CIVIL ENGINEERS
If Design Professionals are interested in specifying the Mudskipper System on a project, we recommend they email and/or call Tyler McFarlin with McFarlin Construction Services at jacktylermcfarlin@gmail.com (Mobile: 915-276-5416). Tyler will be able to provide guidance on economical specification and design. Tyler can even provide a draft set of shop drawings showing the details of the Mudskipper System. The cost of McFarlin Construction Services providing technical assistance and preparing the Initial Mudskipper Plan will be paid by VoidForm. If the project will utilize the Mudskipper System, this cost will be included inVoidForm's total cost of Mudskipper System components for each project.
Customizing for each project, Tyler will provide suggested specifications and typical details for drawings that fit each project. Because Mudskipper System isolates the plumbing, the flow line elevations are typically much higher and there are often more locations where utilities exit a floorplan than with non-isolated plumbing approaches under buildings (buried plumbing or non-isolated void systems). Additionally, because the Mudskipper Vault Systems protect plumbing at transitions from isolated plumbing conditions under a foundation to non-isolated plumbing conditions beyong the perimeter of a building foundation, the flow lines of the site utilities must be coordinated at each transition to allow for the site utilities to rise or fall the potential vertical movement estimated by the Geotechnical Engineer. Furthermore Civil Engineers need to coordinate the top of Mudskipper Vault elevations with the site grades. If the site elements associated with the Mudskipper System are not specified, such as manhole covers, or coordinated such as with flow line elevations and top of vault elevations, Contractors will not have the direction is needs to bid a project.
It is essential that Civil Engineers understand that conventional wisdom associated with economical design of site utilties does not always apply with the Mudskipper System because the Mudskipper System isolates the plumbing. And, it is essential that Civil Engineers understand that VoidForm will need to issue Minimum Required Order drawings (essentially shop drawings) BEFORE PROVIDING QUOTES TO BIDDERS. A poorly-designed layout, poor coordination between engineering disciplines, and issuing designs or significant modifications by addenda can all cause significant increases in the cost of the Mudskipper System on a project. Therefore, we recommend contacting Tyler in the Design Development phase before a foundation type, an initial under-floor plumbing plan and site utility layout are developed. We also recommend allowing Tyler to perform a review of the drawings when the Architect is perfoming their final Quality Control.