A Short History of Construction
May 24, 2010
I wanted to mix it up a little with this column and throw in some history as it pertains to construction and building in general. As a general contractor I marvel at how for we’ve come since human beings started building way back in the early days of modern man.
Most likely the first type of construction could be considered the first bridge made. An early human probably took a fallen tree and laid it across a stream to make a bridge. Shortly after during the stone age dwellings appeared and early forms of buildings were being built by hand or with the assistance of basic tools. Most of the buildings in these days were mainly just for shelter from the elements and were made of local materials to form all sorts of types of huts, tents, and other types of shelter.
In certain early societies which still exists today people in areas that don’t have a lot of natural resources that they can use to build houses or anything with really. So they have a different approach. They build a basic frame that gets covered with a blanketing later made of something like straw or hay or something similar. Upon the top layer is placed lot of mud to form a tough layer once the mud dries. And sometimes it’s not even mud but dung from animals like cows.
During the bronze age building changed a lot. Professionalism and specialization emerged. Now there were specialized trades where someone only did one task and did it well. The emergence of blacksmiths, craftsmen, carpenters, bricklayers etc, changed the way buildings were made dramatically. People could create intricate plans and have divisions that were tasked for specific parts in the process.
And might be how the project manager came along. With a bunch of individual parts needing to be sewn together at precise moments takes the hand of someone not only smart but someone that can orchestrate a group well similar to how a conductors wand keeps an orchestra together an on time.
From the bronze age through the middle age and industrial revolution, projects started to take on a whole new level of size and function. With inventions like cranes, electronics, bulldozers, arc welders and on and on with all the tools they have now for almost every type of task building in general has become truly amazing.
Things like the Hoover Dam, Panama Canal, Empire State building and more were great feats in their day. And today we’ve pushed the bar much further as our technology continues to grow.
FUN FACTOID:
The pile driver was invented around 1500 AD.
Kitchen Remodeling Tips | Selecting A Kitchen Sink – MOUNT TYPE
April 26, 2010
Kitchen Remodeling Tips
Selecting A Kitchen Sink
Mount Type
The type of mount is also an important decision. Many sinks are top mount and sit on top of the counter. But some sinks can be mounted from underneath the counter and sit below the surface. And there’s really one big distinction between the two that you may want to know.
When the sink is mounted from the top it makes it pretty easy to install because a cutout can be made to match the size of the sink and then the sink is simply inserted down into the frame and then fixed in its position. This gives a raised look and makes the sink sort of jump out of the counter top.
When the sink is mounted from underneath the counter it sits flush with the counter. This can be a desirable look because it doesn’t pop out as much as a top mounted sink and from a side view you just see the surface of the counter. This is an aesthetic feature that is desirable but it is also very functional. When the counter is flush with the sink it makes it very easy to sweep messes and spills into the sink.
Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling – Laying Tile | Finding the Center of the Room
April 20, 2010
Tile Laying – Finding the Center of the Room
The next step is to find the center of the room that you’ll be tiling. This is an important step because it will help you to get the best layout and look in your kitchen or bathroom. By starting in the very center of the room you’ll have whole tiles throughout the main part of the visible floor. Pieces along the edges will be cut and disappear under cabinets, appliances and run into walls and is much less noticeable than having two small pieces of tile together in the center of the room.
If you have a room that is not perfectly square, like a kitchen with a kitchen nook for example, the best thing to do is find the center of the bigger of the two rooms. In this example the main kitchen would be bigger than its nook, so you would find the center of the kitchen. Then you would let the tiles guide themselves into the nook by lining them up side by side. You’ll get a consistent pattern and won’t run into having small pieces of tile meet each other and create a seem on the floor. This would happen if you started from the center of each room and then cut pieces where the rooms meet.
FINDING CENTER:
To find the center of your room measure the distance on each wall. Next, divide the measurements in half to find the center of each wall and mark these spots.
If you’re in a perfectly square room you’ll have the same measurement. if you’re in a rectangular room two should match. If you have a scenario where the walls that are opposite from each other are different lengths you’ll want to use the measurement from the shorter wall most often, but it can vary and perhaps you should speak with an expert if you aren’t sure.
The last step is to find the center of the room using a chalk line. Take the chalk line and make two lines, each connecting from the center marks on opposite walls. The lines will intersect and give you your center point.
At the center point it will look like a giant + sign or cross. This is where you’ll line up your first four tiles next two each other, using the lines as a gauge and forming a giant square.
If you have any questions about laying tile just give us a call. We’re happy to help.
Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling | Laying Tile – Preparing The Surface
April 3, 2010
Tile Laying – Preparing The Surface
Step 1 is to prepare the surface that you’ll be laying the tile down on. If you’re laying tile on a wall most likely you don’t have to worry about the surface being flat, but laying tile on a floor, you do. In contrast, when laying tile on a wall you have other things to worry about, like the tiles falling off.
Either way the first step is to clear your surface. This means scraping off crud and build up if there is any, or removing or hammering in nails, etc. We want as smooth as a surface as possible for the tile to go down on so we can a smooth surface of perfectly laid tile. After the surface has been leveled, clean it with a cleaner to degrease any sort of substance that would inhibit the cement from sticking to the base surface.
Next, we need to see how level the surface is. Again, if you’re putting tile on a wall you shouldn’t have much of an issue here, and also because you’re probably not going to bother with fixing a wall from being straight. But the floor you can fix. Measure your floor with a level to see if you have a nice and flat surface. If you have a slight dip in certain places you may be able to fix smaller issues with a few easy techniques. If you surface is just simply old and not very smooth you may need to lay down a base layer of plywood.
If you’re laying a new floor of plywood place your nails about every 4 four inches apart or so around each panel of plywood and make sure the nails are flush with the plywood or slightly recessed.
If you’ve corrected a few sinkholes in the floor, now’s the time to double check to see if you’re floor is nice and level.
Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling | Laying Tile – Quick Tips Guide
March 30, 2010
Laying Tile – Quick Tips From The Pros
We’re starting a new series of articles as requested on how to lay tile to your kitchen. If you’re remodeling your kitchen or bathroom and are thinking about laying tile on the floor or walls, follow our quick tips guide for a few things you won’t want to miss.
Over the next few articles we’ll visit each of these tips in detail:
- Prepare The Surface
- Find The Center Of The Room
- Pre-place Tiles To Measure
- Floor Plan Layout
- Cement Application
- Lay Tiles
Tile Laying Tip For The DIY Kitchen Remodel-er- Depending on what type of tile you’re laying and the type of grout you may or may not be using your floor or wall you will need to allow for a sufficient amount of time for the cement to fully dry before you can wash your tile surface and get it wet. If you’re in a dry climate 1 week should be safe. If you live in a moist or damp area you might want to wait up to 2 weeks just to be sure.
Kitchen Remodeling Tips | Selecting A Kitchen Sink – MATERIAL
February 7, 2010
Kitchen Remodeling Tips
Selecting A Kitchen Sink
Material
There are all sorts of different types of kitchen sink materials. Here’s a short list of a few:
- Cast Iron (enameled)
- Steel With Porcelain
- Vitreous China
- Types of Natural Stones
- Stainless Steel
- Copper
There are a lot of different types of sink material to choose from. Some of the more important things to mention are that price affects the decision, but more important might be durability. A fire-clay sink or china sink that is made of a baked or fired clay material is great for kitchens where you really want to have a lot of color or maybe a custom design and decoration. But they aren’t as durable as a stainless steel sink for example. If a large pan or pot were to come crashing down into the sink it is possible that the sink can chip.
Again, here we want to try and look at how we’re going to use our kitchen. Will there be a large family operating at the same time, requiring large, robust and industrial choices with durability as the main concern? Or will there be a small couple living in a retirement home in the country who won’t be cooking any meals for more than 4 or 5? If you’re not sure or would like help walking through it, give us a call.
In the next section we’ll cover MOUNT TYPE.
Kitchen Remodeling Tips | Selecting A Kitchen Sink – SIZE
February 4, 2010
Kitchen Remodeling Tips
Selecting A Kitchen Sink
Size
The next thing to consider is the size of your sink. If you’re installing a brand new kitchen then you’re going to have a lot of room to work with. If you haven’t even yet created a layout for your new kitchen then you can go ahead and see what all your options are. If your budget it the only limiting factor then it will make it easier to cut out a lot of options right away. If no price is too high and you want a gold plated sink the size of a bathtub we can help, but most people aren’t going to be in this scenario.
If you’re remodeling a kitchen or just want to update your sink you won’t have the problem of not being able to choose what you want. If you’re changing out a sink with a new one and aren’t replacing cabinetry or the surrounding counter-tops you might be limited to a very specific size, specific dimensions. However, there are things that can be done to accommodate a new sink that doesn’t quite fit into the old sink’s spot. Give us a call and we’ll come done and help you to understand what are the best options for you on your budget.
In the next section we’ll cover MATERIAL types.
Kitchen Remodeling Tips | Selecting A Kitchen Sink – BASIN NUMBER
February 1, 2010
Kitchen Remodeling Tips
Selecting A Kitchen Sink
Number of BASINS / BOWLS
The next thing to consider is the number of basins or bowls that you’d like to have. Typically there are single, double and triple basin sinks. And typically the more basins you have the more expensive the sink gets. However, since sinks can range in material, they can also range in price.
The main thing to consider when selecting the number of basins you’d like is functionality. Do you prefer to have one giant working space when you are washing dishes. Perhaps an industrial style sink if you plan to be making stock and things that require big dishes. Or perhaps you like two sinks. One side for dirty and the other for the clean ones. Whether it’s 1, 2 or 3 basins in your sink, think about how you plan to use your kitchen and that should help you decide how many basins to choose.
In the next section we’ll cover SIZE and figure out exactly how big of a sink you’re going to need.
Kitchen Remodeling Tips | Selecting A Kitchen Sink – PRICE
January 14, 2010
Kitchen Remodeling Tips
Selecting A Kitchen Sink
PRICE
I like to first consider price as a starting point. All the other factors affect the price for the most part, so it’s good to establish a budget or a price range that you feel comfortable. You can always check to see if your “dream sink” it just slightly more than you originally set aside in your budget. But often you don’t quite know what you really want until you do a little exploring. So let’s set up a budget range and then we can start shopping.
Once we get into type of material used to make your sink, like ceramic or stainless steel, and how elaborate your sink is, we’ll start to see some varying prices.
In the next section we’ll cover BASIN NUMBER and figure out how many bowls you want in your sink. It will affect the price difference greatly.
Kitchen Remodeling Tips | Selecting A Kitchen Sink
January 7, 2010
Kitchen Remodeling Tips
Selecting A Kitchen Sink
When it comes to selecting a kitchen sink you’ve got a few factors to consider and it can get overwhelming trying to figure out what will be best for your home. We’ve broken down the kitchen sink selection process into 5 areas or points to consider, and they are:
Click each link above to be taken to the corresponding page. We’ve outlined each point in detail. If you have any questions about kitchen remodeling give us a call today.
