» Design & Construction

White House- a beautiful piece of construction

qwcdirect — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:00:55 +0000

White house is a thing of beauty. History suggests that it had been expanded by 30 percent in its blue print on suggestion of rev. George Washington. James Hoban, its architect, thought of myriad buildings, holding influence that time, prior to starting his construction efforts. Château de Rastignac and Leinster House were his inspiration at the time of putting up this great architectural monument. The building had to look dignified as well as beautiful, elegant as well as resplendent, solemn and yet awe-inspiring. Quite remarkably, it possesses all these exemplary qualities.

White House is built in white sandstone. Rose and garland and fish scale orientation is a piece of artistry. Cost came in between and thus the house was relegated to a size one-fifth of the originally visualized one. Rice glue, lime and lead have strengthened the sandstone walls on all sides. The white house was built in 8 years starting from the year 1792.

How efficient is Constructors’ association?

qwcdirect — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:00:13 +0000

The world has moved towards barbarism to civilization because it has found discipline. An association helps in adding to the decorum of a field. Similarly, a constructor’s association allows greater discipline, common set of playing rules, even as it encourages greater transparency and a fairly amiable environment in the construction fraternity.

Any constructor’s association is headed by a group of people cumulatively selected by the people of the fraternity. They just impose the fundamentals and keep the “black hat” techniques of cross bidding and foul play at bay. A few may assume that they are not of greatest help as they can be manipulated with or violated time to time with minimal punishment or reprimand. But overall they provide greater control over the entire fraternity. Construction industry is constantly beset with nefarious people. In absence of an association, a lot of malpractice can creep in.

Steel in US: wood in Japan

qwcdirect — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:00:42 +0000

Japan is at the seismic centre of the world. Because it is highly earthquake prone, it cannot build in steel and other alloys. Obviously, the danger of lives getting lost during earthquake is far greater when rubble of steel falls on you. With wood, chances of getting badly hurt are minimized. Moreover, Japan’s domestic wood produce is far greater than USA and thus its desire to mop up easily available raw material is only practical. Wood houses are built more quickly. The Japanese work force is more industrious as can be envisaged by their ability to master physical fitness techniques.

US on the other hand prefer tall skyscrapers, a tribute to architecture, all in washed or glitzy steel. Right from the foundation to the last lineament pillar to even the scaffolding, USA prefers its sublime building agent, steel. The fact, that steel is more readily available and that US is far from seismic power play helps its stand.

Importance of windows in houses

qwcdirect — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:14:33 +0000

Windows have several significant roles. Primarily, they help in filtering air and sunlight, even as they provide passageway to it. Without windows, the rooms would definitely be a lot more dingy. They are also able escape routes in times of fire or accidental locking of doors. Windows can be of many types; the sliding windows and the double glazed windows, the vinyl replacement windows and the very own wooden shaft windows.

Think of kitchen windows. Don’t they allow you to have a vision of your children on the dining table and getting to know what may be their requirement? From the bedroom windows, you can check out if there has been any abnormal activity or you can confirm if your motion detectors have detected any burglar invasion. Windows are certainly a must in the east to welcome the first ray of the sun for poignant solar energy and its gifts.

Use of Steel Detailing Is Famous For Building Designs

qwcdirect — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:00:35 +0000

Using steel in structure detailing has become quite a popular concept. Steel is now not only a part of commercial edifice or an industrial property; it has also become a must for building houses. Steel is being used extensively for construction purposes because of its several advantageous properties. A steel building is stronger than a traditional building and to construct it you do not have to pay head and heels.

Some essential steel detail services include
• Appropriate bills of reporting materials
• Workable drawings for structures made of steel
• A foundation with column connection along with a base plate detailing
• Detailed steel member drawings
• Drawings regarding shop and fabrication
• Several layouts of sheet metal and detailing
Most steel buildings are pre-fabricated constructions and this adversely affects the value of the property regarding matters of taking loans or mortgages. Small steel building can be easily constructed, but the larger edifices require serious professional involvement.

What is green architecture?

qwcdirect — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 07:00:04 +0000

Green architecture in short refers to s sort of construction which is sure to have no harmful effects on the surrounding environment. Approaches to green construction are several. The primary aim of a green architect is to offer you with a sort of an edifice which would in no way be a threat to pollution free existence. For this the building materials which are used are essentially organic compounds which have been combined with latest technology to create a zero harmful effect. For instance, the usage of a solar panel is a well thought example of green architecture.

Such a kind of a panel along with a storage tank is capable of storing energy for several electrical requirements like cooking, maintaining a comfortable temperature range and proper running of several electrical appliances. Collection of vat is again an essential element of green architecture. In this way you can collect rain water to be used in matters like growing crops, watering of the lawn and day to day purposes like bathing, drinking and cooking. Proper placement of doors and windows for apposite ventilation is also a commendable aspect of green architecture. However, the ultimate motto of this entire concept is to stay green and healthy.

Floor Plan Drafting Explained

qwcdirect — Sat, 01 May 2010 09:31:03 +0000

This is among the services that a drafting firm will provide. Basically, drafting is the business of drawing. When we mention drafting technical drawing comes to mind. What is drawn in AEC is referred to as plans or blueprints. However, due to technology, drawings nowadays are being designed by CAD software’s. In that regard, the term blue print is no longer being used.

When we say floor plan drafting is the process of going to a structure and measuring the floor using a tape measure and a laser to mark out the distance. When using CAD software, you design the floor plan from the measurements that were collected. A floor plan is essential because it offers information about the square feet of the house. In addition, it is also useful when remodeling a room when you want to install new appliances. It includes the measurements for the door openings, bathroom fixtures and walls.

How to Convert Your Garage into another Livable Space

qwcdirect — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:08:29 +0000

Maybe your garage maybe just a waste of space and it only use is providing shelter for your automobile. It may therefore be important to you that you convert this space into a habitable area. Many home owners are opting for home this noble home improvement project. It’s important that you first look for a carport that will take less space. You can the turn your garage into a guest, play, media or living room. Many standalone, single or double types garages can be turned into living spaces. However, before you do this you need to evaluate the electrical insulation, ventilation and other requirements of the garage space.

In addition, there are also legal procedures that need to be taken off. These include some local building regulation and codes. Sometimes you will require permits to make alteration to original blueprints and roofline.

Choosing a Natural Looking Decomposed Granite Driveway

qwcdirect — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 09:33:36 +0000

When you are designing your driveway you may want to consider designing that drive way using decomposed granite over concrete. It usually gives the driveway a natural look. The natural look however will depend mostly on the decomposed granite that you used. It is also known to last for years and requires minimum maintenance.

The pieces of decomposed granite are the size of sand. Large pieces will give more texture to your drive. However, the small piece provides a smooth surface. You should choose the best color that suits your drive way. You can use one color for the main part of the drive way and another color for the other portions. When you mix the decomposed granite with resins, it allows you to stabilize the drive way. The solid bed for the driveway should be dug up four inches thick to give optimum results.

Resurface Your Pool with a Great Plaster Job

qwcdirect — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:26:42 +0000

Resurfacing older pools requires a specialized professional. It enables you to create a water tight seal for your pool. It also referred to as white cement and when properly done can last for more than twenty years. Plaster is known to degrade with time. It usually starts eroding on the corners of the pool. When you notice this happening then you know that plastering is necessary.

Pool plastering is quite a task and require careful planning. However, when you have the right tools and knowhow you can do the plastering yourself. It is rather obvious the first thing that you do when plastering is to drain all the water from the pool. Use a chisel to remove hanging pieces of plaster. Mix the white cement in a container and apply over the pool. After one day, you can apply another coating and apply a water sealant.