Composite walls have the structural components connected to form a substantially unitary structure. A composite wall is described that includes a block and/or brick wythe adhered to a poured concrete wall. The composite wall may also have a panel sheet material adhered to the poured concrete opposite surface of the poured concrete wall. Further, the composite wall may include a first wythe comprising concrete blocks, bricks, or a combination thereof, a poured concrete core, and a rigid insulation panel, wherein at least a portion of the blocks and/or bricks of the first wythe are adhered to a first surface of the concrete core and the rigid insulation panel is adhered to a second surface of the poured concrete core. Wire ties may extend from the mortar joints in the first wythe through the rigid insulation panel.

A modular floor platform includes a floor made of a plurality of individual interconnected composite floor panels. The composite floor panels have a foam core and a rigid cover over the foam core. A frame upwardly supports the floor. Legs are beneath the frame.

A modular floor platform includes a floor made of a plurality of individual composite floor panels interconnected by tongue and groove joints. The individual composite floor panels have a foam core and a rigid cover over the foam core. A frame attaches the floor panels together along a perimeter of the floor. Legs beneath the frame and upwardly support the floor.

A composite reinforced, optionally treated, wood stud for permanent wood foundations, above ground walls, floor joists, vertical support columns or headers for commercial and residential buildings has a first lumber section having a width and a depth and a second lumber section inverted with respect to the first lumber section having a width and a depth. A plurality of adjacent, aligned in a longitudinal row, mechanical fastening dowels angularly pass through the depth of the first lumber section and pass substantially through the width of the second lumber section. The dowels maintain a spatial relationship between the first and second lumber sections. The angularity of the dowels alternate vertically oppositely between adjacent dowels. From an end view, the dowel alternate in a cant relationship with adjacent dowels in a left and right manner.

A dirt extraction apparatus for use by a user in a crawlspace of a building to extract dirt and debris is provided. The dirt extraction apparatus includes a housing having an internal conduit with an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of blades rotatably mounted to the housing proximate the inlet, a motor disposed within the housing and operably connected to the plurality of blades, a support handle coupled to the top face of the housing and having a plurality of bars coupled together, and a collection assembly coupled to the outlet of the housing. Any bar of the support handle is grabbed by the user to maneuver the apparatus within the building crawlspace, thereby enabling the rotating blades to evacuate the dirt and debris from the ground surface through the internal conduit of the housing to the collection assembly.

An extension support member includes a bracket or web having a first planar portion or leg, a second planar portion or leg, an acute, concave angle between the first planar portion or leg and the second planar portion or leg, and a bend or backbone joining the first planar portion or leg to the second planar portion or leg. The extension support member also includes is a first mounting portion or tab joined to the second planar portion or leg via the bend or backbone at a first, convex obtuse angle and a second mounting portion or tab joined to the first planar portion or leg via the bend or backbone at a second obtuse, convex angle. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are located at opposite ends of the bracket or web.

A permanent wood foundation wall which includes a frame having a first member, a second member spaced apart from the first member, and two side members. The first member, second member, and two side members each have a front surface and a rear surface that form the front frame surface and the rear frame surface. A cavity is formed between the front frame surface and the rear frame surface of the frame and the first member, second member, and two side members are formed from a wood material including a preservative. Further, the permanent wood foundation wall includes a sheathing board having a first side attached to the rear frame surface of the frame and a second side opposite the first side, a waterproofing membrane applied to the second side of the sheathing board, and a foam layer formed within the cavity of the frame.

System for fixing to the ground walls of a building includes a plurality of supporting elements interposed between a concrete foundation of the building and the walls, connecting elements for connecting at least two supporting elements that are aligned on one another, adjusting elements for adjusting a distance of the supporting elements from the foundation and for correcting a possible tilt of the supporting elements with respect to a horizontal reference plane, anchoring elements for anchoring the supporting elements to the foundation, the supporting elements being made of plastics.

A building monitoring computer system for monitoring building integrity may be provided. Various types of sensors may be embedded throughout or within certain portions of different types of building or construction material making up the building, such as within roofing, foundation, or structural materials. The sensors may be in wireless communication with a home controller. The sensors may be water, moisture, temperature, vibration, or other types of sensors, and may detect unexpected or abnormal conditions within the home. The sensors and/or home controller may transmit alerts to a mobile device of the home owner associated with the unexpected condition, and/or that remedial actions may be required to repair the home or mitigate further damage to the home. The sensor data may also be communicated to an insurance provider remote server to facilitate the insurance provider communicating insurance-related recommendations, updating insurance policies, or preparing insurance claims for review for home owners.

Composite walls have the structural components connected to form a substantially unitary structure. A composite wall is described that includes a block and/or brick wythe adhered to a poured concrete wall. The composite wall may also have a panel sheet material adhered to the poured concrete opposite surface of the poured concrete wall. Further, the composite wall may include a first wythe comprising concrete blocks, bricks, or a combination thereof, a poured concrete core, and a rigid insulation panel, wherein at least a portion of the blocks and/or bricks of the first wythe are adhered to a first surface of the concrete core and the rigid insulation panel is adhered to a second surface of the poured concrete core. Wire ties may extend from the mortar joints in the first wythe through the rigid insulation panel.