Deciding to build a granny flat is simple, designing and building the extension can be a lot harder. You'll have a lot of questions to answer along the way. Can you use a general contractor or is is better to use one who has built a lot of granny flats before? Is a template design better than a customised one? Should you let the person who'll live in the flat have a say in what it looks like? Luckily, I'm here to help. My name is Maria. We moved my Mum into a purpose-built granny flat last year, so I've had to answer all these questions and more. I thought it'd be useful for other people to see how we managed the process, so here we are — get reading!
Industrial Construction: 4 Crucial Planning Tips for Using Tilt-Up Panels
Concrete tilt-up panels are advantageous in the construction of large industrial structures. Therefore, if you are planning on setting up this type of building, you should consider using these panels. Tilt-up construction is favourable because the process is efficient, quick and economical. Also, the panels are quite resilient and will perform well in adverse conditions. In addition, this form of construction offers an opportunity for future expansion because the panels can be shifted and more added. Here are simple planning guidelines to help carry out tilt-up construction efficiently.
1. Plan for Site Usage
You should evaluate your site and determine the best way to use the space for quick and effective construction. Under ideal circumstances, your project site should be quite large to facilitate the fabrication of the panels without interfering with movement and other building processes such as laying the foundation. If your site is not large, it is possible to have the panels cast in a pile. However, you must note that this can increase the complexity of the work.
2. Calculate the Costs
When planning for your industrial construction, you must calculate the costs of the project thoroughly. In general, tilt-up construction is economical because it is faster and more efficient than alternative methods. However, it is easy to overlook some expenses when budgeting, and this can lead to unexpected costs. Therefore, you should be as detailed as possible in your accounting. Remember to calculate the costs of materials, labour, equipment and necessary finishes.
3. Consider Design Options
Tilt-up panels are primarily used for creating basic industrial structures. In simple terms, most people opt to construct rectangular building or classic warehouse designs. The popularity of simplicity in tilt-up construction can be attributed to the need for speedy construction and the practicality of the solution. However, this does not mean that you should limit yourself to basic structures. You can design a creative industrial structure with interesting aesthetics. Discuss your ideas with your contractor and find out how they can be adapted to tilt-up construction.
4. Choose Your Season
Finally, you should choose your construction period for the efficient completion of the project. If you do not build during a suitable season, you might experience delays due to unsuitable weather. Simply speaking, tilt-up construction can be affected by unfavourable weather conditions such as heavy winds, rainfall and extreme temperature. If you begin your work during periods of adverse weather, you might have to push your timeline for completion.