Across the nation, construction projects large and small - from hospitals to schools to simple home improvements - are spiraling out of control. Delays and cost overruns have come to seem normal, even as they drain our wallets and send our blood pressure sky-rocketing. In "Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets", prominent construction attorney Barry B. LePatner builds a powerful case for change in America's sole remaining 'mom and pop' industry - an industry that consumes $1.23 trillion and wastes at least $120 billion each year.With three decades of experience representing clients that include eminent architects and engineers, as well as corporations, institutions, and developers, LePatner has firsthand knowledge of the bad management, ineffective supervision, and insufficient investment in technology that plagues the risk-averse construction industry. In an engaging and direct style, he here pinpoints the issues that underlie the industry's woes while providing practical tips for anyone in the business of building, including advice on the precise language owners should use during contract negotiations.Armed with "Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets", everyone involved in the purchase or renovation of a building or any structure - from homeowners seeking to remodel to civic developers embarking on large-scale projects - has the information they need to change this antiquated industry, one project at a time.

By applying their abundant natural resources to ironmaking early in the eighteenth century, Americans soon made themselves felt in world markets. After the Revolution, ironmakers supplied the materials necessary to the building of American industry, pushing the fuel efficiency and productivity of their furnaces far ahead of their European rivals.

In American Iron, 1607-1900, Robert B. Gordon draws on recent archaeological findings as well as archival research to present an ambitious, comprehensive survey of iron technology in America from the colonial period to the industry's demise at about the turn of the twentieth century. Closely examining the techniques -- the "hows" -- of ironmaking in its various forms, Gordon offers new interpretations of labor, innovation, and product quality in ironmaking, along with references to the industry's environmental consequences. He establishes the high level of skills required to ensure efficient and safe operation of furnaces and to improve the quality of iron product. By mastering founding, fining, puddling, or bloom smelting, ironworkers gained a degree of control over their lives not easily attained by others.

Written by a Master Mason with over 40 years of professional masonry and construction experience, this all-new edition of today's best-selling guide to understanding and learning how to do masonry work is approved by The Brick Industry of America! Extraordinarily complete, the author draws upon more than 25 years as an instructor to provide users with a reader-friendly, comprehensive guide to basic information and advanced skills- from materials, bonds, brick, and concrete block, through advanced work such as building fireplaces, arches, and more! All technical and safety information has been thoroughly updated to reflect current industry practices and federally mandated guidelines. An all-new unit on glass block masonry developed in conjunction with Pittsburgh Corning Company, the leading manufacturer of glass block in the United States, has also been added to this edition to equip masonry students and professionals with the expertise they need to respond to rising demands for this material in home and commercial applications. In addition to featuring a wealth of helpful illustrations, all projects have been field-tested in masonry shops to guarantee their usefulness in developing the competencies required of today's professionals.