What’s Your Style?

By Sorista Vaught

When you are about to embark on your building project, knowing a style or design and its advantages or disadvantages can lead you into making the best decision for you.

In this article, it seemed advantageous to post several photos to assist with the discussion. As we know that a picture paints a thousand words, it is time to sit back and enjoy the view.

GLASS

Glass faced buildings. Photo courtesy of Ahmed Adly on Unsplash.

The beautiful reflective nature of glass makes it an attractive choice in construction. It allows vast amounts of natural light to enter your living space which can serve to make occupants experience aspects of being outdoors while remaining indoors. See the link below for pros and cons of using glass in your building process:

Advantages & Disadvantages of Glass as a Building Material!

GEODESIC DOME

Geodesic Dome. Photo courtesy of Keyvan Mansouri on Unsplash.
The Pros and Cons of Geodesic Dome Homes | 2-10 Blog

The futuristic geodesic dome is a wonderful choice for those who can think outside the box, quite literally and who would like a storm and earthquake resistant building. The link above gives a glowing recommendation of why this can be an awesome choice for your structure. Some of the challenges–mostly regarding appliances and inner wall configurations–are not as difficult to solve as compared with all the advantages these structures afford.

PYRAMID

Bass Pro Pyramid, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Photo courtesy of Joshua Cotten on Unsplash.

The pyramid structure advantages are slopes that allow rain and snow to slide right off, a solid base and angles that make it advantagous in storms. Some disadvantages are challenges to make wise use of space that diminishes as you go upwards in the structure. Access the links below to see Mexican architect and conceptual designer Juan Carlos Ramos show off one of his pyramid houses:

Futuristic Pyramid House Design

A-FRAME

  • A-frame home. Photo courtesy of David Kovalenko on Unsplash
  • An A-frame home – interior view. Photo courtesy of Andrea Davis on Unsplash.

The A-frame is another design that sheds rain and snow effectively however when it comes time to replace the roof, it can be a beast and quite expensive as well. It’s quaint style is attractive yet you have to consider the sloping walls will present decorating challenges and you will lose floor area on the higher levels.

Log cabin home – photo courtesy of Vicki Gordon on Unsplash.

The log cabin home is another favorite. These require frequent applications of sealant to preserve the logs. They are more prone to insect invasion and are harder and higher to insure. Those are the cons. The pros are green living, cozy atmosphere, and energy efficiency which can be as much as 15% greater when compared to traditional homes. These homes are available in kits.

…Perhaps your flavor is to have a combination of several of the above-mentioned designs. If this is the case, come see us and watch your configuration take shape as FECS maps out a sound structure plan whose beauty and functionality will serve you well for years to come. Reach us at 931-456-6071.

The Harm of Standing Water & Your Foundation

Basement photo courtesy of Curtis Adams on Pexels.

By Sorista Vaught

Just how harmful is standing water in the basement? What detriment is water pooling outside around my foundation? Premature deterioration is staring you in the face when you have the water problems indicated above. Your concrete gets rapid aging and there can be detrimental settling and cracking of the foundation. Mold begins to grow and inhabitants get sick. Your very house, wood and all can disintegrate should these problems continue unchecked.

Some obvious culprits for water in the basement is faulty plumbing. Another is seepage from water under and around your foundation. Getting to the cause(s) is step one. Once you discover the source you can do what it takes to get it corrected. One thing you may need to do is to coat bare concrete walls with a sealer. (If the walls have been previously painted, you’ll need to sandblast the old paint off down to bare concrete before applying the sealer or it will not be effective.)

Checking the way water drains outside around your house can also affect your basement water problems. If your downspouts are not redirecting water away from your foundation, they need to be reworked so they do just that. Also, the soil that is up against your foundation needs to angle down from the house so that water runs away from your foundation. Any underground drainage systems need to be flushed out with a hose periodically to be sure they are fully functional.

Another water source, your outdoor spigots need to direct water away from the foundation of the house.

Do you have window wells? Do be sure to check them to be sure they are not collecting water or plant material which can trap moisture here where you don’t want it. Be sure they are not cracked or molding and be sure your windows are caulked in properly so that they don’t leak.

At Field’s Engineering we offer forensics on your basement water problems and are excellent at engineering fixes to ensure the safety of your home for the long haul. Simply give us a call: 931-456-6071.

Wronged By A Contractor

Photo courtesy of Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

By Sorista Vaught

Have you been wronged by a contractor? Perhaps the work done was incorrect, not up to code or faulty in some way. Calling your friendly neighborhood structural engineer may be a direction to consider going should you decide to have a lawsuit/court battle. We are no strangers to court cases and have helped many people by our inspections and forensic reports. Our stamped and sealed documents have our skill and expertise behind them, making us a great partner in fighting injustice.

Do feel free to give us a call to discuss how we may be able to assist you today: 931-456-6071.

Tennessee’s Ranking On Natural Disasters

Photo courtesy of The National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

By Sorista Vaught

Today, the thoughts fleeted by as follows: ” I wonder how likely Tennessee is to experience earthquakes? How about Tornadoes? Is there any chance of volcano eruptions?” Because, it seems logical to encourage people who are having dwellings engineered, to take into account the possibility of natural disasters and how likely they are to happen. I would so appreciate guidance were I to be building right now that would encourage a better protected dwelling.

These musings caused me to surf the web to see what could be found. I liked the link below because it was both informative and easy to understand:

http://www.usa.com/tennessee-state-natural-disasters-extremes.htm

As you could see, there was a tracking table spanning from 1950 to 2010 indicating that Tennessee is much more likely to experience tornadoes than the rest of the United States. Earthquakes are a smaller concern by far and volcanic activity is virtually unheard of in this state. High winds and thunderstorms are the biggest threat followed by hail, then flooding, winter weather/heavy snow and finally drought per the above period of time in history. Here at FECS, we are always happy to help you implement wise building practices so that you can best cope with what nature brings our way. Why not give us a call at 931-456-6071.

Land Development & FECS – Smart Move Despite COVID-19

Tennessee rural subdivision. Photo courtesy of FECS.

By Sorista Vaught

So you are sitting on some sweet acreage and would like to develop it to make a profit. Despite the COVID-19 virus, the construction industry is expected to boom as population increases and the demand for housing will be on an upswing. (see link below) Not to mention, many city dwellers will be tired of the crowding, amidst urging toward social distancing, and make the decision to go rural.

FECS is your go to place for layouts for your land. We know how to optimize your investment to make it lucrative for you. We develop plans for subdivisions and industrial areas that include sewer, water and electrical. We understand how your property will connect to the grid and can optimize your investment. You will be surprised how inexpensive our plans are compared to the profits you will reap once your project is complete.

Civil Engineering Market Industry Size, Trends, Demands, Sales, Supply, Covid-19 Impact Analysis and Forecast to 2023

One of FECS’s income streams is rental property. As soon as a space is vacated, and a “For Rent” sign posted, we immediately receive phone calls. We know the demand for housing is on the rise and look forward to assisting you with your land development as well as refurbishments on existing structures. We are in the business of inspecting properties/dwellings to establish whether or not they are structurally sound. We are adept at advising you of what is needed to bring a structure up to code and restored to “Sound” status so that you can utilize your existing investments for better profit.

Furthermore, interest rates are at an all-time low right now, making loans much more affordable (I personally am refinancing my home to take advantage of the lower interest rates). See link below.

Will mortgage rates go down in October 2020? Forecast and trends

We at Field’s Engineering Consultant Services, LLC look forward to your phone call so that we can help you get creative with your property. As we work together in these challenging times, more of us can stay afloat and strong economically. Do call us today at 931-456-6071.

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