Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture.

Originating in 12th-century France and lasting into the 16th century, Gothic architecture was known during the period as Opus Francigenum ("French work") with the term Gothic first appearing during the latter part of the Renaissance. Its characteristics include the pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress.

Gothic architecture is most familiar as the architecture of many of the great cathedrals, abbeys and churches of Europe. It is also the architecture of many castles, palaces, town halls, guild halls, universities and to a less prominent extent, private dwellings.

It is in the great churches and cathedrals and in a number of civic buildings that the Gothic style was expressed most powerfully, its characteristics lending themselves to appeals to the emotions, whether springing from faith or from civic pride. A great number of ecclesiastical buildings remain from this period, of which even the smallest are often structures of architectural distinction while many of the larger churches are considered priceless works of art and are listed with UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. For this reason a study of Gothic architecture is largely a study of cathedrals and churches.

A series of Gothic revivals began in mid-18th-century England, spread through 19th-century Europe and continued, largely for ecclesiastical and university structures, into the 20th century.

The term "Gothic architecture" originated as a pejorative description. Giorgio Vasari used the term "barbarous German style" in his Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects to describe what we now consider the Gothic style,[1] and in the introduction to the Lives he attributes various architectural features to "the Goths" whom he holds responsible for destroying the ancient buildings after they conquered Rome, and erecting new ones in this style.[2] At the time in which Vasari was writing, Italy had experienced a century of building in the Classical architectural vocabulary revived in the Renaissance and seen as evidence of a new Golden Age of learning and refinement.

The Renaissance had then overtaken Europe, overturning a system of culture that, prior to the advent of printing, was almost entirely focused on the Church and was perceived, in retrospect, as a period of ignorance and superstition. Hence, Franois Rabelais, also of the 16th century, imagines an inscription over the door of his utopian Abbey of Thlme, "Here enter no hypocrites, bigots..." slipping in a slighting reference to "Gotz" and "Ostrogotz."[3]

In English 17th-century usage, "Goth" was an equivalent of "vandal", a savage despoiler with a Germanic heritage, and so came to be applied to the architectural styles of northern Europe from before the revival of classical types of architecture.

According to a 19th-century correspondent in the London Journal Notes and Queries:

There can be no doubt that the term 'Gothic' as applied to pointed styles of ecclesiastical architecture was used at first contemptuously, and in derision, by those who were ambitious to imitate and revive the Grecian orders of architecture, after the revival of classical literature. Authorities such as Christopher Wren lent their aid in deprecating the old medieval style, which they termed Gothic, as synonymous with everything that was barbarous and rude.[4][5]

Continued here:
Gothic architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Baslica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Famlia (Catalan pronunciation:[sa fmii]; English: Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family), is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaud (18521926). Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,[5] and in November 2010 Pope BenedictXVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica,[6][7][8] as distinct from a cathedral which must be the seat of a bishop.

Though construction of Sagrada Famlia had commenced in 1882, Gaud became involved in 1883,[5] taking over the project and transforming it with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaud devoted his last years to the project, and at the time of his death at age 73 in 1926 less than a quarter of the project was complete.[9] Sagrada Famlia's construction progressed slowly, as it relied on private donations and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, only to resume intermittent progress in the 1950s. Construction passed the midpoint in 2010 with some of the project's greatest challenges remaining[9] and an anticipated completion date of 2026, the centenary of Gaud's death.

The baslica has a long history of dividing the citizens of Barcelona, over the initial possibility it might compete with Barcelona's cathedral, over Gaud's design itself,[10] over the possibility that work after Gaud's death disregarded his design,[10] and the recent proposal to build an underground tunnel of Spain's high-speed rail link to France could disturb its stability.[11]

Describing Sagrada Famlia, art critic Rainer Zerbst said, "It is probably impossible to find a church building anything like it in the entire history of art"[12] and Paul Goldberger called it, "The most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages."[13]

The Basilica of the Sagrada Famlia was the inspiration of a Catalan bookseller, Josep Maria Bocabella, founder of Asociacin Espiritual de Devotos de San Jos (Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph).[14] After a visit to the Vatican in 1872, Bocabella returned from Italy with the intention of building a church inspired by that at Loreto.[14] The apse crypt of the church, funded by donations, was begun 19 March 1882, on the festival of St. Joseph, to the design of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, whose plan was for a Gothic revival church of a standard form.[14] The apse crypt was completed before Villar's resignation on 18 March 1883, when Gaud assumed responsibility for its design, which he changed radically.[14] Antoni Gaud began work on the church in 1883 but was not appointed Architect Director until 1884.

On the subject of the extremely long construction period, Gaud is said to have remarked: "My client is not in a hurry."[15] When Gaud died in 1926, the basilica was between 15 and 25 percent complete.[9][16] After Gaud's death, work continued under the direction of Domnec Sugraes i Gras until interrupted by the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Parts of the unfinished basilica and Gaud's models and workshop were destroyed during the war by Catalan anarchists. The present design is based on reconstructed versions of the plans that were burned in a fire as well as on modern adaptations. Since 1940 the architects Francesc Quintana, Isidre Puig Boada, Llus Bonet i Gari and Francesc Cardoner have carried on the work. The illumination was designed by Carles Buigas. The current director and son of Llus Bonet, Jordi Bonet i Armengol, has been introducing computers into the design and construction process since the 1980s. Mark Burry of New Zealand serves as Executive Architect and Researcher. Sculptures by J. Busquets, Etsuro Sotoo and the controversial Josep Subirachs decorate the fantastical faades.

The central nave vaulting was completed in 2000 and the main tasks since then have been the construction of the transept vaults and apse. As of 2006, work concentrated on the crossing and supporting structure for the main tower of Jesus Christ as well as the southern enclosure of the central nave, which will become the Glory faade.

One projection anticipates construction completion around 2026, the centennial of Gaud's deathwhile the project's information leaflet estimates a completion date in 2028, accelerated by additional funding from visitors to Barcelona following the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Computer-aided design technology has been used to accelerate construction of the building, which had previously been expected to last for several hundred years, based on building techniques available in the early 20th century.[citation needed] Current technology allows stone to be shaped off-site by a CNC milling machine, whereas in the 20th century, the stone was carved by hand.[17]

In 2008, some renowned Catalan architects advocated a halt to construction,[18] to respect Gaud's original designs, which, although they were not exhaustive and were partially destroyed, have been partially reconstructed in recent years.[19]

Read more:
Sagrada Família - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Welcome get to know us

Welcome to Appliance Repair Specialists! We are your #1 choice for appliance repair service in the Tampa Bay area. It is our goal to provide you with superior customer service and affordable appliance repair. We are a long-established and honest company that wants to earn your appliance repair business.

-Same, or next day service, in most cases -Saturday appointments are available -Short appointment time frames -Background checked & drug tested technicians -All technicians are factory-trained &certified -Fully Licensed and Insured -Servicing major appliance makes &models -Top notch customer service

Our Services what we do

Tampa'sAppliance Repair Specialistsarethe #1 choice for your appliance repair needs in Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Safety Harbor and othersurrounding areasin Tampa Bay, Florida.

From washers todryers to dishwashers torefrigerators, our factory-trained technicians have the experience to fix all major appliance brands. With same day or next day service and Saturday appointments, repairs are set around your schedule.

You can request service online, or contact usand get your appliance fixed by Tampa Appliance Repair Specialists!

Contact Us get in touch

We provide appliance repair services for multiplelocationsin the Tampa Bay area.

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Appliance Repair Tampa | Tampa Refrigerator Repair Service

How much does it cost to build an apartment building?

What does it cost to build an apartment building? There are a huge number of variables in such a question. For one thing, apartments come as low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise. For the purpose of this discussion we will look at the mid-rise buildings with five or more units in each. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the size of the average apartment is 861 square feet which assumes a "footprint" of approximately 24'x35'.

The building of single mid-rise complex would never be a "DIY" project and usually requires a knowledgeable contractor, an architect, a team of subcontractors, and cooperative owner to get the job done in a calendar year.

For the building of an apartment building with twelve units, the typical costs include:

What is included:

The basic structure of this building would be best if left in an uncomplicated "four square" design. Most owners rely on both an architect and a contractor, and the architect will require approximately 10 - 17% of the total building budget;

Costs to build an apartment building may vary depending on the state or city. To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.

Read this article:
Cost to build an apartment building | Estimates and Prices at Fixr.com

Last October, we reported on the progress of seven high-rise apartment buildings under construction in downtown Chicago. At the time we issued that report, the shiny new Lexington Park high-rise condominium project was just that: a condominium project. But now it's going rental, which means the numbers have changed. This year and next, eight new towers will add nearly 3,150 apartment units to the market. The census folks say Chicago is shrinking, but it sure doesn't feel that way to us here at domu, particularly considering that so many other apartment developments are queued up and fixin to move forward.

In addition to the eight projects coming soon, site preparation is now underway for two new apartment towers (360 West Hubbard and 200 East Illinois), while still two others appear to be in the final stages of planning and approval (73 East Lake and 410 East Grand). Then theres three more that have been credibly proposed, but which remain a long way away. (Many other projects have been bandied about, but none of these seem, at least to us, either credible or imminent enough to merit discussion at this point.)

So heres our peek at whats in the pipeline for Chicago renters.

Completed And Nearly Ready For Renters

Already Under Construction

Site Preparation Underway

So Close You Can Taste It

Proposed, But Still A Long Way Off

The Whole Ball Of Wax

See the rest here:
Apartment Projects Under Construction: Update

An apartment (in American English) or flat in British English is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that occupies only part of a building. Such a building may be called an apartment building, apartment house (in American English), block of flats, tower block, high-rise or, occasionally mansion block (in British English), especially if it consists of many apartments for rent. In Scotland it is often called a tenement, which has a pejorative connotation elsewhere. Apartments may be owned by an owner/occupier by leasehold tenure or rented by tenants (two types of housing tenure).

The term apartment is favored in North America (although flat is used in the case of a unit which is part of a house containing two or three units, typically one to a floor), whereas the term flat is commonly, but not exclusively, used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Singapore, Hong Kong and most Commonwealth nations.

In Malaysian English, flat often denotes a housing block of lesser quality meant for lower-income groups, while apartment is more generic and may also include luxury condominiums. This usage has also been appearing in British English where apartment is used to denote expensive 'flats' in exclusive and expensive residential areas in, for example, parts of London such as Belgravia and Hampstead.

In Australian English, the term flat was traditionally used, but the term apartment is also frequently used, as is "unit," short for "home unit".

Tenement law refers to the feudal basis of permanent property such as land or rents. It may be found combined as in "Messuage or Tenement" to encompass all the land, buildings and other assets of a property.

In the United States, some apartment-dwellers own their own apartments, either as co-ops, in which the residents own shares of a corporation that owns the building or development; or in condominiums, whose residents own their apartments and share ownership of the public spaces. Most apartments are in buildings designed for the purpose, but large older houses are sometimes divided into apartments. The word apartment denotes a residential unit or section in a building. In some locations, particularly the United States, the word connotes a rental unit owned by the building owner, and is not typically used for a condominium.

In the UK, some flat owners own shares in the company that owns the freehold of the building as well as holding the flat under a lease. This is commonly known as a "share of freehold" flat. The freehold company has the right to collect annual ground rents from each of the flat owners in the building. The freeholder can also develop or sell the building, subject to the usual planning and restrictions that might apply.

In some countries the word unit is a more general term referring to both apartments and rental business suites. The word is generally used only in the context of a specific building; e.g., "This building has three units" or "I'm going to rent a unit in this building", but not "I'm going to rent a unit somewhere." In Australia, a unit refers to flats, apartments or even semi-detached houses. Some buildings can be characterized as mixed use buildings, meaning part of the building is for commercial, business, or office use, usually on the first floor or first couple of floors, and there are one or more apartments in the rest of the building, usually on the upper floors.

Apartments can be classified into several types. In North America the typical terms are a studio, efficiency or bachelor apartment (bedsit in the UK). These all tend to be the smallest apartments with the cheapest rents in a given area. This kind of apartment usually consists mainly of a large room which is the living, dining and bedroom combined. There are usually kitchen facilities as part of this central room, but the bathroom is a separate, smaller room.

Moving up from the bachelors/efficiencies are one-bedroom apartments, in which one bedroom is separate from the rest of the apartment. Then there are two-bedroom, three-bedroom, etc. apartments (Apartments with more than three bedrooms are rare). Small apartments often have only one entrance.

Link:
Apartment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Termite Control

Do you know what is the single largest cause of destruction of property in the USA ? No, its not killer tornados or earthquakes. Its termite infestation that causes untold damage every year, more so in California.

Sadly, the size of the damage prevents us from putting an estimate on it. The extent of destruction cannot be seen by the naked eye. Slowly but surely, the structure of your building and property is eaten into by termites and you may not discover the situation until its too late.

Fortunately, there are certain signs that will alert you to a termite attack. Dark colored droppings mainly around wooden structures, like window sills or base boards. Also, at a more serious level, dark mud tunnels are an indication that you should seek a remedy immediately.

Call HI TECH termite control services. We will evaluate the extent of damage and advise you on a suitable course of action. Your problems will be solved by our professionals who have a lot of expertise in this field.

. San Jose. San Francisco. Santa Clara. Pleasanton. Oakland

Link:
Termite Control | Termite Treatment and Inspection Company | San ...

Listed below are some useful recommendations for the home-owner to carry out in order to help reduce the risk of undetected termite activity inside a building. Rapid termite colony development and building infestation is usually associated with a readily available timber food and moisture source nearby the central nest. Buildings are often constructed in a way that allow termites to gain undetectable entry from the soil to the structural timbers of the building. (1) Moisture exclusion from inside the wall cavities, around the base of the building and sub-floor area. Exclude excessive water run-off from a sub-floor area by the installation of ag-drains. Make sure there is adequate cross flow ventilation in the sub-floor area. In addition, a qualified plumber should be engaged to ensure there is no water leakage from plumbing pipes in the bathroom, the shower recess, kitchen, down pipes, guttering and air conditioning unit overflow. Look for signs of dampness in the wall cavities, broken roof tiles, faulty guttering and the like. High humidity, dampness or moisture accumulating in a wall cavity is of high risk to encouraging large scale termite activity inside the building. (2) Removal of any timber in contact with the soil. Timbers should be stored above ground level to allow full inspection for termite activity. Any landscaping using timber chip mulch and railway sleepers should be removed, as they provide ready food source to assist in rapid termite colony development. (3) Ensure inspection access is unimpeded, particularly in sub-floor areas of suspended floors, in order to look for evidence of termite activity. If your home is on concrete slab on-ground flooring, make sure you can inspect the entire external slab edge for evidence of termite mud-shelter tubes. Do NOT allow this area to be covered by pavers, landscaping, planter pots, etc, as termites often gain entry into the wall cavity through external weep holes and gaps in the mortar of brick-work. If you find live termites DO NOT disturb the area. DO NOT use spray insecticides on the termites. If sufficiently disturbed, the termites may move elsewhere and not be rediscovered until severe damage has been done. The termite controller can install a termite bait on the termite activity area aimed at maximising bait consumption by the termites and elimination of the entire colony.

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Termite.com.au • Termite Control Options

Termite control is a vastly important industry, with these pests causing billions of dollars in damage each year. A termite feeds mostly on wood, but can also get into paper, books, insulation, and other areas of the home. Termites can harm living trees, but they more commonly attack woody plants that are already in decline. Besides the obvious economic damage it causes, an infestation can also be a significant emotional strain. For this reason, termite control is essential. And since it is so complex and difficult a task, getting to these pests and eradicating them from a home is normally a task best left to trained experts in the field.

While a termite infestation can happen at any time during the year, colonies often gather in the spring, when the weather is getting warmer and there is plenty of rain. It is during this season that the largest numbers of these winged swarmers get into homes. If you find a winged termite inside your home, it is usually a sign of an infestation and time to call for termite control services. Those you might find that have emerged indoors are best dealt with by simply vacuuming them up. However, it is the ones feeding on the structure of your home that you really have to worry about.

Between the months of March and May especially, these swarmers tend to drop to the ground, pair off with a mate, and attempt to start a new colony in the soil. Relatively few of them emerging outdoors end up surviving. Swarmers that emerge indoors are equally unlikely to survive; even so, their presence points to trouble elsewhere in and around the home. To get the situation under control, you first need to know where they are getting in. And then you have to figure out how to control them or get rid of the colony. The complexity of the job calls for a termite control professional.

Many people wonder what the signs of infestation might be. There is certainly more than one, but the most obvious is the discovery of winged termites indoors. With this being said, it is crucial not to mistake these pests with ants (which often swarm at the same time of year as the termite population). There are several distinguishing physical characteristics that can help you tell the two apart. Termites have straight antennae, a uniform waist, and wings of all equal size. Winged ants, on the other hand, have antennae that bend in the middle, waists that constrict and longer forewings than hind wings. These differences help to tell the two apart, but if you are still unsure, call a pest and termite control company and find out for sure. Normally there may be a small service call involved, but it can be worth it just in case. You can, of course, also find pictures online to help you judge for yourself. If you find a termite, get a technician over to begin the inspection process.

Another sign that can be helpful is that swarmers are attracted to light, so they are often found around windows and doors. If you find swarmers emerging from tree stumps, wood piles, or other areas outside the home, it is not necessarily cause for concern and not really evidence of a pest control problem. What you need to look out for is a winged termite emerging from the basement or the porch or back deck. These are stronger signs that pest control needs to get involved. Call a termite control professional if you run into these scenarios.

You might detect a termite control issue by noticing earthen tubes about the width of a pencil extending over foundation walls, floor joists, or sill plates. A termite colony will build these tubes to protect them during their travel to and fro between their colonies underground and the inside of the house. If the tubes are broken open and a small type of worker termite found, an active infestation is obvious. However, abandoned mud tubes do not necessarily mean there is no present termite control issue. They may have simply headed to other areas of the home.

Getting rid of termites in a home requires a specialized set of professional skills. Thorough knowledge and experience is needed to know where to look for the likeliest entry points. Many of these points are hidden and are hard to access. Termite control also uses specialized equipment most people don't own. From masonry drills to soil treatment rods, this equipment helps pest control companies find and root out the termites that may elude us as homeowners. Very typically a treatment to eradicate and control the population involves hundreds of gallons of termiticide (a liquid pesticide) injected along the home's foundation, underneath concrete slabs, or within foundation walls. These access points and materials are not readily accessible to the general public. Of course, small infestations in mailboxes or flower boxes not attached to the house are possible exceptions where the homeowner may be able to buy retail products and eliminate the colony.

Choosing a termite control company can be a complex decision. There are many different companies in most any local area. Any pest control contractor you choose should be licensed by the Department of Agriculture or whatever agency is responsible for regulating this industry in your home state. If you are unsure, you can easily find out online. Membership in the National Pest Management Association or local associations at the state level indicate that a company has access to the training and resources it needs to stay current with its practices and to do the job right. Ask for references from any termite control company you contact. And of course, get multiple estimates to not only get a handle on the cost, but also to compare the different recommendations and plans of attack offered up by each of them.

Different termite control companies will offer different treatments and warranties to deal with your pest control issue. In many cases, they will come back within a certain time frame to retreat the affected area at no extra charge. Make sure this kind of provision is included in your termite control agreement. All liquid termiticides are supposed to last for five years when they are applied properly. The actual length of time these treatments control the termite problem in your home will depend on the thoroughness of the application, the severity of the termite control issue in your area, and other conditions. Normally if swarmers are found the year after you have a company come out, it's because of human error in application and not in failure of the chemicals.

Termiticides are tested thoroughly for any effects they might have on the health of people and animals. Before any chemical can be used, it must be tested and approved by the EPA.

See more here:
Termite Control - Local Termite Inspection & Treatment

Rapid termite colony development and building infestation is usually associated with a readily available timber food and moisture source nearby the central nest. In addition, buildings are often constructed in a way that allow termites to gain undetectable entry from the soil to the structural timbers of the building. Listed below are some useful recommendations for the home owner to carry out in order to reduce the risk of termite activity inside a building. Moisture exclusion from inside the wall cavities, around the base of the building and sub-floor area (if any). Water run-off can be excluded from a sub-floor area by the installation of ag-drains. Make sure there is adequate cross flow ventilation in the sub-floor area. In addition, a qualified plumber should be engaged to ensure there is no water leakage from plumbing pipes in the bathroom, the shower recess, kitchen, down pipes, guttering and air conditioning unit overflow. Look for signs of dampness in the wall cavities, broken roof tiles, faulty guttering and the like. Please note: high humidity, dampness or moisture accumulating in a wall cavity is of high risk to encouraging large scale termite activity inside the building. Removal of any timber in contact with the soil. Timbers should be stored above ground to allow full inspection of subterranean termite activity (coming from the soil thereunder). Any landscaping using timber chip mulch and railway sleepers should definitely be removed, as they provide ready food source to assist in rapid termite colony development. Ensure inspection access is unimpeded, particularly in sub-floor areas (suspended floors) in order to look for evidence of termite activity. If your property is on a concrete slab on ground flooring, make sure you can inspect the entire external slab edge for evidence of termite mud-shelter tubes. Do NOT allow this area to be covered by pavers, landscaping, planter pots, etc, as termites often gain entry into the walls of a building via this locality, particularly through external weep holes and minute gaps in the mortar in brick-work. If you find live termites or termite damaged timbers DO NOT disturb the area. DO NOT use spray can or insecticides on the termites. If sufficiently disturbed, the termites are likely to move elsewhere, and may not be rediscovered until further obvious damage has been done. The termite controller can introduce Intrigue termite dust or Exterra termite bait directly to the live termites present in an attempt to eliminate the entire termite colony - as discussed in detail above.

See more here:
Termite.com Termite Control Building Protection