Posted by Andrew North
An unpredictable economy and fluctuations in property prices has meant that some consumers are forced to consider alternative options when buying their first home, although building your own home is often cost effective, the daunting prospect of spiralling construction costs is often enough to put off any first time buyers. However there is a simple way in which building your own home can be cheaper than buying an existing one, the answer is prefabricated housing.
Prefabricated houses are manufactured off-site in advance of a build. They are sometimes built as a whole but usually produced in sections or modules that can then be easily shipped and assembled. The methods involved in designing and producing a prefabricated house lend themselves to everything from traditional designs to simple modernist constructions so a buyer can usually find what they are looking for.
There are guidelines for using prefabricated buildings but they are not as strict or long winded as the rules and regulations of conventional construction. This means a buyer can purchase a plot of land and construct a home in a few weeks rather than a few years, the whole process takes a fraction of the time it would take to even have initial paperwork approved for a conventional building.
Timber is traditionally used in the construction of these types of buildings, although some modern designs now include steel and concrete. Prefabrication factories will often take in whole trees as ram material and manufacture modular building sections ready to assemble. These homes are the cheapest and their use has been recorded as far back as the 17th century. Buildings were shipped to America to accommodate the rapidly increasing population and later in the 19th century to accommodate the gold rush, they were also widely used in Britain in the WWII to temporarily replace bombed housing, although some still remain in use today.
'Prefab' homes have been proven as a viable option for residential and commercial construction but there is still a stigma surrounding the industry due to the poor quality of previously constructed examples. Most banks and lenders do not consider most prefabricated homes adequate collateral for a loan or mortgage which has prevented the expansion of the industry.
Andrew North is an experienced writer with a history of writing for the building industry and has a particular interest in paving slabs and timber decking
Tags: construction, decking, Gardening Articles, housing, paving, prefabrication, timber
Posted by Ernst P. Kreyszig
At times, some of us finding us looking out the back window and wishing there were something we could do about the appearance of our back yard. Most especially start to notice around the time it starts to get nice outside. One way to resolve the issue, involves Garden Decking. The great part about it is something that you can do yourself. Here is how.
When you make improvements to your garden, this can completely change the overall appearance of your residence. Furthermore, a small back yard can emerge into an attractive backdrop for the times you have guests. One of the huge advantages of doing this type of project yourself is the amount of money that you can save by not having to pay someone else.
Before buying anything, look at the different kinds of decks that are available. Many different choices are available, from buying kits to cutting and measuring your own wood. Additionally, you should consider the materials you want to use in addition to the design you are looking to get.
Preparation is one of the most important things and is something that should be done before starting. This will make things go a lot easier. Some of the things that you are going to want to have on hand are things as a screwdriver, tape measure, spade, triangle, level, drill, and either saw that is hand operated or power driven. As for the materials, you should have things like timber preservative, weed membrane, galvanized or ss countersunk screws, cement, sharp sand, and ballast.
Assess where the best area will be to install the deck, while referencing the schemata you have. After that, clean up any of the shrubbery within that location. Then, level off the area and ensure a hard surface by packing the surface down so that it is compact.
For the best support of your new deck, use new concrete slabs that you make by digging cubes with the size of 300 mm x 300 mm x 459 mm deep. After you do that, then fill each of the cubes with concrete, while making sure your support pads are not more than 1800 mm apart. When the support posts are set, then you are ready to put the joists on top.
With each of the decking boards, put them so they look as if at a right angle in comparison to the joists. Directly after, check for any issues with the joists. Inspect for any kind of bowing or sagging. If necessary, add more support until the problems corrected. Once you find that you are happy with the overall results, continue with securing the boards to the joists.
Remember during the Garden Decking project that it is important to consider the deck height in relation to the house DPC. By most standards, it should measure 150 mm below. Additionally, while you are putting down the boards, check the gaps so they are even across the board. When you stagger the joists, then you are less likely going to have any kinds of issues with large gaps.
Make certain that the gaps are the same throughout the entire deck, while you are fastening on the boards. Ultimately, its best to stagger the joints so there is no large gaps in the deck. Either two stainless steel countersunk screws or galvanized nails will suffice for fastening the boards. In the case that you are building your deck near the house, then keep in mind while you are Garden Decking that you make sure that the deck is 150 mm below the house DPC.
Find all the information you will need today to start your garden decking project! You can find the perfect cheap garden decking when you visit now!
Tags: barbecue, decking, exterior design, garden decking, garden design, Gardening, Gardening Articles, home and garden, outdoor living
