Seminar to be presented on Friday Feb. 19, 2010. To be held at Pomona Valley Mining, 1777 Gillette Rd., Pomona, CA. Comntinental Breakfast at 8:30AM – Seminar 9:00AM to 12:00PM.

Cost: NAWIC Members $50, Non Members $65. Topics to be covered: Mecanics’ Lien Laws, Stop Notices, Payment Bonds; effective use of 20 Dasy Preliminary Notices, Time Frames, Statutory Lien Releases, Effect of bankruptcy on Mechanics Liens. Also includes FREE copy of the 2010 Mechanics’Lien Law Handbook for California. For additional information and registration form call 909-982-7911 or email nawic140[at-symbol]msn.com. Registration deadline is 2-14, however late registrations will be taken at the door.

This article submitted by Deloris Whelchel, Seminar Chairman for Inland Valley Chapter #140 of the National Association of Women In Construction.

National Association of Women In Construction
Inland Valley Chapter #140
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
nawic140[at-symbol]msn.com

There have been a number of advances in new concrete technology in the past ten years. There have been advancements made in almost all areas of concrete production including materials, recycling, mixture proportioning, durability, and environmental quality. However, many of these innovations have not been adopted by the concrete industry or concrete users / buyers. There is always some resistance to change and it is usually based on cost considerations and lack of familiarity with the new technology.

The latest new concrete technology is beginning to gain acceptance in the industry. Some of the more interesting new concretes are called high performance concrete (HPC), ultra high performance concrete, and geopolymer concrete. They have significant advantages and little or no disadvantages when compared to standard concrete in use today.

High performance concrete usually contains recycled materials and thereby reduces the need to dispose of these materials. Some of these materials include fly ash (waste by-product from coal burning), ground granulated blast furnace slag, and silica fume. But perhaps the biggest benefit of using some of these other materials is the reduction in the need to use cement, also commonly referred to as Portland cement. The reduction in the production and use of cement will have many beneficial effects. These benefits will include a reduction in the creation of carbon dioxide emissions and a reduction in energy consumption, both of which will improve the global warming situation. It is estimated that the production of cement worldwide contributes five to eight percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, the use of fly ash and furnace slag is usually cheaper than cement and they have properties that improve the quality of the final concrete.

Today’s new concrete technology has produced new types of concrete that have live spans measured in the hundreds of years rather than decades. The use of fly ash and other by-product materials will save many hundreds of thousands of acres of land that would have been used for disposal purposes. Fly ash and other by-products from burning coal, are some of the most abundant industrial waste by-products on the planet. The elimination of burial sites for these waste by-products will translate into less risk of contamination of surface and underground water supplies. When compared to standard concrete the new concretes have better corrosion resistance, equal or higher compressive and tensile strengths, higher fire resistance, and rapid curing and strength gain. In addition, the production and life cycle of these new concretes will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 90%.

BSI is a new concrete technology that has a much higher tensile and flexural (bending) strength than standard concrete. It is a fiber-reinforced concrete that is combined with premixed dry components. It is much denser than standard concrete and structures built with it will need far less new concrete, perhaps as much as 80% less. The high density gives BSI concrete other properties such as extremely high resistance to corrosion from chemicals. The higher strength of BSI eliminates the need for placement of steel rebar in structural designs. BSI, or some variation with metallic fibers and/or superplasticizers, will be used to build some structural elements less than an inch thick. Overall, structures built with BSI will have much greater life spans and will require far less maintenance.

Ductal is another new concrete technology that is denser than BSI. Ductal uses steel or organic fibers to create a concrete that is stronger than BSI. Interestingly, the ancient Romans used horse hair in their concrete to improve its strength. Ductal is being tested for use in earthquake resistant structures, bridges, tunnels, and nuclear containment structures. Although it is more expensive than traditional concrete there are a number of cost savings that will make it price competitive. Among these cost savings are no steel rebar is needed, less material is needed with less related labor and equipment costs, and structures are thinner with less weight and require smaller foundations. In addition, both BSI and Ductal have low maintenance costs because of their very low porosity and are very resistant to penetration by water or chemicals. They are both resistant to salt water which is very corrosive and damaging to today’s bridges and roadways.

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Martin Dawson is the co-founder of Dawson Foundation Repair headquartered in Houston, Texas. He is a leading authority on repairing failed commercial and home foundations using the time tested and thoroughly researched drilled Bell Bottom Pier method. His company has serviced Texas and other southern states since 1984.

There are various types of foundations used in construction and they will vary with the geographic location, climate, soil, and needs of the structure. The various types of foundations discussed in this article will focus on residential construction and include slab on grade, T-shaped, frost protected, pile, continuous (spread footings), and foundation walls.

What is a foundation? A foundation is the part of a building structure that provides support and prevents excessive settlement or movement. The foundation must spread the weight of the structure over a given area to achieve this goal. Any building structure that does not have an adequate foundation will experience severe problems with support and settlement that can compromise the integrity of the building.

When discussing types of foundations one classification scheme that is used is shallow or deep foundations. A number of important engineering factors are considered before a decision is made as to which type, shallow or deep, is chosen. These factors will include the depth of the load transfer member below the building structure, the type of transfer load mechanism, the strength and compressibility of the soil at the building site, the proposed weight of the building when fully operational, and the acceptable limits of movement and settlement.

When the load bearing capacity of the soil at the building site is high and the soil compressibility is low (the soil is dense and will not compress) then settlement is not a great concern or problem. Under these favorable soil conditions a shallow foundation is the most economical foundation selection. Often shallow foundation construction is selected for smaller commercial and residential buildings.

When the soil conditions are not favorable, deep foundations are the alternative selection. Unfavorable soil conditions include soil that is loose and/or moves under heavy loads or soil that will compress significantly under load conditions. A deep foundation will provide the needed load bearing capacity and will limit the movement and settlement of the building structure. Deep foundation systems can include driven piles of timber, steel, or concrete as well as poured piers and drilled shafts. Driven piles are common in coastal areas which have higher settlement tendencies and unfavorable soil conditions.

A Slab on Grade foundation is one of the most common types of foundations. It is relatively simple, quick, and inexpensive to construct. It is a single layer of concrete that is poured to a thickness of approximately four inches for residential use. The concrete can be poured on compacted soil or a bed of crushed gravel to improve drainage. And steel rebar or reinforcing rods are placed in the slab prior to the pour to improve the overall strength. Usually the edges are designed and poured to a greater thickness as well as linear weight bearing areas in the interior of the structure. The interior linear areas and edges can be eight to twelve inches thick. This foundation is suitable in geographic areas that do not freeze often.

A T-Shaped Foundation is a one of the types of foundations used in geographic areas that experience freezing of the ground. This method, and variations of it, are also called Continuous or Spread Footings Foundations. An underground footing similar to an inverted “T” is built below the frost line. The inverted “T” gives more support to spread the load into the sub-soil. Later the walls are built on top of this inverted “T” and a concrete slab is poured to connect the walls. This method is a three step process and more expensive than most other methods.

A Frost Protected foundation is also suitable for geographic areas that freeze frequently. This type of foundation has the advantage that it is poured at one time versus the three step process of a T-Shaped foundation. However, it is only suitable for heated structures. The foundation is designed to use two large sheets of rigid polystyrene insulation to prevent heat loss from the structure. These sheets of insulation keep the heat from the structure in the ground and prevent the ground from freezing.

Pile foundations, also called pier and beam, are also one of the most common types of foundations. Piles are steel, pressure treated wood, or concrete columns that are either driven into the soil or placed in excavated holes. The piles provide support by transferring weight or load to the underground soil by way of skin friction and/or direct contact with stable underground strata. The piles extend downward until a stable soil layer or rock is reached. The piles will also extend above the soil line and will be arranged in a linear fashion so that a beam may be placed on top of two or more piles. The walls and floors of the structure are thus supported by the beams resting on top of the piles. This foundation method is suitable in areas where the soil is unstable, coastal areas, and sites with steep slopes.

Foundation Walls is another one of the basic types of foundations. This method is found in structures with basements. It uses the basement walls as the foundation walls for transferring the weight of the building to the ground. Usually the walls are made from poured concrete or hollow concrete blocks filled with concrete. Both methods are reinforced with steel rebar.

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Martin Dawson is the co-founder of Dawson Foundation Repair headquartered in Houston, Texas. He is a leading authority on repairing failed commercial and home foundations using the time tested and thoroughly researched drilled Bell Bottom Pier method. His company has serviced Texas and other southern states since 1984.

Construction is a business, and the purpose of business is to make a profit. Whether or not the building project makes a profit can be decided before the first nail is driven or the first piece of lumber is cut. It all starts out with an estimate.

To the average builder without Construction Management Software, the builder meets with the client. For a large project they may meet in an office to review blueprints and a proposal, usually typed rather than word processed, and a budgetary quote. For a small job it’s a clipboard and a sketchpad. For a large project by larger builders, the builder goes through a lot of time-consuming work. Checking contingencies, adding material labor and materials based on estimates and experience. The more detailed the work, the more accurate the estimate.

Smaller contractors on smaller projects may just use industry averages such as cost per square foot, average cost of materials such as lumber, wire and wallboard; safer, but the profit is not maximized. With proper guesswork or experience, the builder gets a profitable job. Guess wrong and you’re just changing money…or worse

The solution is estimating software. This is a form of construction software that as the name implies is specific to the estimating process. This software takes the tedious work out of the estimating process by breaking the estimate into discreet pieces. Then the data
is input in a logical structured fashion. This logical input also ensures that details are not missed – the kind of details that become cost overruns frequently.

The output is an accurate quote with which the builder can then bid the job low enough to get it, but high enough to maximize profits.

Estimating software is also useful if the builder gets an initial rejection. With a manual system, the builder needs to look at the project piece by piece to make a good counter offer. Of course in many cases, the alternate course is finding some quick ways to cut corners.

With construction software or estimating software, the builder can go through the project running through menus and sections. The information is presented in a more useful fashion and usually with a nearly instant cost update. The builder can now “cut corners” in a manner that may not even be perceived by the customer as cutting corners, since the software will allow more subtle changes.

The added bonus is also that large or small, estimating software allows the process to proceeds with less actual labor. After all a builders business is producing building, not producing estimates. Without construction management software, a large business will need the additional labor of one or more estimators. With a small business, the principal is either estimating or working.

The use of construction management software, particularly estimating software can get the builder off to a good start by producing good estimates. Estimates that are profitable keep companies in business and allow the builders to do what they do best – build.

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David Kraft is a freelance author that writes about numerous subjects. He is very knowledgeable about construction accounting software and writes tips for business owners looking for advice in selecting their next construction management software package.

BioBased Insulation® markets spray polyurethane foam insulation products that help to lessen the impact of residential and commercial structures on the environment.

BioBased Insulation® seals a structure’s thermal envelope, making it more energy efficient, healthier, comfortable and durable than traditionally insulated homes. BioBased Insulation® is water-blown and made by incorporating natural, renewable ingredients as a replacement for a portion of the petroleum. Find out more about our products.

BioBased Insulation® is only available through a global network of trained, certified dealers.

BioBased Insulation® is a spray polyurethane foam insulation. During application, precautions should be taken by applicators, helpers and building occupants to protect them from fumes, mists and spills. For more information view our product MSDS.

• Must be a taxpayer’s primary residence in the United States
• Must be used for remodeling or replacement (new construction does not qualify for the new tax credit)
• Product must be purchased and placed in service during 2009 or 2010

Tax Credit is 30% of the product cost up to a maximum of $1,500*

• $1,500 is a combined total for 2009 and 2010 energy efficiency improvements including other eligible items listed in the IRS Notice.
• Installation and other labor costs do not qualify for tax credit.

As of June 1, 2009, eligible windows and doors must have both:*

• a U-Factor equal to or less than 0.30 and;
• a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) equal to or less than 0.30

 Homeowner needs proof of purchase and product performance*

• Proof of purchase: Sales receipt (Federal law requires itemized receipts) for product(s) only.
• Product performance: Product labels or manufacturer’s certification statement

* Products purchased prior to June 1, 2009 can qualify if they meet ENERGY STAR criteria.

Despite what you might sometimes hear, banner advertising is still very successful for many small businesses, but only if carried out in the right way. What is the right way, and how does your business avoid the pitfalls of advertising on the internet? The answer is to understand the customer more than many advertisers seem to. There are very many examples of poor advertising on the internet. It is only by being aware of the poor tactics used by those businesses that fail to understand their visitors that you can make sure your own banner advertisements are successful.

An example of a banner advert can be found on the overwhelming majority of web pages across the internet. However, of course, prevalence is no testament to either quality or success, and in many cases, neither attribute seems very evident. Most people have become utterly tired of the clichéd banners flashing like a Las Vegas neon sign that is trying to outdo the rest of the website. Typically, these adverts congratulate the visitor on being the 100,000,000th visitor to see the advert, in which case you feel deeply sorry for the other 99,999,999 people who have also had to risk having a seizure and getting nothing for their trouble!

Similarly, banner adverts which try to frighten potential customers into clicking on them have tended to become shunned, ignored or blocked, such as those suggesting that, in the microsecond since the web page was loaded, they have managed to scan your entire hard drive and discover a virus which was evidently missed by that expensive, award winning anti-virus software you keep updated every day.

Visually nauseating banner adverts, or those which either try to frighten people into clicking no longer have very successful click through rates, and do more harm than good. Yet banner adverts persist. Why? Simply because there are enough examples of good and effective advertising out there that work, for them to remain economically viable.

It takes a great deal of thought and effort for a small business to achieve success with this form of internet advertising. Avoiding repulsive flashing colour themes, fear or trickery are just the first pitfalls to avoid. Another major problem is trustworthiness. Most visitors tend to view banner advertisements with a deep sense of distrust. You’re already starting on the back foot, having to somehow persuade the visitor you are trustworthy, honest and reliable, intent on doing no harm, nor of assaulting the senses or of pulling some kind of unpleasant stunt. All this in a handful of words and a small image is asking a lot, but it is possible.

One of the other dangers banner advertisers tend to leap into like lemmings having a bad day is trying to fool the visitor into clicking the advert. This isn’t quite the same as frightening them into clicking the advert by making it look like a virus alert or system message, but in visually disguising the advert to appear as though it was a genuine portion of the website. This is not a tactic which your business should employ.

The reason is because visitors do not like being deceived. Clicking on a link because it looks like part of the website menu, and then finding that you’re whisked off to a website far, far away on a server somewhere in Eastern Europe is not a good way to encourage repeat visitors.

Remember, your banner advertising is often the very first impression people receive of your business. Take a good long hard look at your internet adverts, and ask yourself if that really is how you want your business to be perceived by your potential customers.

DECRA Shake XD

Emulating the classic beauty and architectural detail of a thick, rustic, handsplit wood shake, DECRA Shake XD™ features DECRA’ s proven “Cut & Tuck™” technology. In keeping with the tradition of providing innovative stone coated steel roofing solutions for over 50 years, this latest DECRA product was designed with easy to use components much like the popular DECRA Shingle system. Requiring no special tools, Shake XD™ has only 23.4 pieces per square and installs direct to the deck quickly using a unique hidden fastening system.

Utilizing the latest in color technology, DECRA Shake XD™ incorporates multiple light and dark hughs to create two unique dimensional color blends, Antique Chestnut and Pinnacle Grey.

The  steel ShakeXD™ panels are walkable and will not crack, split, curl or break like traditional wood shakes.is lightweight, durable and provides safety and security beyond other roofing products.

Made of corrosion resistant, aluminum-zinc alloy coated steel with an acrylic bonded stone chip finish. Like all DECRA products the steel substrate used to make DECRA Roofing products contains upwards of 25% post-consumer recycled steel content, and is 100% recyclable at the end of its life.

Additionally, the water run-off meets the WHO standards for drinking water allowing for use with a rain catchment system. The  steel ShakeXD™ panels are walkable and will not crack, split, curl or break like traditional wood shakes.

DECRA Roofing Systems have been providing ageless beauty, superior performance and lasting durability for 50 years. DECRA profiles are backed by a 50-year limited warranty, a 120 mph wind warranty, are Class 4 impact resistant, and steel is a non-combustible, Class A rated material.

Full Press Release

DECRA Shake XD

Flipside handshower

The Flipside handshower brings you four distinct showering sensations, each with its own dedicated sprayface on your choice of three unique models. Innovative Flipstream™ technology makes selecting a spray both simple and stylish. Just flip the sprayhead on its axis–no impossible twisting–to enjoy the spray that best suits your needs. Switch between the traditional, soothing Koverage, the softer, silkier spray of Kotton, the exhilarating, circular pattern Komotion or the targeted Kurrent spray. With three style options, there’s a handshower for every bathroom and a spray sensation for every need.

Flipside™02 handshower

The Flipside handshower brings you four distinct showering sensations, each with its own dedicated sprayface on your choice of three unique models. Innovative Flipstream technology makes selecting a spray both simple and stylish. Just flip the sprayhead on its axis–no impossible twisting–to enjoy the spray that best suits your needs

• -Koverage™-a full-face spray for a superb performance for everyday use
• -Kotton™- releases a uniquely dense, soft, enveloping downpour of luxury spa spray
• -Komotion™- a full-face spray that delivers a drenching spray in an exhilarating, circular pattern that both relaxes and refreshes the senses for a deep sense of well being
• -Kurrent™- delivers a targeted massage spray to ease away aches and pains and revitalize your body
• Visually striking contemporary, geometric design
• Utilizes Flipstream technology for innovative mode changing capabilities
• Each spray experience has its own dedicated sprayface, delivering increased performance and eliminating any compromise created by space limitations
• Advanced ergonomics revolutionizes the users interface with the product – operation is simple and easy even with soapy hands