Construction Systems for Detached, Single-story Concrete Block Houses in Florida: Current Practices, Costs and Potential Innovations

Author

Randolph DeShields McDonald, University of Central Florida

Keywords

Building estimates, House construction costs, Florida

Abstract

Concrete block single-story detached homes are popular residences in Florida, but construction materials and methods must undergo changes to combat rising prices and material shortages. Those systems with the greatest pressure of price or material shortage will change first. When current costs and methods are examine, it is found that two systems, roof and exterior walls, have the greatest need for changes in the immediate future; and one system, thermal insulation, needs an empirical study. The roof is of materials which are in short supply and rapidly increasing in cost. The study concludes that, with present cost trends, metal frame members for the roof or a reinforced concrete slab roof are feasible alternatives. The exterior walls have excessive labor costs, and the feasible alternative may be cast-on-site masonry tilt-up panel walls. Power prices, electrical and fuel, create a need to establish new guidelines for the extent of home thermal insulation. The heat gains and losses are examined to direct future studies of the home's thermal insulation problems. The concrete block home will continue to be viable if the necessary innovations are implemented to reduce cost rate of increase and to reduce operating and maintenance costs.

Notes

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Graduation Date

1973

Advisor

Schrader, George F.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Engineering

Degree Program

Engineering

Format

PDF

Pages

64 p.

Language

English

Rights

Public Domain

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0012249

Subjects

Building -- Estimates -- Florida, House construction -- Costs -- Florida

STARS Citation

McDonald, Randolph DeShields, "Construction Systems for Detached, Single-story Concrete Block Houses in Florida: Current Practices, Costs and Potential Innovations" (1973). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 66.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/rtd/66

Contributor (Linked data)

Schrader, George F. [LC]

University of Central Florida. College of Engineering [VIAF]

University of Central Florida. College of Engineering [LC]

Collection (Linked data)

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Accessibility Status

Searchable text