Tidbits from the Top
Welcome
Jan 3, 2023 | All, General, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopWelcomeWelcome to our newest informative feature, “Tidbits from the Top”. These tidbits will inform you about topics relating to the building industry that may impact your...
Improper Preparation Issues
Apr 30, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopImproper Preparation IssuesHow the ground is prepared plays a huge role in the longevity of a building. It is often thought, “just throw some dirt down and get it level”, but...
Fiberglass Service Doors
Apr 23, 2024 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopFiberglass Service DoorsFiberglass service doors have many advantages over steel doors. The first thing people see is the visual positive with the wood grain look embossed into...
Painting/Sealing Block – Above Grade
Apr 16, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopPainting/Sealing Block – Above GradeOften, people call and inquire why the block under their garage wall is leaking even though the block is 100% above grade. Inevitably, the...
Truckload Purchase Power
Apr 9, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopTruckload Purchase PowerBuilding products, like many other products, have a lower per-unit cost when purchasing large quantities. Another factor in the price paid for materials...
Quote – It Means Something to Us
Apr 2, 2024 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopQuote - It means something to usI’m sure many people have heard a horror story or two about getting a price on a major purchase just to find out at the end, the bill is much...
High Precision Altimeter
Mar 26, 2024 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopHigh Precision AltimeterIf there is a better way of doing something, we’ll find it. The standard in the industry for calculating the amount of material needed to prepare a site,...
Building Zones
Mar 19, 2024 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopBuilding ZonesEconomy Garages’ building zones cover more real estate than our concrete and excavation zones. Our building area is roughly defined in Minnesota by Grand Portage,...
Curing Blankets
Mar 12, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopCuring BlanketsPouring concrete when the temperatures are below ideal may require an elevated level of protection during the early curing stage. If the air temperature is going...
Safety Culture – Accident-Free Days
Mar 5, 2024 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopSafety Culture - Accident-Free DaysEconomy Garages conducts its operations with safety in mind from sales through the final building crew. Our Safety Director spends many hours...
Spring Load Restrictions
Feb 27, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopSpring Load RestrictionsMany people do not realize that transportation to most sites with heavy trucks and trailers is restricted during the spring thaw. State highways...
Winter Building – Labor/Tool Issues
Feb 20, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopWinter Building - Labor/Tool Issues Building in the elements during sub-freezing temperatures comes with challenges. The obvious challenge is the safety of the crew. The...
Site Preparation
Feb 13, 2024 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopSite PreparationA properly prepared site for your building is much more involved than most folks think. Unfortunately, we come across many sites that have been prepared by...
Engineered Headers
Feb 6, 2024 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopEngineered HeadersEngineered lumber is called by many different names but most commonly, LVL’s (Laminated Veneer Lumber) and Glu Lams. This type of building material is made up...
Cold-Weather Concrete
Jan 30, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Cold-Weather ConcretePouring concrete in cold temperatures is not just “another day at the office”. Since one of the ingredients of concrete is water, the concrete mixture must...
Best Time of the Year to Buy
Jan 23, 2024 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Best Time of the Year to BuyThe short answer is late winter. The reason I say this is because in the construction industry, mostly in the northland, material suppliers and...
Vertical Foam
Jan 16, 2024 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Vertical FoamThe placement of foam vertically around the perimeter of a concrete slab enables easier heating to achieve a more comfortable floor temperature along the edges and...
Demolition – Power & Debris
Jan 9, 2024 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Demolition - Power & DebrisSafety is key when planning to remove an existing structure. Prior to machinery showing up to demolish any existing structures, the power supply...
Online Schedule
Jan 2, 2024 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Online ScheduleIn our attempt to keep our customers as informed as possible regarding their project, Economy Garages has upgraded our scheduling information found online. Our...
Permit Process
Dec 26, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Permit ProcessThe process of acquiring a permit for your building varies depending on which state, city, township, or municipality the building will be located in. It also...
Addendums
Dec 19, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top AddendumsHow many times have you made a purchase and later thought of something you missed, forgot to mention, or didn’t get your spouse’s opinion? Yea, it happens. Economy...
OSB – What is it?
Dec 12, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top OSB - What is it?Many folks have been to lumber yards and have looked at or purchased “OSB”, but how many know what it stands for, or what it is? The letters “OSB” stand for...
Frost Actions
Dec 5, 2023 | All, General, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Frost ActionsPeople are used to the weather getting cold and lakes freezing, but do you know what it is doing to the ground around and under your buildings? When ground water...
Firewall
Nov 28, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top FirewallThis is one of those terms that when used, car guys & gals think of the wall between the engine compartment and the vehicle’s interior. Computer minded folks tend...
Ground Heater
Nov 21, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Ground HeaterThe cold climate in Minnesota and Wisconsin requires extra tools, care, and knowledge in order to properly pour concrete. One tool, not owned by many, is a ground...
Truss Loading – Bottom Chord
Nov 14, 2023 | All, General, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Truss Loading - Bottom ChordA common truss is not normally designed to take the weight of items placed on it for storage. Many people look at the space inside a truss...
Lumber Sizes
Nov 7, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Lumber SizesWhy is a 2x4 not a 2x4 you ask. The world of dimensional lumber changed when quality became an expectation. In years long past, when lumber mills cut dimensional...
Garage Doors – T-Handles
Oct 31, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top Garage Doors - T-HandlesThese lockable handles are used for locking a garage door when an operator is not part of the picture. When the T-handle is twisted on the outside face...
Sealing Concrete
Oct 24, 2023 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopSealing ConcreteIt is recommended to seal concrete to protect it from salts and chemicals brought in by vehicles, but all sealers are not created equal. A sealer used on the...
Moving to the Next Building Phase
Oct 17, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopMoving to the Next Building PhaseDifferent crews with different skill-sets work on the three production-related phases of construction: Excavation, Concrete, and Building. These...
EG Owner Background
Oct 10, 2023 | All, General, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopEconomy Garages Owner BackgroundSo, you may be asking yourself, “Who is the dufus writing these Tidbits and why should I believe they’re correct?” Hi, my name is Jamie Bird,...
Stump Removal Vs. Grinding
Oct 3, 2023 | All, Industry, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopStump Removal Vs. GrindingJust because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. If there is a stump within the preparation area for a building, it is always proper to...
Foam Under Slab – Frost Movement
Sep 26, 2023 | All, General, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopFoam Under Slab - Frost MovementOne false conception regarding the placement of foam under a concrete floor is that it stops frost, which in turn, stops ground movement;...
Hurricane Fasteners
Sep 19, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopHurricane FastenersHurricane fastener is a general term for special products used to secure a truss to the double top plate of a wall to combat uplift loads due to high wind...
Concrete Zones
Sep 12, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopConcrete ZonesThe area in which Economy Garages pours concrete is larger than our excavation zone but smaller than our building zones. This area can fluctuate slightly from...
Seasonal Excavation
Sep 5, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopSeasonal ExcavationExcavation is one area that Economy Garages does not conduct year-round. It takes additional labor, equipment and expense to prepare the ground during the...
Company Longevity & Buildings Built
Aug 29, 2023 | All, General, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopCompany Longevity & Buildings BuiltA gentleman by the name of Toby Tobias, which owned a lumber yard in Cloquet, MN, had an idea of pre-panelizing wall sections to speed up...
Requirements of Delivery/Crew Vehicles
Aug 22, 2023 | All, General, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopRequirments of Delivery/Crew VehiclesEconomy Garages requires large truck/trailer combinations to properly, and safely, complete your building projects. Excavation uses dump...
House Wrap
Aug 15, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopHouse WrapHouse wrap is a general term used to describe an exterior weather barrier installed under most sidings. They often are known by the names like, Typar, Tyvek, and...
Building Phases – Building
Aug 8, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopBuilding Phases - BuildingThis building phase is often looked at as the “now we’re getting somewhere” phase. It takes the other three phases, although not so grandiose, to get...
Clearance from Grade to Wood Siding
Aug 1, 2023 | All, General, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopClearance from grade to wood sidingMost people do not realize that there is even a code for the clearance from the ground to wood sheathing and sidings. Over the years, we have...
Two Week Schedule
Jul 25, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopTwo Week ScheduleA new schedule is created every Friday that projects the next two weeks of building. There are many factors that can alter scheduling including weather,...
When do we ship the building?
Jul 19, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopWhen do we ship the building?Economy Garages will only ship a building to be constructed once a building permit has been received, all payments are current, all concrete work is...
Excavation Zones
Jul 11, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopExcavation ZonesEconomy Garages does not prepare sites in all our concrete or building zones due to the type of equipment that must be transported and the location of pits to get...
T1-11 Wicking Process
Jul 4, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopT1-11 Wicking ProcessT1-11 is a very commonly used sheet product used as a structural sheathing and is also a final siding. This product needs to be sealed by paint to ensure...
Price Guarantee
Jun 27, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopPrice GuaranteeWhen a quote is given to a perspective customer, the price will be honored for a limited time due to the volatility of the labor and materials markets. Economy...
Clean-Up
Jun 20, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopClean-UpI find it interesting when contractors say there is no cost for clean-up. Are they saying that their employees are not getting paid, gas is free, or landfills don’t...
Aluminum Shortage/Allocation
Jun 14, 2023 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopAluminum Shortage/AllocationMany products used in construction are being impacted by a shortage in raw materials. Many of these shortages are due to the lack of labor to acquire...
Windows – Stock vs. Delivery
Jun 6, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopWindows - Stock Vs. DeliveryEconomy Garages stocks 4’ x 2’ glider windows in white and clay. They are insulated units that glide on metal rollers for years of smooth operation. ...
Grade Beam Vs. Footing
May 31, 2023 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopGrade Beam vs. FootingThese two terms are very close in meaning and can almost be used synonymously. Both terms refer to reenforced concrete used as a foundational support for a...
Building Phases – Concrete
May 23, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopBuilding Phases - ConcreteThe concrete phase consists of the completion of all concrete including garage floors, aprons, driveways, and block. The concrete crew will dig the...
Road Restrictions
May 16, 2023 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopRoad RestrictionsLooks like the snow has finally melted, so let’s get this building project rolling... right? Not so fast! The fact is that weight limits are placed on roads in...
Effects of Salt on Concrete
May 10, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopThe Effects of Salt on ConcreteHave you ever looked down at the concrete while pumping your gas or while walking on a sidewalk and wondered why the concrete looks like the...
Gable Vs Reverse Gable Styles
May 3, 2023 | All, Tidbits from the Top, Uncategorized
Tidbits from the TopGable Vs. Reverse Gable StylesEconomy Garages uses these two terms to refer to the orientation of the trusses in reference to the garage door. A building with a gable...
Building Phases – Excavation
Apr 25, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopBuilding Phases - ExcavationExcavation involves the demolition of buildings, removal of existing concrete, asphalt, stumps, surface organics and ultimately the delivery and...
Cement Shortage/Allocation
Apr 18, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopCement Shortage/AllocationIt may be a surprise to most of us, but even the ready-mix concrete industry has been disrupted by a shortages. Cement is a key ingredient in concrete...
Vapor Barriers
Apr 11, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopVapor BarriersA vapor barrier in the building industry is typically polyethylene sheeting, or better known as plastic. To qualify as a vapor barrier, the poly must be a minimum...
Building Phases – Permits
Apr 4, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopBuilding Phases - PermitsDepending on the area in which the building is to be built, either a Zoning Permit or Building Permit will be required. In areas that have a state...
Garage Doors – Wind Load
Mar 28, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopGarage Doors - Wind LoadNot all garage doors are created equal. The code in Minnesota and Wisconsin requires garage doors to withstand a 95mph wind. This code requirement must be...
Different State – Different Code
Mar 21, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopDifferent State - Different CodeNot all states, or their building codes, are created equal. Economy Garages builds in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. Unfortunate for contractors...
Building Phases
Mar 14, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopBuilding PhasesEconomy Garages breaks up the construction of a garage into four distinct phases: Permit, Excavation, Concrete, and Building. Each phase uses different people or...
Impact of Weather
Mar 7, 2023 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopImpact of WeatherWeather affects building construction in many different ways. High temperatures can cause crew health problems due to lack of hydration, sun burn, and heat...
Polyethylene Sheeting Under Concrete
Feb 28, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopPolyethylene Under Concrete SlabThis may be one of the most misunderstood building components and is one of the discussions I hear most often. The misconception is that poly...
Sales Visit – Why?
Feb 22, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopSales Visit - Why?A site visit from one of our Sales Representatives is a requirement to ensure all challenges, risks and concerns are discussed prior to locking into a contract...
Garage Doors – Delivery Time
Feb 14, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopGarage Doors - Delivery TimeThe garage door industry has been hit on many fronts throughout the last few years. There are many products that go into the manufacturing of garage...
H-Clips
Feb 7, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopH-ClipsPanel Edge Clips, more often known as H-Clips (because they look like the letter ‘H’ when looked at from the side), are small building components having a large...
20-Year Workmanship Warranty
Jan 31, 2023 | All, Our Process, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the Top20-Year Workmanship WarrantyMinnesota and Wisconsin law requires contractors to give a one-year warranty on their work. We, at Economy Garages, think that if you are good at...
Ice Barrier
Jan 24, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopIce Barrier Icicles hanging off eaves is a very common sight in our neck of the woods. Under insulated or under ventilated attic spaces, if not both, are mostly to blame. ...
Window & Service Door Headers
Jan 17, 2023 | All, Materials, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopWindow & Service Door HeadersA “header” is a supporting member found above windows and doors designed to carry the load above it and move it to the sides of the opening. ...
Supply Chain Issues
Jan 10, 2023 | All, Industry, Tidbits from the Top
Tidbits from the TopSupply Chain IssuesProblems with the supply of different materials has reared its ugly head many times over the years. Prices or lack of petroleum being produced affects...