For greater fire safety, many structures are now reinforced with concrete, which is not as robust as structural steel, such as the Empire State Building. However, by utilizing appropriate form work processes, we can accomplish 4 days per story for concrete high-rise structures; however, this does not include time for the envelope (windows) and fit-out, which takes time. For example, one major project in Chicago used hand-made wood forms that took about 10 weeks to complete. The walls were then pumped out with hydraulic pumps and allowed to cure for 1 year before the interior finish materials were put into place. The typical concrete structure is at least 30 feet tall and usually weighs between 20,000 and 50,000 pounds. It should be poured within a week of receiving the final design drawings or you will have to wait another month before the material can be placed into shape. The first step is to pour a small sample area of about 200 square inches. This should take about an hour and provide enough information for the contractor to decide how to proceed with the rest of the building. A reinforced concrete building starts with the same basic steps as any other building type: site survey, plan review, goal analysis, market analysis, design/bid process, selection of construction methods, procurement of materials, scheduling, budgeting, labor planning, execution of project tasks, monitoring and close-out. Reinforced concrete buildings require special attention to detail during the design phase to ensure adequate strength and durability of the finished product.