Etiqueta: CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

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TYPES OF SCAFFOLDING

Thursday, November 2, 2023 By Jessica Hernández Sales Assistant  

Scaffolds are structures that are used in construction sites as a tool to reach certain heights or areas of difficult access to perform the necessary work. In addition to fulfilling this function, scaffolding must be correctly assembled to ensure the protection of the person carrying out the work, otherwise, this may cause falls of people or materials, as well as collapses. They are platforms with stable surfaces and are available in different materials and sizes.

Trestle scaffolding

It is the simplest scaffolding that exists, characterized by being A-shaped. It is used in constructions that do not exceed 4 meters in height due to the simplicity of its structure. It is used as an auxiliary for simple tasks such as painting tiny houses.

Cross brace scaffolding

This is the standard scaffolding, also known as scissor scaffolding, it is very easy to transport and low cost. It is not approved for outdoor use, so it is more commonly used indoors.

European scaffolding

It is the type of approved scaffolding, besides being modern, it complies with all current European safety standards. It has non-slip platforms, trapdoor and ladder to facilitate access to each of the different levels or heights of the scaffolding. Its stability is ensured by assembled diagonal and horizontal bars.

Suspended scaffolding

These are mobile structures suspended from the ceiling, roof, or beam. They are ideally used to perform work from 20 meters in height and allow the user to change levels. It is commonly seen in window cleaning jobs in large buildings.

Multidirectional scaffolding

They are resistant and versatile. Their main characteristic is that they are capable of forming frames that adapt to any position and shape, even curved. They allow work levels to be varied every 0.50 meters while maintaining all safety elements. Their use ranges from simple projects to the most complex and industrial uses.

Mobile scaffolding

They are very stable and efficient for working in smooth and flat environments. They are composed of simple, manageable, and light pieces that facilitate their assembly, disassembly, and displacement.

Self-erecting platform scaffolding

Systems whose platform operates electrically on 1 or 2 masts. It has a control panel and an overload locking system.

 

It is important to choose the type of scaffolding according to the task to be performed, this will result in faster and more efficient work. Also, you will protect the lives of the workers and those who pass around the work site. At SILMÉXICO we advise you about the ideal type of scaffolding for your new development. Contact us at info@silmexico.com to receive advice on your construction process.

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CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY

Monday, Wednesday, October 25, 2023 By Jessica Hernández Sales Assistant at SILMÉXICO  

In the construction industry, different equipment is used during the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the work to facilitate the work. Having the right tools and machinery will ensure the efficiency of the processes in the different stages of construction, in addition to preventing the physical integrity of the workers from being put at risk. Whether you are looking for machinery to buy or rent for your project, you should know their types and functions, and based on that choose the ones that fit your needs. In the following blog, we share with you about construction machinery and its types.

The size and characteristics of the machines vary according to the activity you are looking for them to perform, among which we find:

    • Excavation of land in which the settlement of the foundations of various structures will be made.
    • Soil displacement to shape the land on which roads or highways will be set.
    • Loading and unloading of construction material.
    • Mining activities.
    • Separating some part of the soil layer with the objective of transforming the terrain according to the project to be executed.
    • Now, machinery owes its classification to its different sizes, which is why it is divided into heavy, semi-heavy, and light.

Heavy Machinery

As their name indicates, these are of a great size and weight, all of them must be operated by a person with high knowledge in their handling, and following the corresponding security norms. In this category we can find:

Bulldozer

It has a powerful front shovel and is mounted on rails or tracks. This machinery is mainly used for heavy-duty work such as excavation, land leveling, soil piling, etc.

Excavator

This is the most important heavy machinery used in the construction industry. Their main use is excavation; however, they can also be used for other purposes, such as demolition, river dredging, etc.

Mini excavator

It is a small industrial equipment. It is their size that makes them practical and useful for a variety of jobs. It helps to prepare the ground, excavate, and remove debris in hard-to-reach places. Even on uneven terrain. The mini excavator is a versatile machine that is also used on farms, in confined environments; but it is especially useful in civil construction because of its compact size and ease of transport.

Backhoe

It has a bucket at the front and a digging arm at the rear, which allows them to perform a variety of tasks.

Examples include excavation, demolition, material moving, asphalt removal, and road paving, among others.

Motor graders

It is a self-propelled construction machine with wheels. It incorporates an adjustable blade located between the front and rear axles to cut, move or flatten the ground.

Skid steer loader

Also known as a skid-steer loader, it is an extremely compact type of tractor. It has a loader arm attached to its front end.

Also, unlike most of the above machines, the skid steer loader is light, small and very agile.

Articulated trucks

These are motor vehicles consisting of two or more interdependent structures connected by a hydraulically assisted axle. This allows the truck to maintain its connection between the tractor and the trailer. The articulated truck is mainly used to transport construction materials such as sand, cement blocks, rubble, etc., in quantities that exceed the capacities of a traditional truck and in terrain where other vehicles would get stuck.

Semi-heavy machinery

Unlike the previous ones, these have a smaller dimension, they are used to remove a smaller amount of soil compared to heavy machines. In turn, they can be used to excavate land that is not too deep or to load medium-weight elements.

They include the following:

    • Construction dumpers
    • Small excavators
    • Small cranes

Light machinery

These are of much smaller size and are used to perform tasks that do not require so much demand, are subdivided into pneumatic that operate on the basis of compressed air and electricity, some examples are:

    • Water pumps
    • Compressors
    • Vibrating machines
    • Steel cutters

Are you about to start your project and have doubts about the materials and equipment you need? At SILMÉXICO our expert construction team will guide you from start to finish. For more information write to info@silmexico.com and one of our specialists will contact you.

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STUDY OF SOIL MECHANICS

Friday, September 29, 2023, By Jessica Hernández, Real estate advisor and marketing analyst in SILMÉXICO

In a previous post, we talked about soil classification and how important it is to identify them when planning a construction project. To do this, it is necessary to carry out a soil analysis, which will be discussed below. 

Soil analyses allow us to know the chemical, physical, and mechanical characteristics of the land where the work will be carried out, the layers or strata that make up the soil as well as its depth.

The study of soils or soil mechanics is made up of 3 stages:

1. Exploration and land testing

In this first stage, a reconnaissance of the site is carried out, strategic points are explored and soil samples are taken, which will be analyzed later in a second stage in the laboratory. These samples are taken through various techniques and tools such as:

    • Calicata: to make excavations of small or medium depth in chosen points of the ground. This seeks to have a direct view of the terrain that is generally not seen, for its characterization and analysis.
    • Penetrometer: consists of the penetration of the soil with the introduction of this tool into the ground, which generally has a conical shape.

Probes: Through these, the ground is drilled with a cylindrical probe that extracts the soil trapped inside the cylinder. As the samples are taken, they are placed in order of depth in boxes, to determine the type of soil at different depths.

2. Laboratory work

In this second stage, all the samples taken in stage 1 are taken to the laboratory for analysis. Laboratory tests will allow us to know issues such as humidity level, consistency limits, pressures, and sky components, among others.

3. Preparation of final report

The last stage consists of writing the final report of the study carried out, in which all the observations, results of the samples, and the characteristics of the land are detailed, whether it is suitable or not to carry out the construction project, it is delimited the amount of weight the soil can support, and recommendations on materials and construction are also issued.

 

Have you ever wondered why the Tower of Pisa is tilted? This was not precisely the design or the intention for this historical and tourist monument, the reason for its inclination is that at the beginning, the work was vertical, but over time it was inclined because it is located on unstable ground and does not have foundations to support the weight of its 56 meters high. That is why the study of soil mechanics is important, it allows the land to be prepared according to the structure that is intended to be built, which will determine whether or not it can deal with the passage of years, possible telluric movements, etc. Correctly carrying out this study can save lives, as well as preserve large and important buildings.

 

Interested in a soil study for your new project? At SILMÉXICO we have an expert construction team, in charge of carrying out all the relevant work prior to the start of a project. Come to us and get to know about all our services.

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DO YOU KNOW THE SOIL CLASSIFICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES?

Wednesday, September 20, 2023, By Jessica Hernández, Real estate and marketing analyst in SILMÉXICO

One of the most important aspects to consider when starting a construction is the type of soil, as this will determine what will or will not be suitable for the work, or how the soil should be prepared for the building so that it turns out as expected plans. 

In Mexico, the classification of soil types is in charge of the INEGI (National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics), and the categories are listed below:

According to geography

The geographical location of the land provides context for what it is like. In Mexican territory, the main types of soil are:

    • Regesol: this is the loose material on the rock and is where most of the mountain ranges are located.
    • Litosol: predominates in forestry, agricultural, and livestock functions.
    • Xerosol: it is arid in the center and north of the country.

Meanwhile, the Yucatan Peninsula, due to geological events thousands of years ago, has different characteristics from the rest of the country and the types of soil that predominate are:

    • Leptosol: which is shallow and dominates the landscape. 
    • Histosol: with organic material accumulated on the coast of the peninsula.
    • Vertisol: abundant in clay and changing with temperature.

According to the texture

In construction issues, we can talk about types of soil according to their texture, which are classified as:

    • Sandy: very light in texture and with little organic load, so it does not work in fertile soil. However, it is a useful source of construction materials.
    • Clay: It has a heavy and sticky texture abundant in organic matter. Likewise, clay is a useful material for construction.
    • Silty: contains no organic matter and is sterile by definition.
    • Stony: composed of rocks of different sizes. These kinds of soils are waterproof so they prevent water circulation. It is a good base to support a foundation, it is a good land for carrying out multi-level projects.

According to its integrity

This classification is even more important in the field of construction, since depending on the integrity of the soil, it will be the foundation that must be used in the work, this will give certainty that the soil will be able to support the construction. They are classified into:

    • Rock: Capable of supporting large buildings, and within them stony soils can be found.
    • Fine soils: As their name indicates, they are composed of fine materials
    • Granular soils: This type of soil also has fine material, such as gravel and sand, alone or in a mixture. As expected, we can include sandy soils here. Just like fine soils, their foundation requirements are more complex than those of rock soils. 

As mentioned at the beginning, the identification of the type of soil is necessary in the planning of the work, for this, it will be necessary to carry out the corresponding soil study, which we will talk about in a future publication.

Interested in construction services? Contact us at https://silmexico.com/contact-us/.

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TYPES OF FINISHES FOR INTERIOR WALLS

Wednesday, September 13, 2023, By Jessica Hernández, Real Estate Advisor & Marketing Analyst in SILMÉXICO

The finishes are the coatings that are placed on a black work, whether on the walls, floors, roofs, openings, or ceilings, that is, they are the final details whose purpose is to protect, seal, or waterproof said surface, giving at the same time aesthetics to the construction. There are different types of finishes depending on where you want to place it and what function you want to fulfill.

In this section we will focus on the types of finishes for interior walls, of which there are two; horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal finishes:

They are subdivided into rigid pavements, continuous pavements, and false ceilings.

False ceilings: They have the function of hiding the evacuation pipes or installations that pass through the ceiling. They are usually made of plaster and reduce the height of the room.

Rigid pavements: These are those composed of rigid pieces such as tiles, paving stones, or tiles and are made of stone, cement, ceramic, concrete, wood, and steel sheets.

Continuous pavements: They are executed on-site and possible joints must be taken into account to avoid cracking. Continuous pavements are paving, gravel, printed concrete, or micro cement. For the final finish, it is usually necessary to use other materials known as intermediates that go between the final finish and the load-bearing elements.

Vertical finishes:

  • Within which we can find:

    Plastering: It is used to achieve a smooth wall surface thanks to the application of mortar, cement, or plaster base.

    Interior paints: This layer on the interior is purely aesthetic and is applied over the plaster.

    Tiling: It is usually used in humid places such as bathrooms or kitchens and consists of a wall covered in tiles, its function is to waterproof the wall.

    Stucco: Stucco is a paste of slaked lime and pulverized marble, It is applied in several layers and is used to cover both interior and exterior surfaces.

    Whitewash: Whitewash is a mixture of lime, powder, marble, and water. It applies like paint.


    Remember to choose the finish that best suits the design of your property considering that it fulfills its basic function of sealing, protecting, or waterproofing, and that it can also be maintained from time to time without having to replace it so often.

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WHAT IS NEEDED TO BUILD IN MÉXICO? ALL ABOUT THE BUILDING PERMIT

Thursday, August 7, 2023, By Jessica Hernández, Real Estate Advisor & Marketing Analyst in SILMÉXICO

The construction permit is with which authorization is requested from the government either to modify, repair, expand, install, demolish or build a property. On the contrary, if the process of said permit is not carried out, you may be creditor of sanctions such as the definitive closure of the work.

The construction permit not only applies to the construction of homes, buildings, premises, warehouses, but also to make changes to the street, such as sidewalks. In this case, the permit is even more important, since it would be modifying a space that It is for shared use and is paid for by the citizens themselves with their taxes.

How is this permission obtained?

In Mexico there is a government institution that is in charge of granting the construction permit, this is the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, in the same way this permit is granted through the mayors or municipalities to which the land or site belongs, wherever want to build, or make modifications.

Once the permit has been granted, the construction will have a limited time to finish, which must be respected in the same way, otherwise a fine can also be credited. 

It is important to highlight that construction permits vary according to the size of the work to be carried out, they are differentiated by minor works and major works. Likewise, a building permit will not be the same if the construction will take place in natural areas or reserves, such as coastal areas.

What are the necessary documents to process the construction permit?

  • Land use permit.
  • Deed or property title registered in the Public Registry of Property.
  • Proof of payment of Property Tax for the fiscal year in which the request is made.
  • Drinking water contract or receipt.
  • Road and access Geometric Design Plan, calculation of the number of parking spaces.
  • Plan endorsed by the Municipal Coordination of Civil Protection.
  • Geotechnical study and plans with the specifications, in case the project generates soil stability alteration conditions.
  • Construction project with indications in accordance with the regulatory code.
  • Plan of the structural and foundation design signed by the expert in the matter.
  • Structural calculation signed by an expert in the matter, attaching a copy of his professional certificate.
  • Plans of electrical, hydraulic, special, sanitary and gas installations, with their respective descriptive and calculation reports.
  • Approval of the location and land use of the construction, in accordance with the provisions of the Territorial Code.
  • Power of attorney to carry out the process or notarized Power of Attorney in case the owner does not sign the application.
  • Valid official identification with photograph of the owner.
  • Current official identification with photograph of the person processing.
  • Request letter signed by the expert, in which he presents his registration as Project Manager and, in turn, must sign all the plans with his expert number.
  • Vo.Bo. of the Drinking Water and Sewerage System, in case the project has a swimming pool and/or micro treatment plant (septic tank).
  • Study of visuals of the public road and adjoining areas in which it is demonstrated that the existing levels of the environment are respected, and that the sunlight and ventilation of the neighboring properties are not obstructed. Carried out by the expert responsible for the work.
  • Evaluation of the Environmental Impact Statement or respective risk study, Civil Protection Opinion and Urban Compatibility Study, with a positive resolution, in the case of the construction of gasoline, diesel and/or carburetion service stations.
  • Conformity document of the Ministry of Energy, in the case of carburetion stations for the supply of L.P. Gas.

Can you build without a permit?

The only works that can be carried out without a construction permit are those carried out by the government in order to make improvements to the infrastructure that provide benefits to society.

In the event that construction begins without permission, as mentioned at the beginning of this section, you may be subject to a fine, which will only generate extra and unnecessary expenses within the budget allocated to the work, in addition to third parties, such as construction workers, would also be affected.

At SILMÉXICO we are used to carrying out construction projects from scratch, taking care of every single detail, from the processing of the corresponding permits, to the delivery of the final product.

For advice about our construction services, call 9511271380, write to info@silmexico, or visit our offices in Oaxaca City and Santa María Huatulco.

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KEY PEOPLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A REAL ESTATE PROJECT

Wednesday, August 23, 2023, By Jessica Hernández, Real Estate Advisor & Marketing Analyst in SILMÉXICO

A real estate development is the one in which the construction of a property is executed, in which different figures play important roles and are key to its proper development. Here we tell you who they are:

Project Manager

The project manager will be in charge of carrying out the planning and control so that all the steps of the execution of a project are carried out correctly. In other words, project management applied to this field includes all actions aimed at coordinating the work of the team to achieve the objectives of any construction project. Usually, the functions of the project manager include the initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and control of construction projects.

The functions of a project manager in construction are among others: 

–        Decision making.

–        Economic feasibility studies.

–        financial planning.

–        Establishing the design.

–        The cost configuration.

–        The cost-design relationship.

–        Value engineering or economic analysis of alternative technical designs.

–        Buildability analysis. 

–        Contracting through preparation, selection, and contracting of proposals.

– Construction management or management, that is, time and investment programming.

Construction manager

Unlike the Project Manager, who occasionally visits the site, but is not there full time, the Site Manager is on site. He works in coordination with the project manager, and his duties include supervision and management of construction projects from conception to completion. In-depth project review to schedule deliveries and calculate costs. Supervision of all on-site and remote works to control compliance with construction and safety regulations.

General contractor

A general contractor is tasked with completing the construction process within the specified time frame. General contractors must also work with different interested parties, as well as the hiring and coordinate of all the personnel involved in the work, and suppliers of the different materials to be used, operating within the budget and supervising the entire construction project. The role of the contractor is essential from the preconstruction phase since it is in charge of receiving, analyzing, and landing all the information generated by the architects and calculating engineers, to fit it into a price and time frame. 

Safety Manager

A construction site is a place where accidents and risks are the order of the day, these can occur due to human errors, or due to machines that do not function properly. Objects placed in the wrong position, a distraction, or just not wearing the right clothing (special boots, helmets, gloves, etc.), can be the cause of insignificant accidents, even those that involve hospitalization for long periods. Precisely to avoid these situations, it is necessary to have a safety manager on site, who will be in charge of monitoring that each one of the workers is safe during their workday. The security manager’s task is to apply the corresponding preventive measures at each stage of construction, identifying possible risks and carrying out corrective actions according to their previously established management plan. These actions will not only avoid fatalities but also prevent fines and sanctions from construction regulatory agencies in the state and country that may even result in the definitive suspension of the work on the project. 

Facility Manager

Among the functions of the facilities manager we can find: planning and coordination of all installations and retrofits, management of the maintenance of equipment and supplies to meet health and safety standards.

Administration Manager

The one who will be in charge of seeing everything related to the monetary flows of the work. As its name indicates, it will manage the money destined for the execution of the work and, likewise, will coordinate the necessary purchases of the material. In short, it is the person who controls the budget and ensures that it is respected.

 

It is clear that there are more people involved who are equally important for the precise construction of the project, which is why it is necessary to establish roles and select the appropriate personnel for each function. Plumbers, masons, painters, topographers, welders, architects, engineers, etc., all form an essential part of a construction.

Currently, SILMÉXICO is in the process of construction on the coast of Oaxaca in different projects, where the processes are being meticulously carried out and all construction regulations are being applied, always with the indicated personnel, such as our team of engineers. and architects that make up the construction area.

Interested in our construction services in SILMÉXICO? Contact our advisors at info@silmexico.com, call to 951 127 1380, or visit any of our offices in Oaxaca City and Huatulco.