Vastu For Designing Your Office

The office , where we spend the most significant portion of our working lives in our work places , which is the reason that one should always be very careful about the functionality décor of the working space. Our work space , where we spend at least half our walking time , six days a week , is as important a part of our lives as our homes. The working conditions and the environment in the offices directly affect the way people interact with the family and friends at the end of the day. These also have an influence on our productivity , mental well-being and general health.

PLANNING THE OFFICE : To plan an office effectively , the designer should have a thorough understanding of the functional and aesthetic requirements of the client , followed by an in-depth evaluation of the possibilities and constraints of the given space , including columns , beams , existing plumbing and so on. An office should ideally have enough space not merely to seat its employees , but to locate ancillary and support services , from the stately boardroom to the humble pantry , as well as for circulation between these areas , with adequate access to stairs and fire escapes. When planning a given space , it is important to conceive a long term master plan , keeping in mind planned growth and future requirements , even if the intention is only to implement part of the plan now and execute the rest as needs and funds arise. The master plan would ensure that what is installed now will not have to be dismantled or relocated when new developments take place. This would help eliminate unnecessary wastage of material and labour .

THE RECEPTION AREA : It is the reception area that makes the first impact on the visitor and which colors his expectation of the space ahead. If the business of the company calls for continuous interaction with guests who need to be suitably impressed , then it is important that the reception area be adequately dressed.

• The reception can be used to display the company's product or operations with visuals or models.
• Alternatively , paintings or aesthetic accessories in the room can be chosen to reflect the company's taste and style.
• The receptionist should have direct visual access to be able to keep an eye on office comings and goings .

CONFERENCE ROOM : Conference room is the central area of any office and can give impressions to anyone new having meeting in that room

• Conference should ideally be easily accessible from the entrance , so that the visitors do not have to travel all over the office.
• The facility of a nearby toilet will be an advantage for the same reason.
• The equipment necessary for presentations , such as a screen , TV , video monitor , black board , flip chart etc , needs to be provided .
• The design should provide a calm , neutral background for visual presentation and adequate lighting.
• The furniture and ambience should be designed so that the participants can communicate with each other

CEILINGS : It is well to remember that ceilings , like any other surface , reflect light and sound , and contribute significantly to the lighting and acoustic qualities of a space.

• Suspended ceilings are available in different materials , and increasingly , acoustic tiles and panels are becoming standard , especially in open offices and where no special ceiling treatment is required. Usually made of non-combustible which prevents sound waves being reflected back into the room.
• Holes for recessed lights can be cut out wherever required.
• Plaster or gypsum board is harder and reflects more sounds then it absorbs .
• Exposed structural ceiling are sometimes used to create a hi-tech image , as a stylistic alternative to the typical office interior.

LIGHTING : Good lighting is crucial for effective work , besides which , lighting accounts for a considerable part of the energy consumed in an office. Therefore , two basic elements which the designer must keep in mind are the cost and the efficiency of lighting . On the other hand , it is lighting which makes design come alive and it should be exploited accordingly. It can create a warm , inviting and dramatic interior , or result in a cold and monotonous office.

• One effective use of the standard bulb is as a wall wash , which tends to imbue the whole space with incandescence and makes the room warm and friendly.
• Incandescent downlights , halogens included , can complement fluorescents and can be used to highlight specific objects , such as desks , plants , paintings , objects , etc.
• To reduce eye strain and fatigue , high contrasts should be avoided . Use of job oriented , task lights can be practical , if complemented by general lighting .
• Suspended or pendant lights can serve a dual function in this regard , and while providing overall illumination , can be lowered to concentrate on a given space.
• A system of selective switching and operational control areawise , or where possible even deskwise , can help restrict usage and operating costs of lighting to only as and when required.

FLOORING : Office flooring is subjected to more wear and tear than any other surface in the room , and it is therefore imperative that it be hardy and resilient.

• Flooring materials vary greatly . hard flooring , such as stone , granite , marble , kota , etc. Wood , cement , terrazzo , ceramic tiles , are usually noisier
• Soft coverings such as vinyl or carpeting , but they are hardier.
• Choice of flooring material will depend on the function of a given area and its requirements where durability , appearance , cost and maintenance are concerned.
• Flooring can be used as a design tool not only in an obvious choice of material and color , but to demarcate departments , private/public areas and circulation paths , by a selective use of different hues and surfaces.

STORAGE : While providing enough storage the emphasis today should be on eliminating unnecessary garbage .

• The basic storage units such as the cupboards , filing cabinets , drawer unit , open shelf , are still as useful as ever , whether they are free standing or built into walls , or used in lieu of the partitions to save space.
• In addition we have certain new innovations such as filing shelves which move on tracks , and which completely fill a given space.
• Furniture too can be designed to save space , using the space above and below work tops..

PANTRY: For offices that can afford the space , a clean well designed and pleasant looking cafeteria or canteen will help employees relax.

• Pantries should be designed to incorporate all the essentials , such as a hot plate or gas burner with cylinder space below and a sink , a stainless sink is hardy and easy to clean.
• A storage cupboard , shelves or hooks can hold the cups and saucers , plates , cutlery , tea , coffee , sugar , etc. A small compact refrigerator is useful for storing milk , cold drinks , preserving food items , etc.
• A good garbage storage system will help circumvent the inevitable mass of tea dregs , papers etc.
• Disposable plastic cups , plates , if economically viable can save on maintenance and cleaning.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES : coming to the toilets , which perhaps more than any other room , reveals the true class of a company , its attitude to cleanliness and the activity of its employees and visitors.

• Bathrooms don't have to be exotic , but they do have to be adequate in number for the staff employed and they have to be clean.
• They should have tiled surface , preferably in light plain shades which are not overpowering and which cannot be scrubbed down easily.
• Separate toilets for men and women are statutory to a given number of employees . The traps , the Indian and the western WC with the urinals to accommodate all the users.
• If ventilation is less than ideal , an exhaust or ceiling fan may help , for there are few things as off-putting as a smelly toilet.
• Facilities for dispensing toilet paper , towel , hand dryer etc , should be provided.

Thus, planning the ideal offices large and small , opulent and spartan , the professionals can help make the complicated thing , simple to understand and to work out

Landscaping

In today's stressful society we are looking the ways to improve the quality of our lives .Stepping into the garden is a wonderful way to relax and restore inner peace .Art is also useful in reducing stress because it draws us outside of ourselves .And if it's good art ,the contemplation of it enables us to lok at the world with new eyes.Bringing the two together,placing art in the garden,can be a magical combination what better environment in which to contemplate and enjoy art.It adds sensory stimulation visually through colour and form or through texture. Art can also provide movement and sound by incorporating the natural elements.

A house with well planned flowering plants not only enhances the aesthetic beauty of the place,but contributes considerably to our environment.Flowering house plants are not only restricted to residences. There is tremendous scope in the use of these flowering plants in beautyfying small houses,gardens,offices,public buildings and hotels. Climbers play a large and important role int he field of ornamental horiculture.In India we have a number of beautiful flowering climbers which are eye catching.

VASTU IN GARDEN

The practising of Vastu shastra,in modern urban houses,has been described by residents of these vastu oriented structures as protecting them from distressing events.They remain peaceful and pass comparatively better healthy and wealthy lives.Vastu concepts regarding the plants and their plantation must be kept in mind so as to make your home not just superficially beautiful,but also vastu-oriented.

As a general rule,gardens in homes or factories should always be in the North or West and within the confines of the compound.The South-East and South-West are not to be selected for any kind of garden or plantation. In this day and age of flats and multi-storeyed structures,Ashok, Kanakchampa,Ashaphala,Smabhaloo and Coconut planted within the campus in the North and West is favourable.

Here a few simple vastu suggestions for planting of various varieties of foliage for gardens within the house limits:

• A Basil plant,is a very positive influence within the limits of a house.
• Plants of Palm,Paraspeepal,Pakar,Sirish,Neem and Bilva,if planted in proper direction,that is the North or the West,bring favour.
• Bilva,Madhuka and Peepal are very favourable on the West of the house limit.
• Udumbara(Goolar)and Panas are favourable towards the South of the house limits.
• Kanakchampa,in the North brings virtues and wealth.
• Coconut and Banana plants within house limits are very favourable,with respect to mental peace and health.
• A water pond in a favourable direction,with Lotus,is very favourable.
• The entertaining unit for the children is recommended towards the North-West of the garden. As far as possible plantation should be avoided in the East,North, South-East,South-West,North-West corners should be plant free.Gardens in the South-East and South-West cause tensions.In particular,large or tall plants should never be planted towards the East or North.
• No large plant should be planted exactly in the centre of a site.
• There must not be any Palash,Kanchana,Sleshmataka,Arjun and Karanj plants within the house limits.If they are already present,then balance them by planting Ashok,Nirgundi and Sudarshan plants in the appropriate directions.
• Thorny succulent plants must not be grown within the house limits. Cacti are considered very dangerous and harmful for a reisdential unit. They purport to bring tensions and create fractious relatioships.If you keep them,it is preferable to keep it separately,and out of house limits.
• The Ber plant should not be cultivated within the house limits.It increases enemity. Plants of Bamboo,should never be grown within the house limits.
• Climbers within the house limits should be grown vertically,climbing or horizontally,trailing.Indoor climbers should also follow this condition.
• If a garden is present in the centre of the house limit,it must not have any fountain in the centre.
• A swimming pool in the centre,towards the South,South-East or South-West and even the North-West created undue events.It brings negativity in the health of the residents.A swimming pool is favourable in the East, North or even in the West.
• The fountains or water ponds within a house limit should not be built in the centre and should follow the same principles as the placement of swimming pools.Placed wrongly they cause problems with respect to mental peace and health.
• Fountains or ponds are very favourable towards the North-East.This is also applicable to artificial springs.
• Huge,heavy statues or other exhibits are favourable towards the South-West,South or the West.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PLOT

One should be very careful before taking any decision. Some basic points I have already told , now the main things that one should consider are (1) Orientation of plot (2) Four side angles of the plot in respect to orientation.

• The length of the plot should be more in North-South direction as compared to East-West direction.
• If all the corner angles of plot are 90 degrees , it is a good plot.

• A plot with all corners 90 degrees having two sides road front and back is a good plot.
• A plot with four corners having 90 degrees angles with three sides of four sides road is a very good plot.
• If the house is projected in any of the either directions , then one should always consider the following rules. The North/East projection is good and is recommended.

• The South/East , South/West and North/West projections are not the good sites and are not recommended according to vastu but if one has already has this kind of plot , it can be corrected.

• If you are seeing the plot which is cut on either direction , then it is not recommended.

• Now if the plot angles are not at 90 degree , be sure about it whether it is ‘shermukha plot’ or ‘gowmukha plot’. The shermukha plot is one which has a broader entrance and it becomes narrower as we go in. It is NOT at all recommended for the residence.

• The gowmukha plot is one which is narrower at the entrance and becomes broader as we go in. It is very auspicious.

Usually people believe that South facing plot is not good ,this and that these are all myths ,it entirely depends upon the full orientation ,. The entrance of the house depends on the zodiac sign of the owner. It is as follows.

1.	Kark ( Cancer) Virchak (Scorpio ) Meen (Pisces)	EAST facing plot
2.	Mithun (Gemini) Kanya ( Virgo) Makar ( Capricorn )	SOUTH facing plot
3.	Rishab ( Taurus) Tula (Libra) Kumbh ( Aquarius)	WEST facing plot
4.	Mesh ( Aries) Singh (Leo) Dhanu ( Saggitarius)	NORTH facing plot

This zodiac sign principle is followed by many vastukaars but it is desirable to fix main door or gate in favourable position instead of following Zodiac sign of owner , as the house will be occupied by his descendents also for generations.

Position of Different Rooms

Puja Room The room for Puja should ideally be in the NE.The deities can be facing East, West or North. If they happen to be facing the South,it is suggested that an idol of Shivaji or Hanumanji be kept.		Kitchen The ideal place for a kitchen is the South-East quadrant or the alternative is the North-West quadrant or corner. Have sink/ wash-basin along the North-East . Do your cooking facing the East or the North. Keep your fridge in the North-West corner. Store your rations along the South-West wall.
Master Bedroom The Master Bedroom should be in the South-West Quadrant, preferably,the corner.The North West quadrant is the only alternative.Sleep with your head towards the South; East-west is also acceptable.		Children's Bedroom The NW and the SE are recommended. The SW is to be avoided. The NE corner can be considered.
Guest-Room NW corner or quadrant is ideal for the guest-room.Otherwise build it along the NE side.		Drawing and Dining Rooms Build them along the East or the North wall. The dining room should be more towards the NE
Toilets/Bathrooms If together should be in North west corner of Bedroom if separate Bathroom can be towards East and toilet towards West or South.

Vastu Tips II

• Do not construct kitchen, toilets and puja-room next to one another.The kitchen should not be directly in front of the main door.
• Keep all electrical/heat generating appliances in the SE corner of the room
• Mirrors, sinks, wash-basins and taps should preferably be along the NE walls
• The safe should open towards the north or the east. So, keep it along south or the west.
• The toilet seat should preferably be along the North-South axis. The septic tank can be in the NW or the SE corner of the house.
• Avoid having garbage dump, street-light pole, or boulders in front of the main gate or door.
• Your main door should not be opposite the main door of another house.
• The number of doors and windows should be more on the ground floor and less on the upper floor.
• The north-east corner is the face of the house and should always be kept clean.
• Students should study facing the north or east.
• Do not sit or sleep under a beam.
• Do not hang a painting depicting war, crime, unrest, agony or distress.
• Construct the front door in such a manner as to avoid the fall of a shadow on it.
• Grow a tulsi or basil plant in front of the house.
• Do not have any cactus in the house. Having it outside the boundary is good.
• Rain water or drainage should flow towards NE-East-North.
• Material to be used in the construction activity should always be new, except in the case of renovation.
• Elderly people are always more comfortable in the south-west corner.
• The height of the building should get reduced from the SW to the NE.
• Walls along the SW should be thicker as compared to walls along the NE.
• Do not have a toilet or a puja room under a staircase.
• A well in the middle of a house or plot is very inauspicious.
• Plots with round, triangular, polygonal and other shapes may constantly lead one into some problem or other.
• Square and rectangular plots are good.
• Blocking of NE(Ishan) portion of the house/industry resrticts the inflow of the blessings of God. It leads to tension, quarrel and insufficient growth of the inhabitants, especially children of the owner.
• Having a toilet/fireplace in NE corner of the house or industry can ruin it financially besides mental tension & quarrel amongst people.
• More open space in north or east gives name, fame and prosperity.
• Leaving more space on the SW side in the house can affect the male members badly; whereas in industry it leads to financial loss and quarrel amongst partners.
• A water body or source should be in the east or NE of the plot. A water body in the south/SE position of the house can cause damage to the male child/wife of the owner.
• A underground water tank in south-west can be fatal to the head of the family or owner of the industry.
• Depression in the SW can result in to a serious illness to the habitants.
• Depression in NW causes enmity and litigation.
• Depression in south portion of the building restricts growth besides financial problems.
• Extension in SW may result in loss of health, loss of money.
• Extension in SE may lead to fire, theft and court litigation.
• Heavy machinery has to be installed in south, west South-West in the factory.
• Finished products are to be kept in the north west corner. It would help quick movements of the stocks & early recovery thereof.
• Transformers, generators, motors, boilers, furnaces, oil-engines etc. should be kept in south-east or southern portion of the plot/building .
• Central space is better left open or used for rituals. kerala's/Rajasthan's traditional four sided house with a central courtyard and verandahs all around, is a 'model' of Vaastu design.

Vastu Tips

1. Your head should be towards the east or south while sleeping.
2. The rooms in the south should never have ceiling low as compared to ceilding of the rooms in east and north side.
3. Shoes and slippers should not be scattered all over the house, as this leads to feud.
4. Don't keep dirty clothes with the washed clothes.
5. One should never sleep under exposed beam as it brings ill fortune.
6. Don't a keep jug or jar of water near the telephone. The electric rays produced from telephone leave bad effect on the water. Your face should be towards the east while cooking food. The cupboard containing food articles should be towards your right.
7. The ceiling of the poojaroom should be lower than the ceiling of all the other rooms in the house.
8. There should be no noise while opening the doors and windows especially the entrance door from hinges etc.To remove the noise keep the hinges well oiled.
9. A picture of Lord Ganesha and Saraswati is good in study room.
10. Place vegetables in a dish after cutting them. If they are kept on floor their nourishing substance will be adsorbed by the floor.
11. The house should always be kept need and clean and all the wastage etc., should be dumped or stored in west of the house.
12. To prevent the house from evil-eyes, seven green chillies and lemon should be hung at the main entrance of the house, shop etc.
13. Change the bed-sheets during day time.
14. Comb and other beauty aids should be kept neatly at the right place.
15. A cut-out in the roof should be provided in the northeast to ensure proper ventilation of the house. This factor works as a natural air-conditioner for the house.
16. There should be a separate towel for every member of the family and for guests.
17. One should never provide three doors on a single wall, especially in the front of the house.
18. One should never construct circular stairs in the house.
19. It is very auspicious to view rising sun after taking bath in the morning.
20. A blue bedsheet should never be used inthe house.
21. One should always wear neat and clean clothes while working.
22. All the things should be properly placed and well organized in the house, to ensure good luck.
23. Keep cash and jewelry in the safe or locker which opens in the north.

The Construction Industry Today: Why many construction companies are willing to significantly lower prices today.

The current market conditions in the real estate market are not good for those in the construction industry. These days, fewer and fewer people are hiring contractors and home builders for a number of reasons. The main reason leading to this decrease in demand of construction is because of rising interest costs that don’t seem to be slowing down any time in the near future. Also, many people are hesitant to sell their home and construct a new one today because of the length it is taking for homes to sell these days.

After a brief real estate boom over the past couple of years when construction companies had many jobs and homes were being rapidly bought and sold, the industry is slowing down and this is leading to decreased revenue and profits for construction companies. Therefore, now might be a good time to get some construction work done if you do not have to sell a home and are not considered about the rising interest rates. Companies are desperate for business and are willing to greatly reduce prices of construction so if you are looking to get a house built, interest rates are in the rise and if you wait, interest rates may still be climbing. Hence, by ordering construction today, you will save a lot of money on the cost of constructing your home as well as money in interest rates if they continue to climb.

There are many reputable construction companies that are offering large discounts to customers who are willing to buy construction now so conducting some research online on some construction companies will render results on some companies that offer quality services and are willing to cut prices.

Avoid 5 construction methods

Some construction methods introduced decades ago as per materials and equipment available at those times are still prevalent in India. There is a vast improvement in the quality of materials and availability of equipment now and these old and bad methods are no more relevant to today’s times. Yet people continue to follow these in many parts of the country. The force behind using these methods are those masons who are skilled in these practices and enforce them upon the house builder. Whenever a house builder tries to depart from the old and bad methods of construction, a mason’s standard reply is, “ If you want to differ, I won’t be responsible for the consequences.” The house builder is caught in a dilemma. This standard plea of the masons influences the house builder who resigns to the mason’s will. To have good quality and safety in construction of your house, don’t allow the mason’s dictum to prevail. Follow your engineer’s advice. Not only the quality and safety but also economy and durability in construction shall be achieved. Here are a few bad methods of construction. Avoid these and see the results:

1. RB ROOFING IN HOUSING
It is a major practice followed in India. Reinforced Brick (RB) roofing in houses is more common than the strong, impervious and economical RCC. There prevails a belief that RCC roofing develops cracks while RB roofing does not. RB roofing has bricks laid on edge and covered with a 40 mm thick layer of concrete. Steel reinforcement is laid in the gaps left between the bricks laid on edge. A bottom cover of 12 mm is provided to the reinforcement. Total thickness of slab works out as 167 mm. Spacing of reinforcement gets decided by the brick-laying-arrangement in this type of roofing. On the other hand, RCC roofing laid under similar conditions is just 113 mm thick. Its’ reinforcement spacing is decided by the designer. In the long run, RCC roofing in fact proves cheaper. As and when RB roofing is laid, bricks being highly porous, soak water from concrete resulting in cracks in top layer of concrete. Steel bars placed in between bricks come in contact with them and rusting of bars occurs after a few years. Then there is no remedy except to dismantle the slab and re-lay it afresh. This is an impossible task as the whole of the house is to be undone. The only factor that goes in favour of RB roofing is the low thermal conductivity of bricks. This may help in lesser expansion of slab and better insulation to heat. However this factor weighs little against the drawbacks this type of roofing suffers from. If proper end treatment is given to RCC slabs by providing a 6 to 8 mm gap at its end, filled with asbestos filler and a 10 mm bearing plaster is provided at the base, no cracks will appear in the RCC roofing. The practice of using RB roofing should therefore be stopped altogether and only RCC roofing should be used.

2. HAND MIXING OF CONCRETE
Indian specifications sometimes allow ‘Hand mixing’ of concrete. Whatsoever precautions you may take, hand mixing of concrete will not produce desirable blending of concrete ingredients. Consumption of cement will also be more. Water-cement-ratio will also not remain under control. Therefore, avoid hand mixing of concrete. If unavoidable, allow it for lean concrete only. Non-uniform mixing of ingredients in hand mixed concrete means lack of workability, strength and density of concrete.

3. USING UNCONTROLLED CONCRETE
Some specifications and Common Schedule of Rates widely followed in execution of works allow use of un-designed concrete in construction of houses and buildings. Naturally, specified minimum cement content factors for this concrete are very high as compared to the cement required for designed concrete. There is double loss on use of un-designed concrete. More cement is used resulting in higher expenditure. Secondly, you are not sure about the strength of concrete. Mere addition of extra cement doesn’t assure strength and durability. Proper mix design is necessary. Use of RMC (Ready Mixed Concrete) is now increasing in India. It is concrete produced under fully controlled conditions. If you have an RMC plant near your plot, feel blessed and use RMC. You will avoid a lot of trouble and tension. Recently, some RMC plants have come up in Panchkula. So people of the tri-city can avail of its availability.

4. USING EXTRA REINFORCEMENT
Inserting extra reinforcement in beams and slabs does not help in strengthening the structure. Masons and bar binders try to insert the steel cut pieces here and there in the slab under the impression that this will make the slab stronger. They are badly mistaken. Steel bars require certain free spacing between them to allow easy flow of concrete and bajri through them. Inserting of cut pieces stops this flow and makes the concrete less dense. Result is that the slab may rather be weaker. Get your slab designed from a structural engineer. He may bring lot of saving to you. Sometimes, a mason is so disturbed over the design of slab that he refuses to accept such less quantity of steel. Don’t allow his fears to prevail upon you and get the steel laid as per design given by the engineer. Know that over reinforced slabs and beams make a building unhealthy.
5. NON-USAGE OF ADMIXTURES
There is a revolution in the development of admixtures and compounds. Development of Super plasticisers, water proofing admixtures and sealants have opened endless possibilities of easier laying of concrete, saving old buildings, making new buildings damp-proof, impervious and efflorescence free. However people are reluctant in use of these admixtures. These admixtures and compounds can enhance the quality of construction itself. Make use of this synthesis of chemistry and construction. Ask a house owner, hotel manager, maintenance engineer or care taker, the major problems being faced by him are leakage, seepage, cracks or efflorescence. Right use of admixtures and compounds can help in eliminating these problems. However the use of these admixtures has not become common in India. There are no reasons for not taking full benefit of these wonderful materials. It is a bad practice with us to adopt new materials at a very slow pace and with suspicion thus depriving ourselves of their benefits at the right moment.

Buy the basic materials carefully

Cement, steel, bricks, sand and coarse aggregate are five basic materials used in raising the skeleton of a building and imparting structural strength to it. More than 50 materials are used in the construction of a building but the cost of these five materials itself is more than 40% of the total cost of a building. Howsoever attractive finishing materials we may be using, unless the cement, steel and bricks are of good quality, a building loses its net worth and soon develops signs of distress. Utmost care should therefore be taken in selection of these basic materials. Here are some guidelines:
Cement
1. Freshness : Always choose cement as fresh as possible. Manufacturers attach tags to cement bags and these tags carry the week and year of manufacture. Don’t confuse the week with the month. A tag with a 2/07 stamp means 2nd week of year 2007. Don’t read it as February, 2007. Check the date of manufacture and don’t accept cement bags more than two months old. Remember that cement absorbs moisture from air. Cement more than two months old loses a part of its strength if not stored properly.
2. Manufacturer: Manufacturing of cement has seen a technological revolution recently and the cement being manufactured by reputed manufacturers is of extremely good quality. Always select a reputed manufacturer. ACC, Birla, Gujarat Ambuja and JK are some reputed manufacturers.
3. Grade: Choose right grade of cement. OPC has three grades i.e. 33, 43 or 53. OPC grade 33 carries IS269 mark, grade 43 carries IS 8112 mark and grade 53 carries IS 12269 mark. PPC has no grading and its bags carry IS1489 mark. PPC is considered equal to 33 grade cement. 53 grade cement is strongest among all these though its cost difference is marginal. However it requires more curing and should be chosen if adequate curing arrangements are available. Consult your engineer for the cement grade or go for 43 grade cement for RCC parts of your house. For balance work, you may choose even 33 grade or PPC.
4. Weight: Check the weight of cement bags. Each full bag should weigh 50 kg. Weight of empty bag is extra. These days, plastic bags are used and these carry negligible weight. Earlier, jute bags were used for packing of cement and 500 gm extra weight was counted for them.
5. Condition of bags: Always check the condition of cement bags. These should be intact and not torn from anywhere. Generally, a hook is used by the labourers handling the cement bags. Skilled labourers don’t pull the hook after inserting it into the bags and are expert in shifting cement from one place to other without damaging the bags. However unskilled labourers, if deployed, may harm the bags causing loss of cement and making it susceptible to moisture in the atmosphere.
Steel

1. Manufacturer: Always buy steel produced by a reputed manufacturer. Quality of reinforcement steel plays a very important role in determining the life of the building. Visually, all steel lots may look the same but quality wise, these may be a lot different. Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), Tata Iron & Steel Company (TISCO) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) are three top manufacturers of steel in India. Inbuilt laboratory arrangements with these manufacturers ensure stringent quality control checks before passing of steel for sale. Try to buy steel produced by these firms.
2. Test certificate: When a large quantity of steel is to be purchased, ask the seller to show the test certificate of the lot being sold. These test certificates are supplied by the firms and are half printed and half embossed to avoid any tampering. Reputed manufacturers also put their trademarks on the steel bars. Look for them or ask the retailer to show them to you. Locally produced steel may not be that strong and may have been produced from scrap.
3. Type of steel: Decide the type of steel to be used. Prefer High Yield Strength Deformed (HYSD) bars to round ones, as these bars are much stronger than plain or round bars. Weight wise, both weigh equally. Popular name of HYSD bars is Tor steel. In actual, Tor is a trade name belonging to Tata steel company. As Tor or HYSD steel is stronger, it saves cost. Strength of an 8 mm diameter tor steel bar is almost equal to 10 mm diameter plain steel bar. Similarly, a 10 mm dia tor steel bar has almost same strength as 12 mm plain steel bar. Further, prefer Thermo-Mechanically-Treated (TMT) bars. These bars have a soft core but hard outer surface, have same strength as HYSD steel and take better stress before yielding because of the soft core.
4. Steel for stirrups: For the stirrups to be put in beams, use plain round bars as it may be difficult to bend tor steel of larger diameters. This quantity will however be small.
5. Diameter of steel: While finalizing the steel lot, check the diameter of the steel. Steel produced has variation in diameter. Steel categorized as of 8 mm diameter may in actual have 7 mm diameter and so on. This problem generally occurs in low diameters up to 16 mm diameter. Though lower diameter will not cause a financial loss as steel is sold by weight but it may ask for a review of the structural design.
6. Condition of the lot: Choosing a lot that is free of rust is obvious. Steel is supplied in straight as well as coiled form. Prefer straight steel bars. Coiled steel requires more labour for its straightening up.
7. Work out right quantity: Prefer to work out right quantities of steel required for different diameters. Take help of an engineer who may bring saving in steel by adopting cut length method and by deciding the lengths of steel bars to be purchased. He may workout lengths of bars for different portions of the building and combines them to check the most suitable lengths that will generate minimum scrap. The number of diameters should also be kept low for practical purposes.
Happy Building!

A technical scrutiny of tiles

Over the last two decades, provision of tiles on the walls and floors of buildings has seen a tremendous upswing. Bathrooms, kitchens, shelves, facades, garden fountains and home accessories find a greater use of tiles these days. However, the only factor that is examined while selecting tiles is their physical appearance. No attention is paid to the technical aspects of the tiles selected which if considered may lead to a better service by them and their negligible maintenance in future. Surface flatness, edge curvature, warpage, surface quality, water absorption, scratch hardness, abrasion resistance, thermal shock resistance, crazing resistance and resistance to action of chemicals are a few such properties which should be examined before selecting for use in residential, public or industrial buildings.

There were times when only 4 inch size white glazed tiles were used to clad the walls of bathrooms up to 7 feet level. Now the tiles have entered even the drawing rooms. Not only glazed but hand made tiles, hand painted tiles, border tiles and even glass embossed tiles in which the pattern that is embossed in tiles is of multi-coloured glass are being manufactured these days. The designs printed over the tiles are computerised and screen-printed. Not only this, one manufacturer has tried to vivify the grandeur of Indus Valley civilisation by producing tiles called Mohanjodaro collection, carrying various symbols discovered during archaeological excavations. Many manufacturers have collaborated with foreign countries to produce quality-tiles. Such a scenario having tough competition and high creativity demands a thorough study of these products before making the final selection.

Size and finish: Now there is a large variation in the size of tiles. Many sizes, varying from 4”x4” to 16”x16” are available. Though the most preferred shapes are rectangular and square, ‘hexagonal and octagonal shapes are also being produced. The finish may be glossy, semi-glossy, matt, luster and of many other types. Table 1 and Table 2 show various sizes and finishes of floor tiles and wall tiles being produced these days.

Colour: There is a revolution on the colour-front. Such a stunning variety of colours is available that it is difficult to count their number. For instance, one manufacturer is producing floor tiles having 99 colours and wall tiles in 282 colours. Not only this, the manufacturers are ready to produce tiles of the colour and shade as per individual’s choice. Even computerised designing as per individual choice is adopted.

Floor tile groups: Tiles used in floors are now categorised into four groups with respect to the service to be rendered and the intensity of traffic on them. These groups are Group-II, III IV and V. While Group-II tiles are for low and light traffic, Group-V tiles are for very heavy traffic. It is better to specify the group with respect to the intensity of the traffic while placing a demand for floor tiles as this will bring durability and economy. There is no fun in using Group-V tiles in an area where traffic is light. It will cause extra expenditure only. Similarly, use of Group-II tiles in areas of dense traffic such as cinema halls, commercial centres, railway stations etc will result in their wearing out soon.

Table 3 shows various groups of floor tiles, their suitability and their areas of application. Group-V tiles combine high hardness with complete acid and alkali resistance together with high abrasion resistance. Under the abrasion resistance test, a set load of Corborandum, water, water and steel balls is applied on the tile surface using a standard abrasion meter. No abrasion has to be visible after 12000 revolutions. Thereafter, the tile is subjected to Mark resistance test. If no mark is noted, Group-V standards are met with. Such tiles are highly suitable for industrial floorings also.

Tile properties: Different properties have been specified for tiles to be used in walls and floors. Bureau of Indian Standards has evolved IS codes — IS 13753 and IS 13755 for wall and floor tiles respectively. European Standard EN-87 enlists the technical features of wall and floor tiles under the Groups EN159Blll and EN159Blla, respectively. Table 4 shows some important properties of these tiles that should be checked before their purchase. While an organisation can get the tiles tested for these properties, an individual can ask the manufacturer or the supplier to show the test certificate for the batch to which the tiles under purchase belong. Tiles being ceramic products, a variation in their length and shade is likely to occur during the firing process. A buyer should therefore be careful towards these properties. Reputed manufacturers should themselves discard tiles having variation in length and shade beyond permissible limits as otherwise their reputation may be at stake. Presence of just a few such tiles may ruin the aesthetic effect of the tiled wall or floor.

In addition to the properties given in Table 4, the resistance of the tile surface to staining by household chemicals and swimming pool salts should be checked as per procedure laid in European Standard EN122. The manufacturer is bound to mention the abrasion resistance class of the tiles on the box containing them. If in doubt, this test can be got carried as per method of testing in EN154.

Thickness, weight and lot: The thickness of floor tiles varies from 7 to 10 mm. Floor tiles are contained in boxes and number 10 to 50 depending upon the size of the tiles. A box having 25 tiles of size 200x200 mm will weigh around 16 kg while another having only 10 tiles of size 400x400 mm will weight 32 kg. Wall tiles have a thickness of 6 to 8 mm. A box containing 25 tiles of size 200x300 mm will weigh 19 kg and one having 40 tiles of size 200x150 mm will weigh 14.5 kg only. The weight of ceramic tiles for a thickness of 6 mm may be taken as 16 kg/m2. Tiles, these days, are pre-polished, repair free and ready to use. This aspect should also be examined while selecting the tiles.

Manufacturing process: The process of manufacturing of tiles has undergone a significant change during the last few years. Earlier, the tiles used to be subjected to multi-firings. First, these were baked at very high temperatures. Thereafter, glazing which consisted of a mixture of Glass and Zirconium or such elements used to be applied on the tiles. Then the tiles were rebaked. The tiles produced these days are single fired i.e. the manufacturing designing and glazing are done in one process thereby producing more durable and maintenance-free tiles. These single-firing manufacturing processes have been brought by the manufacturers to India from the pioneer countries in tiles such as Spain and Italy. Italy still reigns as the king of tiles. In fact the word “tile” itself has been derived from Italian word “Teluga” which means a covering.

Today, as many as 21 reputed companies are producing tiles in India. Table 5 shows their makes and areas of specialisations in alphabetical order. The competition is fierce. The result is that some of the manufacturers are declaring their product as “exclusive” and not decreasing the costs while other are fighting for survival by keeping very little margins. During the last few years, the prices have come down well. Though hand made and hand painted tiles have uneven edges, odd sizes and very bright colours yet are very costly because these involve carving, are not produced on mass scale and considered to be an exclusive and class item.

Terrazzo tiles: Till early nineties, terrazzo tiles remained under most use Composed of marble chips mixed with coloured or white cement, mechanically ground, hydraulically pressed and then finished, cured and polished, these tiles act as somewhat structurally strong members of the building. Terrazzo tiles, however, need to be polished at regular intervals, the weight is heavy and there is always a tendency of their becoming slippery. These days terrazzo tiles have given way to ceramic tiles. A 6 mm thick ceramic tile serves the purpose at a place where a 25 mm thick terrazzo tile has to be used. There is no comparison of the finish as the ceramic tiles provide a highly attractive surface while the terrazzo tiles begin to look ugly after a year or so. There may be a lot of breakage during the transportation and handling of terrazzo tiles. This factor is also taken care of by ceramic tiles.

Laying of tiles: The walls and floors will come alive only if laying of tiles has been done in a proper manner. How-so-ever beautiful or costly the tiles may be, they will lose all the elegance and aesthetic effects if the tile-joints are thick and uneven; cut-pieces are not used at right places and symmetry is not maintained. Cut-tile-pieces should be used only at the ends (never in the middle) of the walls, on window sills and door jambs. Grouting of joints should be done with a water-proof epoxy grout. No excess grout should be left over the tile surface and should be wiped off at the earliest. The base should be checked to be rough before fixing tiles on it. A guide-rod should always be prepared by the mason before start of work. This guide-rod should carry the markings of tile-size and gaps for grouting among them.

Whenever a laid tile gets broken, it should be removed in a very patient manner by using a chisel and hammer and without affecting the adjacent tiles. Breaking should always be started at the centre of the tile and not from edges. After the removal of tile, the base mortar should also be chipped off. Grouting of the joints should be done when the fixed tile has sufficiently dried up.

Conclusion: The future belongs to tiles. Less involvement of labour, easy maintenance, abrasion resistance, a short time required for laying, wide variety and colours, cost competitiveness, pre-polishing and readiness for use are a few such factors which make tiles a highly attractive item for use. While the present cost of about Rs 20 per sq. ft. for plain tiles and Rs 30 per sq. ft. for special coloured or printed tiles is lesser than what it was years earlier, the prevailing competition among tile-manufacturers promises still lower rates in future.

Waterless urinals!

As the "Conserve water, save life" movement gains momentum, the first innovation made in this direction by sanitaryware industry is Waterless Urinals. Invented by BVG-Falcon Waterfree Technologies of USA, waterless urinals have arrived in India and will soon take over the world scene as each such urinal is capable of saving 1.5 lakh litres of water every year.

The biggest advantage of waterless urinals is that these can be installed at places where there is no water available to keep a urinal running. Installation of these urinals may also help in maintaining better hygienic conditions and our country may get rid of the stigma of frequent roadside urination against the walls by the people.

Urinals generally provided at roadsides or public places need water for manual or automatic flushing at regular intervals. Otherwise, after a few days, the stink becomes unbearable. Waterless urinals need no such flushing. Their working is dependent on a "cartridge" installed at the base of the urinal. The cartridge contains a sealant liquid that forms a barrier between the open air and the urine as it makes its way through the cartridge, sealing all odours within the cartridge. A cartridge is able to collect the uric sediment while the remaining urine flows to the drainage pipe. So there is no requirement or wastage of water.

"You don’t need water to transport water" is the philosophy behind waterless urinals. Urine contains 96 per cent water and travels through the cartridge to the drain pipe. Specific gravity of the sealant liquid is less than that of water. That’s why it allows the urine to flow through it. A cartridge is suitable for 7000 uses which means it needs to be replaced two to four times a year depending upon the daily use. A urinal used for 175 times a day is said to be under heavy use. Such a urinal will need cartridge replacement after 1.5 months or so. After 7000 to 8000 uses, the flow of urine into the cartridge slows down. This is an indication that the cartridge needs to be replaced now. The cartridge gets locked in the seat and there can’t be any leakage.

The sealant as well as the cartridge are biodegradable. The cartridge is made of recyclable ABS plastic and can safely be disposed off in the landfill. Top test houses of US, Germany, UK, Singapore and New Zealand have tested the cartridges and the sealant and found them safe. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) has compared the number of organisms (bacteria) present on the interior surfaces of traditional flush urinals and waterless urinals. The organism count per square inch has been found to be lesser in waterless urinals.

In India, cost of a waterless urinal comes to about Rs.10,000. There is almost zero installation cost as no plumbing for water supply is required. Just a connection to the drainpipe is enough to install a waterless urinal. Thus no time is lost in installing these urinals and inserting the cartridge. The sealant is to be filled only once. It does not evaporate. Nor does it dissolve with time or usage. These urinals are therefore ideally suited for airports, hotels, hospitals, theatres, multiplexes, schools, colleges and such public places.

No use of water or energy, no odour and no operating or installation costs make these urinals worth a consideration. The inlet pipe of these urinals is small thus preventing cigarette butts from blocking the urinal drain opening. Above all, no touching of handles, people are so reluctant to do at public places, is involved.

When to Use a Contractor

When should you buck up and choose to use a contractor for a given project? There’s no concrete list of times or reasons when it’s appropriate to use a contractor. Many times, it comes down to personal preference and what your resources are like. In order to make a decision on whether a contractor is right for you, a personal evaluation must be made.

How comfortable are you with the task that needs to be completed? If you feel like you are competent enough to do a good job in a relatively short amount of time, then go ahead and complete it for yourself. Contractors are often a good choice because they have specialization with the task at hand. They are professionals and, in most cases, they know what they are doing. If you don’t feel like you can do a great job on a project, then don’t be afraid to contract the job.

You will also want to consider a couple of other things. Time is always a major concern with large projects. Though you might not be on a tight schedule, there are certainly some obligations which must be met in order for the job to work well. Hiring a contractor can make things run more quickly for a number of reasons. Not only will their proficiency of work make for quicker completion, but it will also free up yourself and others to work on other aspects of the project.

Money is important when considering a contractor. It would be a mistake to make it your main concern, though. If your budget allows for a contractor, then don’t squeeze that cost out. In the long run, the enhanced job done by the contractor will make the property more valuable. In addition, if you tackle the project yourself and something goes wrong, you will be footing the bill for repairs.

Though time, money, and competency are the main things to consider, there are other legal concerns, too. Some jobs must be done by a licensed contractor in order to protect the greater good of society. Electrical jobs and certain plumbing jobs are examples of things that need licensed folks. You will want to consult with your local and state governments in order to figure out what falls under this requirement.

Hiring a contractor is a big decision which must be made with much precaution. There are plenty of times when it’s right to hire one, but other times, you could likely get by without a contractor. That decision must be made on a per case basis and with much attention to personal details.

What to Look For When Hiring a Contractor

With so many different contractors offering up their services on the open market today, it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between the different ones. They all say the right things and they all sound pretty good in the interview. How does a business owner decide which plumber or electrician to use, then? There are certain things that you must look for in a contractor that will be much more telling than anything they will say in an interview.


You must always ask to see any and all certificates. It might sound nice to hear a contractor say that he or she has a license from a certain state, but you must demand proof. Any reputable contractor will have their information readily available and won’t have any problem showing you the certification certificates that are granted to all licensed contractors. In addition to that, you will want to see verification that there haven’t been any issues in the last several years in order to confirm the legitimacy of the contractor.


Does the contractor have all of the appropriate insurance coverage? There are a few different levels of insurance coverage. Any contractor that you hire should have general liability coverage in order to protect against an accident that causes bodily harm. If you are able to find a good contractor with workman’s compensation insurance to go along with that, then you should certainly consider hiring that person. Not only will this eliminate more risk for you, but it will also help you identify the good contractors from the bad.


Where does the contractor conduct business? All people are different in their preferences, so you shouldn’t make any blanket assumptions about a contractor because of his office situation. Be aware that most legitimate contractors will have an actual business office and address at which they work. A home office is sometimes alright, but it doesn’t bring the same measure of reliability that an actual office does. Beware of any contractor who has no office. This can be a potential red flag that should indicate a bit of sketchiness for that business. If they just have cell phone communication and don’t offer any sort of concrete land line, then consider looking elsewhere.


There are plenty of good contractors out there if you take a while to look. When choosing the right one, don’t believe everything that you hear. Make sure that the contractor has the ability and willingness to prove their legitimacy. When you do this, you will have a much better chance of hiring a reliable person

How to Select a Good Contractor

Selecting a good contractor might seem like a difficult task, but it really shouldn’t be something that scared you. It is never a good idea to choose a contractor in a pinch, so preparation is the key to success. In order to make sure that you will get a good contractor, you must put in the time to research each option. Then, you will be able to make an informed decision and feel good about the potential success of your project.

Choosing a good contractor is something that you should do before you have any sort of emergency. You should always be on the lookout for contractors with solid credentials that provide a good rate for your business. Though you might not need their help at the time, you will know exactly who to call when something does arise. That way, you will not have to sacrifice any of the quality of the job just because you rushed to find someone.

When looking for a good contractor, research and personal intuition is the key. Though it might be quicker to look in the phone book for a contractor and choose the first one you see, this will hurt your business in the long run. This is especially true when dealing with emergency type of contractors. Electricians and plumbers for example, can be hit or miss when it comes to quality. You will want to consult your friends and close relatives that work within your business. Find out who they have used and who they would recommend. From there, you can begin to set up interview with many different contractors, eventually settling on a few guys that you trust.

If you don’t have any friends or family within the business, then don’t fret. You can always check with your realtor and find out who he or she would suggest. Generally, they have been around long enough to see who is good and who is not. Their opinion should be one that you value.

When you start to interview different contractors, run through a checklist and make sure that each one of them meets certain criteria. You will want to find out things such as their work experience, their license status, and how much they charge for different jobs. By doing this, you can compare different contractors against each other in order to make a good decision.

Selecting a good contractor has everything to do with time and preparation. Without the proper research about each potential worker, you will not know what sort of work you’re going to get until after it’s done. By going through an extensive search, business owners can cut the risk out of hiring a contractor.

How to Create Safe and Functional Decorated Outdoor Living Areas

Firstly you need to define how you will use the outdoor living space. Is it going to be a static area, purely for aesthetics or will you have children playing there? Will you be using it at night, or solely during daylight hours?

These factors will determine what you need and what you can actually place in your space.

For a static space, sculptures and water features work well. The provide a focal point and can be the source of the theme of your garden. The water feature also creates movement into a space that is static and creates a quiet calming sound of water flowing.

For an interactive space, pots are great as they keep the plants and flowers off the ground and are less likely to be trod on. The flowers are probably more likely to be picked, but they will survive. Bench seats and seating sets are ideal in these areas as you can sit and enjoy your garden. The ideal situation for these seats is to have a solid ground, paving or concrete so the table and chairs remain level and don't wobble. Make sure that you select a material that weathers well like cedar or teak timber, wrought iron.

Think about how you will move around you space. You want it to flow, if you are going to buy a table and chair setting, ensure that you select one that allows for people to move around the outside and push back their chairs without landing the legs of the chair in the garden and toppling back. I have seen this happen many times.

If you have a table a centre piece is a great focal point. This can be as simple as a vase of fresh cut flowers, a pot with spring bulbs, a pot of succulents, a prickly cactus, or a small sculptural piece.

When Does Concrete Make More Sense?

There are several factors that may make other methods of construction, most notably tilt-up construction, a better choice than steel buildings.

The most obvious factor is the building's size. For projects less than 50,000 square feet, steel is generally the least expensive alternative. For a building of this size, the fixed or "open the door" costs of a tilt-up construction project (like the rental of a large crane, for example) make it more expensive than steel, even though concrete is usually a less expensive raw material. As projects become larger than 50,000 square feet, however, the lower price of concrete starts to offset tilt-up construction's fixed costs and this method becomes cost-competitive with a metal building. The larger the building, the more advantageous tilt-up construction becomes.

The moble crane lifts the panel and tilts it into position over the footing on this tilt-up construction project in the Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX area. In many cases, tilt-up construction is a better - and even more economical - choice than steel buildings

The cost of the steel building kit will usually be lower than a price quoted for a concrete building, even a tiltwall building. If customizing or modifications to the kit are necessary to meet the owner's needs, these design costs must be included when comparing the prices. Also, the kit price may not include costs that are normally incorporated into a quote for a tilt-up or traditionally constructed building. Some of those costs include concrete foundation, permits, erection and assembly costs, taxes, electrical wiring, plumbing, environmental controls, ductwork, interior finishing, etc.

The location of the project will also influence whether a steel building is even an option. Builders in agricultural or lightly populated areas generally have fewer code restrictions placed on them. The closer a building is planned to a densely populated area, the more stringent the fire codes, building permitting requirements and other municipal standards become. In some cases steel buildings can not be used in certain areas for this reason. Other times, fire codes may require steel buildings to be built further apart than tilt-up structures, requiring a larger plot of land for the project. This is why, in urban areas, buildings closer to the downtown area are generally made of concrete and steel buildings become more common on the outskirts of town.

The reason steel buildings face greater code limitations is that they generally offer less fire protection than tilt-up or other concrete buildings. While steel is not combustible, it is not considered fireproof because it can distort or lose its structural strength when exposed to heat. Further, a fire on one side of a metal wall can generate destructive heat on the other side, damaging the property inside. Steel building designers use a variety of technologies, from sprays to fire-retardant panels or blankets, to mitigate the fire-resistive problem. By comparison, a typical 6.5" concrete wall has a fire resistive rating of four hours or more. Tiltwall and concrete provide superior fire protection for the property and people inside a building.

The intended use for a building will also influence whether steel or concrete is the best choice. In general steel buildings work very well for storage buildings, indoor sports facilities, work shops, and aircraft hangers, but they are less suited for higher-trafficked buildings. Comparatively speaking, steel walls are less durable than concrete walls. This holds true in the face of natural forces (bad weather, earthquakes) as well as for truck or forklift accidents. When a building is damaged by a vehicle, the damage is generally more localized and less expensive to repair for a tilt-up or concrete building than for a steel building. For owners who want to build a warehouse or other facility where trucks or forklifts will be used, this can be a very important consideration. Defense contractor facilities, prisons, or other buildings that require positive security also are much better suited to impenetrable concrete than to comparatively unsecure steel.

While steel is reasonably durable, concrete remains the material of choice for buildings that require less upkeep and maintenance over the years. Concrete is impervious to corrosion, rotting, rust or insect infestation; tiltwall buildings created in the 1940s are still standing today with little apparent wear. The fact that builders in earthquake-prone California now use tilt-up construction for 90% of their single-story commercial buildings indicates that concrete buildings are cost-competitive and extremely durable.

When factoring in potential repairs and ongoing maintenance, it's apparent that the real dollar difference between operating a steel building and a concrete building can be significant. Further, the added fire safety and durability of a concrete building will usually be reflected in lower insurance premiums. If the owner decides to sell the property, they will most likely find that a tilt-up or other concrete building depreciates less and than a steel building will.

Plumbing System of your home makes living Easier

Plumbing is the skilled trade of working with pipes and tubing for fluids such as water, sewage, steam and natural gas. Plumbing originated during the ancient civilizations such as Persian, Chinese, Indian and Roman civilizations as they developed public baths and needed to provide fresh water and drainage. The piping used to convey the water and waste was often made of lead. Because lead is very toxic, nearly all modern manufactured plumbing products and materials are lead free.

A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping systems, plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters and boilers.

A plumbing fixture is a device which is part of a system to deliver and drain away water, but which is also configured to enable a particular use.

Your house has several separate plumbing systems: Sinks, toilets, washers, bath tubs, and related fixtures. Plumbing is something we use every day and which most of us know little about. Shopping for your own plumbing fixtures rather than getting them through your plumber allows you choose from a wider selection and save money.

Plumbing systems are composed of pipes and fittings. Metal or plastic pipes are joined by a variety of fittings designed to couple lengths in a straight line, turn corners, branch in two directions, reduce or enlarge pipe size, or connect to some type of fixture. Pipes are made from several different metals and plastics. You often can identify a pipe's purpose by its size and makeup: indoor water supply pipes generally are copper or galvanized iron pipe.

The plumbing system in your home is designed to direct fresh water and wastewater to where you want it to go, without incident. You want wastewater to leave your home down a drain instead of overflow into your home and you want fresh water to come out of a spout rather than leaking somewhere within the walls. The plumbing trade has adopted a number of basic strategies and conventions to keep water controlled and go where we want it. It is a good idea to understand how your plumbing system works before tackling any plumbing project.

If your plumbing fixtures drain slowly, the problem may be a clogged vent. This happens when vents are improperly located and when birds or animals deposit debris in the vent where it exits the roof.

Whatever your intended plumbing projects, the first step is to familiarize yourself with the water system in your home. At the very least it is important to know where to switch off the mains in case of an emergency.

To know more, visit: http://www.pexsupply.com/

Why do Design Build Contractors Choose Tilt-up Construction?

Tilt-up construction provides numerous advantages over steel buildings or traditional construction for warehouses, call centers, distribution centers, retail stores, office buildings, storage facilities and other types of industrial and commercial building construction projects. Generally speaking, a one- to two-story structure larger than 50,000 square feet with less than 50% wall opening space is an excellent candidate for tilt-up concrete construction.

But what are the advantages?

• Savings in Construction Costs - Tilt-up construction provides numerous construction cost savings. This method of concrete construction uses locally available materials rather than ones that must be manufactured and shipped in. This means that raw material costs are lower, available when needed and less prone to price fluctuations. Tilt-up work crews are typically smaller than the crews used in traditional construction and are normally comprised of local labor. That translates to reduced labor costs. Because of the economies of scale, the larger the footprint for the building, the more these savings improve the project's total cost.
• Fast Construction Schedule - Tilt-up construction offers several opportunities to "compress" the schedule and deliver the building very quickly. Erecting the walls with tilt-up panels is faster than building walls using traditional construction techniques. The trades can begin work earlier in the process on a tilt-up project, which allows greater overlapping of project phases. Because the building is made of ready-mix concrete from local sources, the project is less likely to be affected by transportation delays as well. All these factors provide for a faster, more predictable schedule with fewer opportunities for delays and associated cost overruns.
• Safety - Tilt-up concrete is a proven, safe method of construction. The vast majority of the project takes place on the ground rather than on scaffolding, reducing many of these risks normally faced by workers.
• Aesthetics - Tilt-up concrete buildings are not prefabricated. Each one is custom-designed for the client's needs and preferences. A full range of building finishes, wall textures and adornments, colors, even curved walls, are available with this method. Tilt-up construction provides architects and designers with virtually unlimited flexibility in crafting a building that is functional, durable and aesthetically pleasing.

The benefits of a project built with tilt-up construction continue long after it is completed:

• Durability - Tilt-up concrete buildings are extremely durable. Many structures created in the 1940s are still in operation today, with little apparent wear. A testament to the strength of tilt-up construction, general contractors in earthquake-prone California now use this method for 90% of their one-story industrial building projects.
• Fire Safety - The concrete used in tilt-up panels meets the fire-resistance standards of even the most demanding building codes. For example, a 6.5" concrete wall offers a fire resistance rating of four hours or more. Tilt-up panels are also frequently used in the building's interior as fire walls. Tilt-up buildings offer real protection and safety for their tenants' employees, property and ongoing operations.
• Ease of Maintenance - Tilt-up construction buildings require little in the way of ongoing maintenance, outside of periodic cleaning and repainting as desired. Concrete is impervious to insect or rodent infestation, so this problem becomes a relative non-issue as well.
• Repairs and Expandability - In the event a wall is damaged by a forklift or truck, damages are typically more localized on a panel than in other types of structures, like steel buildings. Also, the modular design of the panels allows for easier repairs and expansion of the building.
• Security - Facilities that require positive security and management of the interior environment - prisons, classified manufacturing facilities, businesses with clean rooms - will appreciate the strength and control afforded by concrete and tilt-up buildings.
• Reduced Insurance Premiums - Because tilt-up concrete buildings have superior fire resistance ratings and have been proven to withstand severe weather and earthquakes, these cement buildings typically enjoy better insurance rates than steel buildings or other types of structures.
• Reduced Operating Costs - Concrete provides excellent insulation, reducing the ongoing heating and cooling costs for the tenant. This insulation extends to sound as well as temperature. Workers in a tilt-up office building located in a noisy area will be less affected by the environment. By the same token, a manufacturing business that generates noise will have less effect on its neighbors and will find it easier to comply with local noise ordinances.

With a better understanding of these benefits, it's easy to see why many design / build contractors, construction managers and savvy building owners are opting for tilt-up over steel buildings or traditional construction for commercial building construction projects. Delivering value, speed and responsiveness, quality, durability, reduced construction costs, and ongoing cost savings in operating expenses, tilt-up construction is the best choice for a wide range of commercial construction projects.

Tilt-up Construction: A General Contractor's Approach to Innovative Commercial Building Construction

Have you ever driven past a construction site and seen massive cranes lifting huge panels of concrete in the air? Have you watched with amazement as a new commercial building seems to spring into place, almost overnight? What you have witnessed is tilt-up construction, an innovative method for building office buildings, retail centers, warehouses, distribution centers, call centers, manufacturing facilities and other commercial / industrial structures with amazing speed, safety, and cost benefits.

So what is the difference between tilt-up and other types of construction?

In traditional forms of wall construction, the walls can be built with CMU blocks or blocks faced with brick. For some types of buildings, the exterior wall is made up of structural steel columns with heavy gauge metal studs covered with gyp sheathing, which is then faced with brick or stucco. Regardless which traditional approach is used, building the exterior walls is a time-consuming, multi-stepped process. A tilt-up building's walls are created horizontally in large slabs of concrete called panels. The panels are then lifted, or tilted up, into position around the building's slab. This means the tilt-up structure's exterior wall is virtually finished when it is tilted into place.

Tilt-up construction (also called tiltwall or tilt wall construction) has a long history, but its widespread use is a relatively new phenomenon. In spite of this, tilt-up construction is fast becoming the method of choice for constructing modern warehouses, call centers, distribution centers, retail stores, office and storage buildings and other types of industrial and commercial facilities

Laughter, Play, Fun, Joy, Happiness

We all have our own unique constructs and beliefs and opinions about laughter and play and fun and joy and happiness. In this article, I combine play and fun as one pair and joy and happiness as another to capture nuances that single words would not.

Laughter

I love to laugh -- those of you who know me personally already know that. I remember twenty or so years ago when first studying key contributors to the field of stress management, I was so pleased to learn that one good belly laugh each day does wonders for us all.

Physiologically, laughter introduces oxygen into the body in a way that few other actions can. Laughter also exercises inner muscles that are otherwise hard to exercise. Healing on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels are often attributed to the act of laughing.

For laughter to be effective, the content or stimulus is irrelevant. Dr. Norman Cousins used Candid Camera television shows and Marx Brothers movies to stimulate laughter that promoted self-healing which he wrote about in his ground-breaking publications.

I have friends I laugh with about things that are not funny to anyone but us. We laugh with tee-hees and guffaws and belly laughs. It's deeply healing. It's fun. We do not need a reason -- we just use and appreciate the synergy of each other.

I have another friend, a health care practitioner, who has suggested that I gather a group of laughers together and make an audio tape. No content to try to get someone to laugh. Just laughing to laugh and to laugh more. He guarantees I will sell many of these tapes because the laughter will inspire others to laugh.

If we all set out to try to agree about what is funny, we would probably argue ourselves out of laughing. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" fans know Data's difficulty with grasping what is funny to humans. My point is that it is not necessary for anything "to be funny" in order to laugh or to benefit from laughter.

Play and Fun

Placing these two words together usually generates a feeling of spontaneity that is not easy to define using a single word. Many of us "play" at our work. I once heard James Galway, one of the world's greatest flutists, say that he has never worked a day in his life. Fun for you may feel like a chore for me and vice versa. We know instinctively if it is play or fun by how we feel -- light and free and happy, for example.

Joy and Happiness

Some people like to make a distinction between joy and happiness. Defining these words differently is quite acceptable, but it is a feeling that I want to identify, so I define them interchangeably.

Joy or happiness is an energy or a feeling that transcends activities. If we are in a state of joy or happiness, we are in a state of mind and feeling that is not dependent on what we are doing, where we are, or who we are with. No matter what we do or have or do not do or do not have, if we are in a state of joy or happiness, we feel and emit a wonderful feeling that further attracts more joy and happiness. Joy and happiness come from inside us and burst from us -- perhaps as a hot fire, perhaps as a warm glow. No matter how this energy may be emitted, it is more than a facade, more than a smile. It is life-giving.

Finding Our Own

Part of the fun of the human journey is finding those who resonate to a similar vibration as ours. Laughter has an undeniable vibration -- and we tend to know the difference between a jeering laugh and a joyous one. I find that people often describe themselves has having a "good sense of humor." In fact, I now find that to be such a common self-acclaimed attribute that it is meaningless. I think the discerning quality when looking for similar others is whether or not we laugh or smile at similar things.

As adults, we seek out activities and persons with similar vibrations. Sometimes for our education we may seek out very different types, often returning to "our own." By "our own" I want to be clear that I am not referring to same skin-colored persons staying together or all Germans staying in Germany. I mean "like" below the obvious exterior, "like" spiritually, "like" vibrationally.

The Path of Joy and Happiness

We do not create joy by poking fun at or ridiculing someone or by being poked. We may learn by the "poking" that we do not want to experience more of that and learn to protect ourselves from being poked. But let us not delude ourselves into believing that poking is joy. If someone is hurt by a sharp barb, it is an act of unhappiness.

Laughter is an energy that can propel us along the Path of Joy. Joyful laughter helps to lighten the load. This is a time to lighten up with many paths and techniques and modalities. Laughter is one that is always available.