BUILDING, CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS
OR RENOVATION
Classification of work
SOME EXAMPLES OF CONSTRUCTION WORK
There is a plethora of work in the building industry. They can be classified into three main categories. The first includes all the work relating to the construction of new buildings such as the foundations, the flooring… The second category of work includes those inherent in the fitting-out of existing buildings. With the help of an architect, the existing building can change its vocation or keep it by undergoing modifications. As for the third category, it concerns all rehabilitation work on buildings of various kinds. To carry out renovation or construction work, it is advisable to call on building professionals who specialise in this type of work.
NEW CONSTRUCTIONS
FITTINGS
RESTORATION
Building regulations
BUILDING REGULATIONS AND CONTRACTS
As far as construction is concerned, there is a set of regulations to which building professionals will have to comply. Among the main aspects concerned is the safety of the future occupants of the building. For example, the building must comply with fire safety standards, not forgetting those relating to the safety of electrical and heating installations. Another regulatory aspect of great importance is the thermal performance of the building, which must be taken into account from the design phase. As for the construction contract, it is a document sealing the agreement between the client and the builder including various clauses.
Types of constructions
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION / COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Residential construction refers to the construction of buildings intended to be inhabited. It can be houses or buildings for collective housing. The first type of housing comes in several variants such as the single-family house, the townhouse, the semi-detached house, etc. There are also condominium-style dwellings such as the condominium.
Unlike residential construction, commercial construction includes the construction of buildings not intended for housing. They are generally dedicated to commercial activities such as shops, shopping centres, supermarket chains…this type of construction has special technical characteristics and must obey special regulations.
Building professions
SOME EXAMPLES OF PROFESSIONS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
MACHINERY
ELECTRICITY
CARPENTRY
PLUMBING
PAINTS AND COATINGS
FLOOR COVERINGS
Renovate and insulate a building
BUILDING WORK: RENOVATION AND INSULATION
Existing buildings and renovation
RENOVATION AND PROFESSIONALS
The renovation of a building can be motivated by several reasons (considering the sale of a house, the obligation to comply with new regulations…). As explained by Blog Brico for instance, renovation work includes work to make aesthetic changes both inside and outside the building. Ecological renovation is also another type of renovation that is becoming more and more widespread.
Thermal performance
INSULATION WORK
Aware of the need to improve the energy performance of their homes, more and more individuals are considering insulation work. The aim of this work is to make the building more environmentally friendly and reduce its energy consumption. It generally involves interior and exterior thermal insulation work consisting of the installation of insulating materials for walls, floors and attics.
Building and ecology
LOW-ENERGY HOUSE
A low-energy building, better known by the acronym BBC, is by definition a building whose energy consumption for heating and cooling, among other things, is much lower than that of a standard building. More concretely, the regulation that regulates this field, in this case the RT2012 regulation, stipulates that the said consumption must be 80% below the regulatory consumption threshold. Among the techniques enabling a standard building to be transformed into a BBC, the elimination of thermal bridges, the reinforcement of airtightness, the use of renewable energy sources, etc.