Five years ago, the only tablets you found on a building site were the occasional Panado to cure jackhammer-induced headaches. Today, however, the way architects and construction teams work has morphed dramatically.
It is estimated that there are now over 29-million cell phones in South Africa (compared to just 5-million landlines), meaning that more South Africans have access to mobile phones than clean water. Smartphones and tablets have become an integral part of day-to-day business across the world, and the building sector is no different.
After months in development, Corobrik have become one of the first building materials suppliers in South Africa to launch a dedicated app for the specification and application of its bricks and pavers. Available from iTunes, the comprehensive, interactive Corobrik app allows users to access the expertise of Corobrik at their fingertips.
Designed to make your life easier, the easily navigated app is loaded with many handy features. You can say goodbye to your pen and paper and keep your notes in one place with the Notebook section where you can file all your relevant project information – accessible whenever you need it, while the Weather Forecaster helps you plan your build days better.
The Pocket Manual is a wealth of technical expertise; simply choose the topic you need help with and read or download the relevant section. Divided into the following seven sections, the Pocket Manual features answers to a comprehensive list of queries – Section A: Foundations, Section B: Surface Beds, Section C: Brickwork, Section D: Waterproofing, Section E: Clay Paving, Section F: Site Organisation, and Section G: Compliance. Information for designing and specifying our bricks in compliance with SANS 10400 Building Regulations and SANS 204 Energy Standards is set to follow.
If you have seen a brick you like, then try the Brick Matcher which offers you a selection of Corobrik bricks that best match what you’re after. Simply take a photograph of the brick you like or select one from your gallery and swipe through the brick colours provided to find the brick that best suits you and click on it to be taken through to the product guise – it is as simple as that.
Furthermore, the included gallery is filled with inspiring ideas, showing you a world of possibility that you can create with Corobrik’s quality products. You can then get in contact with your nearest Corobrik Centre by using the convenient Store Locator.
A handy Brick Calculator also allows you to plan the quantity of bricks or pavers needed for a specific project. Not only will the Brick Calculator give you an accurate estimation of how many bricks or pavers your project will need, it will also calculate the amount of sand and cement needed for the job as well.
Over and above this, the brick calculator will also determine how thick the plaster needs to be, and will revert with the quantities of sand and cement needed to mix it to the correct consistency. Along with the Weather Forecaster, under the utilities section you’ll also find a handy Flashlight and a Spirit Level. Whether you’re a DIYer, builder, decorator, hard landscaper or architect, you’ll find the free, easy-to-use app extremely useful.
Peter Kidger, Corobrik’s director of Marketing, says that using the available technology to make life easier and more efficient in this day and age makes a lot of sense. “We envision that the primary users of the Corobrik app will be builders and paving contractors, although it should prove a useful tool, both in the office and on site, for architects, quantity surveyors and others working in the building industry,” he says.
The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.