Residential Construction Material Evolution
In the face of rapid climate change and population growth, residential construction needs have to change accordingly. When you are building or renovating your home in the South Florida area especially, it is important to be attuned to these residential construction changes so that you make informed and wise decisions when it comes to your residential building project. Here are some of the most significant residential construction changes that you should know about:
Building Codes
After devastating hurricanes that hit the state of Florida, the South Florida Building Codes enforced much stricter standards when it comes to building inspections. Wind resistance and roof integrity enjoyed much of the spotlight, and it is important to understand the codes when you are embarking on a residential construction project. Wind resistance was one of the issues put on priority. Impact-resistant windows and hurricane shutters became a must-have if your finished product is to survive a hurricane. The standards of roofs were also to be improved when building new homes or renovating. The Florida Building Commission analyses how much wind a Florida home can withstand, and the lower the wind impact, the lower the building requirements. The state increased the wind load in South Florida, but reduced this in other areas of the state. Upon inspection, each window, door, skylight, and any area where wind might be able to come in, has to adhere to strict building codes.
Availability Of Construction Materials
The state of Florida is one of the more popular states of America, especially with Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach being the beautiful scenic areas that they are – and this means a bigger demand for homes and thus building materials. The effects of hurricanes Irma and Harvey have also put a strain on the availability of building materials in South Florida. Post- hurricane clean up and rebuilding creates a huge impact on the availability of building supplies. Getting your hands on top quality building materials may not prove to be as easy as you’d hoped for, especially considering the fact that you need good quality, strong material that can survive a hurricane, at reasonable prices.
Building Standards Have Been Raised
More property can be rescued after a hurricane when workmanship style is raised and stronger and more durable material is used. More nails are to be used when affixing plywood sheets to roof trusses, for example. More expensive wood and material are now in higher demand, and higher quality building products should be on your shopping list too.
Extras To Look Out For
There are various restrictions and regulations placed on state-owned organizations as well, such as hospitals. Often when a natural disaster strikes one of the first things to collapse is the power supply. Installing generators in your home will ensure that in the event of a natural disaster you will be able to keep the power going. A borehole water pump system is always a good water system to have in your home, just in case the water gets cut off as well. These may not be enforced, but is a smart idea to include on your building list these days.
Residential construction needs to be sensitive to the changing climate and building rate in the area concerned. Various factors affect the evolution of building construction, and especially so in the popular but hurricane-prone regions of South Florida. If you are building or renovating, a general contractor such as Miller Construction and Design, which specializes in home construction and improvement, can help you make sense of all the building changes in the South Florida areas.
