Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

How much does it cost to insulate an attic?

Insulation is a material used to prevent heat loss or heat gain. It effectively creates a barrier between two spaces to control temperature variances. Homes contain insulation that is made from either spun glass (fiberglass1) or rock substances that have been heated and spun into fine, hair-like material (rock wool) and a binding agent is used to hold these materials together. Some homes may also have insulation boards or spray foam as an insulate.

A properly insulated home and attic can save 10 to 50 percent off your homes power bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Heat rises in a home, and without attic insulation, it quickly escapes through the homes roof. Insulation prevents heat and cooling loss in the home, so with attic insulation, your home will feel warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

An average-size attic of 1,200 square feet will usually cost about $1,700-$2,000 for blown-in cellulose or fiberglass.

Ideally, prior to insulating your attic, you should have an energy audit to determine where your home may be losing energy. Many energy companies offer this service. It will help you determine what type of insulation is best for your home. An energy audit will typically cost around $150.

When picking insulations, you will want to consider cost as well as ease of installation and how well the insulation will reach all the areas in your attic. d

Nowadays, blown-in cellulose or fiberglass1 remain almost identical in price. However, prices are constantly changing. Fifteen years ago, fiberglass cost twice as much as cellulose. Rolled fiberglass or rock wool insulation, known as batt, is the least expensive form of insulation. Spray foam and foam board are the most expensive forms of insulation and are rarely used for attic space because of the higher cost.

Many things can cause the price of attic insulation installation to vary, such as the size of the overall attic, the amount of existing insulation, and the number of ventilation fans in the homes roof. If there is existing insulation it will often need to be removed before applying new. Insulation will need to be installed around vent fan openings. Overall, the complexity of the project is a factor in the final cost.

There are several indicators that you need insulation in your attic:

There are numerous types of insulation to consider when insulating your attic. You should talk to your insulation installation company to determine which type of insulation best fits your attics needs.

Loose fill, also called

blown-in

R-20: $0.65-$0.80 per sq.ft.

R-31: $.85-$1.10 per sq.ft.

R-42: $1.25-$1.45 per sq.ft.

Environmentally friendly

Made of fiberglass, cellulose, or mineral wool

Must install soffit2 venting

Must thoroughly air seal the attic

Grows mold easily in humid climates or if it becomes wet

Must be professionally installed

Spray foam

Open cell: $0.44-$0.65 per sq. ft.

Closed cell: $0.70-$1.00 per square ft.

Twice as insulative than other forms of insulation

Normally only used in small areas

Not suitable for an entire attic

Rigid foam or foam board

-inch thick: $0.28-$0.38 per sq.ft.

1-inch thick: $0.60-$0.80 per sq.ft.

Usually has a much higher R-value (see below) than other insulation forms of the same thickness

Rigid foam cannot be used to insulate existing walls

Blanket batts and rolls

R-11: $0.12-$0.16 per sq.ft.

R-13: $0.15-$0.20 per sq.ft.

R-19: $0.27-$0.34 per sq.ft.

R-25: $0.37-$0.45 per sq.ft.

R-30: $0.39-$0.47 per sq.ft.

R-38: $0.55-$0.60 per sq.ft.

Easy to install

Fiberglass blankets and batts only have an R-value of R-2.9 to R-3.8 per inch of thickness

Need to add 10-12 inches of insulation to obtain enough insulation for an attic

Takes up a great deal of room

Certain types of insulation work best in various areas of your home. To determine which type of insulation you should use in your attic, you should talk with your attic insulation company.

Blown-in

Attic because it can be blown into all areas of the attic - the floor, walls, roof, and around joists.

It is wonderful for a finished attic because it can be blown in under flooring and behind walls without needing to tear out any areas of the attic.

Blankets, batts, and rolls

Walls, floor, and roof of the attic.

Spray Foam

Attics walls, floor, and roof.

It is especially beneficial when used to fill in gaps around vent fans, skylights, and plumbing fixtures.

Foam Board

Walls.

It is rarely used on the floors or roof of the attic.

R-value explains the resistance to heat flow through a certain thickness of the material. The higher the R-value, the greater the heat flow resistance and the better the insulation. The thicker the insulation, the great the R-value. Many people mistakenly believe that doubling the insulation will provide a double R-value. However, insulation must be the correct thickness and installed properly to gain the greatest R-value.

Batts or rolls

R-11, 3-inch thick

R-13, 3-inch thick

R-19, 6-inch thick

R-25, 8-inch thick

R-30, 9-inch thick

R-38, 12-inch thick

R-11: $0.12-$0.16 per sq.ft.

R-13: $0.15-$0.20 per sq.ft.

R-19: $0.27-$0.34 per sq.ft.

R-25: $0.37-$0.45 per sq.ft.

R-30: $0.39-$0.47 per sq.ft.

R-38: $0.55-$0.60 per sq.ft.

Blown-in

R-20, 6 inches deep

R-31, 9 inches deep

R-42, 12 inches deep

R-20: $0.65-$0.80 per sq.ft.

R-31: $.85-$1.10 per sq.ft.

R-42: $1.25-$1.45 per sq.ft.

Foam board

R-3, -inch thick

R-7.5, 1-inch thick

R-6, 1-inch thick

R-16, 4-inch thick

-inch thick: $0.28-$0.38 per sq.ft.

1--inch thick: $0.60-$0.80 per sq.ft.

Spray foam

R-22.4, 3-inch thick

R-38.4, 6-inch thick

R-57.6, 9-inch thick

R-76.8, 12-inch thick

Open cell: $0.44-$0.65 per board foot

Closed cell: $0.70-$1.00 per board foot

Years ago it was recommended that a vapor barrier3 be installed to keep water and air from penetrating the attic. However, current standards are to no longer use a vapor barrier that forms a barrier between the insulation and the drywall4 of the ceiling because it can actually trap moisture and create mold growth.

Many people mistakenly believe that simply laying or spraying insulation into an attic onto the floors and ceilings will suffice to insulate the space. However, there are other parts of an attic that require insulation. Most attics have pipes that run through them. Insulating warm water pipes in the attic will keep the water warmer and also conserve energy. All wiring inlets/outlets, chimney rim space, and exhaust fans will also require insulation with a material such as spray foam. The walls, floor, ceiling, and rafters will all need insulation. If there are any air leaks around windows, pipes, wires, fans ducts, light fixtures, flooring, or the chimney then they will need to be insulated. For such difficult areas, many insulation installers opt to use spray foam to fill in any leaks or gaps.

Attics that have adequate space are often used for storage. It is advised that you lay insulation on the attic floor and then lay storage decking over the surface expanse of the insulation. This provides a firm planking to store items while protecting the installed insulation.

Labor and installation should be done by a licensed contractor. Most licensed insulation companies charge about $0.95 per foot for labor. This price does not include materials.

There are numerous types of insulation that require different methods of installation:

A finished attic is more difficult to insulate because there is usually flooring and sheetrock4 in place. The insulation must be placed under the flooring and behind the sheetrock. One of the easiest methods is to use blown-in insulation between the walls and the ceiling. Using blown-in insulation requires less tear out and rebuild and will effectively reach the rafters and wall joists coating them in a covering of insulation.

Many older attics are under-insulated and require additional insulation. Remember that the greatest R-value is obtained by adding extra inches of insulation. R-value can be doubled just by adding extra insulation on top of existing insulation. Adding additional insulation only works if there is enough space to accommodate the extra insulation. However, some insulation companies will require that the old insulation be removed and a new, higher R-value insulation added.

Insulating and finishing an attic can easily turn the space into additional air-conditioned/heated living space. The insulation is laid in the floor space, wall spaces, and ceiling of the attic. The insulation is then covered with wood and sheetrock to create a finished living area. Heating and air conditioning ducts can also be run into the attic space to create a climate-controlled space.

Soundproofing eliminates any noise from inside the house reaching the outside and also prevents outdoor noise from reaching the homes interior. Usually, a 1,000 sq.ft. space costs $8,000-$12,000 to soundproof.

Mold is an invasive fungus that can become a problem in your attic if moisture is present. Mold remediation services often need to be undertaken before an attic space can be insulated. Mold remediation usually costs from $2,000-$6,000.

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Cost to Insulate an Attic - Estimates and Prices at Fixr

Palm Harbor Home Builders

Palm Harbor Homes is the nation's leading builder in modular and manufactured home construction housing. We are also proud to sell and insure the finest manufactured homes and modular homes available in America today. Palm Harbor's commitment to customer satisfaction and our unmatched construction process guarantee more home for your money. Additionally, your new home can be built on your land or built within one of our beautiful communities. We also have information on sources for manufactured home financing and modular home loans.

You can easily find a Model Center near you today. Palm Harbor modular homes and manufactured homes are available through company-owned model centers or independent manufactured or modular home dealers in Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington as well as British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.

Palm Harbor has specialized in building manufactured homes, modular homes and mobile homes "on your lot" for over 35 years. Unlike site builders, who specialize in building many homes in a small area using the same construction crews, we work with many customers who already own their own land or we help them find the perfect site, and then we build and set their new home. Turn key custom built home solutions are routine for us.

Because our manufactured and modular homes are built in environmentally protected building centers by skilled and experienced craftsmen who are dedicated to satisfying customers with a strong, well-built home, we don't experience the same weather delays and material theft and waste that traditional home construction faces. Our homes are delivered to your site 80-90% complete. Then our trained crews will set up and finish out your home and secure it to the foundation. This saves you time and money!

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Palm Harbor Homes - Official Site

Create a Little Mystery

A gentle curve obscures the path ahead, inviting further exploration. The other pleasure of this garden, designed by Jeff Allen: The path is lined with soft, fragrant plants that invite you to brush up against them.

The most appealing front walkways are wide enough for two people to walk side by side comfortably. This patterned walk, designed by RMSer 66nick, ties the house to the hardscape and the plants in such a way that even a midwinter landscape looks good.

You can control the speed of how someone might walk a path by installing a wide variety of plants with interesting flowers, foliage or fragrance.

Another way to control the pace of a path is by inviting attention to each step. Mixing hardscaping materials is a fun variation in this electic pathway and is especially attractive in cottage gardens. Posted by RMSer Mikaniru

This beautiful stone walkway rambles between large boulders and soft perennials. Irish moss between the flagstones provides a rhythm to the walkway. Uploaded by RMSer SDEP

Landscape designer Jamie Durie wanted to bring the textures and colors of Sedona, Ariz., into this backyard. Inspired by the rusted steel that's often seen in sculpture there, he used rebar between the joints of this colorful walkway, playing off the textures of stone and wood.

In this African-inspired outdoor living space, a mixture of textures on the surface, including the rustic timber walkway, give this space an "untamed, natural look," says designer Jamie Durie. Photo by Jason Busch

Designing a walkway gives you the opportunity to express your creativity in the garden. RMSer UtahGirl's mulch path through a shady garden reveals an explosion of color.

Read the original:
Tips for Creating an Inviting Walkway | HGTV

Recommended Guidelines/Priorities for Sidewalks and WalkwaysIntroduction

According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (also known as the Green Book): Providing safe places for people to walk is an essential responsibility of all government entities involved in constructing or regulating the construction of public rights-of-way.

It is a basic principle that there be well-designed, safe places for people to walk along all public rights-of-way. How this will be accomplished will depend upon the type of road, whether it is new construction or a retrofitted area, and funding availability.

On February 24, 1999, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Kenneth R. Wykle, in a memorandum to FHWA field offices, stated, We expect every transportation agency to make accommodations for bicycling and walking a routine part of their planning, design, construction, operations, and maintenance activities. Again, in February 28, 2000, Administrator Wykle sent a memorandum to the field offices in transmitting the new Design Guidance Language called for in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The guidance, entitled Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel: A Recommended ApproachA U.S. DOT Policy Statement on Integrating Bicycling and Walking Into Transportation Infrastructure, states that bicycling and walking facilities will be incorporated into all transportation projects unless exceptional circumstances exist. The exceptional circumstances are spelled out, and he asked the division offices to work with State departments of transportation (DOTs) in the implementation of the guidance.

Government agencies at the State, regional, and local level are developing regulations for funding, installing, and retrofitting sidewalks. Because there is a great need to improve sidewalk facilities, it is important for these transportation agencies to direct funding to sidewalk improvement and installation projects that will be most beneficial to the safety and mobility of all citizens.

This document is intended to provide agencies at the State, regional, and local levels with tools they can use to develop guidelines for creating places for people to walk.

This document is limited to creating guidelines for sidewalks, which addresses only one major pedestrian need; other needs that merit further consideration include the ability to cross a street and intersection design.

Many communities may wish to revisit their roadway planning and rehabilitation criteria. Policies, standard plans, subdivision regulations, and right-of-way requirements should be considered to make sure that sidewalks are included in new construction and rehabilitation projects.

Typically, communities should focus on: (1) improving conditions for people who are currently walking (including improved accessibility to sidewalk facilities for pedestrians with disabilities), (2) increasing levels of walking, and (3) reducing the number of crashes involving pedestrians. Setting targets will help in the development of criteria for installing and retrofitting sidewalks.

There are several ways in which pedestrians can be accommodated in the public right-of-way:

Places for people to walk should be provided in all new construction. Retrofitting will require priorities to be set, and these guidelines are intended to help identify where the need is greatest for adding sidewalks and other facilities.

All new construction must include places for people to walk, on bothsides of a street or roadway. New construction inurban and suburban areas should provide sidewalks.Recommended guidelines for new sidewalk and walkwayinstallation are given in Table 1 below.

In developing areas and rural areas, it may be acceptablealthough less desirableto start with shoulders and unpaved paths and then phase in sidewalks as development accelerates. Criteria for installing sidewalks along with new development should be implemented with the following in mind:

There is a desire in some residential developments to retain a rural atmosphere. Very often this occurs in places that are not truly rural, but rather suburban or exurban (they may have been rural before being developed). Frequently, it is in such places that pedestrian crashes occur that are directly attributable to pedestrians not having places to walk. To address both the goal of having safe places to walk and that of the community to retain a certain atmosphere, path systems can be developed that do not look like traditional sidewalks, but do meet walking needs. Even in rural areas, people do want to walk and such facilities should be provided.

Developers in outlying areas may argue that the land use will never fully develop into a pedestrian area. Given that people walk despite not having facilitiesfor exercise, going to friends houses, accessing transit, etc.it is neither rational nor acceptable to build places that do not have places for people to walk. Residential developments that were added in suburban areas, until recently, typically had sidewalks and functioned very well.

Sidewalks may not be needed on short residential cul-de-sacs (61 m [200 ft] or less), if there is a system of trails behind the houses and driveway aprons are properly constructed for pedestrians with disabilities. However, it is not a good practice to have an entire neighborhood without sidewalks.

Sidewalks should be continuous; interruptions may require pedestriansto cross a busy arterial street midblock or at an unsignalized locationto continue walking. Sidewalks should also be fully accessible to sidestreets and adjacent sidewalks and buildings.

1 acre=0.4 hectares (ha)

Many of the streets built in recent decades do not have sidewalks, and these streets need to be retrofitted. In other cases, existing sidewalks need to be replaced. Establishing priorities for installing sidewalks involves three steps: (1) develop a prioritized list of criteria, (2) develop a methodology for using the criteria to evaluate potential sites, and (3) create a prioritized list of sites for sidewalk improvements.

The following are suggested criteria for establishing priorities. Select three or more of them when developing your own set of criteria. The key is to select criteria that produce the outcomes desired for your community:

Seattle recently completed an inventory of all sidewalksin the city using a three-step process:

The totaleffort took the equivalent of one full-time person working for 6 months in a city of 530,000 population,218.3 km2 (84.3 mi2) of land use and 2,659 roadway kilometers (1,652 roadway miles) [1,934 residential street kilometers (1,202 residential street miles) and 724 arterial kilometers (450 arterial miles)]. Once the inventory was completed, the information was combined on a map with three other types of information:

Once the map was printed,it was very easy to see where the three colorsoverlapped, two colors overlapped, etc. The final step was to have the computer calculate the sidewalk deficiencies in the overlapping areas. They found, for example, that there were less than 3 km (2 mi) of arterialstreets that were within school walking zones,a pedestrian generator area, and a neighborhood commercial area that did not have sidewalks on either side of the street.

There were nearly 4.8 km (3 mi) of arterial streets that were within school walking areas, but outside of neighborhood commercial areas and pedestrian generators that did not have sidewalks on either side of the street. This was compared to a citywidedeficiency of more than 32 km (20 mi) of arterialstreets that lacked sidewalks on both sides of the street.

By developing these and other numbers, the pedestrian program was able to put together packages of information that demonstrated what could be accomplishedwith additional funding. What everyone thoughtto be an unsolvable multi-million-dollar problemwas reduced to a series of smaller, fundableprojects that decisionmakers could endorse. Theresult was increased funding and a new optimismthat meaningful progress could be made on solving Seattles sidewalkdeficiencies.

The two recommended methodologies for selecting locations for improvements are: (1) the overlapping priorities method, and (2) the points method. Establishing priorities should consume only a small percentage of a program budgetthe level of effort put into prioritization should be proportionate to the size of the capital budget.

There is no single right way to select which criteria to use when developing priorities. The criteria and methodology should balance safety measures, such as vehicle speeds and pedestrian crash data; pedestrian usage measures, such as proximity to schools or commercial areas; continuity between origins and destinations; and accessibility for pedestrians with disabilities.

1. Overlapping Priorities Method The easiest and cheapest way to identify overlapping priorities is through graphical representation; the intent is to identify locations that meet multiple criteria. This methodology is especially useful in cases where there is not a lot of staff time and funding for detailed analysis. It can be accomplished using a GIS system or it can be done by hand.

The best way to describe this methodology is by example. Assume that priorities are going to be developed based on transit routes, proximity to schools, people with disabilities, and neighborhood commercial areas. Start with a map of your jurisdiction. Using a color pen, identify those arterials that have high transit use; draw a half-mile circle around every elementary school and around locations that attract people with disabilities; and color in the neighborhood commercial areas. This visual approach will make areas of overlapping priorities become immediately clear. The streets without sidewalks within the overlapping areas are the highest priority for retrofitting sidewalks.

2. Points Method A weighted points system can be used where staff time and funding are available for more detailed analysis, or if there is a large amount of capital available for sidewalk construction. If there are a lot of competing projects, a more sophisticated point system can be used to explain to the public why certain projects were funded and others were not.

A point system can be developed in many ways; the system should be simple and produce desired outcomes. Any and all of the criteria listed above can be assigned a range of numbers and then be used to analyze the need for improvement at given locations. For example, a corridor could be assigned points based on the number of walking along roadway crashes over a 5-year period, the number of buses that travel the corridor during peak times, and the proximity to elementary schools. This method is time-consuming because it will be necessary to analyze multiple locations with sidewalk needs to create a list of priority projects.

3. Prioritized List Both the overlapping priorities and the points methods will produce an initial list of prioritized projects. The next step is to refine the list so that it works, using common sense. One important consideration is that when roadways are resurfaced, rehabilitated, or replaced, curb ramps must be added if there are pedestrian walkways. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice considers bus stops to be pedestrian walkways requiring access for people with disabilities, so areas near transit should be given priority accordingly. Improving pedestrian crossings, particularly on arterial streets, may also be an important part of some projects. Other important questions include: Are priority locations ones that might be expected? Are there many surprises? Are priority locations in line with community priorities and expectations? Are some priorities at locations with very low pedestrian use? If the answer to these questions is "yes," then the criteria or the methodology should be evaluated and possibly revised to create outcomes that better reflect expectations and desires. The methodologies should be used to prioritize known needs, not to create a new set of priorities that dont make sense.

The final step is to create packages of fundable projects. The prioritization process should result in reasonable packages that decision-makers can embrace and support. For example, it may be possible to install sidewalks on both sides of every arterial within a half-mile of every elementary school for $5 million over a period of 5 years. Or, it may be possible to replace sidewalks in neighborhood commercial areas for $2 million over a period of 3 years. The objective is to take what may appear to be an unsolvable problem (endless need for more funds) and to package it in such a way that it begins to address some of the most critical pedestrian needs in a community.

Continuous sidewalks should be placed along both sides of all fully improved arterial, collector, and local streets in urban and suburban areas. Sidewalks should connect to side streets and adjacent buildings. Accessible crossings should be provided across median islands, frontage road medians, and other raised islands.

A safe walking area must be provided outside the motor vehicle traffic travelway. Sidewalks along rural roads should be well separated from the travelway. Isolated residential areas should have a pedestrian connection to the rest of the rural community for school access, shopping, and recreational trips.

An off-road pathalso known as a side pathis a type of walkway used in some rural settings. This path may be paved or unpaved, and is separated from the roadway by a grass or landscaped strip without curbing. This maintains a rural look, but is safer and more comfortable than a shoulder.

A paved or unpaved shoulder should be provided as a minimum along the road. Paved shoulders are preferred to provide an all-weather walking surface, since they also serve bicyclists and improve the overall safety of the road. A 1.5-m- (5-ft-) wide shoulder is acceptable for pedestrians along low-volume rural highways. Greater width, up to 2.4 to 3.0 m (8 to 10 ft), is desirable along high-speed highways, particularly with a large number of trucks. An edgeline should be marked to separate the shoulder from the travelway.

The width of a sidewalk depends primarily on the number of pedestrians who are expected to use the sidewalk at a given time high-use sidewalks should be wider than low-use sidewalks. "Street furniture" and sidewalk cafes require extra width, too. A sidewalk width of 1.5 m (5 ft) is needed for two adult pedestrians to comfortably walk side-by-side, and all sidewalks should be constructed to be at least this width. The minimum sidewalk widths for cities large and small are:

*2.4-m (8-ft) minimum in commercial areas with a planter strip, 3.7-m (12-ft) minimum in commercial areas with no planter strip.

These widths represent a clear or unobstructed width. Point obstructions may be acceptable as long as there is at least 914 mm (36 in) for wheelchair maneuvering (no less than 1,219 mm (48 in) wide as a whole); however, every attempt should be made to locate streetlights, utility poles, signposts, fire hydrants, mail boxes, parking meters, bus benches, and other street furniture out of the sidewalk. When that is not possible, sidewalk furnishings and other obstructions should be located consistently so that there is a clear travel zone for pedestrians with vision impairments and a wider sidewalk should be provided to accommodate this line of obstructions.

Similarly, when sidewalks abut storefronts, the sidewalk should be built 0.6 m (2 ft) wider to accommodate window-shoppers and to avoid conflicts with doors opening and pedestrians entering or leaving the buildings.

Many 1.2-m (4-ft) sidewalks were built in the past. This width does not provide adequate clearance room or mobility for pedestrians passing in opposite directions. All new and retrofitted sidewalks should be 1.5 m (5 ft) feet or wider.

Buffers between pedestrians and motor vehicle traffic are important to provide greater levels of comfort, security, and safety to pedestrians. Landscaped buffers provide a space for poles, signs, and other obstructions; they serve as a snow storage area; and they protect pedestrians from splash. The ideal width of a planting strip is 1.8 m (6 ft). Minimum allowable landscape buffer widths are:

With a landscaped buffer between the sidewalk and the street, care must be taken to ensure that the bus stops are fully accessible to wheelchair users and have connections to the sidewalk. Irrigation may be needed in areas of low precipitation.

Buffers also provide the added space to make curb ramps and landings accessible. When the ramps and landings are designed properly, they are also better utilized by those pushing strollers or pulling carts and luggage.

If a planting strip is not provided between the sidewalk and roadway, then the sidewalk width should be a minimum of 1.8 m (6 ft).

Where landscaped sidewalk buffers cannot be provided due to constraints, on-street parking, a shoulder, or a bike lane can serve to buffer pedestrians from motor vehicle traffic lanes.

Concrete is the preferred sidewalk surface, providing the longest service life and requiring the least amount of maintenance. Asphalt is an acceptable walkway surface in rural areas and in park settings, and crushed granite may also be an acceptable all-weather material in parks or rural areas, but they generally require higher levels of maintenance and are less desirable for wheelchair users.

Sidewalks may be constructed with bricks and pavers if they are constructedto avoid settling; bricks should be easy to reset or replace if they causea tripping hazard. Also, bricks and/or pavers can cause vibrations thatare painful for pedestrians who use mobility aids and, therefore, it maybe appropriate to use bricks or pavers only for sidewalk borders in certainsituations. There are stamping molds that create the visual appearanceof bricks and pavers; these have the advantages of traditional concretewithout some of the maintenance issues and roughness associated with bricksand pavers. There are commercially available products that produce a varietyof aesthetically pleasing surfaces that are almost impossible to distinguishfrom real bricks and pavers. However, stamped materials can also havemaintenance issues, since, for example, the sidewalk may never look thesame again after repairs are made.

It is also possible to enhance sidewalks aesthetics while still providing a smooth walking surface by combining a concrete main walking area with brick edging where street furniture (lights, trees, poles, etc.) can be placed. For example, in a CBD, a 4.6-m (15-ft) total sidewalk width might include a 2.4-m (8-ft) clear concrete sidewalk with a 2.1-m (7-ft) edge.

Sidewalks should be built to accommodate all pedestrians and should be as flat as practical. Sidewalks should be held to a running grade of 5 percent or less, if possible. However, sidewalks that follow the grade of a street in hilly terrain cannot meet this requirement, for obvious reasons, and may follow the grade of the street. The maximum grade for a curb ramp is 1:12 (8.3 percent).

The maximum sidewalk cross-slope is 1:50 (2 percent) to minimize travel effort for wheelchair users and still provide drainage. At least 0.9 m (3 ft) of flat sidewalk area is required at the top of a sloped driveway to accommodate wheelchair use. In some cases, it may be necessary to bend the sidewalk around the back of the driveway to achieve a level surface of 0.9 m (3 ft).

Curb ramps must be provided at all intersection crossings (marked or unmarked) and midblock crosswalks for wheelchair access. These ramps also accommodate strollers, carts, the elderly, and pedestrians with mobility limitations. Curb ramps should be as flat as possible, but must have a slope no greater than 1:12 (8.3 percent). Abrupt changes in elevation at the top or bottom should be avoided. The minimum curb ramp width is 914 mm (36 in); however, 1,219 mm (48 in) is the desirable minimum. If a curb ramp is located where pedestrians must walk across the ramp, the ramp must have flared sides of no more than 1:10 (10 percent) slope. These flares are not needed where ramps are placed in a landscaped area. Curb ramps also require a minimum of 914 mm (36 in) of level and clear passage (1,219 mm (48 in) or more are desirable) at the top.

Two separate curb ramps, one for each crosswalk, should be provided at each corner of an intersection. Diagonal curb ramps provide no directional guidance to vision-impaired pedestrians, and force wheelchair users to maneuver in the crosswalk. Raised islands in a crossing must have at least a 1,219-mm (48-in) cut-through that is level with the street; this is generally preferable to curb ramps, which force wheelchair users to go up and down.

The distance to the bottom of signs placed in or right next to a sidewalk should be at least 2 m (7 ft) above the sidewalk surface to avoid injury to pedestrians. Bushes, trees, and other landscaping should be maintained to prevent encroachment into the sidewalk. Jurisdictions should adopt ordinances requiring local property owners to trim the landscaping they place along their frontage to maintain clear and unobstructed sidewalks. The jurisdictions should provide an inspection procedure or a system of responding to sidewalk encroachment and maintenance complaints.

Guy wires and utility tie-downs should not be located in or across sidewalksat heights below 2 m (7 ft). When placed adjacent to sidewalks or pedestrianwalkways, the guy wires should be covered with a bright yellow (or otherhigh-visibility) plastic guard to make the wire more visible to pedestrians.Guy wires of any color will not be visible to blind pedestrians and mustnot be located within the pedestrian route. Other obstacles include signalcontroller boxes, awnings, temporary signs, newspaper racks, fire hydrants,and similar items.

The easiest way to visualize accessibility requirements (grade, cross-slope, and clear width) is with the concept of a continuous passage. Sidewalks must provide a continuous route at a 2 percent maximum cross-slope at a minimum width of 0.9 m (3 ft). This does not mean that 0.9 m (3 ft) is an acceptable sidewalk width, just that at no point shall the level area be less than 0.9 m (3 ft) wide; this applies mainly at obstructions, driveways, and curb ramps.

Municipalities that do not remove snow on sidewalks should have an ordinance requiring property owners to clear the snow and keep the sidewalks accessible to pedestrians. When the latter is the case, municipalities should educate property owners as to why this is important and have enforcement efforts in place to ensure compliance.

It is generally preferable to place bus shelters between the sidewalk and the street, or between the sidewalk and adjacent property, so that waiting passengers do not obstruct the flow of pedestrians along the sidewalk. Benches and other street furniture should be placed outside the walking paths to maintain the accessibility of the walkway and to provide good pedestrian service. In addition, curb ramps should be provided at bus stops because it is not always possible for the bus to pull close enough to the curb to deploy a lift.

Good street lighting improves the visibility, comfort, and security of pedestrians. In urban areas, it is important to light at least the intersections and other pedestrian crossing areas. Lighting is also recommended in areas where there is a high concentration of nighttime pedestrian activity, such as churches, schools, and community centers. Where continuous lighting is provided along wide arterial streets, it is desirable to place the lights along both sides of the street. Continuous streetlights should be spaced to provide a relatively uniform level of light. In shopping districts or in downtown areas with high concentrations of pedestrians, it is desirable to provide pedestrian-level lighting in addition to the street lighting to improve the comfort and security of pedestrians. The preferred pedestrian-level lights are mercury vapor or incandescent. Low-pressure sodium lights may be more energy-efficient; however, they are undesirable because they create considerable color distortion. Pedestrian-level lighting may also be installed in selected areas of pedestrian activity to create a sense of intimacy and place.

Sidewalks should be built within the public right-of-way or in a sidewalk easement along the right-of-way. This will provide access to the sidewalk for maintenance activities and will prevent the adjacent property owners from obstructing or removing the sidewalk in the future.

Care must be taken to avoid planting trees or large bushes in the landscape buffer area that will obscure the visibility between a pedestrian attempting to cross or enter a street and an approaching motorist. Trees with large canopies planted between the sidewalk and street should be generally trimmed up to at least 2.4 m (8 ft) high and bushes should be kept to about 762 to 914 mm (30 to 36 in) in height. Trees with large caliper trunks may not be appropriate near intersections and in other situations where they may block visual sight triangles.

Meandering sidewalks are sometimes used where a wide right-of-way is available and there is a desire to provide a high level of landscaping, such as in a park or along a waterway or other natural feature. It is often believed that meandering sidewalks create a more pleasant walking environment. The reality is that they unnecessarily create a longer walking distance and are inappropriate for sidewalks along a street.

Sidewalks should be built along both sides of bridges. Pedestrian rails or guard rail are required along the outside of the bridge. On bridges with high speeds, concrete barriers between the travelway and the sidewalk may be considered to shield pedestrians from errant vehicles. However, this adds cost, weight, and width to the bridge, and the transition from barrier to guard rail or curb at each end often creates an awkward transition for pedestrians, who must detour around the barrier to access the bridge sidewalk.

Rollover curbs should not be used next to sidewalks as they encourage motorists to park on planting strips or sidewalks. They may be problematic for some visually impaired people, since they dont create a definitive edge between the street and adjacent uses.

Sidewalk Depth: Concrete sidewalks should be built to a minimum depth of 101.6 mm (4 in), and to a minimum depth of 152.4 mm (6 in) at driveways.

The actual cost of providing sidewalks will be different for each region of the country and varies with the season. Actual bid prices are also influenced by how busy contractors are at the time of construction.

The cost of constructing sidewalks alone is relatively low; typical bids run between $24 and $36 per meters squared ($20 to $30 a square yard), which roughly translates to $43 to $64 per lineal meter ($12 to $20 per lineal foot) for 1.8-m- (6-ft-) wide sidewalks. Therefore, sidewalks on both sides of the roadway can run roughly between $93,000 and $155,000 per kilometer ($150,000 and $250,000 per mile) (costs from Oregon DOT, 1999).

Factors to consider when calculating the cost of sidewalks:

When project costs appear to be escalating due to one or more of the above-listed items, especially retaining walls or acquiring right-of-way, consideration may be given to narrowing the sidewalk in constrained areas as a last resort. The full sidewalk width should be resumed in non-constrained areasthis is preferable to providing a narrow sidewalk throughout, or dropping the project because of one difficult section.

Tips to Reduce Total Costs:

Read this article:
Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System

Getting Your Basement ProjectUnderway

So you have decided to turn your musty junk-filled basement into a warm liveable space. Or maybe you are already using the basement but want to style it up a notch. Basement design ideas are limitless. Whether you want acool chic look or a more dramatic themed basement, the choices are endless. But before you decide on the style you want for your basement, here are a few things to consider.

First, what are you using your basement for? This will greatly determine what finish you give the basement. A living area needs to feel warm and cozy, a bedroom needs to have a quiet and relaxing finish and a game room needs some exciting colors. There are plenty of websites offering basement finishingideas you can borrow. We have our own listbelow that you can use as a starting point. Find a style that pleases you and adapt it to fit your basement.

On to theplanning phase. Planning is essential to achieving the right finish for your basement. A good idea is to use one of the many online tools to create a caddrawingof the room. Put in the wall color, seat arrangements, and anything else you want to have an idea of howthe basement will look.

Even if you do not use an online tool, plan extensively beforehand as to exactly what you plan to do. What color will the wall be? Will you put in any art? What flooring style will you go for? If your budget allows, you can consult an interior designer for recommendations. One advantage of such planning is that it allows you to set out a budget that you can work within, ensuring that you are not caught short of cash in the middle of your project.

Do not be bound so much by functionality and practicality that you forget about making the basement a fun place to be in. While playing it safe with the rooms above is understandable, let the space below be your own personal canvas. Try out a crazy theme, a cool wall art, a unique color pattern, or anything else that comes to mind.

Check out some cool basement ideas we have compiled below, in addition, you can take a look at our own basement remodeling ideas portfolio. Included below is everything from themed basements to small basement ideas.

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Qualified electricians need to have deep theoretical know-how and advanced practical skillseven for entry-level roles. That includes electrical equipment installation and tool usage, basic electricity and AC current theory, and a wide range of installation procedures for both residential and commercial properties.

Our electrician courses online align with the National Electric Code (NEC) to help you develop the safe, job-ready electrician skills employers demand. And because our course is self-paced, you can study to advance your career without having to interrupt it.

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In a world dependent on electricity, climate control, and household conveniences, the demand for qualified electricians is rising steadily. The U.S. Department of Labor expects electrician careers to grow 14% through 2026*, accounting for more than 750,000 jobs by then.

Start online electrician courses as soon as you enroll and graduate in as little as four months.

Gain expertise in NEC, the adopted standard for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States.

Our Electrician Training program is one of the most affordable of its kindand we have flexible payment options.

Start online electrician courses as soon as you enroll and graduate in as little as four months.

Gain expertise in NEC, the adopted standard for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States.

Our Electrician Training program is one of the most affordable of its kindand we have flexible payment options.

You may be taking your first steps into higher education. Or you may be considering online study for the first time. Whatever your situation, we're here to guide you through the process and answer any questions you have.

Our Electrician Training online program is not the only trades-focused course we offer. Our other trades programs include:

A career in this field may require you to meet certain licensing, training, and other requirements that can vary by vocation and state. You should check with your state, local government, and/or licensing board to find out which requirements may be applicable in your state. Click here for contact information on state licensing/regulatory boards and certain professional licensing information.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Electricians (October 24, 2017)

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Online Electrician Training - Ashworth College

Contactyour local BuildingDepartment or official to find out current licenserequirements for your area. For information about continuing educationunits, check out our electricalseminars.

Examquestions come from theory, commonknowledge, and the National Electrical Code whichwould be the same in any state. The main difference in testing indifferent states are the questions involving state and local laws andrules. Check out our list of frequentlyasked questions about licensing and the electrical exam.

Somestates are now requiring an exam on Business and Law for thecontractors license.

Themajor purpose of a license is to protect public health and safety bypreventing unqualified people from practicing a given profession oroccupation. Licensing is also a formal and legal way of defining aprofession and a means of including, in practice, those who meetpredetermined standards deemed to be necessary for the protection ofthe public.

Licensingis more than passing an exam and paying a fee; it is being held responsibleand liable to penalties for incompetence or illegal/immoral actions.Having a license suspended or revoked is not only to punish and toavoid repetition of improper acts, it is to protect the general public.

Afterpassing the exam there are requirements thatmust be met in most States. These requirements must be kept up tomaintain your license. All licenses, regardless of issuance date, aresubject to renewal, on a given date by the State. Failure to maintainthe requests can cause automatic termination of the license.

Worker'sCompensation Insurance - Submit a certificate ofworker's compensation insurance from an insurance company authorized todo business in this State, and a statement from the insurance carrierthat the board will be notified of any withdrawal, termination, orcancellation of the insurance.

Liabilityand Property Damage Insurance - Submit a certificate of insurance from aninsurance company or agency authorized to do business in your State,showing full policy coverage of the applicant for comprehensivepersonal injury and property damage liability. The dollar amount willvary from State to State.

Placeof Business - A licensed contractor shallhave and maintain a definite place of business where the license may beserved notice and legal process in the State within an area zoned forsuch business and shall display therein his contractor's license. APost Office Box number is not accepted as a place of business.

Fees- License fees will be due.Specific amounts will be given at the appropriate time.

Thedifficulty for some taking an exam is the questions come froma broad area of the electrical trade and are not necessarilylimited to only the type of electrical work that you perform. For alist of books and DVDsto help you prepare for the journeyman and master electrical exam aswell as the business law exam, check out our current catalog.

Theexam is written for any electrician that sits for the test thatparticular day. You may only wire houses, but the electriciansitting behind you only wires hospitals or gas stations. Some exam questionsmay come from areas of the Code book you've never used in your work.

Localexams sometimes don't fully evaluate ones craftsmanship and knowledgeof the electrical trade. National testing organizations haveincorporated the latest technology. A task analysis is used to developa test that is a fair test of ones knowledge in the electrical trade.

Atask analysis is performed by a committee of competent experts in theelectrical field. A field survey of tradespeople performing the tasksin the field is listed in an outline with the degree of each taskevaluated and used in the exam.

Sure,I heard all the negatives of being required to take an exam over theyears. The statement that always appears in my mind was said by VinceLombardi: "Winning isn't everything, but it sure beats thesecond choice".

Thetime has come to demand accountability and it starts with you. Demand alicense.

Writtenexams whether written by a testing company, licensing board, or by theelectrical inspector are generally based on the same categories ofquestioning: Code, theory, practical knowledge, etc.

The percentage of questions asked from the category may vary due to theexams being customized to meet the requirements for the area in whichthe exam is being given.

Someexams require a larger or smaller percentage of questions asked from acategory than another area requires. This decision is made by theelectrical board members of that area.

More here:
Electrician License Requirements

Albuquerque's leading remodeler, More Brothers Construction, specializesin kitchens, baths and home remodels. Our team brings decades ofexperience to kitchen and bath remodels in Albuquerque and we are dedicated to communicating clearly to our clients.

Award winning in the Parade of Homes for best remodel, More Brothers Construction helps you developthe design parameters, construction methods and budgetary goals of your project, and communicates this process to you every step of the way.

For this High Dessert remodel we chose dark cabinets to accent the creamy stacked stone. We left the old world oak floors, added can lights, acontemporary stove hood, and to top it off White Ice Granite.

About More Brothers Construction

Kitchen &Bath Remodels in Albuquerque

More Brothers Construction Kitchen and Bath Remodels hasbeen serving the Albuquerque areasince 1997. We are featured in Su Casa 2016, 2017 & 2018.

More Brothers is a residential contractor serving the Albuquerque area since 1997. We began this company with a desire to do exceptional constructionnot just adequate work. Weve built a successful business by providing honest, quality work. From the largest vision to the smallest task, we approach every project with the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail.

KitchensBathroomsAdditionsCustom Homes

Call for a FREE estimate!

(505) 837-2955

Cabinets Flooring Electrical Plumbing Framing Drywall Paint Trim Concrete

More Brothers Construction

P.O. Box 90670, Albuquerque, NM 87199

(505)837-2955

2019

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is all about mixing the green with grey. There are trees everywhere throughout the city, and the Parks and Recreation service offers free trees to its residents. If you have a free tree or just one that youve planted, make sure youre taking good care of it.

Tree removal in Philadelphia will cost residents between $719 and $1,015. Depending on extenuating circumstance like proximity to power lines or the home, removing the tree might cost more, but on average the quote will be somewhere around the figure of $867.

Stump removal in Philadelphia will cost between $350 to $400 and take tree service professionals anywhere from two to three days depending on how deeply the roots are in the ground, the location of the stump in the yard, and whether they decide to just uproot it from the ground or start chipping it away first and then hauling it up from the ground.

Tree maintenance in Philadelphia usually runs between $271 to $419, with an average quote usually around the estimate of $345. This can include pruning, trimming or cutting branches depending on the type of tree that the tree service professional will be working on in the yard.

The Philadelphia Horticultural Society has been planting trees in the city since the 1980s, as well as countless homeowners and other groups non-affiliated with the society. If you are not part of this group but love trees, then all you need to do is get one and plant it. Add some more green to an already thriving city of trees.

Philadelphia has no regulations regarding tree removal on private property, but they do require that branches be removed by the property owner if they are overhanging another owners property or the sidewalk and could harm someone.

PECO, Philadelphias utility company, recommends residentsplant a tree that will only mature at a height below 25 feet. They also regularly come around and trim vegetation near power lines, so they do not recommend residents doing it themselves.

The best season to remove trees in Philadelphia is almost the best time to start planting them, which is in the fall. So when youre taking a tree out of the ground, you can also have a new one on the side ready to put in the hole left by the old one.

The hemlock (Tsunga canadensis) has been the state tree of Pennsylvania since 1931. They were used by the Quakers to build log cabins and to make tanning leather. This is one of the more popular trees in Pennsylvania forests. It grows very slowly, reaching maturity around 250years of age and living almost 800 years.

Because so many societies and individuals have planted trees in Philadelphia since the 1980s, there are a wide variety of trees in the city. The tallest tree is thetulip poplar(Liriodendron tulipifera)tree in Fairmont Park, with aheight of 159 feet.However, there are the common natives like the state tree that endure the seasons and the general weather patterns of the city better than others. These include:

Blueberries, juneberries, figs, and apples are all trees that grow well in the climate of Philadelphia. Its also possible for homeowners to grow fruit trees in their homes and on their roofs, if they decide to build a greenhouse or create a kind of rooftop garden. Nurseries in the area will be able to consult with you on the best fruit trees besides these four and recommend more indoor fruit trees to grow.

Callery pear trees are trees that shouldnt be planted in Philadelphia anymore, and that has more to do with its weak wooding than with the smell it puts off in the spring. Unless you want a tree that can possibly fall on your house during a storm and smells like poo during the spring, its not a great tree to plant in your yard. The same goes for theTree-of-Heavenin Philadelphia. While it sounds like a great tree by the name, it smells like rotten peanut butter and is also weak-wooded. Female ginkgo trees should also not be planted because their seeds can ruin lawns, but their male counterparts are safe bets.

Cankers disease is a common blight in Philadelphia that happens when pruning causes breakage in a tree, which opens it to disease and causes discoloration. Vascular wilts disease occurs when a fungus infects and cuts off nutrient flow through the tree, which will cause it to immediately almost start to die. Anthracnose is another fungal disease in Philadelphia where the leaves begin to yellow or brown like theyve been scorched by fire. Dutch elm disease is a deadly fungal infection that kills elms trees. Apple scab is a fungal infection wherein apples are tainted with scabs and usually cant be eaten anymore.

Here are the plant hardiness zones for Pennsylvania as provided by the USDA:

Image Sources:HemlockKousa dogwood

Phone:484-432-0180Service Areas: Delaware County & Southeast Chester CountyServices Offered:Tree removal, tree trimming, pruning, & stump grindingWebsite: http://www.treeguystreeservices.com

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Best Land ClearingCompany in Florida

Florida land clearing company specializing in excavation services, site prep, bulldozing, retention ponds, site surveys, and demolition. With a combined 20 years experience in land clearing and related services, we are the best company to your project done right. Contact us today at 352-547-5603 for a free estimate.

Our company is run by disabled veteran and we only hire veterans to work for us. We're committed to serving the veterans of central Florida by offering quality work they can be proud of. We take pride in our work and the team of people who work with us every day.

We are a company of choice for residents, general contractors, businesses, land developers, and property owners located in central Florida. Land clearing and site preparation services are available to get properties ready for new construction, fresh landscaping, or even for sale. Our site demolition team will fully analyze the site to ensure a completely safe, fast, and environmentally friendly demolition.

Let us help you plan your project! Many projects - for residential or business purposes - need more than one type of service. We will help you decide how to best clear, prep, or beautify the land around the property. Examples of projects we have done in the past include:

We serve all counties and areas in central Florida. If your location is not listed below, please contact us. We may still be able to work with you on your project.

We offer Land clearing services for agricultural, commercial and residential property in Florida.

We provide turnkey excavation services in Central Florida and all of the surrounding areas.

We can remove all brush, trees, and stumps within a particular plot of land to make room for new construction sites.

Call Toms Excavating Services, Inc for our professional Bull Dozer Services for all of Florida.

In some instances, stump grinding is not sufficient to remove a problem trees root system, so we use heavy equipment.

In some instances, stump grinding is not sufficient to remove a problem trees root system, so we use heavy equipment.

Whether your project is large or small, we will handle it with precision and care. Every project we take on is managed with professionalism and care.

If you need a Florida land clearing company for your excavation, hauling, removal, survey, or demolition needs, give us a call. We provide completely free estimates that take your specific home or business property's needs into consideration. Contact us today at 352-547-5603 for a quote.

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Land Clearing Company in Florida - Excavating and ...