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Posted by EDS on February 21, 2008, 6:56 pm
>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>> [snipped]
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes, but the CMU house can be moved, but requires more care.
>>>>>> EDS
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> DO you think,then, that there is a use/market for perfab concrete
>>>>> buildings (residential or commercial)? Would there be an advantage
>>>>> to that? I know that prefabbed "stick" houses have the advantage
>>>>> of having all the [parts built in dry conditions, and that the
>>>>> assembly is fast. Anything similar for concrete?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Actually yes, particularly precast concrete. I do a lot of water
>>>> treatment and sewer treatment facilities. The smaller pump stations,
>>>> up to about 11 x 30 are often just precast boxes, with openings for
>>>> doors, louvers, etc. We lower them into the ground, fasten to a
>>>> tiedown slab (to prevent uplift), stack to height required, then
>>>> waterproof exterior. If exposed, they get faced with singles or
>>>> brick and a pitched roof.
>>>
>>> Oh! Hmm, so what is the cost of, say, two of those 11'X30' precast
>>> units, compared with the cost of a similarly-sized one storey house
>>> structure (not lal the plumbing etc), IOW, what I'm wonering is
>>> whetehr it'd be economical to put up dwellings in a similar way?
>>>
>>>> Add lattice work to the outside and a wisteria
>>>> vine and everyone is happy.
>>>
>>> And IIRC, if you use native North American wisteria, it doesn't get
>>> as crazy-huge as does the common CHinese wisteria <g!>
>>>
>>>> In the late 60's I worked on precast
>>>> apartment blocks with concrete walls. Tenants were not to happy with
>>>> those cold walls. Also tried 3/4" brick facing cast into precast
>>>> exterior walls. Worked great, but looked fake as it was too perfect.
>>>> EDS
>>>
>>> Seriously...? I've lived in low-rises, where the walls are pretty
>>> much just regular hosue-type walls, and you could hear *everything*,
>>> including, er, bathroom functions. You could also *smell*
>>> everything, which is bad when the neighbors' place reek slike rotting
>>> garbage. It was *maddening* - one of those things that makes you
>>> understand why people start shooting off guns... It seems to me that
>>> concrete would be much quieter. ALso, why not put up a few studs on
>>> each side fo the concrete, throw in some insulation, and cover with
>>> sheetrock? Sheetrock has to be put up anyway, doesn't it?
>>>
>>> It makes me wonder why that method is so rare. Isther eless
>>> stability, strength, or longevity? I'm curious about this. It
>>> *seems* like there would be a great amny advantages to modular
>>> building, so all I can think is that it must be as expensive as all
>>> hell...
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I like the Chinese Wisteria. In Boston we had a really ugly fire
>> escape on the front of the house, so I planted a Wisteria. Within 5
>> years it had climbed to the roof, 4 stories above, and formed a
>> complete cover for the house front. My kids hacked out a "wisteria
>> house" outside the top floor windows on the top F.E. platform and
>> spied upon and dropped water bombs on their friends. When we remodeled
>> 10 years later, we found that the wisteria had bent the steel F.E.
>> supports. I presently have a wisteria that covers my porch each
>> summer.
>
> Each has their uses. Sometimes, a smaller one is appropriate. Also,
> WIsteria can go truely rampant in a mild climate... I don't recall how
> they climb - some tendrils can invade morter, and some vines (IIRC,
> Trumpet Vine is one) also have sucker-like things that seem to create a
> sort of "glue".
>
> So you have to check the moreter etc. to be sure that you have your
> structural integrity intact. I don't recall how long all of this takes;
> jsut tht it's a possiblity that makes checking a good idea.
>
> They do smell great, tho' ;)
>
>
>>
>> The projects I mentioned just painted the concrete, as wallboarding
>> would have added costs. In the 60's nobody talked about insulation.
>
> THat's true. OTOH, could it be retrofitted...?
>
>> These were HUD 221d3 blocks and gov't recommended insulation was none
>> in the walls and 1" Styrofoam on the roof. The exterior walls had
>> condensate on them in the winter and ice in the hallways. Cost for
>> each apt. could not to exceed $14,500, or about $20 per square foot.
>> Concrete is quieter, but impact (such as high heels on floors) comes
>> right through. Hell to hang pictures on also ;-) Don is right, the
>> road to Hell is paved with good government intentions. EDS
>
> True, bare bones like that wouldn't work well at all...
>
>
Wisteria climb by wrapping tendrils around trees, fencing, fire escapes,
etc. They do grow fast, do not damage masonry.
EDS
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