The ongoing debates in Washington about balancing the federal budget strikes a chord with contractors that face a similar problem in constructing buildings: how to find components that can be removed without compromising the project.
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U.S. Green Building Council states up to 20 percent of the materials used in building construction are structurally unnecessary in wood-framed buildings, and each extra piece of framing has the potential to waste money—both in materials and installation labor. The challenge, of course, is identifying extraneous materials and making efficient use of the materials that are installed while maintaining quality construction.
Fortunately, two easy-to-implement practices can help contractors optimize structural framing materials. Contractors can develop detailed framing plans that go beyond typical blueprint information and use pre-cut and labeled materials that are ready to install at the jobsite.
Detailed Framing Plans
In apartments, motels, dormitories and other light construction, contractors often must determine how the specific structural frame elements fit together onsite—making assumptions and judgment calls when interpreting the blueprints. They must solve conflicts between the framing and other building systems, such as plumbing and utilities, as well as modify wall placement or beam configurations once construction is under way. This can result in material waste and longer construction schedules, or even red tag delays from improper structural modifications.
To help alleviate such problems, contractors can use detailed framing plans that show the precise location and connections for every stud, joist, beam and column. These plans are available from building material dealers that, using advanced frame design software, can readily convert architectural plans or schematics into construction documents. Frame design software also can provide detailed material lists to help improve cost and material quantity estimating—all tools available to eliminate onsite guesswork.
Framing design software also allows superintendents, key subcontractors and other project personnel to review the frame in three dimensions, which can resolve conflicts before construction begins. Because some structural frame design programs can model loads throughout the structure, designers can identify and eliminate unnecessary framing members.
Ready-to-Install Framing
While detailed framing plans help reduce wood waste and framing errors, the design information developed in frame design software also enables the use of pre-fabricated framing components. Compared to cutting framing materials to length onsite, working with pre-cut and labeled materials can decrease framing time by up to 50 percent.
Obtaining pre-cut and labeled framing components is straightforward and does not require a contractor to have specialized equipment. Instead, building material dealers import data from frame design software into fabrication programs that drive computer-controlled saws. In the shop, the dealer can produce precision-end trimmed framing materials cut to 1/16-inch tolerances and marked for placement according to easy-to-read diagrams. These ready-to-install framing materials require less jobsite labor and help reduce disposal fees by virtually eliminating scrap.
Technologies for pre-cut and labeled framing already have been developed for floor systems, and manufacturers are working to expand capabilities to include wall and roof components.
Making the Switch
To get started with detailed framing plans and ready-to-install components, contact a building material dealer or structural product manufacturer. Dealers and manufacturers are increasingly developing services and expertise to help contractors simplify the framing process and review existing materials and practices.
Framers often require a brief adaptation period because the workflow is somewhat different, so crews might need to complete a few structures using pre-cut and labeled framing materials before the contractor recoups all the time saving benefits. Though the steps are not complex, some dealers and manufacturers offer training to help reduce the learning curve.
In many cases, contractors do not need to make major changes to their operations to frame more efficiently. The primary difference is allowing time for key project people to interact with the designers using the framing software. Investing a few hours upfront for framing plan reviews can help eliminate costly and time-consuming fixes later.
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