Concrete Homes + Low-Rise Construction

September/October July/August 2018 2017

HANSEN HOME HOBBIT Large Family HOUSE Living with

A Concrete Like Decreased EnergyHome Footprint No Other inCity, NewIowa York in Charles 08 >

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INSIDE: 3D PRINTED INSIDESupplement: THIS ISSUE: INDUSTRY TRENDS: 2018 &HOMES Beyond Special MONTHLY

FEATURED PROJECT: HANSEN HOME FEATURED PROJECT: HOBBIT News from the cement and concreteHOLLOW industries LOW-RISE LOW-RISE: TOP 5 CONSTRUCTION: THINGS TO DO IF BRIDGE YOU GETSAFETY SUED PLUSINDUSTRY INDUSTRYNEWS NEWS•PRODUCT PLUS •concretemonthly.com PRODUCT NEWS

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from the editor

Vol. 21, No. 5

President/Editor In Chief Gary L. Pittman, Sr.

For the first time since I’ve been editor of this magazine, we’re putting a home on the cover that’s not an ICF home! I’ve always thought that the name of our magazine, “Concrete Homes,” was a perfect description of the many ways that concrete could be used in, on and around a home.

The unique home on the cover was created in New York by a “Lord of the Rings” fan using reinforced concrete. As much as I believe in ICFs and appreciate the beauty of the ICF structures we usually feature in our magazine, I think most people would agree with me that this is certainly one of the most eye-catching covers we’ve had.

This goes to shows how versatile concrete is for all varieties of construction.

A ‘concrete home’ can be made of ICF. It can be made of reinforced concrete.

A concrete home can also contain concrete floors, concrete benches outside or concrete patios and walkways. It can also be made of 3D printed concrete – as you can read about in another of our articles in this issue.

GCP Technologies wrote an article about their Verifi technology which promises to reduce waste related to cement and concrete production. Verifi senses and manages concrete’s slump rate, so that when each load is delivered it consistently meets specifications, thereby avoiding rejected loads. As more builders turn to concrete for homes like the one on our cover and the ICF homes we typically cover, reducing waste will impact the environment in major ways.

This issue also covers the topic of installing basement egress windows in an ICF home. More homeowners are staying in the homes they already have rather than moving to new homes. In order to maximize their space, they’re finishing the basement and turning that into living spaces. For ICF homeowners, installing an egress window creates a few additional challenges compared to traditional buildings, and our article outlines some of those challenges and recommends products that work well.

While I know that most contractors do superb work, some contractors will experience a lawsuit at some point in their careers. When that happens, it helps to know how to respond. Our article written by a lawyer experienced in construction law provides the top 5 things that a contractor or subcontractor should do if they are being sued. Whether you have a lawyer you can turn to or not, don’t skip reading this important article.

Vanessa Salvia Managing Editor

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Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

Executive Vice President of Operations Gary Pittman, Jr. 512-637-0373 garypjr@pcinews.com Managing Editor Vanessa Salvia • vanessa@pcinews.com Contributing Writers Matthew Nazarenko Thomas Renner Megan Shapiro Contributing Photographer Jodi Costigan Art Director Lisa Gouveia lisag@pcinews.com Advertising Executive Gary Pittman, Jr. (512) 637-0373 garypjr@pcinews.com Circulation/Accounting Manager Beth Chorba (512) 637-0344 bethc@pcinews.com Web and Network Manager Joel Nosal joeln@pcinews.com

PUBLISHED BY Publications and Communications, Inc. 13552 Highway 183 N, Suite A Austin, TX 78750 phone (512) 250-9023 fax: (512) 331-3950 Concrete Homes + Low-Rise Construction (ISSN 152-5547) is published bimonthly by P ublications & Communications, LP., Gary L. ­ Pittman, President. Subscriptions are available for $22 per year, single copy price $4.95. Foreign subscriptions are available for $45 per year.

Payment must accompany orders. Copyright 2018

by Publications & Communications, LP. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written consent from the publisher is strictly prohibited. The technical content and opinions in this publication are those of the relevant contributors or advertisers and are not attributable to the publisher, staff, writers, sponsors, sales department or other advertisers.

Postmaster: Send change of address to Circulation Dept., 13552 Highway 183 N, Suite A, Austin, TX 78750 (512) 250-9023.

contents

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16

21   5 HOBBIT HOLLOW 16 COLLABORATION RESULTS IN FIRST

PERMITTED 3D PRINTED CONCRETE HOME

18 ECO-EFFICIENCY IN CEMENT AND

23 departments 4 Events 10 Industry News 13 Product News Roundup

16 Low-Rise Construction 25 Builder + Business Directory

Cover photo courtesy of Jodi Costigan

CONCRETE: ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY WITH CONNECTED DEVICES

21 SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES AWAIT ICF

BUILDERS IN PROVIDING CODE-COMPLIANT BASEMENT EGRESS

23 TOP 5 THINGS TO DO IF YOU GET SUED

events SEPTEMBER 20-23

ASCC Annual Conference Charlotte, North Carolina ascconline.org/events

SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 1

GET MORE of the latest info on concrete technology and design.

FIND OUT what makes concrete homes the MOST SENSIBLE and attractive HOME BUILDING alternative.

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NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks Washington, D.C. my.nrmca.org/concreteworks2018

OCTOBER 1-3

61st Polyurethanes Technical Conference Atlanta, Georgia polyurethane.americanchemistry. com/2018-PolyurethanesTechnical-Conference.html

OCTOBER 6-12

5th International fib Congress 2018 Collingwood, Victoria, Australia concreteinstitute.com.au

OCTOBER 7-9

2018 International Concrete Repair Institute Fall Convention Omaha, Nebraska icri.org

OCTOBER 14-18

ACI’s Fall 2018 Dream Big, Build Bigger Las Vegas, Nevada concrete.org

OCTOBER 14-18

The Concrete Convention and Exposition Las Vegas, Nevada conventions@concrete.org

OCTOBER 17-19

Hardscape North America Louisville, Kentucky hardscapena.com

Call 1-512-637-0344 or visit our website: concretehomesmagazine.com 4

Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

Send your event information to Vanessa Salvia vanessa@pcinews.com

HOBBIT HOLLOW

A CONCRETE HOME LIKE NO OTHER IN NEW YORK Text by Vanessa Salvia • Photos by Jodi Costigan

A

MAN IN PAWLING, NEW YORK BUILT A HOME LIKE NO OTHER, INSPIRED BY THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIES. THE MOVIES WERE IN TURN INSPIRED BY THE BOOKS WRITTEN BY ENGLISH AUTHOR J.R.R. TOLKIEN ABOUT A RACE CALLED HOBBITS THAT ARE SMALLER THAN HUMANS, WITH HAIRY FEET.

“I saw this movie ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ quite a few years ago and I went to the internet to see if anyone had built a home like that,” explains homeowner and builder Jim Costigan.

“I couldn’t find one so I decided to build a shed for my lawn tractor that was similar to a hobbit house.”

Costigan built the shed in his backyard in Pawling, New York, about 70 miles north of New York City, and documented that construction on the web on a blog he called MyHobbitShed.com.

“I got such a great response from everyone all over the world about how great it was and why I wasn’t living in it,” explains Costigan. “So I started to think about how I could build a house that was similar but on a larger scale.”

A HOME WITH HOBBIT STYLE In the book “The Hobbit,” Tolkien describes hobbit homes as being warm and cozy holes, built into the side of a hill. A

“perfectly round door like a porthole” permits entrance. Inside though, the homes were far from holes. They had paneled walls and floors covered with tile and carpet, polished chairs, hat and coat pegs, fireplaces, hallways that were rounded like tunnels with rounded doors. All of Costigan’s rooms have a similar look — all rooms are all on the same floor and round windows overlook the garden and the nearby grounds sloping down to a river.

Costigan, who has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and works in the reinforced concrete high-rise business in Manhattan, set about creating a house with hobbit-like features and human-size proportions, documenting it on the Hobbit Hollow Construction Blog. He built his home on weekends over the past six years, with help from his family, wife, Jodi, and four children, Georgia, Ethan, Jude and Terence.

Costigan created the design of the home himself and sought help from engineers to ensure the design was workable — some September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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The circular doorways are repeated throughout the home, and each room has its own unique ceiling details.

designs he originally created needed to be revised. It’s all made of 5,000 psi reinforced concrete.

“The roof support is 250 pounds psf live load,” Costigan explains, “so it’s a significant amount of weight that it has to support. I brought in a concrete genius, Nat Tocci of Tocci Engineering, and he came up with the structural design of the house that would work and put it on paper for me so I could get a building permit.”

home is built to passive house standards with R-60 insulation in

THE JOURNEY BEGINS Costigan began building his hobbit shed more than 10 years ago in the backyard of the home he lives in. When he decided to build a house, Costigan looked for a separate piece of property. The home is currently for sale through Gillian Stewart Real Estate of Pawling, New York.

Costigan says the home is on a beautiful 1.7-acre piece of property in New York, on a dead-end street, with a pond, stream and waterfall. It’s a two-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 1,500-square-feet. A rooftop patio adds to the usable space. The

water.

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Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

the roof and R-65 window walls. Costigan used R50 insulation on the side walls and under the slab.

The home has every comfort, including Klearwall Windows from Ireland, doors from Ireland, four skylights, a Zehnder Comfo-Air HRV heat recovery ventilator for air/heat exchange, a Mitsubishi Hyper-Heating Inverter heatpump and an ondemand hot water heating system to heat up the home’s well “I look at it like a unique structure, almost like art,” says Costigan. “It’s a very different home and the pictures really don’t do it justice.”

Costigan says he can’t prove it, but he believes it to be one of the most energy-efficient homes on the planet. “There’s only a small energy bill even during a New York winter,” he says, adding that it’s 90 to 95 percent less than what a home’s normal energy bill would be.

September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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Above: Master bedroom ceiling details. Opposite page, bottom: A walkway goes across the home to the rooftop patio.

INSIDE HOBBIT HOLLOW Inside, Costigan repeats the archway on the front of the house throughout the interior, although he says that each room has a different look and feel.

“There are four skylights and every room has its own different signature ornamental ceiling design,” he says. “That was the signature that I put on the house. It’s all very artistic on the inside.”

Costigan’s floor is a concrete slab on grade with 10 inches of Styro insulation under it. The concrete is self-leveling concrete that can easily be polished to finish it. Costigan says he originally planned to install large-format tile on the floors, but as he thought about how unique the home was, he realized that the buyer would probably want to finish it in their own way.

The ceiling and most surfaces are exposed concrete, so that the potential buyer can finish the home the way that they want it.

“I’m glad I did it that way because everybody that sees the house has a different idea of how they would want to finish the house,” he says. “Although I put kitchen cabinets in I didn’t put any countertops in. I wanted the buyer to be able to customize the interior of the home as much as possible with regard to flooring, countertops, fixtures, trim and paint.”

Costigan built two homes in the 1990s and does have an engineering degree, although he didn’t work in that field.

Through his work on New York City highrises, he learned about the uses of reinforced concrete. He did create all the highly customized concrete formwork for the home himself.

“It’s very complicated,” he says. “To get the shape I needed is not easy.”

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Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

Costigan epoxied rebar into the slab and into walls and used about 160 yards of concrete, with about 85 yards in the roof slab. He and his family finished the home earlier in 2018.

“It really was a family project,” he says. “My wife, myself, our daughter and our three sons all helped on weekends and in the summer they worked on it too.”

The family did everything themselves on both the shed and the home, and the home’s surrounding pathways and walkways, with the exception of the foundational grading and the exterior stonework, which was installed by a professional mason.

The home was not designed for the family of six to actually live in, so all along they knew that they would be passing along the property to its buyer. It’s been a large project for the family, and while it was fun, Costigan is glad to see it finshed.

“Originally I thought it would take two to three years but now it’s been six plus. It took a lot out of me! I’m tired and I kind of would just like it to end,” he says with a laugh. “It was a lot of fun for me and my family. We had a lot of laughs doing it.”

Hobbit Shed Construction Blog myhobbitshed.com Hobbit Hollow Construction Blog myhobbitshed.com/hobbit-hollow-construction-blog

September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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industrynews AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE INTRODUCES PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS The American Concrete Institute (ACI) introduced its 2018-2019 president, vice president, and four board members during The Concrete Convention and Exposition in Salt Lake City, Utah.

David A. Lange has been elected to serve as president of the Institute for 2018-2019, Jeffrey W. Coleman has been David A. Lange elected ACI vice president for a two-year term, and Randall W. Poston is now the Institute’s senior vice president, which is also a two-year term. Additionally, four members have been elected to serve on the ACI Board of Direction, each for three-year terms: Heather J. Brown, Mark A. Cheek, Michael J. Paul, and Michelle L. Wilson. concrete.org

CORTEC RECEIVES CE APPROVAL FOR MIGRATORY CORROSION INHIBITORS PRODUCTS FOR EUROPEAN MARKET Cortec’s Patented MCI technology aimed to protect reinforcing metal in concrete from corrosion is widely used around the globe. Application of MCI products experienced rapid growth in recent years due to number of factors such as proven efficiency and environmental safety. By using this technology, corrosion initiation is delayed and the lifecycle of structures is significantly extended. Designers and contractors globally are using MCI technology in the most demanding projects.

Cortec’s MCI products conform to EN 1504, the new EU Standard for the protection and repair of reinforced concrete.

The aim of the new European norm EN 1504 is to standardize all aspects of the repair process and provide an improved framework for achieving successful, durable repairs and satisfied clients.

By receiving CE certificate MCI products are now accepted for use throughout Europe. The CE certificate is mandatory for most construction products sold on the European market. CE marking confirms that the product has been assessed and meets 10

Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

safety, health and environmental protection requirements. The added value of CE certificate is that all EU countries must enable and encourage the sale of construction products with the CE marking. This means that no additional certificates or further testing cannot be requested by public entities and products can be placed on the whole EU market with the same documentation.

With CE mark, Cortec as a manufacturer guarantees that the product is produced in accordance with European technical specifications. With CE marking Cortec is able to provide Declaration of Performance (DOP) which is of key importance for Construction Products Regulation as it provides information on product’s performance. cortecvci.com

ATLAS INTRODUCES FREE ONLINE WALL BUILDER TOOL Atlas Roofing Corporation has created the EnergyShield Wall Builder Tool, an industry resource designed for contractors and architects seeking guidance on designing with polyiso wall insulation. The EnergyShield Wall Builder Tool is hosted on the Atlas Roof & Wall Insulation website and allows any user to virtually construct a wall layer by layer. As each layer is chosen, the user can see the wall rendering as it is assembled.

Once the user has created a final product, the rendering of the

wall assembly becomes available for download, along with the matching specifications and submittal materials.

The EnergyShield Wall Builder incorporates all EnergyShield products, including EnergyShield Pro, a foil faced polyiso continuous insulation product for commercial exterior walls.

EnergyShield Pro meets all commercial building requirements: NFPA 285 compliance, Class A flame spread, and a thin wall profile of 4” thickness or less. In addition, EnergyShield Pro meets NFPA 286 requirements for exposed interior use.

EnergyShield Pro allows for short term savings and long-term

industrynews energy efficiencies, incorporating an integrated weather and air barrier.

“The EnergyShield Wall Builder Tool was created to speed up the design and submittal process, while helping facilitate creative freedom in building design,” said Tom Robertson, Business Unit Manager for Atlas EnergyShield. “By having millions of possible wall material combinations at their fingertips, architects can more easily envision the possibilities.”

The EnergyShield Wall Builder Tool grew out of the desire to simplify the building process for customers. Atlas was inspired by similar virtual tools in other industries, like the car builders seen on many automakers’ websites. The Atlas tool gives customers the ability to see their wall as they construct it based on the specific needs of their project, then have the specs and a custom rendering instantly delivered to their email.

The EnergyShield Wall Builder Tool was custom-built from hundreds of digital renderings of wall assemblies and is capable of producing millions of finished combinations. wall.atlasrwi.com AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES ACI-ASCC COMMITTEE 310, DECORATIVE CONCRETE The American Concrete Institute and American Society of Concrete Contractors have announced that ACI Committee 310, Decorative Concrete, has become a joint ACI-ASCC committee. The mission of the joint committee is to develop and report information on the application of artistic finishes of cast-in-place concrete, avoid duplication of effort, and speed document development. Joint participation also offers greater prospect of funds for research and experimentation, and a wider acceptance of results.

“As the leading authority and resource worldwide for the concrete industry, ACI is pleased to expand our partnership with the American Society of Concrete Contractors to develop resources of importance to the industry,” stated Ronald G. Burg, P.E., Executive Vice President, American Concrete Institute. “By working together, our organizations are better positioned to provide additional resources to serve the needs of the decorative concrete industry.”

ASCC’s Decorative Concrete Council is a professional organization dedicated to focusing on the issues, trends and work of the decorative concrete industry, and to meeting the needs of the contractors who pursue this specialty market. The council is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

“The ability to collaborate with the American Concrete Institute on publications and educational programming relative to decorative concrete is a fantastic opportunity for ASCC and the Decorative Concrete Council,” stated Beverly Garnant, Executive Director, ASCC. “We are pleased to be able to expand our capabilities with this alliance.”

Two new ACI certification programs will be launched before Summer 2018: the Decorative Concrete Flatwork Finisher and the Decorative Concrete Flatwork Technician. Both certifica-

tions require the completion of a written exam, and current certifications as a Concrete Flatwork Technician. ASCC will be offering the certification exams at their Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC, USA, September 20-23, 2018. concrete.org ascconline.org STONE EDGE SURFACES ANNOUNCES JOB ESTIMATOR PRO Stone Edge Surfaces, a division of Turley International Resources, LLC, the owner of concrete manufacturing, mining, packaging, and fulfillment operations in the U.S., New Zealand and Chile, officially announced the release of their new Job Estimator Pro App for the stamped concrete overlay and decorative concrete industry. This new APP quickly and easily creates customized job specific estimates and calculates labor costs and profit margin, so the profitability of the estimate can be immediately verified and adjusted before emailing to the customer.

The app also simplifies material ordering for a Contractor and a Distributor by automatically creating and formatting jobspecific material quantity lists for the sales and front counter staff to use when placing product orders. Stone Edge Surfaces President and app creator, Bruce Grogg, commented, “When I started with Turley International the only experience I had with customizable concrete veneers, concrete overlays or decorative concrete had come from a few training classes and my own personal experience as an industry consultant. After my first year of helping hundreds of industry veterans, new contractors and distributors figure out their job estimates, product orders, profitability and technical questions, I went looking for an app that could help me handle some of the requests.”

Mr. Grogg went on to say: “After researching, asking contractors, and comparing existing apps, there just wasn’t an effective industry specific app available. So, we created one that, although based on Stone Edge Surfaces products, is similar enough in product application coverage to competing products, to be usable by just about everyone. It is my belief that the more people who download the app and use it to simplify their estimating and ordering processes while increasing their understanding of the concrete overlay market, the faster and bigger our industry will grow.”

The app automatically creates estimates, calculates material and labor costs and profit margin on horizontal and vertical September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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industrynews

concrete overlay, customizable concrete veneer, stamped concrete overlay and decorative concrete projects. The app can archive estimates or format an estimate, drop it into an email, customized it with customer name, disclaimers, and contractor information. It can also format a complete custom material list or a material order, drop them into separate emails for later review or sent to a distributor for order fulfillment. The app can create an email request or automatically open your phone dialer and contact technical assistance at the touch of a button. It can open a vertical or horizontal overlay video photo book to show examples to customers or for ideas. It can open training videos on vertical stamping and carving, horizontal stamping and carving, over wood deck application, crack bridge, and tape down applications. The app can access blog posts on how to price jobs, comparisons to stone veneer, and it can create and place general product orders, order catalogues, supplies and more.

mentor, expenses paid trips to three ACI Conventions, often an optional internship, recognition on ACI Foundation’s website and in Concrete International magazine, plus an academic stipend. Applications for the ACI Foundation’s 2019-2020 Fellowships and Scholarships will become available July 1, 2018, and will include a new fellowship specifically available to students studying in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Fellowship applicates must be sponsored by an ACI faculty member.

ACI Foundation Fellowship and Scholarship awards are made possible through generous contributions by donors from the concrete community. Together, the Foundation and its supporters are strengthening the concrete industry by encouraging students a professional career in the field of concrete. The ACI Foundation is leading the way to ensure a sustainable, successful future of the concrete industry by intentional and focused investments in people, research and technology. acifoundation.org

stoneedgesurfaces.com jobestimatorpro.com

Read more concrete 2018-2019 ACI FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED The ACI Foundation announced the recipients of its 2018-2019 Fellowships and Scholarships. Funded by generous donors and industry partners, a total of $155,000 in academic stipends was awarded to 17 deserving students from 15 different universities across North America.

ACI Foundation Fellowships are offered to both undergraduate and graduate students studying at accredited American and Canadian universities. Fellowship recipients receive an industry 12

Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

INDUSTRY NEWS here at our website:

concretehomesmagazine.com

productnewsroundup

Wagman Metal Products Announces Mondo Poly Brush

Simpson Strong-Tie Introduces LargeDiameter Stainless-Steel Screw Anchors Simpson Strong-Tie, the industry leader in engineered structural connectors, fasteners, anchors and building solutions, is the first manufacturer to launch large-diameter stainless-steel screw anchors for concrete and masonry. Designed for severely corrosive interior or exterior environments, the new stainlesssteel Titen HD heavy-duty screw anchors (THDSS) deliver an advanced standard of performance for bridge, marine and water treatment plant construction and retrofit applications.

The nation’s aging wastewater treatment plant infrastructure is facing a critical turning point, with the American Society of Civil Engineers projecting $206 billion in increased costs to households and businesses if the upgrade and replacement of old treatment plants are not completed by the year 2020. In addition, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s 2018 Deficient Bridge Report, 54,259 US bridges are structurally deficient. In fact, almost 9% of all bridges in the country have at least one key structural element in poor enough condition to need repair, the report finds.

Available since April 2017 in 3/8" and 1/2" diameters, THDSS is now offered in larger 5/8" and 3/4" diameters suitable for heavier civil construction where corrosive elements pose a hazard to standard carbon-steel screw anchors.

Key features and benefits of the THDSS screw anchor: Ideal for exterior applications and corrosive environments Made from Type 316 stainless steel Installs with an impact wrench or a hand tool Now available in 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" diameters All stainless-steel Titen HD anchors are code listed in IAPMO UES ER-493 (concrete) and ICC-ES ESR-1056 (masonry) for a wide variety of applications and could make a significant impact by improving the structural integrity of bridges via repair and retrofit. strongtie.com

Wagman Metal Products Inc., the global leader in power trowel replacement blades, pans and innovative trowel attachments for scrubbing, stripping, and polishing, introduces a new polypropylene brush.

The stiff polypropylene bristle is good for general scrubbing on smooth concrete including cleaning floors after tilt-up construction and applying densifyers. The brush will not rust and is resistant to many chemicals.

The Mondo Poly brush can be used on the 36-inch and 46-inch walk-behind as well as 6-foot and 8-foot ride-on power trowels. The 11-inch size can be used on the Wagman LP230. Watch a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJb4zMA7dns wagmanmetal.com wagmanghp.com

DroneDeploy Launches Real-Time Mapping for Instant Aerial Data and Analysis DroneDeploy announced the release of Live Map — a first-ofits-kind feature that allows any drone operator to create real-time maps in the field with their iOS device. Users plan a flight, take off, and see maps render on-screen during flight — without the need for internet or cell connection. Customers no longer need to experience image upload and processing times traditionally required with mapping and photogrammetry software. They get an aerial view of their jobsite, field, or project in seconds, which enables them to make real-time decisions.

Since the original Live Map inception, mobile devices have doubled in computational power—allowing DroneDeploy to improve map quality 400% by leveraging the latest devices and state-of-the-art computer vision algorithms. Customers can now instantly turn hundreds of acres into consumable maps and share with collaborators without going back to the office, thanks to instant cloud-syncing across devices. If deeper analysis is necessary, users can also create higher-resolution 2D maps from the same flight data.

Live Map makes high quality, daily mapping feasible. Growers and agronomists can examine crop health, spot stress, and identify storm damage for immediate investigation. ConstrucSeptember/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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product newsroundup tion professionals can now monitor job sites in real time and instantly create maps for better reporting, planning, and safety.

Live Maps can be helpful anytime aerial awareness matters.

Use cases range from coordinating disaster response to assisting police, fire, and rescue efforts for locating missing persons, to documenting conservation efforts. There is no limit to the real-world application of this technology. dronedeploy.com

Dewalt Introduces First Line of Sledge Hammers and Axes Dewalt has introduced a new line of seven ExoCore Sledge Hammers and three Axes all featuring carbon fiber composite handles for durability, overstrike protection and light tool weight. These are the first-ever Dewalt sledge hammers and axes.

Available in 6-, 8-, and 12-pound versions with a 32-inch handle and 4-pound with a 12-inch handle, Dewalt ExoCore Sledge Hammers feature an efficient strike face for a clean and effective break and a carbon fiber composite overlay that helps prevent damage. The range is designed to meet a variety of needs and applications from metal and drywall to driving a punch or chisel.

Dewalt ExoCore Axes are available in 20 oz. with a 12-inch handle and 3.5 single bit and 4.5-pound log splitter with a 32-inch handle. All Dewalt ExoCore Axes feature a scalloped cutting edge, which ensure a deep cut and improved release from material, and carbon fiber composite handles for overstrike protection. The durable rubber over-mold on the grip provides comfort.

Available now where Dewalt products are sold, the ExoCore Sledge Hammers and Axes will come with a limited lifetime warranty for $29.99-$54.97 MSRP. dewalt.com

Kapro Tools Offers 985D and 985D-L Digiman Professional Magnetic Digital Levels Kapro Tools offers the 985D Digiman professional magnetic digital level, as well as the 985D-L Digiman, which features a powerful laser pointer for larger layout and alignment jobs.

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Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

The 985D Digiman series is available in 10-inch, 24-inch and 48-inch models.

The rainproof and dust-resistant 985D Digiman offers breakproof solid acrylic vials and Plumb Site Dual-View technology for improved accuracy. The 985D also has Ergo Grip handles and bi-component shockproof end caps for comfort and protection from knocks and falls. Large silicon buttons make the 985D easy to use in wet conditions or while wearing gloves.

The 985D has two precision-milled surfaces with rare-earth magnets that generate an accuracy greater than 0.0005″/” degrees at level and plumb and greater than 0.001″/” at other angles. Other features include: • 45-degree tilted LCD display with backlight for optimal no-glare read at any angle.

• 180-degree readout display that inverts when the level is upside-down.

• Electronic Recalibration function and “False Zero” slope measurements for proper water drainage and ADA compliance.

• HOLD mode for manually locking measurements in position for verification.

• Degree, percentage and pitch.

• Memory recall that stores up to nine measurements.

• Buzzer at 0, 45 and 90 degrees The 985D-L Digiman is equipped with a tripod-ready laser pointer that has a range of up to 165 feet. The laser pointer can be operated with just the push of a button and is highly visible at long distances, making it ideal for sloped applications such as stair and ramp layouts or leveling fixtures in relation to distant points. kapro.com

Custom Building Products Makes Fusion Pro Grout Easier to Spread and Clean Custom Building Products, the leading provider of flooring preparation products and tile and stone installation systems, recently enhanced the formula of Fusion Pro Single Component Grout, making it easier to spread and clean. The only grout with a stain proof and color perfect guarantee, patented Fusion Pro is ready-to-use right out of the bucket and

productnewsroundup requires no sealing. Fusion Pro is ideal for interior or exterior and commercial or residential installations – and the formula enhancements have greatly improved the grout’s performance specifically in wet areas, such as showers.

Fusion Pro grout cures hard and dense like cement grouts, but is not susceptible to the staining, mottling, fading or color shading common in its porous counterparts. As a result, contractors can avoid costly repairs or multi-part alternatives by grouting tile and natural stone with Fusion Pro. In addition, Fusion Pro is applied and cleaned immediately, with no wait for slaking or setting up, saving valuable time on each project.

Appropriate for virtually all types of tile and natural stone with grout joints ranging from 1/2-inch to 1/16-inch, Fusion Pro offers a lifetime warranty that protects tile installations against common household staining agents such as foods, oils and non-acidic cleaners. Fusion Pro also delivers color consistency from bucket to bucket, helping ensure the desired appearance is achieved.

Available in 40 standard colors and eight Designer Series options, Fusion Pro comes in one gallon and one quart pails and includes Microban antimicrobial protection. custombuildingproducts.com

Larson Electronics LLC Releases 30 Foot 100-Watt Solar Powered LED Light Tower Leader in industrial lighting Larson Electronics LLC released a solar powered LED surveillance tower that features a 1080p full HD camera, two 265-watt solar panels, a 500aH capacity battery bank with a 120V battery charger, a backup generator and a telescoping mast that deploys a Class 1 blue LED strobe lamp and security equipment up to 30 feet.

The entire assembly is mounted on a single axle aluminum trailer for easy transportation, making this light tower ideal for remote and rugged locations.

The SPLT-.53K-LM30-1XPTZ.20XCL1B.B-ISGG-TLR10 is a complete, portable solar-powered surveillance system for outdoor and remote locations. This powerful security system is equipped with a 1080p full HD high resolution camera that provides operators with precise 20x optical zoom, integrated long-range IR LEDs with a 850nm wavelength, day/night capabilities, MP4 format, as well as H.264 and MJPEG video compression.

ASV Releases New RT-40 Posi-Track Loader, A Compact ‘Powerhouse’ ASV Holdings Inc., an industry-leading manufacturer of all-purpose and all-season compact track loaders and skid steers, introduces the new RT-40 Posi-Track loader. Featuring a compact size in a class of its own, the RT-40 provides a productive alternative to walk-behind and stand-on mini skid-steer loaders. Expanding ASV’s expertise in small-frame compact track loaders, the machine offers maximum power, reliability, serviceability and comfort. The model is ideal for the rental market, homeowners or contractors working in tight spaces for anything from urban snow clearing to landscaping.

The RT-40 includes a turbocharged 37.5-horsepower Kubota diesel engine. Built for power and performance, the 1.8-liter displacement engine produces 84.5 foot-pounds of torque. The Tier 4 Final engine requires no regeneration, exhaust sensors or diesel exhaust fluid. The RT-40 also provides high tractive effort as a result of ASV’s Posi-Power system, allowing for exceptional pushing and digging power. The 4,175-pound RT-40 features a rated operating capacity of 931 pounds and a tipping load of 2,660 pounds. The loader is 48.3 inches wide and has an 8.4-foot lift height. It features speed as fast as 7.1 mph to give contractors and homeowners the ability to complete work faster.

Variable auxiliary hydraulic flow comes standard on the Posi-Track loader. The system operates efficiently and at a high auxiliary circuit flow rate with a 13.3-gpm pump capacity and 3,000 psi system pressure. The drive pump is the same one ASV uses on its larger models up to 100 hp. Plus, the use of a direct drive pump eliminates the labor-intensive belt servicing that comes with belt-driven pumps. The direct-drive pumps along with the machine’s large line sizes and hydraulic coolers transfer more flow and pressure directly to the attachment and prevent power loss. asvi.com

larsonelectronics.com September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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COLLABORATION RESULTS IN FIRST PERMITTED 3D PRINTED CONCRETE HOME Photos courtesy of New Story

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ONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY COMPANY ICON PARTNERED WITH NEW STORY, A NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO PROVIDING HOUSING FOR FAMILIES IN NEED AROUND THE GLOBE, TO CREATE THE FIRST PERMITTED 3D PRINTED CONCRETE HOME. THE 350-SQUARE-FOOT HOME WAS BUILT IN JUST 24 HOURS AND MEETS U.S. HOUSING STANDARDS. But before they could print the home, they needed the right concrete mix. Engineers at The Transtec Group donated their time to advise ICON and New Story on the concrete mix design.

Based on a review of existing research work exploring the potential for 3D printing of concrete structures, Transtec identified key mix design criteria including rheological properties (flow properties) and strength gain of the mix. The mix also had to be designed so it could be placed successfully within the printer developed for this application.

“3D printing lays down thin ribbons of concrete at high speed and in just an hour you can have multiple layers of concrete printed,” said Mauricio Ruiz, director of engineering at Transtec. “You need a mix design with adequate consistency and workability, so your concrete extrudes properly through the printing head, and it gains sufficient strength soon, so your lower layers of concrete do not deform noticeably. But if you have a mix that sets too fast your printer can get clogged.”

Transtec provided ICON, the company that developed the 16

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3D printer used, with guidance on which materials to use and how to introduce those materials into the 3D printer.

“We provided recommendations for optimal mix designs, assistance with a test plan for evaluating optimal mixes and recommendations for fine-tuning those mixes,” said Sabrina Garber, project manager with Transtec’s Command Center concrete temperature and maturity meters.

ICON and New Story’s goal is to 3D print 600- to 800-squarefoot homes for $4,000 in underserved communities around the globe. The 3D printer, dubbed The Vulcan, is designed to work under the constraints of places like Haiti and rural El Salvador, where power can be unpredictable, potable water isn’t always available and technical assistance is sparse.

The 3D printed home was unveiled at South by Southwest in March in Austin, Texas. ICON and New Story are now in Phase II, which involves enhancing the printer and then beginning test printing in El Salvador within the next year and a half.

New Story is a non-profit focused on ending homelessness for families around the globe by providing safe homes. The small

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team of 10 millennials believes current processes for building don’t have the efficiencies needed to put a dent in a problem that more than one billion people face daily—inadequate housing. After building more than 800 life-changing homes using traditional methods, they’re ready to reinvent the industry to impact more families.

In 3 short years since their inception, New Story has brought innovative to many areas of traditional charity. Being accepted into the prestigious Y Combinator in their first few months helped shape the organization to think differently about solving the problems of the world’s most vulnerable.

Rethinking the traditional methods has proven successful and resonates with donors. New Story has funded more than 1,400 homes and has built more than 850 with more traditional methods across Haiti, El Salvador, Bolivia and Mexico. newstorycharity.org/3d-home

September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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ECO-EFFICIENCY IN CEMENT AND CONCRETE: ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY WITH CONNECTED DEVICES Text by Matthew Nazarenko

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EMENT IS THE WORLD’S MOST PREVALENT MANMADE MATERIAL, WITH APPROXIMATELY 0.56 TONS PRODUCED ANNUALLY FOR EVERY PERSON ON EARTH. IT BINDS CONCRETE, WHICH IS USED TO CONSTRUCT MUCH OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT — INCLUDING HOMES, SCHOOLS, OFFICES, ROADS, RUNWAYS, TUNNELS AND BRIDGES. Industrial production accounts for around 21 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions attributed to human activity (IPCC 2014). Of this, nearly a quarter, or 5 percent of global emissions, comes from cement production (WBCSD CSI) — making the industry among the largest contributors to climate change. Of the cement industry’s emissions, around 50 percent can be attributed to the calcification process itself, 40 percent to fuel used in heating the kiln, and the remaining 10 percent for grinding and transport (WBCSD CSI).

Because the cement industry has historically been a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, there is an opportunity today to significantly reduce emissions through efficiencies and innovations within the sector. GCP Applied Technologies can play an important role through our leadership in the use of connected devices. Our patented Verifi technology uses sensors, data analytics and automated inputs to not only save customers time and money, but also to significantly reduce their carbon footprint.

HOW VERIFI TECHNOLOGY WORKS Verifi is a system of sensors and devices that manage the flow rate (slump) of a concrete shipment from the ready-mix plant to the job site. While in transit, the system performs several key functions. It controls concrete mixing, using only the necessary number of drum rotations and harnessing excess energy from the truck’s engine whenever possible. It also measures the flow rate of the concrete, and can provide precise injections of water 18

Concrete Homes • September/October 2018

and admixtures to achieve the specified slump upon arrival at the job site. Finally, Verifi software tracks the movement of the truck along its route, identifying opportunities for improved fleet efficiency.

Together, these functions significantly reduce the time it takes to deliver concrete, allowing more product to be delivered with the same number of trucks and drivers. Verifi also conserves materials by delivering concrete that consistently meets specifications, thereby avoiding rejected loads. Consistent quality allows for more efficient mix designs, i.e. with lower cement content and/ or higher supplementary cementitious material content. These efficient mix designs can radically reduce cement use, leading to further cost savings and environmental benefits.

The environmental benefits of the Verifi technology can be thought of in three categories: • Cement Reduction. Various stakeholders in the production of concrete often add water to achieve the specified slump, but this can weaken the concrete — in some cases leading to concrete placement that eventually fails testing and must be torn out. To avoid such costly scenarios, concrete mixes are routinely “overdesigned” to include more cement than truly needed, in order to compensate for the addition of water. A conservative estimate is that 5 percent of the cement included in the design of a concrete mix is included only to hedge against these issues.

Through precise and reliable quality control, Verifi can reduce the overdesign needed to consistently meet a given performance specification.

low-rise construction efficiency. In contrast, Verifi software gives the driver instructions on the optimal number and timing of rotations. Early data suggests that the number of high-speed revolutions can be reduced by 10 percent, representing significant cost reductions and associated environmental benefits.

The advantages described above reduce cost, maintain critical performance specifications and significantly improve environmental performance. In addition, truck drivers using Verifi software have less need to climb a ladder next to a spinning drum — a clear and important safety benefit.

• Waste reduction. The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association estimates 5 percent of ready-mix concrete deliveries in the U.S. are rejected at the job site, typically because they fail to meet the specified slump at the time of delivery. The returned concrete is either crushed and used as road base, made into blocks or simply discarded. All these scenarios require additional time, fuel use and a duplication of the load of concrete. Because Verifi software monitors concrete consistency in transit, and controls precise injections of water or admixtures en route, the concrete is delivered more consistently within performance specifications. Early data indicates that this could reduce rejection rates from 5 percent to 3.8 percent — saving time, money, and materials. Since a typical concrete load represents 5,500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, reducing concrete waste also benefits the environment.

• Fuel efficiency. In ready-mix concrete delivery, fuel use is a significant source of cost and environmental impact. Approximately 23 percent of fuel in a concrete delivery is used for high-speed drum rotations that mix the concrete. The timing of these rotations is typically controlled by the truck driver—based on minimal information about concrete consistency or fuel

KEY AUDIENCES With this new category-creating technology, concrete production can shift from an inexact and manual process to a precise and automated one. With that shift comes the ability to provide consistent quality concrete while saving time, money, materials and energy. Not only does this benefit our customers, it also benefits our society and our planet.

A number of stakeholder groups, beyond GCP’s direct customers, have an interest in the social and environmental benefits of using Verifi. For example: • Architects are often enthusiastic about green design and sustainability. Through our new and growing Design Advantage service, GCP is interacting more frequently and collaborating more closely with architects in the North American market, and is communicating in a more integrated way about Specialty Building Materials and Specialty Construction Chemicals products. This is an excellent opportunity to highlight the advantages of our new process-management technologies, including their substantial environmental benefits.

• Municipal leaders (including mayors, departments of transportation and purchasing agents) are another important constituency. Many are leading climate change initiatives of their own, and may be able to encourage adoption of Verifi technology — either through government purchasing or building codes — as part of their broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Environmental advocates around the world, including

low-rise construction Example Two: An average of 2,044 pounds of CO2 are emitted for every metric ton of Portland cement produced in the US. Using Verifi technology, a single customer was able to optimize two widely-used mix designs, reducing cement use by 2,722 metric tons in 2016 alone — the CO2 equivalent of taking 583 passenger vehicles off the road for a year—and providing a significant cost savings to the producer.

the CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (which has a Cement Sustainability Initiative), the United Nations Environmental Program, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (which has a Concrete Sustainability Hub), and many others. These organizations may be willing, or even eager, to support GCP’s efforts with their own time, energy, resources and reputations — if we can identify opportunities to collaborate.

EXAMPLES AND DATA Example One: During 2013-2016, eight customers using Verifi technology showed a 10 percent reduction in the energy used for drum rotation, compared with pre-Verifi technology estimates based on the 2015 NRMCA survey. This represented 450,000 gallons of fuel savings, or about 4,000 metric tons of avoided CO2 emissions — equal to taking 856 passenger vehicles off the road. And at the prevailing price of $3/gallon, it saved about $1,350,000 in fuel costs. Because these customers represented only about 1 percent of the US ready-mix market (and a much smaller share of the global market), the potential impact through widespread adoption is much larger.

Data: • Fuel efficiency With an average number of high speed revolutions of 200 per load, early results indicate Verifi technology can reduce high speed revolutions by 10 percent. This 10 percent reduction results in an estimated 3 liters of fuel saved per load.

• Concrete waste reduction With 350 million cubic yards of concrete produced in North America each year, a rejection rate of 5 percent means that 17.5 million cubic yards are rejected annually at a cost of around $175 million. Early results indicate that Verifi can reduce rejection rates roughly 1.2 percentage points.

• Eco-efficient mix design An average mix design contains roughly 550 pounds of cement; if a conservative estimate of overdesign is 5 percent, that would be 25 pounds of cement per cubic yard — or 250 pounds per truckload.

Matthew Nazarenko is the Global Marketing Manager for the Verifi technology platform at GCP Applied Technologies. Nazarenko is responsible for the development and execution of the global Verifi business expansion program. He leads the multi-generation product development process, working with a cross-functional team and closely collaborating with customers. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Union College, and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has been with GCP, formerly W.R. Grace, for 12 years in various customer-facing roles. For the past 5 years he has been one of the leaders for the Verifi technology segment.

Learn more at https://gcpat.com/en-us

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SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES AWAIT ICF BUILDERS IN PROVIDING CODECOMPLIANT BASEMENT EGRESS

Text by Thomas Renner • Images courtesy of Budget Dry

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ITH MORE HOMEOWNERS USING THEIR BASEMENTS AS LIVING SPACES, IT’S IMPORTANT FOR BUILDERS TO KNOW THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EGRESS. “JUST BECAUSE A BASEMENT IS BUILT OUT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S LEGAL,’’ SAID JASON WEINSTEIN, THE OWNER OF BUDGET DRY IN CONNECTICUT AND ONE OF THE NATION’S FEW CERTIFIED EGRESS SPECIALISTS.

Homes constructed with insulated concrete forms are subject to the same codes for egress, but the process to install an egress window in an ICF home creates a few additional challenges compared to traditional buildings. “On an ICF home, there is extra importance on waterproofing and sealing the base of the window as it will be recessed,’’ Weinstein said. “A window with a deeper casing could be another alternative, allowing to a fastening surface that can reach the interior concrete of an ICF.” International Building Code Section R310 addresses egress. It states “Basements and every sleeping room shall have at least one operable emergency and rescue opening. Such opening shall open directly into a public street, public alley, yard or court.”

Weinstein earned his egress certification in 2014 and is secretary/treasurer of the Basement Health Association, a national organization dedicated to educating the public about waterproofing, water diversion, structural repair and basement health. His business has three Certified Egress Specialists, and is one of the few businesses in the nation with multiple specialists.

Code-compliant egress is critical to allow residents an escape route in case of fire, and to allow for the safe entry of rescue personnel. “If an opening isn’t large enough for a firefighter or emergency responder to enter through, you’re also putting their lives in danger,’’ Weinstein said. “Proper egress isn’t just for your family’s safety. It also ensures our first responders get to go home to their families, too.”

Egress is particularly essential in basements, where electrical fires can start in minutes in areas where furniture, appliances and flammable materials may be left unattended for extended periods of time. Lint trap fires are surprisingly common and, in many cases, unavoidable due to the design of both current and older dryer models. Many laundry units are often installed in basements.

Homeowners can establish basement egress with either a basement door or window. Weinstein uses products manufactured by The BILCO Co. of Connecticut, which has served the building industry since 1926. BILCO continues to be the industry leader September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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in the design and manufacturing of specialty access products.

BILCO’s basement door line includes a precast concrete stairwell. The PermEntry Basement Entrance is the fastest and most economical way to add convenient, direct basement access to any home, and is ideal for new home construction.

Weinstein said installing a BILCO basement door and stair stringer assembly can also save money while meeting egress code requirements. “That avoids the cost of installing a 3’x3’ landing, hand rails, uniform stair tread height and depth and code-compliant stair tread size. A hidden interpretation of the International Residential Code for egress is that if the means of egress are under a hatchway door, they can be served by a ladder to allow compliant egress. When an egress stairway is installed, especially in a retrofit, there are huge costs to the builder and to the customer. A hatchway door, either with a precast, poured, ICF or CMU foundation, saves time and overall costs.Talking with a code official before selecting an egress method can also save lots of headaches.”

Installing egress windows in ICF homes poses some more vexing issues, but are manageable, Weinstein said. A steel lentil—a horizontal piece of angle iron with a 1.5-inch bend that extends on both sides of the window—can be used by cutting away foam and placed against the concrete. “Building inspectors, engineers and architects love anything steel,’’ Weinstein said. In addition, the window will be more centered on the wall than in traditional construction. Installation teams will also take extra precautions with waterproofing and sealing.

Budget Dry installs BILCO’s window wells, which are codecompliant and add natural light in basements. Its StakWel modular design is the fastest and most inexpensive way to add code-compliant emergency egress. Its ScapeWel design adds natural daylight and features an innovative step design, which can be landscaped. Weinstein said installing the window wells in ICF homes might be slightly different than traditional homes. “They 22

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are bolted directly to the concrete, but a fabricated concrete masonry unit might be needed to attach to the foam,’’ he said.

“A full stairwell, as in the design of the ScapeWel with a landing would not likely be an issue.”

Installing an egress window starts with obtaining necessary building permits, site plans and knowing where to dig. After excavation, workers cut the basement wall and chip out by hand the area where the window will be installed. Teams install the well with two types of waterproofing, place the window and fill voids in the area with stone for proper drainage.

Weinstein said it’s critical that basement egress solutions are installed by professionals. “It doesn’t take someone with a lot of skill to install a window,’’ Weinstein said. “But it does take knowledge to understand how it will impact the home. If it’s not designed properly, in the basic homebuilding sense, you’re going to have a problem. You could see the well start to bow, or it could cause a basement to flood.”

Code-compliant egress is also important when it comes time to sell a home. “When you purchase a home with a bedroom in the basement, you assume that it’s supposed to be there,’’ Weinstein said. “If you’re buying a home with a finished basement, and especially with a bedroom in the basement, you have to do your homework before the purchase to make sure it’s a permitted space.”

Thomas Renner, who is based in Connecticut, writes frequently on construction, building and manufacturing for U.S. trade magazines.

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TOP 5 THINGS TO DO IF YOU GET SUED Text by Megan Shapiro

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ET’S FACE IT; NO MATTER WHAT INDUSTRY OR BUSINESS YOU ARE IN, YOU ARE LIKELY TO GET SUED AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER. UNFORTUNATELY FOR CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS, THE ODDS OF GETTING SUED CAN BE EVEN HIGHER. BEING SUED CAN BE AN UNCERTAIN AND SCARY POSITION TO BE IN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’VE NEVER BEEN SUED BEFORE. BUT THERE ARE A FEW QUICK AND EASY STEPS YOU CAN TAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING SUED THAT CAN MAKE THE PROCESS A LITTLE MORE MANAGEABLE AND LITTLE LESS SCARY, WHETHER THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME BEING SUED OR YOU’VE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK A FEW TIMES.

WHY DOES A SUBCONTRACTOR GET SUED? First things first: Why does a subcontractor get sued? There are a variety of reasons that a subcontractor can get sued (employment issues, lien rights, etc.) but by far the two most common reasons are breach of contract and construction defects. Breach of contract causes of action usually arise when the general contractor or developer with whom the subcontractor has contracted alleges that the subcontractor has breached the agreement in some way, usually having to do with timeliness of performance, materials used, labor, etc. Construction defect lawsuits arise when the owner of the project is unhappy with the final result and claims that the project was constructed in a defective way.

The owner sues the general contractor or the developer for these claims, and the general contractor or developer in turn sues its subcontractors.

you receive it. Your insurance broker and your attorney will need to know this date.

2. If you have a lawyer that represents the company, contact them. Many subcontractors, especially larger companies or companies who have been sued before, have an attorney that they know and trust that they go to when they get sued or have other legal issues they need help with. If you have a relationship with an attorney, contact them immediately and let them know that you have been sued, the date you received a copy of the lawsuit, how you received it, and provide them with all paperwork you have.

THE TOP FIVE THINGS TO DO IF YOU’RE BEING SUED So now that we’ve set the stage for why these lawsuits happen, here are the top five things to do if you’re being sued:

3. Contact your insurance broker. Whether you have an attorney or not, odds are that your company has General Liability Insurance (sometimes called a CGL policy) that may provide insurance coverage for the lawsuit. Your broker should be able to tell you whether or not there is likely coverage for this lawsuit. As an aside, if you don’t have a CGL policy, you should contact a broker and discuss getting one immediately. They pay for themselves with the amount of money they will save you.

1. Act Immediately! Don’t delay or waste time trying to figure out what to do. Make note of the date that you received the lawsuit and how you got it (this is called service). If it came in the mail, save the envelope. This is important because you only have so many days to formally respond to the lawsuit from the date that

4. Tender the lawsuit to your insurance carrier.

Tendering the lawsuit to your insurance carrier is giving them a copy of the lawsuit and asking them to appoint an attorney to represent you. Your broker should be able to either do the tender for you but usually will only do it once you’ve asked them to. Your September/October 2018 • Concrete Homes

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insurance carrier may ask you for additional information related to the project. You should provide this information as quickly as possible so that your insurance carrier can decide whether to appoint an attorney to represent you.

5. Contact an attorney in the state you are sued in. As I said above, you only have a certain amount of time to formally respond to a lawsuit and in most cases only an attorney can file a formal response for a corporation. Your insurance carrier may appoint an attorney to represent you but you should contact an attorney yourself anyway. There are many things your own attorney can do to protect you that your insurance-appointed attorney can’t do and if your insurance company hasn’t appointed an attorney for you yet, your attorney can make sure you are protected and can try to get you an insurance-appointed attorney. If you don’t already have a relationship with an attorney you trust, you should look for an attorney who is experienced in construction litigation matters. The specific laws governing construction disputes can be quite nuanced and you want an attorney who is has experience and is familiar with litigating construction disputes. You can usually find this information on the attorney’s website or you can ask when you contact them to schedule an appointment.

For additional resources to help you find an attorney who is experienced with construction litigation, you can contact your county Bar Association, your individual trade groups and organization, regional builders exchanges, etc. These types of organizations may maintain a list of “construction attorneys” that they refer their members to.

If you follow these tips, you should have a roadmap of what to do and you may be able to substantially reduce the risks to your company involved in litigation.

Yes, I am an attorney, but I’m not your attorney and this article does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you would like to discuss your situation with me directly, don’t hesitate to contact me at megan@radshap.com. I am licensed to practice law in California and have based the information presented on U.S. laws.

Megan Shapiro is a partner at Radoslovich|Shapiro, a full-service business law firm in Sacramento, California. Shapiro focuses on construction law and understands better than most how subcontractors are always busy. The last thing they want to worry about is legal issues.

That’s why she handles every aspect—from contract drafting to litigation and everything in between.

shweiki.com

shweiki.com

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This article is legal information and does not constitute legal advice. The opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the author only and may not reflect the opinions of the author’s law firm. No representations are made as to the accuracy, completeness, or validity of any information contained in this article. You should consult with an attorney before you rely on this information.

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