From February 20, 2016

The 5th International Seminar on Fabric Architecture was held between 17th and 19th February 2016. This International Membrane Symposium was organised by the Institute for Membrane and Shell Technologies, Building and Real Estate, which is part of the Institute at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences – a German Premier University. It was also the first IMS to be held in Latin America, with the location being the Universidad Tecnologica de Panama School of Civil Engineering in Panama City. It had a full programme and was a well sponsored event.

Conference programme

There was a full programme, which included distinguished lecturers from Panama, Mexico, US, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy and Sweden, and it was anticipated that the conference would be of interest to urbanists, architects, landscaping architects, consulting engineers and other professionals and students related to the design and construction of textile-fabric architecture.

The conference began with talks introducing textile architecture and the basics of membrane structures and structural elements. The presentations went on to discuss the design and engineering of membrane structures, the use of ixCUBE, and structural analysis.

Lectures also covered the physical and mechanical properties of the materials, membrane manufacturing, costing and testing. Reviews of some of the exiting and ongoing projects in Spain and Latin America were also presented.

The three days concluded with a question and answer session with all those who presented. Many of the visitors then participated in a visit to the Panama Canal.

Concrete offers one of the most popular choices for your kitchen floor. It is durable, elegant, can vary in design, low-maintenance, and is among the cheapest options for your kitchen flooring. However, it also has its own set of drawbacks.

A concrete floor can supplement a more modern interior design.

Advantages of Concrete for your Kitchen Floor

Concrete may be poured over existing hard flooring. It may also be colored, textured, stained, polished, or pigmented to fit the concrete floor coverings design you are looking for. It is low-maintenance, and resistant to staining. Radiant floor heating, which is one of the cheapest and effective ways to keep your rooms warm, also works well with concrete. It is durable, and will last for a lifetime if properly maintained. Also, it is one of the cheapest options for your flooring. For more, advantages of concrete floors.

Drawbacks of a Concrete Kitchen Floor

You will need a professional to install your concrete floor, due to the complicated processes of pouring, sealing, staining, finishing, and pigmenting concrete. Also, staining concrete may lead to unexpected streaks of stains made from the color used to compose more complex colors (e.g. red streaks from a purple stain). Without heating, concrete floors will be painfully cold as well. In addition, concrete emits a certain noise when stepped on. It is a hard surface that provides neither cushioning for comfort nor safety (e.g. falling objects shatter). In addition, in the event of an equally tough object being dropped, it may also chip your concrete floor. Lastly, concrete may also cost more, depending on the processes you require for the design you want.

Installing Concrete Floors

Skilled professionals must perform this, since the processes are time-sensitive. Removing old flooring takes about one to two days. Pigmenting, pouring, and finishing concrete takes up one day when combined. Acid stained concrete kitchen floors need two to five days, depending on the uniformity of the color of the concrete. Afterwards, four days must be allotted for the stain to penetrate the concrete. Polishing needs from one to three days of work. The time increases on how polished the floor is needed to be. Finally, sealing takes place, finishing in around 1 to 2 days.

The installation of concrete flooring is a complicated and time-sensitive process, so let the pros do it for you while you relax.

Cleaning Concrete Floors

Regular sweeping or vacuuming is required to keep dirt off the floor in order to prevent the sealer from wearing away. Mopping will also serve to remove dirt that persists after sweeping. Strong chemicals and acidic cleaners must not be used as well.

How Much Does a Concrete Kitchen Floor Cost?

The price depends on the complexity and the number of the processes you want to be done on your concrete floor. These processes include the preparation and cleaning of the subfloor, the installation of slabs, polishing, coloring, staining, embedding, stamping, and coating.

1. Pigmenting provides concrete any color you desire
2. Acid staining changes the surface color of concrete to have a similar appearance to natural stone
3. Stamping gives your concrete your preferred texture
4. Embedding tiles, stone, glass, or pebbles create a visual design to your preference
5. Saw cutting gives the appearance of irregular stone slabs or uniform tiles

For example, installing finished single-colored slabs cost $2.50 to $5.25 per square foot. Saw cuts for design costs $1 to $3, while saw cuts with a stone slabe design cost $2.50 to $6. Acid staining some sections for an assorted design costs an additional $3.25 to $5.00 per square foot. Polishing requires $2.00 to $4.50, depending on the degree of polish. Coatings cost an added $3 to $10. Thus, simpler concrete floors cost less, while more complex floors may skyrocket your prices.

The stresses of construction costs and meeting deadlines can be difficult enough but what really compounds these is a lack of communication. Like when dealing with gold buyers, It’s not unreasonable for a property owner to know where they stand on the build whether it be the timeline, the execution of the work, problems encountered, etc. There’s generally not a real estate website or construction page dedicated exclusively to your project and when contractors dodge your phone calls it can raise a red flag. Therefore, how does a person stay in the loop when it’s their own livelihood on the line?

Apps

There are a number of apps being released semi-regularly which help in not only the efficiency of the construction project but also the communication side of the business. These apps work almost like a group text message with everybody invited getting real-time updates on the project but with much more details. Laborers can check-in with what project they are working on, contractors can post progress percentages, and homeowners can ask questions which all create notifications that all parties see.

Social Media

While some contractors may enjoy playing phone tag with you, it would really behoove them to answer their social media posts in a timely manner. If a local company has a Facebook page, all the citizens in the community can see your questions and whether or not the associated parties respond – or if they do so with courtesy. The last thing carpenters want is a bad reputation within the community so it may be the best resource to have your project concerns answered.

Ask For Daily/Weekly Status Reports

Whether it be through a real estate agent website builder creating a forum or a simple email, there should be no reason that you aren’t at least updated on the progress of a project weekly at minimum. Of course if you lived near the build a visit to the jobsite would give you the results you’d need but that isn’t always a possibility. Status reports help foreign investors or those who live in a different city access to project results.

Something to remember is that construction companies generally won’t lack communication on purpose. Sometimes the project does fall behind or unforeseen issues do arise. Many of these problems are not avoidable but honesty and an open dialogue help lessen the damage.

Homes appreciate far faster when property owners are diligent in their efforts to take on the right improvement projects. Refinishing your basement can add a tremendous amount of value to your home and is therefore, one of the best forms of sweat equity that you can engage in. These efforts will increase the amount of usable space that residents have at their disposal and will make it far easier for you to offload your property at a respectable price, should you ever decide to put it on the market. Unfortunately, this task isn’t guaranteed to be problem-free. Without the right planning, things can quickly go awry.

Find Out Whether Your Plumbing Runs Underground Or Above Ground

If you plan on adding a bathroom to your basement or even a basic water feature such as a basin or sink, you have to find out whether your plumbing runs underground or above ground. With underground plumbing, installing a toilet, shower and sink will be as easy as locating the plumbing and situating your new bathroom near it. If you have an above ground system, however, you’ll need a grinder, a pump and a much more expansive remodeling budget.

Concealing Ducts, Pipes And Wires

One of the most aesthetically pleasing ways to conceal unattractive basement features like ducts, pipes and wires is by dropping the ceiling. Installing a false ceiling will keep all of these things neatly and safely tucked away so that you can create the perfect environment on the lowest floor of your property. This is best accomplished by consolidating all of these visual obstructions in a single area of the basement and then dropping the ceiling in just one, confined space. Doing so will keep the basement open and preserve its wide, spacious appeal. If taking this approach, make sure to set aside an area for accessing junction boxes, meters and shut-offs.

Waterproof Your Basement

In low lying areas of the home, flooding can and often does occur. Have a plan in place for mitigating the resulting damages. For instance, start by choosing waterproof flooring and installing a central drain. You basement drain should connect to your storm drain or a pit that’s been fitted with an appropriate sump pump.

Tackle This Project In Small, Manageable Phases

Refinished basements can serve as workout rooms, fully functional living spaces, recreation rooms and more. They can be as decorative and feature-filled as homeowners want them to be. Don’t get overwhelmed by the magnitude of this project by attempting to tackle it all at once. This can be an ongoing affair and a true labor of love. Even with a modest budget, you can break this project into manageable increments so that you can continue adding onto the space as time and money allow.

DIY has become quite popular over the past ten years. With an influx of DIY television shows, and the creation of the DIY Network, the ordinary homeowner has been given the confidence that they can complete any home project on their own, and for a fraction of the cost of hiring a trained contractor. Completing your own home projects can certainly have its benefits with a cost savings of about 50%. Even though the savings can be huge, DIY isn’t for everyone, and there are several factors that must be evaluated.

Do I have the proper skills?

You don’t have to be a handyman to to take on a DIY project. If you’re good at finding and using your resources, following directions, and have the willingness to be patient and learn something new, a DIY project can be part of your plan. Free tutorials can be found on the internet and videos on sites like YouTube can be extremely helpful in providing step-by-step instructions. Hardware stores can also be a great resource with knowledgeable staff and in-store instructional clinics.

Do I have the proper tools?

Tools aren’t cheap and the rental of tools can add up quickly. One great option is to borrow and swap tools with friends and family members. Instead of spending money on a tool that might be used once, you can use each other’s resources. It’s most likely worthwhile to buy tools that will be more frequently used. Hardware stores can be a good place to find quality tools, but stores you might not think of like Sam’s Club, offer incredible prices on top of the line tools.

Do I have the time?

Time is money, and completing a DIY project certainly takes time. If you’re schedule is already jam packed and adding a project on is going to create unnecessary stress, DIY might not be for you. A project done poorly isn’t a good project no matter how much money you save.

What type of project am I undertaking?

Certain projects are more complex than others, and may not be worth completing on your own. Projects such as deck additions, minor bathroom remodels, and garage door replacement can easily be completed with a friend and can offer a return on your investment that will make your endeavor worthwhile.

Construction of new homes and apartments has been dipping since the recession. Although, the building and construction industry is still a long way from non-recession levels and there is little expectation of recovery; but as every dark cloud has a silver lining, housing projects have been attracting buyers in the current economic downturn as well, much to the delight of the builders.

Thanks to the dismounting property rates, more and more buyers are getting interested in buying properties and in investing in construction and development projects. Many full-service real estate management and development firms in the Unites States are offering attractive rates and offers to attract more and more buyers. Under the current scenario, these construction firms are aiming to exceed the clients’ expectations within their allocated budget. These firms’ unique design-build approach teams’ architects, engineers, construction and property management professionals are fully equipped to devise the best space solution for their clients. With their collaborative approach, some firms also allow to customize projects to meet clients’ needs on time and on budget, and provide a single-source solution, taking total responsibility for every aspect of a building project, from concept through final occupancy.

One of the leading construction groups in the United States, Diversified Real Estate Group, with active and completed projects both in the United States and Canada, is managing its projects with a sense of urgency and attention to each and every detail. The founder, CEO, and President of this firm, Philippe Pageau Goyette has an extensive experience of 15 years in real estate management and development. His vast experience, expertise, and determination have helped Diversified Real Estate Group (DRG) to acquire numerous strategic partnerships and to emerge as a leader in the construction industry. Philippe Pageau Goyette oversees all aspects of DRG’s business including acquisitions, entitlements, design, accounting, sales and marketing. Today, DRG is proud to have assets more than $1 billion across the country.