Cableatierra – Construction Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Building’

When we talk about energy efficiency, we first have to understand some basic definitions Energy efficiency of building materials is determined by how it handles heat, how heat transfers through materials and how well materials hold or store heat. Remember, heat always moves from warm to cold, so during the summer, if the outside temperature is warmer than the inside temperature of a home, heat transfers through the walls from the outside in. Conversely during winter, if the inside air temperature is warmer than the outside, heat transfers from inside the home out.

Clear Wall R-Values
Clear-wall R-Value calculations do not take into consideration the effects of additional construction like windows, doors, exterior wall corners and how the roof joins the walls. When factored in, R-Values typically drop from those stated as Clear-wall R-Values. Clear-wall R-Values and their thermal performance are determined by testing a solid wall (complete with its insulation system), usually a section 8 ft. x 8 ft., with no openings for doors and windows.

Whole Wall R-Values
Clearly more accurate is the Whole-wall R-Value rating system. In this system, not only is the thermal performance of the wall tested, so is the typical envelope interface details. These include wall-to-wall corners, wall-to-roof, wall-to-floor, wall-to-doors and wall-to-window connections. Why include these details? Because energy efficiency is lost at these points of construction and including these elements provides a more accurate R-Value rating system. (Although taking the time to tape these joints during the construction helps reduce some of hte heat loss significantly.)

Thermal Mass
To add to the confusion we have to consider thermal mass, perhaps the most confusing energy issue facing engineers, contractors and homebuyers today. Thermal mass ratings are determined by measuring the building materials/wall unit energy efficiency in conjunction with other layers of materials attached to the wall, i.e.; particle boards, drywall, stucco. The measurement of the energy performance of a “stated R-value” material, combined with the layering of other materials to enhance the energy value, is often referred to as “mass-enhanced R-value.” There are a number of combinations of materials used in construction and their thermal mass and R-value efficiencies vary depending on how they are used in the region of the country (climate considerations). How efficient a system is and how much energy consumption is reduced depends on how fast heat transfers through materials, how well materials hold the heat and the fluctuation of outside temperature. Attention to details like the windows you select, like low e-thermal, dual pane windows that are tinted, is just as important as the R-value in the walls. In fact, much heat loss or gain, up to 48%, is through windows, not walls!

http://www.masonryforlife.com/Energy.htm

Additionally, according to the US Department of Energy, for energy efficiency, your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to its foundation. This includes the following areas:

Attic spaces
Attic access doors to unfinished attics
Knee walls in finished attics
Ducts in unconditioned spaces
Cathedral ceilings
Exterior walls
Floors above unheated garages
Foundations
Basements
Crawl spaces
Slab-on-grade floors.

Let us look at some of the current choices in construction of today …

Block Masonry and Poured-Concrete for residential construction There are numerous insulation methods and new insulated block systems on the market with varying R-values. Standard 8″ hollow block’s R-value is 1.75, which by itself, is not enough R-value to achieve energy efficiency. The addition of outside insulation, integral insulation or interior insulation can be added to standard block to make it very energy efficient. There are several ways to incorporate foam insulation-such as polystyrene, polyisocyanurate or polyiso, and polyurethane-into concrete blocks. The hollow cores of concrete blocks can be filled by pouring and/or injecting loose foam beads or liquid foam. Some manufacturers make concrete blocks that accommodate rigid foam inserts.

Stud Wall Construction using wood or metal studs … The exterior wall constitutes a large part of the total insulated package. In exterior walls, a 2×6 wall offers upto 5.5″ of insulation. With the use of 2×6 studs spaced a 24″ c/c , not only is the depth of the wall cavity increased but the width of the cavity is also increased. Studs conduct more heat than the insulation since it extends through the wall cavity and has a smaller R-value. So, in 2×6 construction there are fewer studs in the exterior wall and less heat is conducted through the wall. The following website has a good table describing R-Values of various stud-construction methods http://www.homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/99/991110.html

Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) Construction ICF uses reinforced concrete as structure and where insulation does double duty also as permanent stay-in-place formwork for concrete during placement is a very attractive choice for walls of energy efficient buildings. The insulating material, typically expanded polystyrene (EPS) affords a variety of state-of-the-art exterior finishes, such as siding, brick, cultured stone, stucco, and so on. Constructed from expanded polystyrene and stacked like building blocks to form the exterior walls of a home, the forms are reinforced with steel and filled with concrete. The forms interlock and fasten one to the other to provide seamless “foundation to rafter” fully insulated, reinforced concrete walls. Window and door openings of any size are possible. Because of the triple insulative nature of these forms, ICFs are extremely energy efficient. The R-value of the insulation, coupled with the thermal mass of the concrete, and the elimination of air leakage, makes for an R-40 energy rating or higher.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) SIPsconsist of two outer skins and an inner insulation core. Most structural panels today use either plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) as skins. OSB is most commoly used because it is available in large size upto 12 ft by 36 ft. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the most commonly used insulation core material. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) commonly known as styrofoam, polyurethane foam and isocyanurate are also used as the inner core but predominantly EPS is the used as the inner core. As you can see in the table below, EPS has an R-value of 5.00 per inch. Many SIP manufacturers allow you to select the thickness of the panels for your home ranging from 4″ to 12″. SIPs are becoming increasingly common in modular home building as they have shown extreme energy efficiency, are much stronger than wood-framed homes and the outer envelope can often be constructed in under one week! If you are a contractor or engineer who wants more information about SIP’s see http://www.sipweb.com/monitor/bc_main.asp. Some manufacturers choose to use polyurethane and isocyanurate as the insulating material. Aged polyurethane and isocyanurate SIPs have a nominal R-value of around R-6 to R-7 per inch (2.5 cm) of thickness. Polyurethane/isocyanurate panels, although more expensive, are more fire and water vapor-diffusion resistant than EPS, and insulates some 30% to 40% better than EPS or XPS, per given thickness.

Precast Concrete Wall Construction … Precast concrete walls use use high-strength concrete, typically 5,000 psi with reinforcing steel and fibers. Priced in the $55 – $65 range per linear foot of wall, precast systems are competitive with other foundation walls, particularly when costs are examined as an assembly that includes footings and sub-slab drainage. The precast concrete walls have full-length insulation built in to increase energy efficiency. They are smart, with convenient features like built-in accesses for wiring and treated wood nailers for drywall. The walls have a built in footing to be placed on a base of stone. The average R-Rating I found doing a search was about 12.5.

Overall, there are a lot of choices you have to make…Do you want to spend more money at the front end to make an energy efficient home, or foot the increasing power bills. Many of the new construction methods dramatically improve the speed at which homes can be built. Discuss these options with your contractor and or engineer to find out what is best for your specific purpose and area where you live.

At the following website, you will find a table of the typical R-Values for construction materials. http://www.coloradoenergy.org/procorner/stuff/r-values.htm

Understanding New House Building Stages for Construction of a New House

1 Choose Your New House Building Site
When prospecting for a building site to build your new house choose the site with the assistance of a general contractor, real estate agent, architect, or engineer.

2 Have Your Designer Design Your House Plans
The architectural team will draw up your home plans to meet state and local regulations.

3 Review the House Plans
The architect reviews the home building plans and schedules with the clients.

4 Obtain Permits
The architect or home builder applies for the necessary building permits

5 Land Clearing
The excavator uses heavy equipment to clear the land of trees, shrubbery, and brush and a driveway access is created to your home building site.

6 House Layout
A general contractor or engineer layouts out the home location.

7 Installation of Septic, Well and other Utilities Begins
Utility installation often begins now although your project coordinator may leave these items toward the end of the home construction.

8 Excavation
Excavators and heavy equipment begin the excavation preparing the land for the footings.

9 House Footings
The general contractor or the mason contractor pours the footings. In heavy populated areas your footing contractor may be a subcontractor for the foundation wall contractor.

9 Foundation Walls
Two common foundation wall types are block foundation and poured concrete foundation walls. Your concrete floor is commonly poured after the forms are stripped for the foundation walls.

10 Back-fill
The excavator back-fills after the foundation walls are poured. Some contractors prefer to have the floor joists set prior to this back-fill to tie the walls together.

11 House Floor Framing
Carpenters or a framing crew frame the floor joists and apply decking material to the floor joists.

12 Wall Framing
Carpenters or framers build exterior walls. Interior walls are often constructed at this stage although the interior partition walls may also be built after the roof is framed.

13 Roof Framing
The carpenter now frames the roof complete with sheathing. The walls may also be sheathed at this point if they were not sheathed during the wall framing stage. Decorative rakes and fascia boards may be added at this stage if adding a little extra style to your home is desired.

14 Framing Inspection
Your building inspector inspects all phrases of construction at this point. Be sure to review the inspection schedule with your local building inspector as there may be many additional inspections required prior to this.

15 Roofing
When the home is ready for the roofing, the general contractor or the roofing contractor apply the shingles. Asphalt, fiberglass, cedar, and slate shingles are options with metal shingles and metal panels becoming increasingly popular.

16 Window and Exterior Door Installation
Carpenters now install your windows and exterior doors. If you choose to go with an exterior (rigid) insulation to increase the R-value of your home this will be installed after the window and exterior door installation.

17 Siding Installation
The builder or siding contractor now applies the siding for your new home. Popular options include vinyl, aluminum, and cedar siding. When incorporating vinyl and cedar siding adding a decorative shake style siding for the gables is becoming increasingly popular.

18 HVAC Work
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) is now installed. In some areas the HVAC contractor may be the same as the plumbing contractor.

19 Plumbing Installation
At this point in the construction process the plumber installs the rough plumbing.

20 Electrical
The electrical contractor now installs the rough electrical work including the breaker panel, wiring and boxes.

21 Insulation
The insulation contractor or the general contractor insulates the walls. The ceiling is also insulated in vaulted areas if there is no attic access to this area. The ceiling is more commonly insulated after the drywall stage with blown in insulation.

22 Drywall Installation
A drywall contractor which may be your general contractor now installs your drywall. Drywall is also commonly referred to as Sheetrock or gypsum wall board.

23 Drywall Finishing
The drywallers tape the joints with drywall compound after the drywall is installed. They then apply up to 2 additional coats of drywall compound over the tape and corner beads.

24 Painting
Wall painting may be accomplished at this stage, or be completed after the finish trim installation.

25 Cabinet and Finish Trim Installation
The finish carpenter now installs the cabinets and trim boards including the baseboard and window casing. Decorative crown moldings remain popular in kitchen and dining rooms.

26 Flooring Installation
There are many popular flooring styles to choose from. Having a variety of finished floor styles is very common with the flooring styles including laminate, vinyl, hardwood, and tile flooring.

27 Finish Plumbing
The finish plumbing includes setting the sink, bath fixtures, showers, tubs, and toilets.

28 Finish Electrical
The electrician completes the finish electrical work at this time including installing the outlets, switches, and light fixtures.

29 Finish HVAC
The cover plates are now installed over the registers and air returns for the HVAC system. If a fireplace is desired in your home your HVAC contractor often installs fireplaces with the quote for the HVAC work.

30 Final Concrete Work
The driveway and final concrete work include the sidewalks, optional concrete front porch, garage floor, and pads for hot tubs.

31 Deck
Deck construction now takes place by the general contractor. Hot tubs are often incorporated into deck designs. Be sure to discuss the potential placement of a hot tub onto your deck with your contractor as the immense weight requires additional framing stipulations.

32 Landscaping
The landscapers plant shrubs and trees with the grass or sod for your new lawn to add a finishing touch.

Working at construction sites can be dangerous. Serious accidents can happen, regardless of the strict safety standards that most construction companies may follow. Apart from the workers on the site, hazardous conditions can also injure passers-by. If you have been injured in a construction accident, approaching accident at construction sites solicitors can help you get compensation. They can pursue compensation from those responsible for the conditions that caused the injuries. Accident at construction, industry and building may occur due to various reasons. 
 
If the architect at the construction site was responsible for the injuries, you can make a claim. If the injury has resulted t the workplace, the employers are liable to provide compensation for the losses suffered. Bystanders injured in construction accidents can also get compensated for injuries suffered. There are various causes of construction accidents:

•  Slip and falls
•  Roofing accidents
•  Defective equipment
•  Falling objects
•  Electrical accidents
•  Fires and explosions
•  Scaffolding accidents
•  Being struck by operating equipment
•  Sick Building Syndrome

These injuries When construction accidents occur, they are often caused by the negligence of those responsible for the safety of the site, including contractors, site supervisors, and property owners. Construction companies need to do their job by having sites checked by safety inspectors for potentially hazardous materials, surfaces, and equipment. There are many different areas of law that construction accidents may be covered under, depending on the circumstances involved. Seeking help from a team of injury claims solicitors can help get compensation fast.

If you are working on a construction site or other location where building work is taking place, there may be numerous dangers lurking out. If you have met with an accident due to improper safety measures, you can make a claim. Building site accident is not uncommon these days. Huge number of machineries and workers are involved at the construction sites. If you have been injured in a building or construction site accident in the last three years, you are entitled to compensation.

The concerned authorities must follow adequate safety measures, to prevent any untoward incident at the construction site. It is obligatory on part of the employer for reporting accidents or incidents happening at the workplace. In case, an accident occurs at the workplace, the employer must provide an employee with some legal sick-pay or else contractual pay in cases wherein the employee is lawfully permitted for the same. Many workers have suffered injuries while working in factories due to unsafe working conditions. Heavy machinery, scaffolding, and fire can often lead to numerous injuries such as toxic exposure, head injuries, whiplash and broken bones. If you or anyone known to you has suffered injuries while working in a factory, you can make factory accident compensation.

A greenhouse is also called a glasshouse; it is a building where plants are grown. A greenhouse is a structure with a glass or plastic roof and frequently glass or plastic walls; it heats up because incoming solar radiation from the sun warms plants, soil and other things inside the building faster than heat can escape the structure.

Click Here For Building A Greenhouse Plans Instant Access Now!

One of the most enjoyable hobbies for many people is home gardening and landscaping. A small greenhouse construction is perfect for your backyard plants. It usually comes in a small greenhouse kit that is easy to assemble. These are usually used by those who only wish to grow fewer than nine medium-sized plants, greenhouse kits which feature roof-access are probably best. These portable greenhouses are as small as they come for weather-resistant growing.

Good air drainage is needed in this location. And low areas surrounded by woods or buildings must be avoided. The components of a greenhouse are the frame, glazing, end walls, cooling and ventilation systems, floor, installation of power and utility sources and benches.

The first thing to do is prepare the site. You must choose a level, well-drained plot area. Place it in a partial shade to minimize heat build up, if it were primarily for plant propagation in the summer. If the greenhouse is to be used as a starting transplants or growing plants to maturity, it will need maximum exposure to the sun. Then position all the concrete floors and excess stuff must be removed. The next step is mounting the frame. Then all the side panels, the sliding door and two sides of the roof are mounted with the use of screwdrivers, wrenches, bolts and nuts.

After the greenhouse has been set up and now standing in its place. The next step would be choosing the actual internal frame. It will consist of three shelves joined together; with each shelf having a different size, shape and weight to different pots.

Click Here For Building A Greenhouse Plans Instant Access Now!

Your next few months constructing your new home could prove to be a time consuming and daunting task. You must recognize that it is difficult, if not impossible to have everything go smoothly. When buying a home while it is under construction you must have some key notes available. First, the contract of purchase and sale must be clear and very detailed to outline your expectations. It must describe the specifics including the details of the labor and materials used to satisfy your buying agreement. These stand from of construction contracts are available and these forms of agreement are designed to provide an enforceable agreement between the seller (builder) and the buyer.

If your developer asks for a deposit (which he will) make sure that it will be deposited into a trust account. If the agreement should default, the deposit should always be returned back to yourself. If the developer wishes to hold your deposit as a stake holder, the return of your deposit may be more difficult. In addition to the standard contract of purchase and sale, you should include a specifications sheet and the plans for the house. Building contracts are long, complex documents. Both parties (builder/seller and buyer) should obtain legal advice prior to entering into a building contract.

Do the walk though! Insist that prior to possession date, both parties conduct a walk-through of the property prior to possession date. Make sure that all the work is completed and agreed upon. At this time, both the seller and the buyer should sign and date the list. Copies should be given to both parties, realtor’s and lawyers involved. The crown has developed a program in 1998 called the Home Owners Protection Office. Essentially it is designed to protect the quality of construction in a new home development. This office licenses residential builders and building envelope renovators, monitor’s the provisions of mandatory third-party home warranty insurance and researches/educates the residential construction industry and consumers.

If you are the owner of a leaky home, the HPO will administer no-interest repair loan programs and PST relief grants for owners. They’re set up to ensure that no one has to lose their home due to the cost of repairing a leaky home. The reconstruction loan program provides no interest loans to homeowners and housing co-op’s who are unable to pay for the cost of repairs.

Your warranty includes a minimum of two years on labor and materials. Five years on the building envelope which includes water penetration. And ten years on the structure. In order to minimize confusion about warranties, the HPO created this 2, 5, 10 year home warranty insurance logo. It’s now used in the marketing campaigns of your local realtors and builders in the Residential real estate market of British Columbia homes. This should take place when you first occupy the home. You could always find more information on this topic by visiting www.hop.bc.ca

Finally make sure that your realtor inserts a clause clearly stating that the occupancy certificate must be obtained on or before completion date. However, landscaping and other outside work can still be in the process of completion. Your occupancy permit merely allows you to move into your new home! We hope this article helped you think of some things that you might not normally know. Please do not rely on this article as a guide or legal advice as you should always consult your lawyer or local realtor for advice, they are the expert.