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The terms "raft footing" and "mat foundation" describe the same type of building foundation. 

What concrete offers in compressive strength, it lacks in ductility. Unsupported, it can bear fairly heavy loads without cracking, but if poured when using rebar construction, concrete can take considerably more load, even when suspended. 

Now that the burst housing bubble and long recession seem to be in the rear view mirror, a new building boom along Colorado's Front Range has set the construction job market ablaze. 

According to the ENR Mountain State 2017 Regional Forecast, it has been a busy few years for the Colorado construction industry. By the end of November 2016, $16.6 billion new construction starts had been recorded.

When thinking of the system that supports houses or commercial buildings, most people think it begins with foundation. But even a foundation system needs a foundation, so the very first element when preparing the vertical support scheme is the foundation footer.

At first blush, it may seem that stainless steel would be far too expensive for any large concrete structure. Why go to such expensive when ordinary rebar has worked so well for so long? 

With a basement, a home can enjoy nearly double the living space on the same footprint. In Colorado, where the water tables are fairly low, basements are mostly a forgone conclusion. Builders now install egress window systems in new construction, but the codes for such are relatively new.

When looking to obtain the biggest band for your concrete buck, you can't go wrong with post tension technology. 

If you're building a new home, or deeply renovating the one you have, you may wonder whether to use steel beams vs. wood beams. The answer depends on your budget, design goals, construction schedule and sustainability preferences.

What do you get when you combine the compressive strength of concrete with the tensile properties of steel? Answer: A marriage made in heaven.