Here Are Things That You Should Know About Home Construction

Should the average homeowner know anything about home building and construction? Ideally, the answer to this question should be no because it is expected that the contractor be the one to take care of everything for the homeowner. The problem is that there are a lot of things that calls for some awareness on the part of the homeowner as far as knowledge about home construction is concerned.

One reason why a homeowner should know about home construction is so that they would know if they are really getting a good deal. How could they be aware if the contractor is cheating on the construction materials and methods if they know next to nothing about it?

Another good reason why a homeowner should know about home construction is so that he can be sure that his place would be able to withstand disasters which are becoming more frequent today. There are construction methods and materials that can make a home ready for anything.

Here are some of the basic things that you should know about home construction:

Configuration- You should consider the shape of your house in construction. A regular shape such as a square or even a rectangle can offer more strength when compared with an L-shaped building. So it is better to opt for a construction that's regular in shape and don't be too innovative when it comes to this.

Area- It is important that you check the area and its background for possible reasons why you might have to abandon the location later on. It would be a lot more costly if you have to do that after the house has been erected or the construction has already begun. Here are some things that you need to check:

• Proximity to rivers and lakes that might cause flooding in the area.

• The possibility of settlement of the ground due to being reclaimed.

• Presence of smoke and odor from industrial sources.

• The land depression of the area which will affect the laying of sewers and drains.

Geological Condition-You should check with the local authorities about the geological condition of the area where you are building houses on. The ideal location should have a rocky base where the foundation could have a solid base.

Orientation- You should also consider the orientation of your building. This was an important thing for most of the world's ancient civilizations, and they have traditions regarding this that have some practical application. Some Oriental cultures for example opt to build with their homes facing East, which aside from being auspicious would also bring in a flood of morning sunlight to the interior.

Bricks- If you are using red bricks for construction, they ought to be thoroughly soaked in water before each use. If the wall is going to be a long stretch then it would be a good idea to have an expansion joint after every 30 meters. Brick walls should also have strong reinforcements supporting them.

These are just some of the things that you ought to know when it comes to home construction. Of course it would help a lot if you have the best contractor that you can get.

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Why An Electric Cement Mixer Is The Best For Your Construction Project

Cement has become the most common building material, maybe because of its wide application in construction works. Visit any construction site, big or small, and you will realize that they are using cement. This widespread use of cement in the construction industry has led to the emergence of machinery that helps in the handling cement work. An example of such machinery is the cement mixer, a machine that help mix cement with water, sand or concrete to form mortar. Men have performed this task with spades and wheelbarrows for a long time.

The cement mixers came into existence to make things easier for everyone. There are mixers that use diesel or petrol while others use electricity. Different contractors will prefer to use one of the mixers to the other for different reasons. If you are a contractor and want your cement related tasks completed as early as possible, then you should invest in an electric cement mixer. This is a mixer powered by electricity. The main advantage of this mixer over the diesel or petrol powered ones is the cost-effectiveness. In many countries, electricity is much cheaper than petroleum products. For a contractor, delivering high quality work at the lowest cost possible is the main aim and thus, the electric-powered cement motor is the right choice for many.

Another advantage of the electric cement mixers is the automatic start and stop switch. This is not available in the diesel and petrol mixers. Diesel mixers are notorious for their failing to start, especially in cold and wet weather conditions. A job that took a group of men hours to complete can now be completed in minutes by use of this electric mixer. It does not only save on time, but it also saves on finances. It delivers quality mortar cheaply and efficiently.

Today, we are living in a world, where there are calls everywhere to safeguard the environment. One of the easiest ways to conserve the environment is by using clean energy. Electricity is a form of clean energy. By using an electric cement mixer, the contractor falls under the category of eco-efficient producers and this increases his goodwill in the eyes of clients and increases the chances of winning other contractors. Petrol and diesel mixers are environmentally unfriendly in the sense that they produce smoke and noise when working, which this leads to air pollution.

All the contractor needs to do is make sure that the construction site has an electricity construction. If there is no connection, then arrange one to ensure a connection is there before construction work commences. Also, to avoid inconveniences due to power disruptions, it is good to have a stand-by generator.

The electric motor is portable machinery, thanks to its pneumatic wheels. It is fitted with a heavy-duty long cable for electricity connection. You can move the mixer to the point where it is needed. This saves on time and efforts that could have otherwise been involved if it were not portable. As a contractor, your mixer of choice should be an electric one. Also, remember buying a machine, which is cheaper in the long run than hiring.

Basics to Building Surveyors   Waterproofing Your Basement Comes With These 7 Advantages!   The Basic Home Construction Process   

2 By 4 Houses and Construction - Pros and Cons

2 by 4 houses have been around for a very long time, and so widespread is the name "2 by 4″ that there are very few people who haven't at least heard about it before and know what it is. However, the 2 by 4 itself is simply the name of the dimensional lumber, though it's often associated with the construction method of the same name.

The 2 by 4 construction method is the system of house-framing in which they use - as you probably guessed - 2 by 4s, as well as other "2-by" lumber such as 2 by 6, and 2 by 8. The difference between the 2 by 4 method and other more conventional methods is that the former primarily uses shear walls or structural diaphragms to resist lateral loads while the latter often uses only diagonal bracing, or a mixture of both.

For those who aren't familiar with how 2 by 4 houses are made, I'll explain some of the basics and the primary differences between them and more conventional houses:

2 by 4 - Shear wall panels are (usually, but not always) pre-assembled offsite, labeled according to an accompanying diagram, and then transported to the building site where they are placed in their respective positions. These wall panels are often made in sizes such that one person can pick it up and move it around. Wall panels are either constructed with or without their diaphragm prior to placing into actual position depending on transport and handling restraints.

Conventional - Wall studs are inserted between main posts or columns, and plywood (or equivalent) is nailed or otherwise fastened to them after the fact.

2 by 4 - The nail pitch of the structural plywood that is nailed to the 2 by 4 studs is typically 75 millimeters around the perimeter and 150 millimeters down the center stud. This is assuming the standard wall panel width of 910 millimeters (center to center of outer studs) with 2 by 4s going around the perimeter and a single stud going down the center at 455 millimeters.

Conventional - While there are often sections of the house that incorporate shear walls to resist lateral loads, because these walls aren't the alpha and omega in terms of the structural integrity of the house, the nail pitch is typically about 100 millimeters around the perimeter and about 150 or 200 millimeters down the center stud.

2 by 4 - Wall panels are constructed with structural plywood on the outer face, with sheetrock eventually finding its way to the inner, interior face. Because 2 by 4 houses rely so heavily on their shear walls for structural integrity, even the fastening of the sheetrock boards on the interior face of the wall studs is factored into the required shear strength of the final structure. Consequently, sheetrock board screws also have a screw pitch of 75 millimeters, and are required to be staggered from screws of adjacent sheetrock boards to maximize the structural integrity and holding power of the wall stud.

Conventional - Sheetrock screw pitch is about 200 millimeters - only what's necessary to keep the board fastened stiffly to the wall studs as it has no structural requirements.

All in all, 2 by 4 houses have proven themselves to be structurally sound and pretty much the only kind of all-wooden structure that can be built higher than 2 floors - although this ultimately depends on the shape and surface area of the first floor. The question of whether to use or not to use the 2 by 4 method depends on several factors.

- You'll need sufficient, sheltered area to pre-assemble the wall panels and store them until you're ready to transport them to the building site. Transport vehicles should have an on-board crane with which to unload the wall panels directly onto the surface of the first floor.

- You'll also need a crane or wrecker capable of placing wall panels onto the second floor (truck's on-board crane most likely won't be sufficient) - unless you have adequate man-power to do so without heavy machinery.

Basics to Building Surveyors   Waterproofing Your Basement Comes With These 7 Advantages!   The Basic Home Construction Process