What is a survey and why should I advise my clients to pay for one?
Sometimes, technology develops faster than regulatory agencies can regulate, and with drones, this has certainly been the case. For years now, law regarding the use of drones has been unclear and rarely enforced. For some surveyors, this lax regulation has allowed the latest surveying technology to thrive; surveying by drone.
Continue reading “Surveyors, Drones, and the FAA: Bringing Law and Order to the Sky”
With the continued and growing emphasis on sustainability in construction we could be on the verge of a radical shift in how we think about the current stock of buildings. The time may be coming when we stop planning for building replacement, and instead plan for building reuse. That in turn would significantly change the roles of designers and builders.
Continue reading “Finding New Buildings in the Dust of the Old”
Learn how to market your contractor business professionally. In depth knowledge of attracting clients with online marketing strategies and deep thinking about who you want your clients to be.
The housing industry has proceeded at a red-hot pace for several years running. An all-time record was set in 1998, when 886,000 new-site single family homes were sold. That represented a 10% gain from the robust total of 804,000 homes sold in 1997, and an 8.1% rise from the prior record of 819,000 units in 1977. Single-family housing construction accounted for $48 million of the total $125 million generated in the industry.
Last night, Construction was honored to accept a Best Builders Award from the Associated General Contractors of Vermont for the construction of the $31.3 million Vermont Public Health Laboratory. There is so much to celebrate about this project – from both a construction and community perspective – and it was so gratifying to have that impact formally recognized in the contracting community.
A forklift used at one construction site might not be the best for another. Specific construction tasks vary, as do weight and size needs. Terrain and environmental factors can make a difference when it comes to the effectiveness of your forklift. A forklift buyers guide like this can help you find the right forklift for your needs.
An Executive Order has been issued that is very important information for anyone working in the Special Flood Hazard Area. It takes future conditions into account and requires Design Elevations for lowest floors to be 2 feet above BFE for standard construction and 3 feet above BFE for critical facilities, or construction to the 500 year / 0.2%. Implementation of this new standard will not occur until the end of the 60-day public input period and agencies have been able to update their standards and regulations, which will also trigger public comment periods.
Continue reading “Executive Order affecting floodplain development issued January 31, 2015”
Building a wood fired clay oven is a fun project and when you get done you’ll have fun using it too. It is however a moderately challenging project. So if you aren’t of sound body and mind, get help, or don’t do it.
In a story showcased by the January 2015 edition of the CALS Newsletter (Connecticut Association of Land Surveyors), one couple learned the hard way why it can be important to have a property surveyed before closing the deal on a house.
They had just closed on their dream house with the intention of building a swimming pool in the backyard. Plans were submitted, and the city promptly denied their application to build. Why?
Continue reading “What Should Come First: the Survey or the House?”