Posts Tagged ‘ renovation ’

How A Septic Tank Site Evaluation Is Performed

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

When a property for either a home or commercial building is evaluated for a septic tank installation, the inspector is checking to see if the site is suitable for onsite waste water treatment. An evaluation is very important because it helps protect homeowners from incurring costs in the future if there is a problem due to the location of the septic tank, and it protects the public and environment by ensuring the waste water will be disposed of and returned to the water table in a clean and healthy manner. Below is a general guide on how a septic tank site evaluation is performed:

1. A professional certified to evaluate septic sites will come to the property to do the septic site evaluation. The professional assesses the near by water sources and environmental considerations to make sure there is no health or safety hazard if the septic tank is installed. For instance, the inspector does not want waste water flowing into a creek or into a well.

2. Once the site area has been assessed, the inspector will assess the various levels of soil up to five feet into the ground. The homeowner will have hired an excavator to come out and dig a pit prior to the evaluation. The inspector will assess whether the soil conditions will support a septic tank. The soil assessment will look at such qualities as “soil texture” and “soil structure.” The inspector will determine if the soil will allow for a large enough drain-field for the water that will be returned to the ground after being treated in the septic tank.

3. A soil percolation test, or PERC test, will be performed to determine the rate in which soil absorbs a specific volume of water. This is done to make sure the soil is appropriate for a soak-away, and to make sure that the soak-away is designed correctly. It will also indicate the size of the septic system to be used and how it will be designed. To perform a percolation test, a set of holes are dug 300mm square and 300mm below the proposed outlet from the septic tanks or sewage treatment plant. The sides of the holes are mixed before the holes are pre-soaked. A controlled amount of water is poured in the hole and the test reading is based on how long it takes the soil to absorb the water added to the hole. A percolation test is considered to have failed if the results are fewer than 12 or over 100 seconds/mm drop. As well, a percolation test should not be carried out during bad weather, and if it is performed during the summer, then the number of times performing the test should be increased depending on the recent weather.

4. Once approved, that is, the results show proper adsorption, the septic marking points will be added to a survey to show where the septic tank will be located, As well, the area chosen will be free of trees and tree roots, underground cables, and away from buildings, property lines, or water sources such as creeks.

Septic tanks are required for any business or home. A Septic Tank Site Evaluation is mandatory to ensure the safety of the public and the environment. By understanding what the inspection involves, a homeowner can better prepare and budget for the expense.

Septic tank system can be environmentally friendly, effective and economical. FAST biological septic systems replace septic tanks and sewer lines. FAST wastewater treatment neutralizes septic sewage, grease trap interceptors,consuming contaminants, releasing just air and clear, odorless water.

Common Mistakes On Managing Renovation Projects

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

A home remodeling or renovation project is not as simple as it may sound. Renovating a building is not simply all about how it will look or function, but most significantly you have to deal with what kind of materials are used during the renovation, how are you going to work with your suppliers and contractors, etc. These of course will be covered by the person who will manage the project. Thus before a renovation project starts, one of the most vital decisions to be made is who will manage the project.

You can either employ a professional who will do the work or alternatively, you can supervise the project yourself. If you opt to manage the work yourself, make sure that you have enough experience to deal with this. According to Gail La Grouw, the following are some frequent mistakes done by owners who have decided to take over the role of managing the renovation project themselves,

1. Poor Planning

Producing a good plan is a important part of your role as a project manager. The success of the project largely depend on this. Your plan must include as much detail as possible. You have to regard planning for contingencies as well.

2. Poor Materials Management

Buying of the appropriate materials at the right time is a large task during renovation. Think about this task properly, as it can be a cause of delay to your schedule. You can also incur extra cost if you do not have your materials at the needed time.

3. Poor Record Keeping

Lodge everything especially things that have to do with finances. Record keeping must be completed everyday. You surely will overlook something in your list if you do it in an inconsistent way. Record keeping will also let you know exactly where you are in terms of time and dollars against the plan specification.

4. Not Managing The Work Site

Most subcontractors are attempting to reduce cost by disregarding a number of rules and workplace safety items. This is a bad thing of course. Make sure that there is a proper insurance for their area of work.

5. Poor Communication

As home owners are not that familiar with terms being used for renovation, miscommunication can occur along the way. Make sure that when you do not understand things, clarify it, but never loose your authority in front of your contractors of course.

6. Poor Change Management Control

All changes made during the renovation process must be documented and sign off.

7. Not Keeping Check of the Budget

Watch your budget, as most projects will overrun the initial estimate, make sure to add some percentage of your budget for your contingency plans.

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Green Office Furniture – Advantages To The Environment

Friday, February 19th, 2010

In this age of unrelenting attack of pollution and rapidly declining forest cover on the planet, the need to go green is greater than ever. The newest trend in the universal go-green campaign is the use of green office furniture, and this has excellent potential to make companies eco-friendly.

One way of lightening the load on the environment is to opt for modular offices. Such an office requires a lot less material and hence helps protect trees. Apart from being environment friendly, it also cuts down the company’s expenses. Modular offices are much inexpensive than the normal offices and as the area they cover is smaller, the rent comes out to be lesser too.

An office that uses reusable or used furniture makes an excellent contribution towards environmental conservation. This type of furniture generally requires only small modifications and fits the needs of most offices perfectly. Because of the present economic slump, several companies are out of business and are selling their furniture at very low prices, which presents a great opportunity to cut down office expenditure. The mineral and forest resources of the earth are conserved by the use of used furniture, without having to make any sacrifices in terms of quality.

Even new furniture can be as nature friendly as used one if you are aware of some aspects before making a purchase. The new furniture must be made of reusable materials and must be of local make so that the transportation does not result in serious emissions from carriers.

Ensure that toxic chemicals such as CFCs and HCFCs, which cause tremendous harm to the ozone layer, have not been made use of in the production of foams. The wood for the furniture that you purchase must not have come from delicate forest ecosystems. Finally, you must keep in mind that you must not use more furniture than you require, as being wasteful is one of the nastiest things that you can do to the nature.

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Tips On House Improvement – Spend A Little Gain At Home

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

A house that has been in use for many years, begins showing signs of wearing away in the form of fissured walls, roofs leaking rain water and faded paint, and therefore it requires urgent renovation. And while you are preparing the refurbishment of your home, you must take a few crucial factors into account to ensure best results.

What needs to be changed and what needs to be mended is the first thing that you must think of. For instance, a growing family needs additional floor space, so the house may have to be extended for the reason, or a vacant space may have to be used for building a car garage. And, in case you find your kitchen too grimy or stuffy, you may wish to groom it with new cabinets or chimneys to make it more spacious and airy.

Along with the refurbishing of the house, you can also carry out repair and replacement of some old, outdated electrical items, and kitchenware to give your house an overall fresh look. An intelligently carried out renovation will make your house an enjoyable place to live in.

Another factor that prompts a lot of people to refurbish their houses is raising the value of their property. When the intention of uncommon. But if the increase in the ultimate price that the house fetches in the market is lower than the money spent on renovating it, then the owner might have to repent for his extravagance later on. Hence, it is always recommended to take expert advice before investing in renovation and latest interior design.

Last but not the least, proper budgeting is a crucial factor you should bear in mind before commencing renovation. In most cases, expenditure escalation is unavoidable; thus, it is wise to add some extra amount beyond the contractor’s estimate and then finalize the budget.

If you find the contractor’s price too heavy for you to meet, you can also weigh the alternative of availing home renovation loan. There are several renovation loan schemes with flexible repayment plans available and you can make use of them to refurbish your house.

A fresh interior design, along with overall renovation is sure to convert your house into a pleasant abode, where not only will you feel good but will also obtain a heightened value of your property in case you consider a resale.

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