Tips – Page 34 – Easterday Construction Co., Inc.

Dormers

January 4, 2011 by

Ever wondered what kind of dormers you have on your house? Or are you thinking of adding dormers to your house and not sure how? Remodeling Magazine had a quick one page article on adding fitting dormers to an existing house that could help. A search for “dormers” on their site produce a whole host of useful articles on the subject.

Dormers serve many functions: They can be purely aesthetic to the exterior elevation, adding curb appeal to the structure. They can allow light into the interior space. They can add ventilation. They can add headroom and usable floor space in cramped attics. Deciding on what you want your dormer to do is the first step.

In Pursuit of Green

October 8, 2010 by

I ran across the above graphic in an article from Multifamily Executive, a magazine I get at the office, titled Obtainable Target by Laura McKenzie. I’ve written here before about my concerns regarding the cost of “green” vs the claimed savings. From my experience I have my doubts about the above claims of costs vs returns as well as the exageration rate of concerned contractors. There is no doubt that in some cases there are legitimate savings to be obtained through green building. I just want the clients of Easterday Construction to pursue green with their eyes open. Greenwashing can be found in the form of shams from hucksters as well as exageration by wishfull-thinkng zealots. Beware of both. Do the math for yourself. Easterday Construction Co., Inc. would be happy to help you.

Jean de La Fontaine Quote

August 17, 2010 by

“Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable.”

– Jean de La Fountaine, French Poet

Cordless Tool Tips

May 30, 2010 by

Advances in battery technology has made the use of cordless tools on jobsite obiquitous. The NiCad and NiMH batteries are still the most prominent due to costs, but the new Li-ion batteries are quickly taking over. Despite their greater costs, they can generally provide more power with lighter weight batteries. (Be sure to dispose of failed batteries properly. Most manufacturers have recycling programs allowing the return of batteries that no longer work for recycling. Cadmium can have a detrimental effect on the environment if not handled properly.)

Along with the advances in the batteries there have been advances in how the tools and chargers manage the batteries. Sensors in the tools track the draw-down of the battery’s stored power and better manage it. Chargers optimize the charging time, run refresh cycles to even out battery cell usage reducing the memory effect and some include fans to reduce heat in the charging process.

All these things are improving the use of cordless tools on our jobsites. Cordless tools will continue to improve and are the wave of the future for construction workers.

Concealed Deck System

May 20, 2010 by

Kreg Tool Company makes The Kreg Deck Jig™ that acts as a guide for installing deck screws at a controlled angle on the edge of the deck boards rather than on the surface. There are several systems on the market that accomplish this using special fasteners or clips, but this tool lets you accomplish the same thing with standard materials.

There are several advantages to concealed fastener systems: