Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.

In British English such material is more usually known as turf, and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultural senses (for example for turf when ploughed).

Sod is typically used for lawns, golf courses, and sports stadiums around the world. In residential construction, it is sold to landscapers, home builders or home owners who use it to establish a lawn quickly and avoid soil erosion. Sod can be used to repair a small area of lawn,[1] golf course, or athletic field that has died. Sod is also effective in increasing cooling, improving air and water quality, and assisting in flood prevention by draining water.[2]

Scandinavia has a long history of employing sod roofing and a traditional house type is the Icelandic turf house.

Following passage of the Homestead Act by the US Congress in 1862, settlers in the Great Plains used sod bricks to build entire sod houses.[3] While it might be hard for some to imagine sod as a suitable primary building material, the prairie sod of the Great Plains was so dense and difficult to cut it earned the nickname Nebraska marble. Blacksmith John Deere made his fortune when he became the first to make a plow that could reliably cut the prairie sod.[4]

Sod is grown on specialist farms. For 2009, the United States Department of Agriculture reported 1,412 farms had 368,188 acres (149,000.4ha) of sod in production.[5]

It is usually grown locally (within 100 miles of the target market)[6] to minimize both the cost of transport and also the risk of damage to the product. The farms that produce this grass may have many varieties of grass grown in one location to best suit the consumer's use and preference of appearance.

It is usually harvested 10 to 18 months after planting, depending on the growing climate. On the farm it undergoes fertilization, frequent watering, frequent mowing and subsequent vacuuming to remove the clippings. It is harvested using specialized equipment, precision cut to standardized sizes. Sod is typically harvested in small square or rectangular slabs, or large 4-foot-wide (1.2m) rolls.

Mississippi State University has developed a hydroponic method of cultivating sod. For the very few sod farms that export turf internationally, this soil-less sod may travel both lighter and better than traditional sod. Additionally, since the sod is not grown in soil, it does not need to be washed clean of soil down to the bare roots (or sprigs), so time to export is shortened.[7]

In many applications, such as erosion control and athletic fields, immediacy is a key factor. Seed may be blown about by the wind, eaten by birds, or fail because of drought. It takes some weeks to form a visually appealing lawn and further time before it is robust enough for use. Turf largely avoids these problems, and with proper care, newly laid sod is usually fully functional within 30 days of installation and its root system is comparable to that of a seeding lawn two or three years older.[8] Sod reduces erosion by stabilizing the soil.[9]

Many prized cultivars (such as Bella Bluegrass) only reproduce vegetatively,[10] not sexually (via seed). Sod cultivation is the only means of producing additional plants. To grow these varieties for sale, turf farms use a technique called sprigging, where recently harvested sod mats are cut into slender rows and replanted in the field.

Bermudagrass is quite commonly used for golf courses and sports fields across the southern portions of the United States. It tolerates a range of climates in the US, from hot and humid in the Gulf Coast to arid in the southwest and lower Midwest. "Established bermudagrass is a network of shoots, rhizomes, stolons, and crown tissue together that usually form a dense plant canopy. This dense plant canopy can be used to propagate clonal varieties by sod, sprigs, or plugs.[11] The aggressive and resilient nature of Bermudagrass make it not only an excellent turfgrass, but also unfortunately a challenging invasive weed in land cultivated for other purposes. Its one noted weakness is shade tolerance. Given the economic importance of Bermudagrass (as a sod product, agricultural forage and, at times, an invasive weed), it has been the subject of numerous studies.

St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) (also known as Charleston grass in South Carolina and Buffalo Turf in Australia) is warm season, perennial grass that is a widely used. A native grass of tropical origin that extends from water marshes (salty & fresh), lagoon fringes, and sandy beach ridges.

Saint Augustine lawns are a popular wide bladed (coarse) lawn planted throughout many areas of the Southeastern USA. This grass is found in Mexico, Australia, and in tropical parts of Africa. It is a warm season grass that does not handle cold weather very well. The majority of this grass is planted vegetatively (PLUGS, SOD) as seeds are not usually available commercially each season due to production difficulties.

Read more from the original source:
Sod - Wikipedia

You can download the entire Electricians Administrative Rules document (95kb) as an Adobe PDF file, suitable for printing. Acrobat Reader is necessary to view.pdf files. If you need to obtain a copy of this program it is available as a free download for Windows or Macintosh operating systems.

ELECTRICIANS Administrative Rules of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation 16 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 73 (effective September 1, 2015)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

73.1. Authority 73.10. Definitions 73.20. Licensing Requirements--Applicant and Experience Requirements 73.21. License Requirements--Examination 73.22. License Requirements--General 73.23. Licensing Requirements--Renewal 73.24. Licensing Requirements--Waiver of Examination Requirements 73.25. Continuing Education 73.26. Documentation of Required On-The-Job Training 73.27. Licensing Requirements--Temporary Apprentices 73.28. Licensing Requirements--Emergency Licenses 73.30. Exemptions 73.40. Insurance Requirements 73.51. Electrical Contractors Responsibilities 73.52. Electrical Sign Contractors Responsibilities 73.53. Responsibilities of All Persons Performing Electrical Work 73.54. Residential Appliance Installation Contractors Responsibilities 73.60. Standards of Conduct for Engaging in Electrical Work 73.65. Advisory Board 73.70. Responsibilities of Licensee--Standards of Conduct 73.80. Fees 73.90. Sanctions--Administrative Sanctions/Penalties 73.91. Enforcement Authority 73.100. Technical Requirements

73.1. Authority (Effective March 1, 2004, 29. TexReg 1653)

These rules are promulgated under the authority of Title 8, Occupations Code, Chapter 1305, and Title 2, Occupations Code, Chapter 51.

73.10. Definitions. (Effective March 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 1653; amended effective July 13, 2004, 29 TexReg 6637; emergency rule effective August 25, 2004, 29 TexReg 8699; amended effective December 22, 2004, 29 TexReg 1158; amended effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended effective December 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 8477; amended effective March 1, 2008, 33 TexReg 1525; amended effective January 1, 2010, 34 TexReg 9433, amended effective March 15, 2012, 37 TexReg 1703; amended effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 9515)

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Assumed name--A name used by a business as defined in the Business and Commerce Code.

(2) Business affiliation--The business organization to which a master licensee may assign his or her license.

(3) Employee--An individual who performs tasks assigned to him by his employer. The employee is subject to the deduction of social security and federal income taxes from his pay. An employee may be full time, part time, or seasonal.

(4) Employer--One who employs the services of employees, pays their wages, deducts the required social security and federal income taxes from the employees pay, and directs and controls the employees performance.

(5) Filed--A document is deemed to have been filed with the department on the date that the document has been received by the department or, if the document has been mailed to the department, the date a postmark is applied to the document by the U.S. Postal Service.

(6) General Supervision--Exercise of oversight by a master electrician on behalf of an electrical contractor, or electrical sign contractor, or by a master sign electrician on behalf of an electrical sign contractor of performance by all classes of electrical licensees of electrical work bearing responsibility for the works compliance with applicable codes under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1305.

(7) On-Site Supervision--Exercise of supervision of electrical work or electrical sign work by a licensed individual other than an electrical apprentice. Continuous supervision of an electrical apprentice is not required, though the on-site supervising licensee is responsible for review and inspection of the electrical apprentices work to ensure compliance with any applicable codes or standards.

(8) Electrical Contractor--A person, or entity, licensed as an electrical contractor, that is in the business of performing "Electrical Contracting" as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(5).

(9) Master Electrician--An individual, licensed as a master electrician, who on behalf of an electrical contractor, electrical sign contractor, or employing governmental entity, performs "Electrical Work" as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(11).

(10) Journeyman Electrician--An individual, licensed as a journeyman electrician, who works under the general supervision of a master electrician, on behalf of an electrical contractor, or employing governmental entity, while performing "Electrical Work" as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(11).

(11) Electrical Apprentice--An individual, licensed as an apprentice who works under the on-site supervision of a master electrician, journeyman electrician, or residential wireman, on behalf of an electrical contractor or employing governmental entity performing "Electrical Work" as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(11).

(12) Electrical Sign Contractor--A person, or entity, licensed as an electrical sign contractor, that is in the business of performing "Electrical Sign Contracting" as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(9).

(13) Master Sign Electrician--An individual, licensed as a master sign electrician, who, on behalf of an electrical sign contractor, performs "Electrical Sign Work" as defined in paragraph (18).

(14) Journeyman Sign Electrician--An individual, licensed as a journeyman sign electrician, who works under the general supervision of a master electrician or a master sign electrician, on behalf of an electrical sign contractor, while performing Electrical Sign Work as defined in paragraph (18).

(15) Residential Wireman--An individual, licensed as a residential wireman, who works under the general supervision of a master electrician, on behalf of an electrical contractor, or employing governmental entity, while performing electrical work that is limited to electrical installations in single family and multifamily dwellings not exceeding four stories, as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(13).

(16) Maintenance Electrician--An individual, licensed as a maintenance electrician, who works under the general supervision of a master electrician, on behalf of an electrical contractor, or employing governmental entity while performing Electrical Maintenance Work as defined in paragraph (17).

(17) Electrical Maintenance Work--The replacement, or repair of existing electrical appurtenances, apparatus, equipment, machinery, or controls used in connection with the use of electrical energy in, on, outside, or attached to a building, residence, structure, property, or premises. All replacements or repairs must be of the same rating and type as the existing installation. No improvements may be made that are necessary to comply with applicable codes under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1305. Electrical maintenance work does not include the installation of any new electrical appurtenances, apparatus, equipment, machinery, or controls beyond the scope of any existing electrical installation.

(18) Electrical Sign Work--Any labor or material used in manufacturing, installing, maintaining, extending, connecting or reconnecting an electrical wiring system and its appurtenances, apparatus or equipment used in connection with signs, outline lighting, awnings, signals, light emitting diodes, and the repair of existing outdoor electric discharge lighting, including parking lot pole lighting. This also includes the installation of an electrical service integral to an isolated sign and/or outline lighting installation.

(19) Work Involved in the Manufacture of Electrical Equipment--Work involved in the manufacture of electrical equipment includes on and off-site manufacture, commissioning, testing, calibration, coordination, troubleshooting, evaluation, repair or retrofits with components of the same ampacity, maintenance and servicing of electrical equipment within their enclosures performed by authorized employees, or authorized representatives of electrical equipment manufacturers and limited to the type of products they manufacture.

(20) Electrical Sign Apprentice--An individual, licensed as an electrical sign apprentice who works under the on-site supervision of a master electrician, a master sign electrician, or a journeyman sign electrician, on behalf of an electrical sign contractor performing "Electrical Sign Work as defined by this chapter.

(21) On-the-job Training--Training or experience gained under the supervision of an appropriate licensee, as prescribed by Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305, while performing electrical work as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(11).

(22) Residential Appliance Installer--An individual, licensed as a residential appliance installer, who on behalf of a residential appliance installation contractor, performs electrical work that is limited to residential appliance installation including residential pool-related electrical installation and maintenance as defined by Texas Occupations Code, 1305.002(12-b).

(23) Residential Appliance Installation Contractor--A person or entity licensed as a residential appliance installation contractor, that is in the business of residential appliance installation including pool-related electrical installation and maintenance as defined by Texas Occupations Code 1305.002(12-d).

(24) Residential Appliance--Electrical equipment that performs a specific function, and is installed as a unit in a dwelling by direct connection to an existing electrical circuit, such as water heaters, kitchen appliances, or pool-related electrical device. The term does not include general use equipment such as service equipment, other electrical power production sources, or branch circuit overcurrent protection devices not installed in the listed appliance or listed pool-related electrical device.

(25) Offer to perform--To make a written or oral proposal, to contract in writing or orally to perform electrical work or electrical sign work, to advertise in any form through any medium that a person or business entity is an electrical contractor, electrical sign contractor, or residential appliance installation contractor or that implies in any way that a person or business entity is available to contract for or perform electrical work, electrical sign work, or residential appliance installation work.

(26) Electro Mechanical Integrity--The condition of an electrical product, electrical system, or electrical equipment installed in accordance with its intended purpose and according to standards at least as strict as the standards provided by the National Electrical Code, the manufacturer's specifications, any listing or labeling on the product, and all other applicable codes or ordinances.

(27) Journeyman Lineman--An individual who engages in electrical work involving the maintenance and operation of equipment associated with the transmission and distribution of electricity from the electricitys original source to a substation for further distribution.

73.20. Licensing Requirements--Applicant and Experience Requirements. (Effective March 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 1653; amended effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended effective December 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 8477; amended effective January 1, 2010, 34 TexReg 9433;amended effective March 15, 2012, 37 TexReg 1703; amended effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 9515)

(a) An applicant for a license must submit the required fees with a completed application and the appropriate attachments:

(1) Applicants for Master Electrician, Master Sign Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Journeyman Sign Electrician, Residential Wireman, Journeyman Lineman, and Maintenance Electrician licenses must submit documentation proving the required amount of on-the-job-training.

(2) Applicants for contractors licenses must submit proof of general liability insurance and either workers compensation insurance or a certificate of authority to self insure, or a statement that the applicant has elected not to obtain workers compensation insurance pursuant to Subchapter A, Chapter 406, Labor Code, with the initial and renewal applications.

(3) Applicants for contractors licenses must submit proof of ownership of the business entity and provide documentation of the sponsoring master licensee in a manner prescribed by the department.

(4) An applicant for a journeyman lineman license must submit documentation proving the required amount of training in an apprenticeship program or the required amount of experience as a journeyman lineman.

(b) An applicant must complete all requirements within one year of the date the application is filed.

(c) For purposes of this chapter, 2,000 hours of on the job training shall be the maximum that may be earned within one year.

(d) Each applicant must meet the applicable eligibility requirements as set forth in Texas Occupations Code, 1305.153-1305.1618.

73.21. Licensing RequirementsExaminations. (Effective March 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 1653; amended effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended effective December 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 8477; amended effective January 1, 2010, 34 TexReg 9433)

(a) To obtain a license by examination issued under this chapter:

(1) An individual applicant must submit a completed application, all necessary documentation, and appropriate fees to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for review and determination of examination eligibility.

(2) An individual applicant must achieve a passing score on an examination approved by the executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

(b) To obtain a license without examination, an applicant must have been licensed for the preceding year by a municipality or regional licensing authority that has terminated its licensing program and have applied for a state issued license within ninety days of the date the program stopped issuing or renewing licenses.

73.22. Licensing RequirementsGeneral. (Effective March 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 1653; amended effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended effective December 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 8477; amended effective January 1, 2010, 34 TexReg 9433)

(a) A license issued under this chapter is valid for one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed annually.

(b) A person shall not perform electrical work requiring a license under Title 8, Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1305 with an expired license.

(c) Falsifying information on an application, obtaining a license by fraud or false representation, or cheating on an examination is grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of a license and/or an administrative penalty.

(d) An electrical contractor, an electrical sign contractor, or a residential appliance installation contractor shall not use a license number that is not assigned to that contractor by the department.

(e) A license is not transferable.

(f) Altering a license in any way is prohibited and is grounds for a sanction and/or penalty.

(g) If a licensee contracts with a general contractor or a home warranty company to provide installation or service that requires a license under the Act, the licensee remains responsible for the integrity of that work.

(h) A person using the license of another person or allowing another person to use his license shall be subject to license denial, suspension, or revocation and/or assessment of an administrative penalty.

73.23. Licensing Requirements--Renewal. (Effective March 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 1653; amended effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended effective January 1, 2010, 34 TexReg 9433)

(a) Non-receipt of a license renewal notice from the department does not exempt a person, or entity, from any requirements of this chapter.

(b) A complete request for renewal must be filed on the form approved by the department and includes all required fees by the expiration date to maintain continuous licensure.

(c) Applications not filed by the expiration date are considered applications for late renewal and are subject to late renewal fees.

(d) Licenses issued from a late renewal application will have an unlicensed period from the expiration date of the previous license to the issuance date of the renewed license. Electrical work that requires a license issued under this chapter shall not be performed during the unlicensed period.

73.24. Licensing Requirements--Waiver of Examination Requirements. (Effective March 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 1653; amended effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended effective December 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 8477; amended effective January 1, 2010, 34 TexReg 9433; amended effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 9515)

(a) An applicant who is licensed in another state that has entered into a reciprocity agreement with Texas regarding licensure of electricians, sign electricians, journeyman lineman, or residential appliance installers may obtain an equivalent license in Texas without passing the examination, provided that all other licensure requirements are met, as defined by Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1305.

(b) The examination requirement is waived if, based upon acceptable proof, the executive director determines that the provisions of 73.21(b) are met.

(c) Acceptable proof of an applicant's qualifications must be presented on a form prescribed by the department that:

(1) certifies completion of the required hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a master electrician or master sign electrician as appropriate, or

(2) is completed by the municipality or region in which the applicant was licensed for at least one year.

73.25. Continuing Education. (Effective November 24, 2004, 29 TexReg 10768; amended effective October 20, 2005, 30 TexReg 6730; amended effective December 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 8477; amended effective July 1, 2010, 35 TexReg 5526; amended effective March 15, 2012, 37 TexReg 1703; amended effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 9515)

(a) Terms used in this section have the meanings assigned by Chapter 59 of this title, unless the context indicates otherwise.

(b) For each renewal, an electrical apprentice, electrical sign apprentice, journeyman electrician, master electrician, journeyman sign electrician, master sign electrician, residential wireman, journeyman lineman or maintenance electrician must complete four hours of continuing education in:

(1) the National Electrical Code, as adopted under Title 8, Occupations Code 1305.101, or the current version of the National Electrical Code, as approved by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA);

(2) state law and rules that regulate the conduct of licensees; and

(3) safety as defined in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E.

(c) In lieu of taking four hours of continuing education as required in 73.25(b), an electrical apprentice or electrical sign apprentice may enroll in a department-registered apprenticeship training program.

(d) In the case of timely renewal, the continuing education hours must have been completed, or enrollment must have occurred in a department-registered apprenticeship training program, within the term of the current license. For a late renewal, the continuing education hours must have been completed, or enrollment must have occurred in a department-registered apprenticeship training program, within one year prior to the date of renewal.

(e) A licensee may not receive continuing education credit for attending the same course more than once.

(f) A licensee shall retain a copy of the certificate of completion for a course for one year after the date of completion. In conducting any inspection or investigation of the licensee, the department may examine the licensees records to determine compliance with this subsection.

(g) To be approved under Chapter 59 of this title, a providers course must be dedicated to instruction in:

(1) the National Electrical Code, as adopted under Title 8, Occupations Code 1305.101, or the current version of the National Electrical Code, as approved by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA);

(2) state law and rules that regulate the conduct of licensees; and

(3) safety as defined in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E.

(h) To register an apprenticeship training program with the department, a program must:

(1) file a completed application in a form approved by the department;

(2) provide proof to the department that the program is:

(A) recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;

(B) registered with the United States Department of Labor; or

(C) a competency-based standardized craft-training program that meets the training program standards of the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship; and

(3) pay the required application fee shown in 73.80.

(i) A department-registered apprentice training program must maintain the following documents for 24 months after a participant is no longer enrolled in the program:

(1) participants program application;

(2) proof of participants program completion;

(3) participants leave of absence, resignation or termination; and

(4) other documentation effecting participants enrollment.

(j) A department-registered apprentice training program must submit to the department proof of a participants change in enrollment status within two days of the change. The proof must be in a form approved by the department.

(k) A department-registered apprentice training program must comply with the requirements of the Act and this chapter and must maintain the requirement of subsection (h)(2).

(l) A department-registered apprentice training program must annually notify the department, in a form approved by the department, of its intention to continue as a registered program.

(m) A department-registered apprentice training program must immediately notify the department if it ceases to be registered. The notice must be in a form approved by the department.

(n) The provisions listed in subsections (b), (c), and (d) are effective for electrical sign apprentice licenses that expire on or after September 1, 2012, and all other licenses, that expire on or after September 1, 2010.

Follow this link:
Electrician Licensing Administrative Rules - TDLR

Asbestos abatement and the mechanical trade contractors need a license in Georgia. The state is assembling a board in 2005 to begin the licensing of general and residential contractors as well. To find out if a contractor is licensed, click https://secure.sos.state.ga.us/myverification/.

Asbestos Abatement License

To do asbestos abatement work in Georgia you need a license. To get an application, contact:

To get an application online:

From the website listed above click on "EPD Forms" on the navigation bar. Then scroll to the Application for License, Asbestos Abatement Contractor.

Some of the information you'll need to give on the application is:

If you have a valid asbestos contractor license in another state, you may be able to get a reciprocal Georgia license. The requirements for your license must be equal to those in Georgia. The state you're licensed in must also allow a valid Georgia licensee to get a reciprocal license there.

Asbestos abatement license fee: The license will cost you $100 and it's good for three years.

Residential and General Contractor's Licenses

In July of 2005, Georgia will create a statewide licensing board for residential and general contractors. For details, check back occasionally with the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

General and residential builder's license fee: Check with the Board for details.

Electrician's Licenses

To do electrical work in Georgia you need an electrical contractor license. To get an application for a license, contact:

The Division issues these types of electrical licenses:

Electrical Contractor Class I -- restricted to work on single phase electrical systems that aren't more than 200 amperes Electrical Contractor Class II -- unrestricted Low Voltage Contractor: alarm systems general systems telecommunications systems unrestricted

You must pass an exam to get a license. To qualify for the electrical contractor exam you need four years of Division-approved experience in electrical work. You can use up to two years of Division-approved education for one year of the four. For the Class II exam you need experience installing systems that are greater than single phase, 200 amperes.

The exams are given by AMP, Inc. Exam details are available on their website. You can contact them at:

The exams are based on field experience and knowledge of trade practices. You can bring the recommended references to the exam.

To qualify for a low voltage electrical contractor exam, you need one year of Division-approved experience. You can use Division-approved education for up to six months of the year.

Electrician's license fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a license. An electrical contractor exam costs $133. A low voltage contractor exam costs $122. There is no fee required for the initial license and it's good for two years. Renewal is $75. You can renew online at http://www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/online.htm.

If you have a valid license in another state, the Division may grant you a Georgia license by endorsement. Your license must have required you to pass an exam and have work experience basically equal to those for a Georgia license. Currently the Division accepts valid unrestricted electrical contractor licenses from Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In any case, you still must pay the application and license fees for the Georgia license.

Electrical Contractor's Exam:

American Electricians Handbook, McGraw-Hill Publishing, 13311 Monterry Avenue, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

Business and Project Management for Contractors - Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board Edition, National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, PO Box 14941, Scottsdale, AZ 85267 http://www.nascla.org.

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, 999 Peachtree St. N.E., Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30309

Employer's Tax Guide, Circular E, Internal Revenue Service

Georgia State Electrical Code, or National Electrical Code Handbook, The Code and the Handbook are available from the National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9146, Quincy, MA 02269. The Georgia Amendments are available from Engineer's Bookstore, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

Printreading based on the NEC, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60430

Ugly's Electrical References, G. V. Hart, United Printing Arts, 3509 Oak Forest, Houston, TX 77018

Low Voltage Contractor's Exam:

The Americans With Disabilities Act: Your Responsibilities as an Employer, EEOC

Business and Project Management for Contractors - Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board Edition, National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, PO Box 14941, Scottsdale, AZ 85267 http://www.nascla.org.

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, 999 Peachtree St. N.E., Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30309

Employer's Tax Guide, Circular E, Internal Revenue Service

Georgia State Electrical Code National Electrical Code or National Electrical Code Handbook. The Code and the Handbook are available from the National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9146, Quincy, MA 02269. The Georgia Amendments are available from Engineer's Bookstore, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

Conditioned Air Contractor's License

To do conditioned air work in Georgia you need a conditioned air contractor license. To get an application for a license, contact:

The Division issues two types of conditioned air licenses:

Conditioned Air Contractor Class I -- restricted to 175,000 Btu of heating and 5 tons of cooling

Conditioned Air Contractor Class II -- unrestricted

You must pass an exam to get a license. To qualify for the conditioned air contractor exam you need three years of Division-approved experience in conditioned air work. You can use up to two years of Division-approved education for one year of the three. For the Class II exam you need experience installing systems that are greater than 175,000 Btu of heating and 5 tons of cooling.

The exams are given by AMP, Inc. You can contact them at:

You can bring the recommended references to the exam.

Conditioned air contractor's license fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a license. The exam fee is $133. There is no fee required for the initial license. Renewal is $75.

If you have a valid license in another state, the Division may grant you a Georgia license by endorsement. Your license must have required you to pass an exam and have work experience basically equal to those for a Georgia license. Currently the Division accepts some valid contractor licenses from South Carolina and Texas. In any case, you still must pay the application and license fees for the Georgia license.

Georgia Gas Code, The Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc.,900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.

2000 Georgia Mechanical Code, The Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc.,900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.

Georgia State Electrical Code. National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9146, Quincy, MA 02269. The Georgia amendments are available from Engineer's Bookstore, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

Manual D - Duct Design Procedures for Residential Winter and Summer Air Conditioning and Equipment Selection, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, 1712 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009

Manual J - Load Calculation for Residential Winter and Summer Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, 1712 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, W. Whitman and W. Johnson, Delmar ITP, P.O. Box 15015, Albany, NY 12212

-- A small number of questions will be referenced to the following materials: --

Business and Project Management for Contractors - Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board Edition, National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, PO Box 14941, Scottsdale, AZ 85267 http://www.nascla.org.

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, 999 Peachtree St. N.E., Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30309

Trane Ductulator, Trane Co., 2677 Buford Highway, NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Low Pressure Boilers, F. Steingress, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60430

Carrier System Design Manuals, (1-3), Carrier Air Conditioning Company

Flexible Duct Performance and Installation Standards, Air Diffusion Council

Flexible Duct Slide Rule or Calculator, Air Conditioning Contractors of America

Plumber's Licenses

To do plumbing work in Georgia you need a plumber's license. To get an application for a license, contact:

The Division issues three types of plumbing licenses:

Master Plumber Class I -- restricted to single-family dwellings and one-level dwellings designed for two families or less and commercial structures 10,000 square feet or less

Master Plumber Class II -- unrestricted

Journeyman Plumber

You must pass an exam to get a license. To qualify for the master plumber Class I exam you need five years of Division-approved experience in plumbing work. For the Class II exam you need work experience in commercial or industrial plumbing. You can use up to two years of Division-approved education for one year of the five.

To qualify for the journeyman exam you need three years of Division-approved experience in plumbing work.

The exams are given by AMP, Inc. You can contact them at:

You can bring the recommended references to the exam.

Plumber's license fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a license. An exam costs $133. There is no fee for the initial license. The license is good for two years. Renewal for a Master's license is $75. For the Journeyman's license the renewal fee is $35. You can renew online at http://www.ganet.org/sosrenew/plumbers/renewappl.cgi.

If you have a valid license in another state, the Division may grant you a Georgia license by endorsement. Your license must have required you to pass an exam and have work experience basically equal to those for a Georgia license. In any case, you still must pay the application and license fees for the Georgia license.

The Americans With Disabilities Act: Your Responsibilities as an Employer, EEOC, Available at Engineer's Bookstoree, Inc., 748 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Business and Project Management for Contractors - Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board Edition, National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, PO Box 14941, Scottsdale, AZ 85267 http://www.nascla.org.

Blueprint Reading for Plumbers, Residential and Commercial, D'Archangelo, D'Archangelo, and Guest, Delmar ITP, P.O. Box 15015, Albany, NY 12212

Georgia Gas Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Georgia Plumbing Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, D'Archangelo, D'Archangelo, and Guest, Delmar ITP, P.O. Box 15015, Albany, NY 12212

Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation, Lee Smith, Delmar Publishers, P.O. Box 6904, Florence, KY 41022

-- The following applies to the Master Plumber Class I (Restricted) and Master Plumber Class II ( Unrestricted) candidates only: --

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

Utility Contractor's License

To do utility contracting work in Georgia you need a utility contracting license. To get an application for a license, contact:

The Division issues a utility contractor license and utility manager and utility foreman certificates. To qualify for a utility contractor license you have to give the Division information on the organization of your company and your personnel. You must have a licensed utility manager employed at your company. You must also have a company safety program in effect. The program must include regular scheduled safety meetings for all field personnel.

Utility contractor's license fee: It will cost you $50 nonrefundable to file an application for a utility contractor license. There is no fee for the initial license and it's good for two years. Renewal is $35.

To qualify for a utility foreman certificate you need to have completed a Division-approved safety training course. It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a utility foreman certificate. The certificate costs $35 and it's good for two years.

You must pass an exam to get a utility manager certificate. To qualify for the exam you need two years experience as a manager or foreman on utility systems that are at least 5 feet underground. The exam is given by AMP, Inc. You can contact them at:

You can bring the recommended references to the exam.

Utility manager certificate fees: It will cost you $30 nonrefundable to file an application for a utility manager certificate. An exam costs $133. There is no fee for the initial license and it's good for two years. The renewal fee is $75.

Business and Project Management for Contractors - Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board Edition, National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, PO Box 14941, Scottsdale, AZ 85267 http://www.nascla.org.

The Building Estimator's Reference Book, W. Spradlin, Frank Walker, Co., Publishers, P.O. Box 3180, Lisle, IL 60532

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), U.S. Government Bookstore, Atlanta, GA 30309

Employer's Tax Guide, Circular E, Internal Revenue Service

A Guide for the Installation of Ductile Iron Pipe, Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association, 245 Riverchase Parkway, East, Suite O, Birmingham, AL 35244

Placing Reinforcing Bars, Recommended Practices, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, P.O. Box 6996, Alpharetta, GA 30239-6996

Standard Specifications: Construction of Roads and Bridges, Department of Transportation, State of Georgia, Two Capital Square, Atlanta, GA 30334

Originally posted here:
Georgia - Contractor's License Reference Site

Driveway Paving; Step 1, Step 2

For this part of the driveway paving a base layer will be applied by workers from Driveway Paving Guys; this will be at least two inches thick. Two inches is necessary to make sure that your driveway can support the weight of your car.

After the base layer is done the final step in paving a driveway is the top layer and is half a inches thick. The crucial thing here is to make sure that the proper asphalt mix is used. Driveway Paving Guys agrees that broadly speaking two classes of asphalt that can be used when laying a driveway paving, class one is applied for the base while class two is applied for the top. There are a lot of various mixtures within the two classes and the right one will hinge mainly on where you live. For this you are largely going to have to trust our contractor to know as we rely on our experience and qualified skill to use the proper asphalt. We only employ qualified and experienced staffs that have completed all required training to for us to be successful in all projects that we choose to undertake.

Last thing for a Driveway Paving

The last thing that Driveway Paving Guys will make sure is included in the bid that you receive is the slope of the driveway to allow for drainage. You don't desire water pooling in the centre of your driveway paving that we installed here. So the slope will run down from the centre towards the sides. Generally a slope of a quarter inch for each foot of distance is ideal. Our contractor will know the proper slope but if you want to make sure that this is included in the bid please call us on 888-487-8118.

View original post here:
Driveway Paving Guys | Call 888-487-8118

Since 1964, Drexel Paving & Sealing Contractors has delivered a full-range of asphalt paving and driveway seal coating services for residential and commercial customers.

Based in Exton, PA, Drexel has serviced clients throughout the Chester County area and beyond. From Exton, Downingtown, West Chester and Coatesville to Paoli, Phoenixville, Kennett Square and King of Prussia, Drexel Paving specializes in all phases of concrete, asphalt and seal coating work. Drexel's services include new installations, removal and replacement of entire parking lots, driveways and roadways, as well as smaller jobs such as patch paving, overlays, sealing, repairing and striping.

With Drexel Paving and Sealing Contractors, no job is too big or small. We will review your project and provide you with a comprehensive quote based on your requirements. So, if you need repairs to your existing pavement or you're planning to create a beautiful new driveway, parking lot, playground or road, Drexel's experienced and professional staff is ready to provide excellent customer service from the beginning to the end of your project.

Call us to arrange for a free estimate with no obligation. We stand behind our work!

Drexel Paving Contractors

281 South Whitford Road

Exton, PA 19341

Phone: (610) 436-8921

Fax: (610) 399-9284

Email: drexelpaving@gmail.com

DRIVEWAY PAVING . SEAL COATING . ASPHALT DRIVEWAY REPAIR . PARKING LOT INSTALLATION & SEALING . BLACKTOP RESURFACE . ASPHALT

Located in Chester County, Pa., We Proudly Serve the Paving and Sealcoating Needs of Homeowners and Businesses Throughout Southeastern PA and Beyond!

See the original post:
Drexel Paving & Seal Coating in Exton, PA I http://www ...

World Wrestling Federation (19871991)Edit Formation and early push (19871988)Edit

Randy Colley and Bill Eadie created the Demolition gimmick and worked for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). They debuted as a heel tag team on the January 17, 1987 edition of Superstars, alongside manager Luscious Johnny V, defeating the team of Salvatore Bellomo and Mario Mancini.[9] The tag team resembled Lord Humungus of the 1981 film Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, with the facepaint of hard rockers KISS. Demolition wore studded black leather outfits and leather-covered hockey masks to the ring, which they removed to reveal face paint usually made up of some combination of black, white, red, or silver colors, though other colors were sometimes included. After only a few matches, Colley was replaced with Barry Darsow in a match aired on the February 14, 1987 edition of Superstars. In an RF Video shoot interview with Eadie and Darsow, Eadie said that Colley was replaced because he was recognizable to the fans as the man who previously performed as Moondog Rex. The WWF pitched a few potential replacements to Eadie, but he thought fans would recognize the suggested replacements. However, Eadie felt that many WWF fans would not recognize Darsow, who had been working for Jim Crockett Promotions as Krusher Khruschev alongside Nikita Koloff. Darsow had left Crockett following a dispute in order to take over the role of Smash.[1][4][5][8]

On the March 14 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Demolition participated in a battle royal, won by Hercules Hernandez.[11] Demolition became known for their aggressive style in the ring and the way that they dominated their matches. Their first feud was with the team of Ken Patera and Billy Jack Haynes, which started after Ax and Smash brutalized WWF jobber Brady Boone (billed in storyline as the cousin of Billy Jack Haynes) during a televised match. Demolition claimed victories over all of the established face tag teams in the WWF at the time, including the Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair), The Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond), British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith),[12]The Young Stallions (Paul Roma and Jim Powers),[9]The Islanders (Haku and Tama),[9] and Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk).[12] Around that same period, Johnny Valiant (who left soon afterwards) sold their contracts to Mr. Fuji who became their manager.

Demolition made their pay-per-view debut at Survivor Series in an elimination tag team match where 5 babyface teams faced 5 heel teams. Demolition was part of the heel group, They were disqualified for shoving down referee Dave Hebner during the match and the face team went on to win the match.[13]

At WrestleMania IV, Ax and Smash defeated Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) to win their first WWF Tag Team Championship. Ax struck Martel in the back of the neck with Fuji's cane while he had Smash in a Boston crab (Fuji had dropped the cane into the ring while taking a beating from Santana who carried on oblivious to what was happening in the ring). Martel was knocked out and Smash covered him for the pin while Ax hid outside with the cane.[1][14][15] As champions, they defeated a number of the top teams of the WWF, which at the time had a very talent-rich and hotly contested tag division, most notably the British Bulldogs[1][16] and Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart).[1][17][18]

In the summer of 1988 The Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian) entered the WWF and challenged them for the Tag Team Championship. During the elimination tag team match at Survivor Series 1988, Mr. Fuji attacked Demolition and joined forces with the Powers of Pain. A double turn took place as Demolition turned face while the Powers of Pain turned heel.[19][20] Interviewed after the contest, Fuji claimed that he had turned on Demolition because, since winning the championship, they had become insubordinate and disrespectful towards him, whereas the Powers would be utterly obedient and loyal apprentices. For their part, Demolition denounced their former manager as a parasite, labelling him "Fuj the Stooge." Demolition defeated the Powers of Pain & Mr. Fuji in a tag team handicap match at WrestleMania V to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship when they caught Fuji in the "Demolition Decapitation".[21] Prior to this, Ax and Smash also memorably squared off against each other as entrants #1 and #2 in the Royal Rumble match at the Summit in Houston in 1989, tearing into each other for the full two minutes before being joined in the ring by the third entrant Andr the Giant, where they once again joined as Demolition and targeted the big man.[22]

After WrestleMania V, Demolition started a feud with the Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard), who were the managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. On the May 27, 1989 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, the Brain Busters defeated Demolition by disqualification.[23] Demolition became the longest reigning WWF Tag Team Champions after breaking the record of The Valiant Brothers (Jimmy and Johnny), and lasting a reign of 478 days.[24] They finally dropped the titles to the Brain Busters in a two out of three falls match on the July 29 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event.[1][25] Demolition started a feud with Andr the Giant and The Twin Towers (Akeem and The Big Bossman). At SummerSlam 1989, King Duggan and Demolition defeated Andr and the Twin Towers in a six-man tag team match where Darsow showcased his strength by body slamming both of the Twin Towers.[26] Demolition focused on regaining the tag titles and restarted their feud with the Brain Busters. On the November 4 edition of Superstars (taped on October 2), Demolition defeated the Brain Busters to regain their tag titles and win their second WWF Tag Team Championship.[1][9][27]

Demolition next feuded with the new Heenan Family team, the Colossal Connection (Andr the Giant and Haku). On the December 30 edition of Superstars (taped on December 13), Demolition lost the tag titles to the Colossal Connection.[1][9] At WrestleMania VI at the SkyDome in Toronto, Demolition defeated the Colossal Connection to regain the titles and win their third and final WWF Tag Team Championship, and finally put an end to their feud with the Heenan Family.[1][28][29] Due to his deteriorating physical condition, Andr never tagged in during the match with Haku facing Demolition on his own.

After WrestleMania VI, Demolition quietly turned heel for the first time since 1988. This intensified when Brian Adams debuted in WWF and joined the team as Crush.[1][6][30] In kayfabe it was claimed that this was a heinous scheme to gain a three-on-two advantage over other tag teams, but it was actually because Eadie had developed an allergy to shellfish (which he attributed to his frequent trips to Japan) which hospitalized him, and WWF owner and head booker Vince McMahon wanted to add a third member to the team just in case the illness put Eadie out of action for an extended period of time.[31]

Crush soon took a more active role, teaming with Smash while Ax faded into the background, becoming more of a manager. At this time Demolition used the "Freebird rule" to allow any two members to wrestle the matches. Smash and Crush defended the titles in the summer of 1990. On the July 28 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Smash and Crush defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) to retain the titles[1][32] after Ax interfered on their behalf and attacked Michaels.[33] The next month at SummerSlam 1990, however, Demolition lost the titles to Hart Foundation in a two out of three falls match. In that match, Smash & Crush started, but Ax secretly came down later on to substitute himself into the match behind the referee's back. Ultimately, the Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal),[1][34][35] who had signed with the WWF a month earlier, interfered and snuffed out the deception. Demolition never recaptured the titles after this loss.

Soon after, due to the Legion of Doom (L.O.D.) joining the WWF roster, Demolition's popularity began to decline. As a result of the interference by LOD, Demolition began feuding with Hawk and Animal who would often be joined in six man matches by reigning WWF Champion the Ultimate Warrior. On the October 13 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Ax, Smash, and Crush lost to the Ultimate Warrior and LOD.[1][36] On the November 10 episode of Superstars of Wrestling, Demolition reunited with Mr. Fuji when they helped Fuji and The Orient Express assault the Legion of Doom. At the 1990 Survivor Series, The Perfect Team (Demolition and Mr. Perfect) was defeated by The Ultimate Warriors (the Ultimate Warrior, the "Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich, and the Legion of Doom).[1][37] Shortly after, Ax left the WWF, with the on-air explanation being an order from kayfabe WWF President Jack Tunney that there could only be two members of Demolition. Smash and Crush were the two remaining members, and went on to primarily lose to teams such as the Rockers and the Legion of Doom. The team lost a match to Genichiro Tenryu and Koji Kitao at WrestleMania VII.[38] The team's next match was at WWF/SWS Wrestlefest on March 30, 1991 where they defeated Shunji Takano & Shinichi Nakano.[39] Following this match, Demolition would continue to wrestle in both the WWF and the SWS throughout the summer usually on the losing end of matches. The team's final match in the WWF occurred on September 18, 1991 in a losing effort to George Takano and Shunji Takano.[40] Afterwards, they eventually broke up and the members went their separate ways. Crush went on a leave of absence from the WWF, while Smash wrestled in singles matches (usually on the losing end) for a brief time before also leaving the WWF. Crush would return to PNW (where he had previously wrestled as Brian Adams), while also teaming with Smash in the WWC and SWS.[41] Smash would later return to the WWF as the Repo Man a sneaky thief claiming to be a repossessor, in the fall of 1991. Crush would also return in the spring of 1992 as a face, (beginning a run as the popular "Kona Crush" surfer type building on Adams being a native of Hawaii). The two ended up facing off at SummerSlam 1992, with Crush getting the victory over Repo Man.[42] Crush would later turn heel on Randy Savage and rehire Mr. Fuji as his manager in 1993, once again painting his face, only in a different pattern from his Demolition days.

After leaving the WWF, Eadie began using the name "Axis the Demolisher" on the independent circuit and took in Randy Colley, who had originally wrestled as "Smash", as well as Canadian veteran Richard Charland, who adopted the moniker "Blast", in late-1991 in an attempt to resurrect the Demolition name and gimmick, but were eventually sent a cease and desist letter by the WWF.[43][44] Years later, Eadie, as Ax, began teaming with Carmine Azzato, who also used the name "Blast". This incarnation of Demolition wrestled for Universal Superstars of America, where they held tag team title once.

In the mid-1990s, Bill Eadie filed a lawsuit against the WWF for the rights of the "Demolition" name and gimmick but lost. Ax, Smash and Crush inked a deal with Jakks Pacific to make Demolition Classic Superstars action figures. Ax and Smash were together in a 2-pack for Toys R Us, each had a singles figure from series #14, and were packaged and repainted with Crush in a 3-pack for Walmart.

On August 13, 2007, Brian Adams was found unconscious in his Tampa, Florida home. Adams' wife found him not breathing in his bed, and summoned paramedics. The wrestler could not be revived, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police could not immediately determine a cause of death, but noted no signs of injury.[45][46]

On April 1, 2007, Darsow and Eadie reunited for the first time in 16 years at a "Meet the Legends" event in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.[47] On September 29, 2007, they appeared as "Demolition" at a United States Xtreme Wrestling event in Orlando, Florida. They once again became tag team champions, defeating the Christopher Street Connection (Buff-E and Mace) to win the UXW Tag Team Championship.[47]

On Friday, February 22, 2008, both Ax and Smash were inducted into the XWF (later Legends Pro Wrestling) Hall of Fame.

Demolition teamed with One Man Gang in the 28-team King of Trios tournament held by Chikara during the weekend of February 29 and March 1 and 2, 2008 in Philadelphia. While losing the three-man tournament they did win the Tag Team gauntlet.[48]

On November 13, 2010, Demolition appeared at WrestleRage VIII in Villa Park, Illinois with POWW Entertainment.[49] They beat the team of Picture Perfect for the POWW Tag Team titles, but quickly lost them after the first match to the team of Trevor Blanchard and Black Iron.

On May 21, 2011, Demolition reunited at Full Impact Pro's debut iPPV In Full Force. Their match against Tony DeVito and Ralph Mosco went to a no contest when local commentator and manager Larry Dallas came out and said his men wanted revenge. The ring was stormed by Manu, Sami Callihan, Blain Rage and Joey Attel. Demolition, Devito and Mosco managed to clear the ring and beat Dallas to end the show.[50]

On September 16, 2012, Demolition returned to Chikara, taking part in the tag team gauntlet match at the 2012 King of Trios tournament, from which they were eliminated by their old WWF rivals, The Powers of Pain.[51]

In November 2013, their finishing move was rated by WWE as the 7th greatest Tag Team Finisher of All time.[52]

In July 2016, Ax and Smash were named part of a class action lawsuit filed against WWE which alleged that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury. The suit is litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWE.[53]

Read more:
Demolition (professional wrestling) - Wikipedia

Building the custom home of your dreams is a very personal and involved experience that requires you to find a trusted a custom home builder. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, there is one custom home builder that offers a price guarantee, on time completion, high quality and personalized attention by the owners.

As a New Jersey's Custom Home Builder and Pennsylvania's Custom Home Builder, GTG Custom Home Builders strives to add every client to its list of references. Every step of your project is guided by GTG Custom Home Builders desire to ensure you become the next referral source, sending every friend and family member to us for their Custom Home and Addition project. Look at what our clients say about their experience with us: Testimonials.

The only way GTG Custom Home Builders can guarantee your satisfaction and hold our place at the top in the New Jersey Custom Home Builder market place is simple; you deal only with the owners, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. This is before, during and after your project and makes your Custom Home Builder unique from all others. See our Executive Summary to see why our Custom Home Building experience is right for you.

For your FREE and EASY "Quick Project Assessment", click here and we will contact you at your convenience with a custom project overview that will answer your questions. For immediate questions, feel free to call us at (877) 864-3532. Trust GTG Custom Home Builders, true professional home builders, to bring your dreams to reality. Current projects in Bridgewater, Tewksbury, Basking Ridge, Flemington, Califon and Pennington.

Go here to read the rest:
Home Builder serving New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Honesty | Integrity | Hard Work | Family is a custom home builder and design build general contractor located on Westfield Ave in Clark, New Jersey. The company specializes in the construction of Custom Homes, Additions, and Renovations. Staying completely customer focused, we provide unparalleled service, state of the art design, and quality construction to all of our clients. Daunno Development is a residential construction company that has established itself as one of central and northern New Jerseys premiere custom home builders and design build general contractors. Daunno Development specializes in custom built homes, large scale additions, add-a-levels, complete home makeovers, renovations and remodeling. Daunno currently serves Clark, Westfield, Scotch Plains, Cranford, Mountainside, New Providence, Fanwood, Garwood, Springfield, Berkeley Heights, Summit, Chatham, Union, Warren, Watchung, Green Brook, Edison, Metuchen, Colonia, Woodbridge, Red Bank, Middletown, Rumson, Fair Haven, Eatontown, Little Silver, Tinton Falls and Lincroft, New Jersey as well as countless other towns and communities. Please contact us today for a free estimate on a custom built home or new home construction project. | | | | | | | | 2016 Daunno Development Company, LLC

Excerpt from:
Daunno Development Home Builder, General Contractor ...

Retaining walls are structures designed to restrain soil to a slope that it would not naturally keep to (typically a steep, near-vertical or vertical slope). They are used to bound soils between two different elevations often in areas of terrain possessing undesirable slopes or in areas where the landscape needs to be shaped severely and engineered for more specific purposes like hillside farming or roadway overpasses.

A retaining wall is a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of soil when there is a desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the angle of repose of the soil.[1]

A basement wall is thus one kind of retaining wall. But the term usually refers to a cantilever retaining wall, which is a freestanding structure without lateral support at its top.[2] These are cantilevered from a footing and rise above the grade on one side to retain a higher level grade on the opposite side. The walls must resist the lateral pressures generated by loose soils or, in some cases, water pressures.[3]

Every retaining wall supports a wedge of soil. The wedge is defined as the soil which extends beyond the failure plane of the soil type present at the wall site, and can be calculated once the soil friction angle is known. As the setback of the wall increases, the size of the sliding wedge is reduced. This reduction lowers the pressure on the retaining wall. [4]

The most important consideration in proper design and installation of retaining walls is to recognize and counteract the tendency of the retained material to move downslope due to gravity. This creates lateral earth pressure behind the wall which depends on the angle of internal friction (phi) and the cohesive strength (c) of the retained material, as well as the direction and magnitude of movement the retaining structure undergoes.

Lateral earth pressures are zero at the top of the wall and in homogenous ground increase proportionally to a maximum value at the lowest depth. Earth pressures will push the wall forward or overturn it if not properly addressed. Also, any groundwater behind the wall that is not dissipated by a drainage system causes hydrostatic pressure on the wall. The total pressure or thrust may be assumed to act at one-third from the lowest depth for lengthwise stretches of uniform height. [5]

Unless the wall is designed to retain water, It is important to have proper drainage behind the wall in order to limit the pressure to the wall's design value. Drainage materials will reduce or eliminate the hydrostatic pressure and improve the stability of the material behind the wall. Drystone retaining walls are normally self-draining.

As an example, the International Building Code requires retaining walls to be designed to ensure stability against overturning, sliding, excessive foundation pressure and water uplift; and that they be designed for a safety factor of 1.5 against lateral sliding and overturning.[6]

Gravity walls depend on their mass (stone, concrete or other heavy material) to resist pressure from behind and may have a 'batter' setback to improve stability by leaning back toward the retained soil. For short landscaping walls, they are often made from mortarless stone or segmental concrete units (masonry units).[7] Dry-stacked gravity walls are somewhat flexible and do not require a rigid footing.

Earlier in the 20th century, taller retaining walls were often gravity walls made from large masses of concrete or stone. Today, taller retaining walls are increasingly built as composite gravity walls such as: geosynthetics such as geocell cellular confinement earth retention or with precast facing; gabions (stacked steel wire baskets filled with rocks); crib walls (cells built up log cabin style from precast concrete or timber and filled with granular material); or soil-nailed walls (soil reinforced in place with steel and concrete rods).[8]

Cantilevered retaining walls are made from an internal stem of steel-reinforced, cast-in-place concrete or mortared masonry (often in the shape of an inverted T). These walls cantilever loads (like a beam) to a large, structural footing, converting horizontal pressures from behind the wall to vertical pressures on the ground below. Sometimes cantilevered walls are buttressed on the front, or include a counterfort on the back, to improve their strength resisting high loads. Buttresses are short wing walls at right angles to the main trend of the wall. These walls require rigid concrete footings below seasonal frost depth. This type of wall uses much less material than a traditional gravity wall.

Sheet pile retaining walls are usually used in soft soils and tight spaces. Sheet pile walls are made out of steel, vinyl or wood planks which are driven into the ground. For a quick estimate the material is usually driven 1/3 above ground, 2/3 below ground, but this may be altered depending on the environment. Taller sheet pile walls will need a tie-back anchor, or "dead-man" placed in the soil a distance behind the face of the wall, that is tied to the wall, usually by a cable or a rod. Anchors are then placed behind the potential failure plane in the soil.

Bored pile retaining walls are built by assembling a sequence of bored piles, proceeded by excavating away the excess soil. Depending on the project, the bored pile retaining wall may include a series of earth anchors, reinforcing beams, soil improvement operations and shotcrete reinforcement layer. This construction technique tends to be employed in scenarios where sheet piling is a valid construction solution, but where the vibration or noise levels generated by a pile driver are not acceptable.

An anchored retaining wall can be constructed in any of the aforementioned styles but also includes additional strength using cables or other stays anchored in the rock or soil behind it. Usually driven into the material with boring, anchors are then expanded at the end of the cable, either by mechanical means or often by injecting pressurized concrete, which expands to form a bulb in the soil. Technically complex, this method is very useful where high loads are expected, or where the wall itself has to be slender and would otherwise be too weak.

Soil nailing is a technique in which soil slopes, excavations or retaining walls are reinforced by the insertion of relatively slender elements normally steel reinforcing bars. The bars are usually installed into a pre-drilled hole and then grouted into place or drilled and grouted simultaneously. They are usually installed untensioned at a slight downward inclination. A rigid or flexible facing (often sprayed concrete) or isolated soil nail heads may be used at the surface.

A number of systems exist that do not consist of just the wall, but reduce the earth pressure acting directly on the wall. These are usually used in combination with one of the other wall types, though some may only use it as facing, i.e., for visual purposes.

This type of soil strengthening, often also used without an outside wall, consists of wire mesh "boxes", which are filled with roughly cut stone or other material. The mesh cages reduce some internal movement and forces, and also reduce erosive forces. Gabion walls are free-draining retaining structures and as such are often built in locations where ground water is present. However, management and control of the ground water in and around all retaining walls is important.

Mechanically stabilized earth, also called MSE, is soil constructed with artificial reinforcing via layered horizontal mats (geosynthetics) fixed at their ends. These mats provide added internal shear resistance beyond that of simple gravity wall structures. Other options include steel straps, also layered. This type of soil strengthening usually needs outer facing walls (S.R.W.'s Segmental Retaining Walls) to affix the layers to and vice versa.[9]

The wall face is often of precast concrete units[7] that can tolerate some differential movement. The reinforced soil's mass, along with the facing, then acts as an improved gravity wall. The reinforced mass must be built large enough to retain the pressures from the soil behind it. Gravity walls usually must be a minimum of 50 to 60 percent as deep or thick as the height of the wall, and may have to be larger if there is a slope or surcharge on the wall.

Cellular confinement systems (geocells) are also used for steep earth stabilization in gravity and reinforced retaining walls with geogrids. Geocell retaining walls are structurally stable under self- weight and externally imposed loads, while the flexibility of the structure offers very high seismic resistance.[10] The outer fascia cells of the wall can be planted with vegetation to create a green wall.

More:
Retaining wall - Wikipedia

The blocks for this project have a locking flange which makes the installation easy. The interlocking blocks can be used to build walls up to 28 inches high. Follow the block manufacturer's instructions concerning wall height limits.

Plan your layout. Avoid having downspouts pointed at the retaining wall and, if it's against the house, keep soiland mulchwell below the siding.

Your retaining wall design will determine how you mark the area. To mark a freeform layout, use a rope or hose to outline the shape. Then use a shovel to mark the outline. For straight lines, mark the entire bed area with stakes, string and marking paint. Mark curved corners by tying a string to a stake that's equidistant to the edge creating a compass and spraying the curves with marking paint.

To determine how many blocks you'll need per row, divide the total length of the wall by the length of the block. To see how many rows you'll need, divide the ideal wall height by the height of the block account for the first row to be half-buried. See Planning for a Block Retaining Wall for more information on estimating project materials.

Before you buy materials or begin work, check local building codes and your homeowner's association regulations to see if there are any restrictions or requirements you need to follow. A permit may be mandatory in some areas.

More:
How to Build a Retaining Wall - Lowe's