Chart out your requirements

If building a shed is one of the jobs on your to do list, chances are that like other tasks, there is a specific requirement for accomplishing it. So before you start, precisely define the need. It could be for, say, storing agricultural yield, or maybe for simple household storage. Whatever your shed will be used for, the purpose definition would logically help work out the desired size of the shed. The second required component at this stage would be the available space. So with these two sides of the equation available, it should be possible to zero down on the practically possible shed size. However, before moving forward, do check the construction limits. Also while finalising on this aspect, visualise the constructed shed (of the worked out size) in proportion with the backyard and ask yourself some fundamental questions, such as: will the shed look right in the garden; is the door opening wide enough, in the correct place; how many windows, if any, do you need?

The look and appeal

If sheds are more than a junk repository for you, this aspect is definitely serious. There are a number of options in the sheds types and you have the authority to select, so why settle with the basic. For instance, the choice could be a beautiful wooden shed. Though in the long run it would require protection and maintenance, wooden sheds look natural and they tend to blend in with the rest of the garden. However if maintenance seems too bothering a clause, try the metal sheds. They are solid and resistant provided they are made from galvanized steel. Other options in this category include plastic sheds and vinyl sided sheds.

For the base of the shed, paving slabs could suffice or maybe you could fix in a concrete floor. Treated timber bearers are also an option in this category. Concrete blocks are the most economical and easiest to build. Moreover, the construction would be stable.

Other aspects that deserve attention include accessibility, shed placement, natural light availability, power, water and other basic requirements should be considered for your shed. Placement should be such that the shed does not render an awkward look to the adjoining house or construction, and careful space utilisation is pertinent as well.

Let’s plan

With the two basic aspects worked out, planning assumes priority. A shed plan can be purchased, referred to from books, or could be self designed. The last option could be difficult, especially if you are an amateur in this field. A suggestion therefore is to move with a readymade plan, already tested and tried.

Check the codes

Local building codes and ordinances must be closely checked before starting on the construction of your shed. Some sheds, like other structures, require the requisite permits, in absence of which they could be considered illegal. The ordinances could include: clauses relevant to the total space that can be occupied; construction time restrictions, etc. Approval might take weeks, and with some Housing Associations there are various rules and regulations that need to be addressed before a shed can be erected. There is more to building sheds then meets the eye, but now that you have been forewarned, you are now forearmed.

Related posts:

1. Building Sheds Could Be Easy – Especially With This Before Build Tutorial
2. MANY FOUNDATION OPTIONS FOR WOODEN GARDEN SHEDS
3. How To Build Your Own Shed

For your entrance, the company offers products like wall caps, pier caps, gate piers, balustrades or bollards made from concrete. They also offer other types of entrances made of different materials. The building stone that may be chosen includes grey granite, yellow granite, white or brown sandstone. Some of the other building stones include cream or brown sandstone, grey sandstone and the regular limestone.

If pier caps are what you require, then you have choices like recon granite/sandstone pier caps, concrete pier caps, limestone pier caps or the natural grey and yellow pier cap. Wall caps are also available in these materials. Apart from building stone, the company also provides different types of wall cladding that can make your entrance look very attractive. Some of them are Castillo, Retro, classic, Arizona, Colorado, and Montana. You can take your pick from here and select the one that will suit you most.

If you want to check out products related to your garden or house, then go through the products that are available with Double L concrete. They offer products like window sills, fencing, building components, garden products, Hardware supplies, window surrounds, door surrounds and various other such products and services. To know more about the building stones, log on to www.doublelconcrete.com or visit them at Calliaghstown, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

You can either collect the products yourself or get them delivered to your doorstep. In case you want the products fitted or installed, you can contact the company and their skilled manpower can do that for you. For the installation service, you can the first obtain a quotation from them. If you wish the products to be delivered to you, then the quality staff of the company will ensure that the products are intact when it is delivered to you. To know more about the entrances and building stone that are available, contact

www.doublelconcrete.com. This premier company has been in this field for more than 20 years and is known to provide the best quality services.

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Chart out your requirements

If building a shed is one of the jobs on your to do list, chances are that like other tasks, there is a specific requirement for accomplishing it. So before you start, precisely define the need. It could be for, say, storing agricultural yield, or maybe for simple household storage. Whatever your shed will be used for, the purpose definition would logically help work out the desired size of the shed. The second required component at this stage would be the available space. So with these two sides of the equation available, it should be possible to zero down on the practically possible shed size. However, before moving forward, do check the construction limits. Also while finalising on this aspect, visualise the constructed shed (of the worked out size) in proportion with the backyard and ask yourself some fundamental questions, such as: will the shed look right in the garden; is the door opening wide enough, in the correct place; how many windows, if any, do you need?

The look and appeal

If sheds are more than a junk repository for you, this aspect is definitely serious. There are a number of options in the sheds types and you have the authority to select, so why settle with the basic. For instance, the choice could be a beautiful wooden shed. Though in the long run it would require protection and maintenance, wooden sheds look natural and they tend to blend in with the rest of the garden. However if maintenance seems too bothering a clause, try the metal sheds. They are solid and resistant provided they are made from galvanized steel. Other options in this category include plastic sheds and vinyl sided sheds.

For the base of the shed, paving slabs could suffice or maybe you could fix in a concrete floor. Treated timber bearers are also an option in this category. Concrete blocks are the most economical and easiest to build. Moreover, the construction would be stable.

Other aspects that deserve attention include accessibility, shed placement, natural light availability, power, water and other basic requirements should be considered for your shed. Placement should be such that the shed does not render an awkward look to the adjoining house or construction, and careful space utilisation is pertinent as well.

Let’s plan

With the two basic aspects worked out, planning assumes priority. A shed plan can be purchased, referred to from books, or could be self designed. The last option could be difficult, especially if you are an amateur in this field. A suggestion therefore is to move with a readymade plan, already tested and tried.

Check the codes

Local building codes and ordinances must be closely checked before starting on the construction of your shed. Some sheds, like other structures, require the requisite permits, in absence of which they could be considered illegal. The ordinances could include: clauses relevant to the total space that can be occupied; construction time restrictions, etc. Approval might take weeks, and with some Housing Associations there are various rules and regulations that need to be addressed before a shed can be erected. There is more to building sheds then meets the eye, but now that you have been forewarned, you are now forearmed.

Related posts:

1. Building Sheds Could be Easy – Especially With This Before Build Tutorial
2. How Much To Build A Shed
3. MANY FOUNDATION OPTIONS FOR WOODEN GARDEN SHEDS

This document has been written to give clients of Property Protect an understanding of the most common types of flange building defects that can be found in buildings whilst doing an AS 4349.1 inspection. This list gives the reader a basic outline of the more common defects and the reader should be aware that there are literally thousands of forms of building defects. The items which we have listed are the more common ones only.

Abstract

The report lists some of the more common residential building failures including the causes based on the case studies carried out by the writer as a licensed Builder. The writer has also included some of the causes of the failures.

Purpose
The purpose of this report is to give the reader a summary of the types of residential building failures and the suggested remedies to these defects.

Method
This report is presented as a case study based on the experience and personal records of the author over the last 15 years as a licensed Builder.

Findings
A large proportion of structural building failures listed in this report have in my opinion been caused by the mismanagement of stormwater around houses leading to movement in the homes. The remainder of the failures are caused by poor building practices and or poor maintenance.

Introduction

The most common forms of Building failure noted during AS 4349.1 house inspections by the writer in Adelaide are as follows.

Slab Edge wetting
This is the horizontal ingress of moisture and salts in solution from the soil which enter into footing edges through the capillary action (Suction caused by the concrete) of the concrete. It is caused by a number of factors including, Concretors pushing down the Fortecon membrane with edge forms prior to pouring a floor slab, relatively poor cement concrete in the footing (Many engineers have called for 32 MPA concrete to resist the ingress of salts in lieu of 20 to 25 MPA currently used), Concrete over pours caused when concretors edge forms are not placed low enough to stop a horizontal over pour which can lead to water ponding on the top face of the over pour creating a pool of water. The final cause is the lack of a plastic membrane to be placed between the paving and the footing edge.

The damage that can be caused though this problem includes, mould and rotting to the underside of floor coverings internally and the fretting of the concrete through the salt attacking the cement matrix through a hydraulic action both internally and externally. (Salt crystals expand inside the concrete matrix thereby causing it to fret and crack).

Rising Damp in walls
This is a similar problem to Salt damp detailed below. The main difference is that Salt damp is generally a 90 to 100% break down of the Damp Course in the wall whilst rising dampness is a partial failure of the Damp Course and the partial failure generally means that the damage to the masonry wall is not as bad as Salt damp. There is a good chance that rising dampness may be found in most pre 1950 homes and the Rising dampness could be limited to erosion of the mortar joints by as little as 1 to 2 mm from its original face. The treatment is the same is Salt damp.

The client should be aware however that in most cases the rising dampness is not treated as the erosion of the masonry is very slow and it may have taken 50 years for the mortar to erode 4mm deep from the face of the brickwork. I would advise clients to monitor this if the damage is not major.

Salt Damp in Walls
This is caused through the vertical ingress of moisture and salts into a wall which can lead to the wall fretting and not being able to take structural loads. The damage caused to the masonry is from the salt crystals inside the masonry expanding leading to the bricks and or mortar fretting. In some cases the salt damp can render the masonry unstable.

It is caused by a number of factors including the full breakdown of the damp course (Pre 1910 homes had pitch or bitumen between the footing and bricks and this becomes brittle with age), paving and or render bridging the damp course also causes this.

Breacher piece failures in showers This is where the breacher piece fails through metal fatigue via thousands of heat cycles inside the wall (This is where the hot and cold water meet inside the wall in the shower). Water then flows into the walls. Generally a breacher piece will fail in a shower every 25 to 30 years or so and it is quite common. A tell tale sign of a breacher which has been replaced is two off different tiles to the walls of the shower.

During inspections carried out by Property Protect the company carries out a survey of the wet area walls in its premium report using an electronic moisture meter to identify this defect. High moisture levels to the walls next to the shower generally indicate that it is leaking.

Brick Growth
Cracks in walls Older homes can have brick growth cracks which usually occur at the end of a wall in a vertical plane. Clay bricks will actually expand as they are porous. If a house does not have control joints in the wall the bricks can exert a compression load on one another leading to cracking.

Terracotta roof tiles
Fired clay roof tiles will fret when exposed to moisture for long periods of time and this generally occurs at the laps of the tiles. The tiles can also fret in seaside environments due to salt attacking the tiles. It is not uncommon to see these roof tiles fretting to the laps on the underside of the roof tiles. As these tiles age they can also become very brittle and are easily cracked.

In most instances when the tiles are fretting they will need replacing within the short term. Concrete cancer in footings and precast concrete lintels. This occurs when the steel bars inside the concrete rust due to moisture/salt/Carbonation ingress into the concrete. As the bars rust they expand causing the concrete to crack. This can cause cracking in the surrounding concrete elements. The client should be aware that it is very expensive to repair this defect.

Tree damage
Although some tree roots can cause hydraulic damage from the roots physically moving the building element, most Building failures are caused by the tree withdrawing moisture from the soil. This then leads to the soil contracting which can cause Building elements to drop or move.

In a large number of inspections over the years the writer has observed walls and footings dropping or moving due to soil contraction when a tree is too close to the base of a wall. In most instances the writer would advise clients to keep large trees well away from the house. If this is not possible an impermeable root fabric can be used to stop the tree roots growing under a house.

Stormwater damage and Soil movement
This is caused when gutters, stormwater pipes and downpipes overflow/leak causing the soil around and under the footing to be saturated. Once the soil becomes saturated it then loses its ability to take load and the soil can collapse leading to the Building element dropping or moving. In some instances reactive soils can expand also leading to cracking. This then places uplifting loads on a house which can lead to significant cracking and movement as well.

In Adelaide reactive (fine soils such as clays) can be found at the base of the foothills where fine silts run off the hills. The fine reactive soils can generally be found in Rostrevor, Athelstone and Campbelltown.

Lack of Paving around the external perimeter. This can cause expansion and contraction in the soil around the footing leading to movement in the Building. ie Expansion in soil after heavy rains and contraction in the soil in the summer. In some instances the contraction of the soil under the footing (on the external portion) can lead to the footing rotating on the external side as it drops. The author has seen many instances of this occurring and this leads to the whole wall leaning out or in. (Bows out at the base and then leans in at the top). In these instances the wall generally needs to be pulled down and rebuilt.

In many of the Property Protect reports you may see a note detailing seal gaps at the footing paving junction. Many houses inspected by this company have gaps at this junction and this can allow moisture to enter both under the house and also under the paving. Where the water enters under both elements it can erode the soil away and or cause the soil to either expand or contract. In this instance the gap should be sealed off with a flexible sealant.

Older style wiring.
The author has seen electrical failures from the following during inspections over the years., -Canvas coated and vulcanised rubber power cables. In the first instance the canvas can be eaten by rodents or just physically ages leading to the cables being exposed which can result in fires. The same can happen with older rubber cables which can split.

-Power cables not in conduit in contact with steel frames. I.e. If the cables are damaged the frame becomes live. A number of houses over the years have been inspected by Property Protect and found to have new wiring in all areas of the house but not inside the existing hard plaster. During the premium house inspections this company uses a high powered torch to identify wall patches and chases to the walls. An existing house without wall chases above the light switches and power points would generally indicate that the original wiring has not been removed. In this instance Property Protect would advise the client to engage an electrician to carry out a survey of the house to confirm if the wiring is original to these areas. Hard plaster cannot be removed during a house inspection as the vendor would not generally approve this.

Leaking pipes in wet areas This is generally caused through corrosion of lead or galvanised steel waste pipes under or in floor slabs. As the pipes corrode this leads to a leak which can wash away sub fill in a floor leading to the floor and or footing dropping.

This is very expensive to repair as generally the pipes are cast into the floor slabs in the wet areas and they need to be jack hammered up. This is a common defect as a large number of houses in pre 1970 properties have galvanised steel pipes cast into the floor slabs. For these steel pipes it is not a matter of if but when the pipes need to be replaced . Having stated this steel pipes although not draining as well as they should do can function for many years until funds can be found to replace them.

If you have steel waste and or water supply pipes in a pre 1970 house and you are contemplating a wet area renovation with new tiles etc we would strongly advise you to remove the steel pipes prior to the renovation.ie If you renovate the wet areas without removing the steel pipes a failure of the pipes could result in you having to re renovate the wet area at great cost again!

Cracks/Movement in walls
Movement in any home is hard to control. In most instances cracks are caused by changes in soil moisture levels around the footing although trees can also cause significant movement. Horizontal cracks can occur in walls if a window lintel sags or if a footing/wall drops.

Diagonal cracks radiating away from window and or door heads are the most common form of cracks. Lateral movement cracks can occur with a shear load if a footing rotates (Drops) on one side. Due to Adelaide’s dry climate soil shrinkage related cracking in homes is causing many problems. This leads to footing settlement (Dropping of the footing) and cracks in all building elements.

Roof frame failures
The first type of failure is for an older style roof which does not have under purlins and or struts. In this instance the failure is generally from the frame not being able to take the dead loads from the weight of roof tiles. It is common to see the frame sag heavily and split and this instance repairs may need to be carried out. If a roof frame is sagging from the weight of the roof tiles and the timber frame is not splitting or showing any signs of stress our advice to you is to closely monitor the roof frame.

In the second instance the writer has seen heavy splitting to timber around defective gang nail trusses manufactured in the 1970’s. In some instances the trusses could not take roof loads and sagged.

White ant attack
Property Protect does not carry out a survey for white ants in our inspections and we would advise that you engage a pest controller to do this. White ant attack is a very common problem in Buildings with the ants literally eating any form of timber in a home. As the timber wall frame is load bearing in a brick veneer home this can led to structural failures. The ants will normally enter a home where voids are close to the ground. One example of an entry point is where the paving bridges the Damp Course allowing ants to enter a wall cavity through weep holes (i.e. the paving is poured above the Damp Course in the wall).

A second example is where garden beds are placed up against walls without any paving and in this instance we would advise on removing the garden bed and then installing paving all around the house.

Poor Workmanship
The following defects are caused by poor workmanship which does not comply with the Building Code. -Render in brick wall weep holes This stops condensation from draining out of a cavity. The writer has seen fretting render caused by blocked weep holes. -Bricks overhanging the footing. BCA allows a tolerance but in many instances concreters’ set out the slab incorrectly. As the wall is not supported the bricks can bow out.

-Render bridging wall Damp Courses In many instances plasterers do not strike a horizontal line through render which can result in ground moisture and salts rising up into the wall by passing the Damp Course. This can cause Salt damp in a wall.

-Concrete slabs poured up against brickwork. In some instances around porch slabs builders sometimes place the Damp Course one brick course above the footing and pour the porch slab up against the first course of clay bricks. In this situation clay bricks are not designed to be exposed to ground moisture and salts for extended periods of time and this leads to fretting of the bricks.

This is sometimes seen in older houses and it is hard to fix this if the fretting of the walls is heavy. Subject to a site visit sometimes the best option in this instance is to jackhammer up the floor slab and then repour the concrete below the Damp Course. At the end of the day this is an expensive problem to rectify. The writer has seen this in many garages in pre 1980 houses.

Puddle flange to wet areas not installed correctly. Puddle flange are designed to drain any water caught between the waterproof membrane and the floor tiles. In some instances the flanges are laid proud of the floor and the trapped water cannot drain into the waste pipe. In a second floor building this ponding water can bypass the membrane leading to the timber floor swelling and door, wall and window frames jamming up from compression loads. If this has occurred it is very expensive to repair.

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Consumption Or who can refer to the legend of the business model has a shape, or you can choose to let your creative businesses to give professional advice.

Decision paving way home style Interviewed several designers in the following, we reached a conclusion: the decision paving way home style.

Current new home decoration, more use of modern minimalist style, combined with factors such as the owners age and preferences. If multi-family use strong contrasting colors Polished , Then directly into the seam paste, paste form, or horizontal, or vertical paste. Because tiles do not need to stay suture, the final look will be very fresh and clean. Note that, regardless of horizontal or vertical stickers affixed, there will be some scattered bricks. Design suggestions and brick on the corner of these piecemeal, or not easy to see where line of sight, at first glance see places and need to be complete a block.

, Of course, can use modern minimalist style Antique brick , The ground can use a 45 degree angle oblique shop law, the original boxy brick into a diamond; wall can stick the character employment, resulting in scattered feeling. Need to remind everyone that the oblique laying of the horizontal and vertical than ordinary paste material costs, to use when more than 5% to 10% of the material, do not be surprised.

European style and country style house, paving tiles can be more complex the. Reporters to recommend a shop law, specifically, is the first in the ground around four weeks to make an edge of color a little deeper than the brick Marble , 15 cm wide size control, and then go down to fill in brick, this way, can make people feel something more sophisticated. Designer said, exquisite little people, even to cook around three sides, to highlight the ground.

If the decoration style avant-garde designers recommend, in addition to using ceramic tile, you can also use some drawing Stainless steel Or color Glass Comply with the paving process need not rigidly adhere to conventional forms, more modeling no problem, but the construction workers may be trouble.

Space will also affect the way of paving

Paving way home style is considered the first element, while the space will also affect the way the paving. In general, not suitable for small space with a large brick, especially 800 mm × 800 such a big brick, even if purchased, and construction workers will be cut. Usually more suitable for small space is the size of 300 mm × 300 mm or 400 mm × 600 mm tiles.

Small paved ramp space and inappropriate methods, especially the living room, Kitchen And toilet on the ground. But if is just to buy a 300 mm × 300 such a small brick, you can shop in the wall with oblique, ground with a slightly larger brick laying sideways to match.

The same time abandon the use of small space for the best antique brick, to little effect, the second to increase the cleaning difficult.

The large area of the rooms, then the tile was completely arbitrary ground floor. Oblique laying of the best big room to use, if your home living room of 30 square meters, it can not hesitate to shop oblique Tiles And can be used × 800 mm 800 mm large brick. Do not feel bad material, the final result can certainly excellent value for money.

If you encounter a narrow kitchen and bathroom, use of H-paste method to weaken a narrow sense, because too neat, it will expose birth defects.

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sourcing specialist, have provided a number of useful calculators on their site.

There are building material calculators available from a basic volume or dimension conversion.

Up to some very extensive calculators for brickwork, render and screeding.

If you need to know what quantities of sand, lime, cement and plastisicer you will need for a given area and thickness of render or stucco then the render stucco calculator, render/stucco estimator would be for you.

Or the quantities of bricks & blocks in single or double thickness walls along with how much sand, opc and plastisicer are required for your project then try the brick, block and mortar calculator.

There are also calculators for concrete, ready mix and diy screeds, paving beds, bulking of materials upon excavation, internal plaster and a sub base calculator.

The full list available can be found by navigating from their home page, useful for builders, developers and diy alike.

They do however make the point that these calculators should only be used as a guide.

Of course Source4me remain dedicated experts in the sourcing and supply of specialist and hard to locate Building Materials, as well as providing an urgent requirement service throughout the UK.

Source4me makes no charge for submitting an enquiry and obtaining a quotation, via the online form , email or telephone 0845 803 7769.

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What can we do to control the cost of our latest DIY project?  Here are some things we can control:

1.      Build it yourself instead of hiring a contractor.

2.      Use reclaimed materials.  Not only is this good for the environment, but it will make your DIY project easy on the pocketbook.

Reclaimed materials can be many different items.  Some examples include:  wood, windows, doors, footers, trim, shelving, etc.  Be creative.  You’ll be glad you did.  Remember a can of paint can make anything look brand new.

3.      Size of shed.  Obviously a smaller shed will use less material, thereby incurring less cost

4.      The type of foundation we use.  If our shed is small enough it can be built on an existing patio. This is very cost effective, but not always practical.  Some of our other options include: pouring a concrete pad, using crushed stone with either treated wood foundation blocks or paving slabs.

5.      Type of material used for siding.  There are many options, such as:  cedar, hardie plank, vinyl, coated steel, aluminum, etc.  Think of reclaimed material.

6.      Type of roofing material used.  Some of our options include:  asphalt shingle, wood shingle or metal.  Don’t forget to look for reclaimed materials you can use.

7.      If you’re adding trim, window boxes or shelves.  Look around for bits and pieces you have laying around.  Re-use materials here.  Use up those odds and ends.

Do-it-yourself projects like shed building are fast becoming the way things are done today.  With a proper plan you can build a great cost effective shed that may add value to your home. 

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You decide how “Green” you want to be.

Let’s look at the four basic elements in Green Building:

1. Increasing energy efficiency

2. Materials selected for building your home

3. Increasing the efficiency of water usage both in and outside of your home

4. Improving air quality, which improves the health and productivity of your family

There are many parts to each element. Let’s look at each of these in a little more detail

1. Increasing Energy Efficiency

Advanced Framing – Use a framing contractor who can apply advanced framing technique during the construction of your home. This creates a structurally sound home with improved energy efficiency, and lowers material and labor costs. This technique replaces lumber with insulation material and maximizes the wall that is insulated, improving the R-value of the home. On average, advanced framing uses 30% less lumber, which reduces the building costs and saves 2% to 4% of the total energy use. Hot Water Heater – Water heating can account for 14% to 25% of the energy consumed in your home. To increase the efficiency of your hot water heater, locate it near the highest point of usage. This is typically near the shower followed closely by the clothes washer. Pipes – Insulate the hot and cold water pipes within 3 feet of the hot water heater. This reduces standby heat loss. Your hot water heater is continuously heating the piping and water in it, even when no water is being used. Household Appliances – A green built home features appliances that are as energy efficient as possible. The U. S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have developed a program called Energy Star which labels those appliances meeting strict energy efficient criteria. The typical household spends $1,900 a year on energy bills. As you can see in the diagram above, a great deal of that energy is consumed by the appliances in your home. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models. Just look for the Energy Star label. The Federal Trade Commission requires that refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers and window air conditioners be labeled with an Energy Guide Label. The label for a hot water heater is shown here. This hot water heater uses 268 therms per year of energy and is being compared to other similar models which use anywhere from 238 to 273 therms per year. This model’s estimated yearly operating cost is $162.When comparing different appliance brands for your new home, be sure to look at their estimated energy consumption. This will impact the operating cost of your home for years to come. Air Sealing – This is advanced caulking which is a part of the airtight drywall approach (ADA). Specifically, caulk or gasket drywall is installed on exterior walls at the top and bottom plates, windows and door frames; on interior walls at the intersections with exterior ceilings; and at electrical, plumbing or mechanical penetrations in the drywall. This approach minimizes heat loss in your home. Work with your drywall contractor to see if he/she uses this method. Radiant Barrier – Reflect heat away from your home by installing a radiant barrier (a sheet of aluminum foil with paper backing) on the underside of your roof. This significantly lowers your cooling costs by reducing your heat gains through your ceiling by 95%. Insulation – Add insulation to your attic to keep the heat in your house. There are some environmentally friendly insulation products made from recycled blue jeans, soybeans, cotton or newspapers. Solar Power – If the sun shines on your home for most of the day in the winter, you have the potential for solar power to reduce your energy costs. A good solar design allows the winter sun to reach a thermal mass like a tile floor which holds heat and radiates it into your home for a period of time. Lighting – Install high-efficiency lighting systems with advanced lighting controls. This allows you to only use the light when you need it. Replace traditional incandescent lights with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs will use 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer. When designing your home or remodeling project, introduce natural daylight into as many places as possible. Thermostat – Use a programmable thermostat to provide you and your family the comfort you want day and night while minimizing heating use when you don’t need it. Ducts – Seal your ducts with mastic and insulate them to R-11. This minimizes the heat loss from your home. Paints – You can mix non-toxic ceramic powder into your interior paint to insulate your walls and reduce the amount of heat passing through to the outside. These ceramic particles create a radiant barrier that reflects the heat back into the room. Redirect The Heat – If you have a ceiling fan, redirect the heat back into your room by reversing the direction of the blades to counterclockwise. This brings the heat back down into your room.

2. Materials Selected for Building Your Home

Plastic Lumber – This product can be used for non-structural applications such as fences, benches, decks, retaining walls, and picnic tables. It is weather and insect resistant, and will not crack, splinter or chip. It does not need painting and will not leach chemicals into the ground or surface water. By doing this, you minimize the amount of lumber used in your home, reduce your ongoing maintenance costs, and you won’t harm your local habitat. The US is home to 4.5% of the population but is responsible for over 15% of the world’s wood consumption. Engineered Wood – This combines the raw materials of wood veneer and fiber with adhesives to produce such laminated lumber as wood veneers, I-beams and roof and floor trusses. The manufacturing process uses fast growing, small diameter trees, allowing more than 80% of the log to be used in the end product. This produces a product which is very consistent and stable while decreasing the impact on a natural resource. Fiber Cement Siding – This is a composite of cement and wood fiber reclaimed from wood processing waste or small diameter, fast growing trees. It produces a siding which is durable and low maintenance. Many fiber-cement composites offer a 50-year warranty, which increases the value of your home and decreases the maintenance costs. Brick -The process of extracting clay for brick results in limited wasted material. Brick has a limitless lifespan and can be recycled or salvaged after demolition. Recycling – The efficient use of materials when building Green comes in two forms. First, recycle construction waste and use reclaimed building materials during construction when appropriate. Once your home is finished, practice responsible recycling of the materials you use every day. Design – When working with your architect or designer, use standard dimensions, engineered wood and stacked floor plans to reduce the overall volume of lumber used as well as the volume of waste.

3. Increasing the Efficiency of Water Usage Both In and Outside of Your Home

Porous Paving Schemes – Watertight, or “impervious,” surfaces suchas paved driveways, walkways and patios don’t allow storm water runoff to infiltrate into the ground’s aquatic systems. Using uncompacted gravel, crushed stone and open or porous paving blocks for walkways and other light traffic areas minimizes the number of impervious surfaces on your property, allowing storm water runoff. Rainwater Collection – Rainwater collected from your roof is a free source of landscape irrigation water. This collection system consists of a suitable roof and guttering system, a storage tank and a simple filtration unit. Low Impact Development (LID) – This innovative approach mimics your land’s original method of water run-off instead of disposing and treating storm water in large, costly, end-of-pipe facilities. This can come in the form of open spaces, vegetated rooftops, reduced street widths and curbs, pervious parking lots and sidewalks, medians and other buffer zones using more vegetation. Plumbing – Design your home to use recycled water for toilet flushing. Use ultra low-flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Some older toilets use 3-7 gallons per flush while an ultra low-flow toilet uses less than 1.6 gallons per flush.

A family of 4, each showering for 5 minutes per day will use 700 gallons of water per week – a 3 year drinking supply for 1 person in the US. Using a high performance shower head uses 1 – 1.5 gallons of water per minute – up to 60% less than a traditional shower head.

In Your Yard – Mulch exposed soils in your garden beds and improve that soil with compost to a depth of 8-13 inches to increase the ability to hold water. Select plants that have low water and pesticide needs. Planting trees not only beautifies your yard, but will also increase the value of your home while decreasing your impact on the environment. A single mature tree can provide nearly $300 in energy and resource values in terms of cooling, erosion and pollution control. Plus they reduce your “carbon foot print.” Putting the right plants in the right place and developing quality, healthy soil means less watering in the summer, less need for chemicals and less waste to worry about. Chemicals – Avoid outdoor chemicals and fix oil and other fluid leaks to prevent contamination of the water runoff. According to the NY State Attorney General’s office, 95% of pesticides used on residential lawns are considered possible carcinogens by the EPA. Hot water – Use recirculating systems for centralized hot water distribution or utilize “on demand” systems vs. traditional hot water tanks.

4. Improving Air Quality, Which Improves the Health and Productivity of Your Family

The EPA ranks indoor pollution among the top 5 environmental risks. Unhealthy air is found in up to 30% of new and renovated buildings. The electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than 2 average cars. Carpet – Using a low pile or less allergen attracting carpet and pad greatly improves air quality. Wool or PET carpet (made from recycled pop bottles) are good choices. In addition, at installation, have the carpet tacked down, not glued, to reduce pollutants. Many Green Built designs minimize the use of carpeted surfaces, replacing them with hard surfaces which don’t have these pollutants and are easier to keep free of dust, mold and mildew. Paints – Use low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds, such as formaldehyde) paints. Ventilation – While you want to seal your home to prevent heat loss, this creates a need for mechanical ventilation. Ventilation can be provided by quiet fans with automatic controls or by heat recovery ventilators. Talk to your HVAC contractor for the best system for your home’s design. Construction materials – To prevent microbial contamination, select materials that are resistant to microbial growth. Drainage – Provide effective drainage from the roof and surrounding landscape, as well as allow proper drainage of air conditioning coils. Window treatments – Avoid synthetic window coverings or those that cannot be cleaned easily.

Even though there is a lot to think about when using Green Building techniques and principles, it is manageable and doable. We here at UBuildIt can help you work with your architect or designer, subcontractors and suppliers to help you build or remodel your dream home while minimizing your impact on the environment. Taking the time to plan and build or remodel your dream home using UBuildIt and Green Building will positively impact you and generations to come.

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You would also be wise to include damproofing to ensure that rising damp and growing vegetation does not pose a problem in the future for the base of your shed or the contents that you may store on the floor.

Size of Shed
Smaller sheds may not need a foundation at all and it will be fine to just site the shed on a hard stand or patio. But larger sheds will need to be protected against ground movement through the heating and cooling of the ground and frost heave as well as moisture can be a major contributor to the movement of your shed over time.

Some movement of a shed over time is acceptable but if you are investing good money in a substantial structure that you want to stand the test of time then you should not skimp on putting in a good foundation.

Location of Shed
So before deciding on the type of shed foundation you might use, you need to decide about the size of your shed, it’s proximity to growing trees and vegetation and where you are going to locate it.

If your shed is less than 8foot by 6 foot then you should consider the options which include siting your shed on paving slabs, railway sleepers or on nice, level crushed stone or filling. There is also the option nowadays of a plastic shed base.

For bigger sheds you need to put in a solid foundation and this generally will be a concrete slab with a layer of damproofing in it and it is a good idea to also include insulation to ensure that your shed does not become a cold,damp place which will not do justice to your investment.

You will need to dig out the soil to a good, firm, level base to ensure that your concrete slab will be level when the concrete is poured.

Value of Your Shed Investment
The value of your shed as an addition to the value of your property will be greatly enhanced with a good, well constructed shed because the last thing you want if you are selling your house is for any potential purchaser to look at your badly built shed and say “the first thing I will have to do if I buy your house is to have that thing removed”.

In summary, firstly assess your needs in terms of your shed and it may well be that a small shed is perfectly adequate for your needs. But you should always try to look further down the road and consider that if you have a growing family then a bigger shed will serve your needs more adequately and if that is the case then do not skimp on your shed foundation.

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The materials you use when building a driveway influence its cost, constancy and visual appeal. From functional concrete or asphalt to outstanding paving, environmental grass pavers to simple gravel, there’s a driveway material, which is apt to every site and situation. Following are the well-liked options plus tips on resurfacing and sealing.

Brick paving

A driveway paved with fresh or used bricks is strong and more attractive. Particularly right for driveways are herringbone designs, frequently bordered by header courses in various tones. Herringbone sloping towards at 45 degrees to the house turns the driveway into the trait (at 90 degrees, it’s more modest). Combine herringbone with rings of irregular header and stretcher courses to outline remarkable radial designs apt for semi-circular driveways. On the downside materials and labor may also be expensive.

Concrete pavers

Square or rectangular pavers in stone or concrete will make beautiful, tough driveways, compatible to driveways that are twice as entertaining areas. Pavers come in assorted stones, forms, shades and as well the other sizes, enabling a big mixture of looks. Fill gaps between pavers with sand, fine pine bark or gravel. Stone driveways can be of high maintenance (for defense, softer stone pavers need top-grade sealer, regularly re-applied) and costly.

Asphalt

This hardwearing mixture of tar, gravel and concrete is rewarding and has low-maintenance, and also need minimal cleaning. Easily laid by outworkers, it’s built for last. Asphalt’s vivid blue/black hue could as well put in great bang and set off strong modernist facades. Understand that asphalt could then be dangerous by cracking as it’s oil-based and hence more supple than concrete. It as well soaks up the heat in summer.

Timber

Eco-friendly, marketable and strong, timber driveways merge amazingly well with bush garden surrounds. Generally, treated mope joists and floorboards are laid on or over dense sub-grade or sub-base. The timber lastly weathers to a good-looking silvery hue. Timber driveways can also be clever solution to uneven sites as boards could be laid over deep dips. Timber requires common treating and fastens and planks may lastly require replacing.

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