Category Archives: Construction Equipment

Here Is A Small Construction Job You Can Do

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Home construction doesn’t have to be large major projects to make your home more comfortable and beautiful. Doing little projects to make your home warmer and more energy efficient. The propane cost per gallon is higher this winter than last year, so anything you can do to lower that cost would be a good idea.

Heating costs for propane and heating oil have gone up over the last few years. To help lower those costs, a homeowner needs to find ways to weatherize their house and to stop it from leaking out warm air.

The easiest and cheapest way to lower your bills is to see if there is cold air sneaking into your home. This will usually occur around your windows and doors. This can happen for a number of reasons. Sometime when the home was constructed, not enough insulation was placed around the windows and doors. This will allow that cold air to come into your home.

You should go outside and check the caulking around the windows and doors. Check to see if there is any there. If it is there, re-caulk if the older caulk is broken and falling apart.

In the interior of the home, see if you need new weatherstripping around the doors and windows. This is a quick way to stop those leaks without spending a lot of money.

Driveway Maintenance Tips

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One of the biggest growth industries in the construction industry is small home asphalt projects.  More and more people are coming to understand the money to be saved by maintaining their asphalt instead of waiting till there is a major problem that may require replacement. 

The most important aspect of asphalt construction is the sealer that is applied once the black top is cured and then is reapplied every 3-5 years.  This seal is intended to protect the underlying aggregate and asphalt cement bond.  Without a sealer, the cement bond will break down due to the ultraviolet rays of the Sun and the natural weathering from rain and snow.

Some people choose to use a cheap asphalt driveway paint instead of a coal tar or asphalt emulsion product.  This paint is usually a latex or acrylic base which just will not stand up the heavy traffic which most driveways experience.

Asphalt Sealing Equipment

There are two methods generally used to install an asphalt sealer:  manual and automated.  The manual method is just what it sounds like.  The sealer is poured onto the surface and then spread around with squeegees or brooms.  This gives a very thick coating, but of course it is very labor intensive.

The second method is more economical from a contractor standpoint.  With the automatic system the sealer is poured into a holding tank that is heating with propane in order to keep the sealer thin.  Asphalt, in its normal state, is very viscous and thus it’s almost impossible to spray.

Once the sealer is heated it is then applied through a spray bar mounted on a dump truck or pickup.  This allows for a very uniform covering, no wasted sealer, and also is very economical.  A good applicator can do a 100 foot driveway in about two hours including prep work.

If you are already active in road construction or asphalt construction work then adding driveway sealer equipment to your mix may make a lot of sense.

The Construction Business

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The construction industry was a lot more prosperous a few years ago. Whether you’re a sub-contractor or just hired muscle, it wasn’t too hard to find projects to work on. People were lining up to get different things done. Rental equipment companies were doing well as well from rentals of things like air compressors, drills, pumps, cranes, crawler dozers, cement mixers to a simply wheelbarrow. These days though, things have gotten a bit harder. Many people who were in construction a few years ago are doing something totally different. Some found out how to start an online business while others are pursuing various home business ideas. Many are simply used to doing their own thing so working for someone else was never in their backup plan.

This isn’t to say that there isn’t money to be made in this business. You’ll always have people wanting to build or improve on their property. What you’ll need to do though is to beat the competition. Network and advertise your services. Get positive feedback from past customers. You could even create an online presence. Look up contractor review sites and see if anything is being said about your company. Get referral business from clients and make sure you give quality service.

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