Well the short answer is yes! However perhaps not for the reasons you think. You are probably thinking that with the downturn in the economy home prices will go down and you will buy into the market more cheaply. That is true! However any time is a good time to buy a home.
Why? In the long haul (and in real estate when the property is the home you live in we are always talking about the long haul) real estate values go up. You are worried however that if you buy just a little too early that you may pay a few thousand dollars more than you really had too. It is amazing that on a purchase often of 3 or 4 hundred thousand dollars people will always worry if they got the really, really best, “I squeezed that vendor for everything he would give”, best price. Does it matter? Let’s think about that. (more…)
Can you include interest in the Claim of Lien Form? This depends on your state, but in most cases you can. Your state will probably have a statute which describes the legal rate of interest for any unpaid amounts for a breach of contract, whether or not you are a contractor. Or, there can be a specific statute as to a mechanic’s lien claim. In many cases this is in the neighborhood of 10%. Predominately, this is simple interest and not compounded. It is legally phrased as, for example: “10% per annum simple interest.”
Phrasing it in your mechanic’s lien claim would be as follows: “The amount of this mechanic’s lien is $12,432.00, plus interest at 10% per annum from an after March 31, 2008.” If later in court you are only awarded $10,000, the interest would logically be adjusted to that amount. (more…)
Located in the town of Szymbark, Poland, this magnificent piece of architecture was conceptualized by the owner, Daniel Czapiewski.
Due to its unique design, it attracts thousands of tourists keen to see this bizarre specter. The house is a normal conventional double storey wooden house literally inverted upside down with the roof touching the ground. (more…)
When involved in a one-time off event, either organizing or merely participating, we’re often constrained by the amount of time and resources we can spend.
That is a notch up more true for outdoor events like fairs, weddings and the like, where commercial tents are the choice of the day and dealing with the purchase, set up, maintenance and fold up processes is not something we always can afford to focus our attention on. It is in those cases when it is cheaper and convenient to rent a tent and save ourselves all the trouble. (more…)
The real estate development industry has created a negative impact on today’s economy. Throughout the United States real estate developers are experiencing many concerns with their development projects. These concerns are mostly related to the lack of financing available and lenders unwillingness to extend or restructure current obligations. Whether you are a residential developer, homebuilder, commercial developer, or any other related real estate development professional without the proper financing terms and structure the projects will remain stagnant or be sold.
The news has hit Wall Street and Main Street that real estate developers and homebuilders require financing, restructuring, and more time to manage through this cycle. Lenders, investors, and other financial institutions have scaled back their lending programs to developers and builders due to the risk associated with real estate development. Many real estate developers rely on financial leverage to make their respective projects successful. In today’s economy the term “leverage” has been a word many people feel has created this current crisis. (more…)
The change in construction materials cost in 2009 has been significant, but the real bottom line change is resulting from increased competition between contractors. Our clients who are owners openly discuss the challenges they have related to the increasing complexity and competition during the bid process. A few years ago a K-12 school construction project had 3-5 bidders, today there are 30 firms competing for the same project. The challenge for owners is to determine which contractors are qualified. The ability for a contractor to demonstrate experience and performance from past projects is crucial to satisfying owners concerns and winning bids.
Perhaps one of the most compelling ways for a contractor to create peace of mind for the owner, and to differentiate themselves from the competition, is to offer them transparency and communication which is guaranteed to be timely, accurate and compelling. Contractors who offer construction camera systems are offering the owner additional service. By demonstrating this level of transparency, efficiency and accountability those contractors have one more way to connect with owners needs which helps to build relationships and win work. (more…)
Post-tensioning is a process of reinforcing and prestressing concrete. Stresses are brought into the concrete using bars or strands of steel while it is being constructed. The strands of steel are typically used in horizontal construction such as foundations and beams. Steel bars are used for vertical purposes such as columns and walls.
Typical steel strands used in post-tensioning have a tensile strength of 270,000 pounds/in². In comparison, a typical non-prestressed piece of reinforcing has a tensile strength of 60,000 psi. Strands typically have a diameter of 1/2 in., and are stressed to a force of 33,000 pounds. The stresses brought into the concrete offset the expected external loads the concrete will be subjected to. (more…)
Japanese project management reflects the Japanese culture of “honour.” A reputation for high quality buildings is present throughout the industry. The Japanese have developed mass production, standardisation and simplification. There are six main contractors in Japan, who each have over 1,000 employees.
These contractors have created very close relationships with their suppliers, client’s, contractors and specialist sub-contractors to create a “family.” They all have a lot of trust in each other and support each other. Where a part of the “family” does not perform as required it is regarded as a great disgrace on them. Emphasis is placed on training and gaining skills in Japan. The company employs new graduates and trains them in their methods so that they can join their “family”. This often leads to a job for life. All staff in the company are encouraged to voice their opinions and suggest ways to improve their work practices. As was seen in America, Japanese buildings lack the flair and originality seen in the UK industry. (more…)
Carbon Cast concrete is an innovative technology that uses conventional steel for primary reinforcing and C-GRID epoxy-coated carbon fiber composite grid for secondary reinforcing and shear transfer. This allows the material to be very lightweight compared to normal reinforced concrete.
It has greater long-term durability, increased insulating properties and greater sustainability on top of the benefits of other concretes. This technology is the first advancement in precast concrete in over 50 years. These precast panels can weigh up to 66% less than the normal precast. (more…)
Are you part of a music group or band looking for a great place to practice your music out of the earshot of your family or the general community? Maybe you have outgrown your parent’s garage and need something a little more roomy or soundproof? A steel building may be the perfect solution for you then.
Steel buildings are great as music studios because they are both economical and easy to build, with many options for soundproofing. Steel buildings can be added to existing structures our located at a distance from your home or other buildings, like your neighbors’ homes or commercial offices. They come in many different plans and budgets so you are sure to find one that will work for you. Steel buildings are perfect to use as music studios because they have a great deal of interior space and they can be temperature controlled for safe instrument storage. They also allow room for musicians to spread out and they are great for acoustics for recording or live performance purposes. (more…)
