Construction Tips

Important Construction Tips

Construction of a house - Phases involved

Construction is an activity of collaboration between the owner, the architect, the structural engineer, and the contractor. At times help of specialists is also required for activities like soil testing, water supply,  sanitation, fire protection, electrical circuiting, Vastushastra, etc.

The three major phases are

1. The Planning Phase
2. The Design Phase
3. The Construction phase.

Planning Phase

In this phase activities like site selection, conception, and planning of the layout is done by the architect to meet and fulfil the fundamental requirements of the owner. At this stage, the owner should consider aesthetic, environmental and economic factors. Planning for the fund requirement should be done in this stage by the owner. A structural engineer is also being consulted to understand the stability of the structure considering various factors that may affect the stability.

Design Phase

After obtaining all necessary approvals for the preliminary plan, all specialized consultants must be hired to finalize the detailed plan for the structure. All regulatory requirements and approvals required prior to commencing construction must be in place at this stage.

Construction Phase

It is the most vital and crucial phase of construction, where all plans and designs that have been finalized on paper take concrete shape. The owner needs to ensure that the best quality materials are used for construction. A complete house well planned, well designed and well built. All the resources such as material, manpower, funds need to be arranged well in time to avoid unnecessary delays and cost escalations. Adherence to the best construction practices is extremely important.

Foundation

The Strong Foundation is the most important factor in enhancing the longevity and security of a building structure. A couple of useful checks for a solid foundation.

• It is advisable to go for soil testing before designing the foundation of the building
• The foundation should be on firm soil and should be taken to a minimum depth of 1.2 from the original ground level or as advised by the engineer.
• The foundation area should be significant to safely transfer the load to the resting ground.
• The load-carrying capacity of the soil determines the area of the foundation and before excavation, it is important to mark the location and size of the foundation.
• Get in touch with Supershakti for  the best TMT

Layout and Earth Work

Boundary lines known as layouts are marked for digging the foundation. Layout and excavation work should be done as per the drawing.  A few useful tips are given below

• Proper survey must be done for the layout plan
• All trench excavation lines should be marked with respect to the centreline of walls
• Excavation is done true to levels, slope, shape, and pattern
• The bed of excavation must be consolidated by watering and ramming. Soft or defective earth should be removed and replaced with lean concrete
• The sides of excavation should be braced tightly to avoid collapsing of the sides
• Get in touch with Supershakti for the best TMT

Anti-termite treatment

A structure can become weak due to termite infestation. Here are some tips to keep termites away.

• Right chemical treatment should be provided to the soil around the foundation and should be treated up to the plinth level
• The treatment can be performed before, during, and after the construction steps.
• The chemical barrier must be continuous and thorough.
• There is a need to ensure that chemicals do not contaminate domestic water sources.

Formwork (Shuttering)

Formwork is a temporary structure that supports the construction while the concrete work is in progress and is required for strength gain of the concrete.

• The formwork should be rigid and leakproof for placement & compaction of concrete to prevent loss of slurry from the concrete.
• Releasing agents are used for a smooth finish of the concrete.
• Before casting, it must be ensured that the formwork is clean from foreign matters.

Concrete work

Depending upon the structure, the mix design is decided by the engineer. Maintaining the right ratio in the concrete mix and usage of the same within 30 minutes of preparation is of extreme importance. For best results, the use of a mixer machine is advised.  The water ratio has to be proper as using more water weakens the concrete and the possibility of cracking increases. Compaction should be done with a vertical vibrator and hand compaction should be avoided. Do not pour the concrete mix beyond a maximum height of 1.5 meters to avoid segregation of the aggregates, leveling and slope should be maintained to avoid water accumulation on the roof.

Masonry work

Buildings become safe if the walls are well built strong and sturdy. Find the tips below:

• Bricks/Blocks should be laid on a full bed of mortar mixed properly as per the guidance of the Engineer
• The joints should be fully filled and packed with the mortar of the same mix.
• The vertical joint should be done staggered
• For block work, L/H ratio to be properly maintained and RCC band with stool columns, etc need to be provided as per IS code
• The brickwork should be cured well to make it strong

Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) Work Batching, Mixing & Placing:

Wooden boxes of specific sizes should be used for convenient batching and maintaining a proper ratio of materials. Maintain proper water ratio for the required workability. Excessive water weakens the concrete and increases the chances of cracking. The vibrator must be used vertically for proper compaction. Needle vibrators are often used.  Over vibration must not be done to avoid segregation of aggregates. Do not add water during compacting. Do not pour the concrete mix beyond a maximum height of 1.5 meters to avoid segregation of the aggregates.

Curing:

Curing of Concrete is a method by which the concrete is protected against loss of moisture required for hydration and kept within the recommended temperature range. Curing increases the strength and decreases the permeability of hardened concrete. Curing also helps in mitigating thermal and plastic cracks, which can severely impact the durability of structures. Concrete starts drying after being case cast and therefore curing should start within 12 – 15 hrs of the casting. The curing process is continuous as per the stipulated time as mentioned in BIS codes. Usually, 14 – 21 days is the proper curing time for concrete slabs and beams. 

The most commonly used methods of curing are as follows:

1. Ponding with water ( for slabs)
2. Covering concrete with wet jute bags ( generally done with the beams and columns)
3. Covering concrete with polyethylene sheets and holding it in position
4. Spraying and sprinkling of water at regular intervals
5. Applying curing compounds

Role Of Reinforcement in Construction

Although plain concrete is strongly compressed, it is very weak in tension and does not prove to be a very good structural member by itself. However when reinforced with materials like steel, which has the desired ductility and bond characteristics its performance increases many folds. The purpose of providing reinforcement is :

• To take up all the tensile stresses developed in the structure.
• To increase the strength of concrete sections.
• To prevent the propagation of cracks developed due to temperature and shrinkage stresses.
• To make the sections thinner as compared to the plain concrete section.
• To impart ductility to concrete , which is otherwise inherently a very brittle material.
• TMT Bars are the vital component in Reinforced Cement Concrete. It is important to choose the right steel and place it right for the longevity of the structure.

Some Tips

• Use branded and ISI marked quality TMT bars for the whole structure
• Use concrete cover blocks at regular intervals.
• Reinforcement bars to be positioned properly and tightly tied up.
• Extra care needs to be taken when placing the rebar before pouring the concrete. The yield strength of the concrete can be severely compromised if the placement is not correct.

Critical Parameters to Judge Reinforcement Bars:

• Required tensile strength
• The consistency of physical properties across the length of the bars
• Adequate ductility
• Lower impurities
• Easy to bend (during fabrication)
• Bond with concrete

Plastering

Plastering protects exposed surfaces and masonry joints from the outside environment and ensures lateral stability to a wall by binding all bricks or stones together.

Water Proofing

It is extremely important to consider the waterproofing of buildings because it builds an impenetrable barrier over foundations, roofs, and walls against water. Here are some of the common waterproofing materials used in building constructions.

Advantages of waterproofing

• Safeguards the structural integrity of the building
• Prevents decay
• Prevents metals from rusting and wooden furniture from decay
• Prevents seepages from the ceiling and walls
• Prevents dampness inside the building
• Property value increases

Construction Expense item-wise

Construction cost depends on the quality of construction and the finishing work one wants to have. You can have an idea of the itemized cost of construction of your house from the table below: