks to make a wall.

STEPS IN BUILDING A BRICK WALL

A mortar mix is mud-like concoction wherein the bricks are place in. To create a mortar mixture, you need combine fifteen to twenty scoops of sand and 1 seventy-pound container of mortar mixture. You will also need five gallons of H2O but it is advisable to combine the dry ingredients first before pouring water.

Place 1 gallon of H2O at a time until you achieve the consistency that you are aiming for. Bricks come in different sizes but for your first brick wall project, use the normal size bricks.Bricks are meant to be built as a veneer, which means that it should be constructed against another wall like in a house. You have to make sure that your foundation is strong enough to support the bricks. You also need to decide on the length of the brick wall that you are planning to construct.

Since the standard size of a brick is eight and a half inches long, place eight and three fourths intervals in the wall to give enough space for mortar mixture that will be spread in the joint of the bricks.

After you have placed the markings, you can now finish placing the 1st line of bricks. To accomplish this, you have to begin from left to right. Your left hand can pick up a brick from the stack and then your right hand can spread the mortar with the help of the trowel. Place an appropriate portion of mortar mix and set the brick in the mixture. Remove any residue after the brick is set in.

Repeat the whole process and continue placing down the brick until you achieve the height that you want. Remember to constantly check if the wall that you are making is level. If one portion appears disproportionate, place the bricks closer to the other side.

This simple brick wall building guide is helpful in your project but to learn more about the whole process, you can buy a DVD guide regarding the whole thing or enroll in courses that will teach you how to correctly construct a brick wall.

Please click these links if you want to know more about how to build a brick wall or how to build a brick wall in general.

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Home Building Costs – How to Control Costs in Nine Simple Steps

Friday, January 15th, 2010

With good preparation and guidance, it’s easy to keep costs under control. Whether you’re getting ready to build or remodel, it makes sense to have a well defined strategy to follow.

In times when home values are questionable at best, your “pre-launch” preparation becomes your most valuable asset. Identifying and implementing strategies for the entire project before you begin, no matter how long this prep takes, is the best way I’ve found to keep a lid on your spending and stay within budget.

Cost Control Strategies

A good home building dream, that is well planned, deserves action. For a project to be completed within budget, you need to make certain commitments and stick to them. Here’s how you can ensure your success. Both with your preparations and the execution of your project.

1) Use a Home Building Coach:

Whether it’s a retired builder, your uncle Phil, or your father-in-law, find a trusted advisor who is thoroughly experienced in the home building trades. This building professional, as your coach, will help you devise and implement a strategy to carry you from beginning to end.

2) Plan Every Phase:

Home building and remodeling have defined steps and phases. A complete step-by-step outline, that is prepared before you begin your project, is essential to controlling your costs. Your coach will be indispensable in this preparation.

3) Use Traditional Building Methods:

If controlling costs is critical to you, then using the tried and true for your building materials and methods will help you avoid costly surprises during construction. Labor costs can rise suddenly and dramatically when workers face the unknown.

4) Keep Plans as Simple as Possible:

Simple plans make things less expensive but they also have another advantage. There are fewer surprises that can lead to spiraling costs.

5) Search for Deals:

During most building projects, owner builders will find that some things end up costing more than planned. Diligent research and prudent shopping can offset many of these by landing good deals on labor and materials for other aspects of the project.

6) Don’t Budget Too Narrowly:

There is always the desire to keep costs as low as possible. It’s a mistake, however, to budget this way. For instance, if you plan on you and friends providing 50% of the labor, budget as though you’re only providing 25%. This way, if you end up not having enough time yourself, or if your friends don’t show up, there’s money in the budget to hire others.

7) Keep the Project Moving:

Delays can cause problems. Delays can allow interest charges to pile up. Delays in one phase can impact other phases. Keep the project moving forward through excellent control over your pre-set strategy. Work closely with your experienced coach.

8) Resist Making Changes:

Follow the house plans. However, there will be times where a change order (or a deviation from the plans) becomes a necessity. Deal with them as quickly as possible. But, self-generated and unnecessary changes during construction are often costly and unpredictable. One change can lead to another and another.

9) Keep Your Eyes Open, but not Big:

Big eyes can lead to disaster. Your eyes must be open and you must remain alert, but stay the course. Don’t let new ideas and interests influence you. Solve the “big eyes” syndrome in the planning stages and stick with the plan.

The Successful Owner Builder

If you define success by controlling your costs, you now have a strategy that will ensure your ultimate success. With a good plan, control becomes easy.

Learn, prepare, and use professionals where needed. You’ll launch into your project with great confidence and you will achieve your objectives.

You can learn so much more about home building and remodeling online. One great option is to take advantage of a very informative yet simple to follow *free* eCourse that you can find by clicking here http://www.DreamHomeCreation.com. You will also find other tips and tools, surveys, videos, and additional articles by Mel Inglima.

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The Art of Estimating Materials and Labor

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

The most correct method of estimating is by taking out accurate quantities of materials and items of all kinds and pricing them as the figures are obtained, and then adding the cost of labor to each item. This method, because of its entailing so much labor, should be adopted only when it is intended to carry out the work and when a tender is sent in or submitted for work about to be gone on with.

It is very laborious, and necessitates great skill and a thorough knowledge of building construction, and particularly of the work to be tendered for, so that the subject is somewhat difficult for young hands to deal with. In this method a full set of drawings of the work, copious specifications, and appropriate measuring wheels are necessary, so that the estimator can take the dimensions from one and quality of material and character of work from the other.

The cost of the various descriptions of material and workmanship is then priced in accordance with the current rates obtained in the locality where the work is to be carried out. In fact, it is the only method a young contractor should use when commencing business. After years of experience and observation as a builder and contractor, cubing, or one or other of the quick methods, may be made use of under certain conditions, where the contractor knows what he is about.

Sage advice, however, is to stick to the old and reliable method of estimating by items and the use of applicable private label tape measures or even tanking gauge tapes. It takes time, but the time and labor are well invested. It is but just to say that these rules and methods can be found in many works, but it has been thought expedient to reproduce them here, so that the student may have them at hand when making use of this work for study or for practical estimating.

The rules and problems are selected chiefly from educational works, and the tables have been prepared by competent authorities, and have been examined and corrected, where necessary, and made suitable to the work in hand. Previously, it has been shown at length how a detailed estimate of the cost of any ordinary building may be ascertained; and while the process is somewhat lengthy and tiresome, it is decidedly the better method for the younger estimator to follow.

The longhand method has many advantages over all the others, besides being the best of practice for the figurer and will make him familiar with all details pertaining to building and construction. A few remarks on the much-lauded cubing system may not be out of place at this point, as it is the best known method after the “detailed” and the most usually adopted for hurried estimates, because of its general convenience. In this case the dimensions are best taken by measuring the length and breadth from out to out of walls and the height from half foundation to half way up the roof.

The cubic contents then obtained are multiplied by the price per foot of some building of similar style whose cost per cubic foot is known. The cubing method is open to many objections, for the lumping together of voids and solids is not by any means a scientific process, but more of one that requires measuring wheels and measuring tape. The same class of buildings may be divided into many rooms with many shapes and a great number of doors and windows.

Meanwhile the one being estimated upon may have much larger rooms and fewer of them, which would, of course, make quite a difference in the total cost. This method requires a large experience and a nicety in pricing which the estimator cannot always possess. The description and quality of materials and workmanship, too, are seldom the same; neither are the conditions of contract and these variations are frequently overlooked when a certain rate per cubic foot is assumed.

Allison Ryan is a freelance writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in home improvement and construction; from the best measuring wheels to what private label tape measures to use. For measuring tape and world class tools from 1876, check out http://www.ustape.com/.

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Easy Assemble Buildings – The Steel Building Kit

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

If you are in need of a new building, whether for work or home then you should certainly consider a steel building. Buildings that are constructed with steel are durable, long lasting and easy to put together, saving you in material and construction costs.

There are many steel building companies that offer steel buildings today but most of them are brokers, not the actual fabricator like Absolute Steel. While they all offer fairly concise kits that can be trucked to your location along with written instructions and or videos, only with Absolute Steel will you be talking to the “horse’s mouth”. If you have a question and have dealt with a broker, you’re going to be dealing with a salesman in a bullpen so be sure to check the company out you’re going to be dealing with to make sure they have an easy building to erect and that you have knowledgeable people to help you after the sale.

Absolute Steel fits the above criteria better than any other company in America!

Since you can assemble the entire building yourself, you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars on labor. All you need to do is assemble the frame and attach the exterior panels and trim. Once completed your steel building is virtually maintenance free, and you will never have to worry about common lumber building issues such as insect infestation or rot.

Pre-fabricated steel buildings are more efficient to assemble and there is no construction waste as everything you need is pre-cut and welded. Steel buildings can be used for garages, sheds, workshops, warehouses and even airplane hangars and offices. The exterior of a steel building can take on the appearance of wood or stone so it can look as tasteful as the surrounding buildings to blend in.

There are hundreds of different shapes and styles of steel buildings to choose from, and nearly every layout imaginable. The building can even be designed so that additions can be easily made in the future as your office, work or family expands.

Since steel lasts much longer than conventional building materials it is a great choice for anyone who wants a building that will last a long time. Once erected the steel building is extremely durable and dependable, requiring very little upkeep. In fact, to say they are maintenance free would not be an exaggeration.

And for those of you who live in an area of heavy snowfall, with your new strong steel building you will never have to take your life into your hands while shoveling snow off your roof. Most often the snow will simply slide off with just a touch of midday temperature change.

When constructing your new steel building, you will find it is much easier to work with than lumber. Not only is steel lighter, there is no chance of warping or knots. All corners in your steel building will be perfectly square. All windows and doors can be installed easily in the pre-cut openings without a leak or faulty seal. Once completed, you can enjoy the use of the building without having concerning yourself with continual upkeep or maintenance.

It is not hard to see why steel buildings are becoming much more popular these days, with their easy installation, low maintenance and durability. A steel building can weather the test of time in even extreme conditions such as hot summers and cold winters, not to mention high winds and moist climates. Save yourself time and money with a pre-fabricated tough steel building that Absolute Steel can fabricate to your exact requirements.

For more information on steel buildings, visit AbsoluteRV.com

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How Steel Buildings Cost Less Than Conventional Buildings

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Anyone who is considering the construction of a building usually has two concerns: cost and durability. While traditional lumber buildings are usually the norm, metal buildings are quickly gaining popularity for many reasons.

Metal buildings are available in many shapes and sizes to fit even the choosiest consumers. The first step should be to determine your budget. You will quickly find that you can have a larger, better equipped building if you choose a steel building as your primary building material. If you are expecting your new building to be warm in the winter, then ensure that insulation is included in the cost.

Ensure that when you are purchasing a metal building that the exterior panels and trim are coated with a protective paint, otherwise you will have to add the cost of the paint into your budget as well. Items such as doors and windows are typically not included either.

Before you go with the lowest cost steel building, check to see what the total costs are. Here at Absolute Steel, we will always figure out what your total costs are or at least estimate them for you. Many companies will give you a low price but when they add in freight and other costs you will find that you are paying more. Furthermore, most companies engineered plans do not include the foundation and concrete which you’ll need to include to obtain a building permit. Also check the thickness of the metal and try to get the thickest metal you can afford, as this will ensure that your new building can stand up to the elements.

No matter what type of building you choose the cost of laying the foundation is not included, unless you are purchasing through a construction company, in which case it should be included in the cost (along with labor). Absolute Steel metal buildings are easy to assemble yourself, so you can save on labor costs with a metal building after your foundation is laid.

Freight costs also need to be considered when you are choosing your building type, and again a metal building is a better choice. Most all our building quotes include shipping so at Absolute Steel this is not a concern. Pre-fabricated metal buildings come pre-cut and packaged, so you are only shipped what you need and there is very little waste. Since metal buildings weight much less than lumber the freight costs are typically much less.

Even if the cost of a lumber versus metal building were exactly the same, you would still save money by choosing metal. You will likely never have to spend a dime on maintenance on a metal building as it comes coated with a protective paint that means it won’t rust. There is also no chance of your metal building being susceptible to insects, rot or other common lumber problems.

The lifespan of a metal building is much longer than other materials since it stands up to all types of weather conditions. When a metal building is finally demolished, it is 100% recyclable so you don’t even have to pay for disposal. From start to finish a metal building is easier to assemble, less costly to ship and put together, requires less maintenance, and lasts longer than lumber. It is easy to see why metal makes a great choice for building material when you want a strong, durable building that is easy on the pocketbook.

For more information on steel buildings, visit AbsoluteRV.com.

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Building Green With Steel

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Over the years many developers, builders and architects have put their focus on creating environmentally responsible or sustainable buildings. Steel buildings fit these requirements beautifully! Using a steel building for your next building is an environmentally sound choice as well as a safe one, as steel can be recycled and then remanufactured into new pieces that retain their structural integrity. Steel offers many advantages over wood-frame construction over and above their environmental benefits.

In the past steel was primarily used for railroads and automobiles, today though it is quickly becoming the choice material for new buildings. Due to steel’s resistance to both fire and earthquake it is a favorite building material for areas where these risks are predominant, such as California and Hawaii.

Steel is lightweight, making it easier to work with and cheaper to ship and store than lumber. Steel buildings are also easier to carry and move around a jobsite, so there is less strain put on construction workers who are putting together steel buildings. Steel buildings are manufactured to strict standards to ensure quality, and they do not contain twists or knots like traditional building materials, nor will they ever get them so you’re building with straight parts when you build a steel building which of course, saves in labor and frustration.

Construction-grade steel already uses approximately 70% recycled content and generates very little waste during production. In fact, Absolute Steel buildings are certified to be 67% recycled materials. It is noncombustible and also resists insect infestation. When the steel is no longer needed (such as when a building is demolished) it can be fully recycled into new steel products.

Steel buildings are non-toxic and don’t off-gas, keeping the indoor air free of contaminants. It had a rigid composition that makes it the perfect choice for building in a high-wind area. Steel buildings do not absorb water or dry out so one never has to worry about cracking or rotting during the lifetime of the building.

Did you know steel is the most recycled material in the whole world, since any type of steel can be recycled endless times to make new steel products? It takes 75% less energy to produce recycled steel than new steel. In fact, for every ton of recycled steel produced, 2500lbs of iron ore is saved as well as 1000lbs of coal and 40lbs of limestone.

Steel is certainly the product that should be used to build a strong building, as it will not warp, split or rot, will not grow mold and is extremely resistant to wind, fire and insects. Steel also has about a 200 year lifespan, giving steel buildings more longevity than their lumber-built counterparts.

Although on the surface it would appear that steel framing is more expensive than wood, building with steel offers many advantages that certainly offset the cost. Steel allows for different, more complex designs and hold up better in extreme climates, which in turn leads to lower insurance premiums.

In closing, steel buildings are more energy efficient, have minimal maintenance, and are certainly more environmentally friendly than their wood counterparts. Old steel buildings that are no long maintainable can be 100% recycled into new building materials with a minimum of effect on the environment. If you are considering a switch to a building material that helps the environment while providing a safe and secure place for your business or family then a steel building should be at the top of your list.

For more information on steel buildings, visit AbsoluteRV.com

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