Foundations Concrete Work

This book provides tips and advice from contractors and builders from all over the country to provide the best advice on formwork, foundations, waterproofing, reinforcement and related topics.

Whether you're pouring a concrete walkway or staking out the excavation for a basement foundation, doing the job right demands a thorough knowledge of concrete construction techniques. In Working with Concrete, veteran builder Rick Arnold explains everything from mix characteristics and formwork options to waterproofing details and repair procedures. You'll benefit from Arnold's years as a general contractor, framer, and foundation contractor as he offers time- and money-saving advice that comes from understanding the subject from all angles. Get the rock-solid results youre after with this comprehensive guide to building with concrete. This book will enable you to: prepare a site for excavation evaluate soil conditions lay out footings and foundation walls use site-made and manufactured forms install proper reinforcement in footings, walls, and flat work estimate and order ready-mix concrete test and evaluate concrete quality before the pour build walkways, patios, steps, and slabs from start to finish

This comprehensive concrete manual has the information you need, both the tried-and-tested methods and materials, and recent innovations. It covers styrofoam forming systems, fiber reinforcing adjuncts, and architectural innovations. Forming, one of the most important elements of concrete work, gets special attention. Every chapter provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for each task, with hundreds of photographs and drawings that show exactly how the work is done.

Ever year, thousands of general contractors and subcontractors must grapple with whether to bid Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) projects, how much to charge for them, and how to manage the job. ICFs are stronger, energy-efficient, and offer great design flexibility, and their use is growing by 30% a year. This invaluable work walks the contractor through both business and technical considerations in evaluating and adopting Insulating Concrete Forms for both the residential and commercial markets. * Details the entire ICF construction process * Training and supplier information * Actual job site experiences