Building Concrete Homes

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1 Building Concrete Homes Safe and Sound-proof C C O S N O C N C U R T C T EE R V I E E T E

2 Precast floors Precast floors - a platform to help accelerate house building and cash flow. Block walls Concrete block walls - flexible locations for varied lifestyles and greater protection from noise and fire. Stairs and Landings Precast stairs and landings - speedy installation and a valuable safety feature for premium homes.

3 Design and Installation advice Any Questions? Q. Do I need to accommodate a crane everytime I install precast floors? A. Precast manufacturers will deliver and install from their own truck mounted grab cranes in some cases and in this way can ensure that precast installation will dovetail with any building work underway at the time of delivery. Q. What effect will concrete floors have on foundation sizes? A. Precast floors can increase foundation loadings but only in some cases will foundation size be affected. Check beforehand with your precast manufacturer. Q. What about services such as water, electricity and gas? A. Services must be pre-planned and openings in floors should be carefully detailed and agreed with the precast manufacturer especially for ground floors. There may be scope to cut further openings at a later stage for upper floors. Q. Suppose I have changes in design layout? A. Here precast has the advantage of allowing internal walls to be changed as required. Depending on the structures load bearing walls can be replaced by beams but this should be checked with both the architect and the precast manufacturer. Q. What kind of floor and ceiling finish can be applied? A. Different finishes will apply with different types of precast product. A range of cost effective options include: batten and slab soffit; tape batten and skim and batten and skim. Different floor finishes can include concrete screeds and wooden finishes. Check with your precast supplier. Planning Schedules To help maximise the cost benefits of precast, it is best to schedule the installation of precast floors, stairs and walls as well as the timing for the following trades. For this reason when specifying your precast requirements it is best to consult with the manufacturer and ask his advice on planning your schedule. The inherent design of precast units, helps ensure that following trades install services such as electricity, heating and plumbing in an orderly way and this also prevents pipes, conduits and cables from wandering around the house. For independent advice on technical aspects contact Precast Technical Services at IPCA, 8 Newlands Business Park, Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Tel:

4 Saleability - bene Attributes of strength and flexibility offer a quality combination which ensures that concrete attracts premium prices for new homes. There are also other strong selling points... Fire Retardation Safety and security are high priorities and buyers identify concrete as a reliable protector of their family, their home and their investment. Concrete is incombustible and Precast floors, walls and stairs provide much safer fire resistance than that achieved by other materials. A Precast home is a Safe home! Durability WEATHER PROOF Concrete has proved itself to be one of the world s most durable and robust building materials. Precast manufacturers pay special attention to very high standards of specification for quality products all of which can withstand insect, fire and fungal attack. In stormy regions, concrete has proven itself as the key protection against tornadoes of up to 600 mph. With the advantages of durability, buyers of precast homes are Set for Life! Thermal Advantages Why home buyers Most home buyers dream of homes with warmth and comfort. Concrete elements provide thermal storage capacity which can both reduce overheating due to passive solar heat during the day and also release this stored heat at night. That s adding value - energy wise! We had been living in an old house and when we were building our new guest house we chose precast because of its ability to ensure that guests had both safety and privacy, Mr and Mrs Michael Walsh, Mallow Co. Cork.

5 fits for the buyer Sound Insulation Noise is an issue in every home - people studying, or watching TV, working from home, playing CDs - not to mention external noise. Precast floors, as proven by urban renewal developments, have demonstrated their acoustic insulation to apartment dwellers. Not alone is sound reduced between floors but, by offering the opportunity to install solid concrete partitions, noise between rooms on the same floor can also be minimised. Creaking stairs and floor boards are also eliminated so there s no risk of waking baby! Why home buyers Our teenage children fully enjoy their music and TV but our previous home had timber floors and we heard every bit of noise in the house. When we learned of the noise insulation features of these precast floors we decided that this home would give us a much quieter life, Deirdre and Tony Clarke, Mullingar. Why home builders Precast has also been chosen to play a part in the European Union supported Thermie Homes Project. Manor Park Homebuilders are one of the Irish partners in Thermie and their representative Tim Cullinane explains why the firm chose precast floors: Precast was ideal for meeting the structural, sound and thermal insulation standards. It s also proven a key selling point with home buyers at our estate at Elmfield, Donaghmede. Profitability - benefits for developers As a premium product attracting a premium price, precast offers competitive advantages - without having to pare the bottom line. Margins are also improved by precast s acceleration of building time which facilitates earlier occupancy, thus generating earlier cash flow and reducing funding costs. Developers can also add value with minimum extra outlays. At little extra cost, higher levels of insulation can be provided for precast ground floors Thermal features enhance the cost-effectiveness and value of any new home. Flexibility of internal layouts can be offered as a value-enhancing service.

6 Buildability - benefits for builders Home Builders in the apartment and one-off house markets have recognised that precast can deliver cost-effective and quality solutions to buildability challenges. Builders of estate houses are also increasingly recognising similar benefits. Why home builders Builder Joe Canning says of his latest estate in Mullingar: Precast was a huge selling point to attract house hunters. They were very impressed with the lack of noise and the thermal insulation. As a builder I was also pleased... once the services were planned, everything quickly fitted into place. Block walls also made fittings such as curtain rails much easier to locate because there was no need to search for studs. Why builders Precast allows: Rapid installation of structural floors and provides an immediate platform for following trades. Large clear precast spans which can minimise internal load bearing walls. Maximum flexibility of internal space. Choice of wall locations. Easy ventilation for Radon gas. In some cases where no screeds are needed, building time can be further reduced. As a builder I used precast floors on a number of Dublin office constructions so when it came to building our own home, we chose precast because we wanted the best for our home, Niall and Ann Walshe, Gorey, Co. Wexford. To meet the flexibility required in building schedules, precast manufacturers will deliver flooring and other concrete products whenever and wherever the builder needs them and in the quantities required. From its careful design, precast ensures that orderly provision is made for services such as electricity, heating and plumbing. This has safety advantages as it prevents pipes, conduits and cables from wandering around the house and being accidentally damaged. Precast units are manufactured within a controlled factory environment in Ireland where consistency of the manufacturing specification is closely monitored to ensure a top quality product.

7 Precast for premier new homes Concrete is enhancing sales for home builders, improving on-site efficiency and strengthening the value of housing developments. Concrete s well known durability ensures saleability, buildability and profitability! Saleability Benefits for Buyers Building distinctive homes provides developers with the competitive edge. The latest generation of concrete elements provides home builders with a range of selling features which not only distinguish their developments as those with premier homes but also attract premium prices. Deirdre and Tony Clarke, satisfied home buyers, Mullingar. Buildability When selecting a home, buyers prefer solid construction which will assure them of the soundness of their investment - as proven with the durability of concrete. To reflect their individual personality, they are increasingly opting for layouts with flexibility. Precast concrete offers options for internal layouts, allowing a home to be tailored to the buyer s lifestyle. Benefits for Builders Both Irish weather conditions and new building regulations generate challenges for home builders. Precast concrete can meet these challenges with time-saving and cost-effective solutions. For example rapid installation of structural floors provides quickly installed platforms for following trades, thus enabling aspects of building to proceed to tight schedules in poor weather. To maximise the options for internal space, large, clear, spans can minimise the need for internal load bearing walls and their foundations. Joe Canning, home builder, Co. Westmeath Profitability Benefits for Developers For developers Precast enhances profitability. It proves more cost effective by reducing construction time and also helps improve margins. Precast is recognised by home buyers as a premium product and, as a result, it helps to earn a premium price. Tim Cullinane, Manor Park Homebuilders, Dublin

8 SAFEHOME is the term that has been chosen to describe a concrete home. A home constructed principally of concrete elements is a SAFEHOME in every important aspect for both the home builder and buyer. C C O S N O C N C U R T C T E R I V E T E Concrete is Fire Resistant - does not burn Quiet - keeps noise under control Warm - holds heat when suitably insulated Durable - will last and last Safe Investment - proven over the years This brochure is produced by the Concrete Development Group on behalf of the Irish Concrete Federation The Concrete Development Group members are: Concrete Manufacturers Association of Ireland Independent Concrete Manufacturers Association Irish Cement Irish Precast Concrete Association Address: Irish Concrete Federation, 8 Newlands Business Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Tel: Fax: icf@iol.ie WWW: Precast concrete floor suppliers Flood Flooring Hilltown, Oldcastle, Co. Meath. Tel: Banagher Concrete Banagher, Co. Offaly. Tel: Breton-Roecrete Feltrim Road, Swords, Co. Dublin. Tel: Concast Precast Hazelhatch, Newcastle, Co. Dublin. Tel: Ducon Concrete Ballymaquirke Kanturk, Co. Cork. Tel: Oran Precast Deerpark Ind. Estate, Oranmore, Co. Galway. Tel: Shay Murtagh (Precast) Raharney, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Tel: