Detailed view on Building Construction Process
What is Building Construction?
The ‘building construction process’ refers to the activity of erecting the various components of a building on a construction site. Even though building construction is laborious and time-consuming, the end result is a permanent asset for us. Construction of residential buildings is a meticulous process handled by skilled workers. Therefore, care should be made during each stage of the building construction process. Prior to planning, building construction projects must take crucial factors into account, such as the development's purpose, utility, financial viability, labour demand, etc.
Planning begins as soon as the choice to create a building is made. Here, a thorough discussion of the building construction process from beginning to end is provided. Let us take a detailed look at the steps of construction:
Pre-construction steps
1. Acquire land:
It is the stage of building construction work that is most crucial. Find the building's ideal site that will be most conducive to construction. Be cautious while choosing a piece of property; it should have all the amenities you want close by and be free of any land-related problems. Prior information gathering is advised before purchasing land or a plot, either by conducting online research or asking for assistance from real estate brokers or other interested parties regarding the effective cost of the same.
2. Seek Technical/Consultant
Take the assistance of a qualified architect to generate building plans after choosing the right land for building construction work, and heed his or her recommendations. Based on your needs and budget, an architect will develop a plan for the number of stores, flats, and other building requirements. A structural engineer should next be consulted after the architect to discuss the specifics of the reinforcements to be utilised, the depth of your foundation, the size of gravel to be used, pillar width, etc.
3. Design process
Make a preliminary list of your home's requirements before contacting or meeting with an architect. The fundamental elements of your house must be covered in this step, such as living space, the number of bedrooms you want, guest bedrooms, hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, where you want the stairs, vehicle porches, gardens/landscaping/ponds, etc.Ask your family for their preferences and suggestions as well. Visit your friends and neighbours, and ask them about the benefits and drawbacks of their homes as well as any improvements they would want to see.
4. Prepare Estimation and Budgets
A building construction work may require a significant financial and material investment. Following completion of planning and structural detailing, the building estimator receives these specifics. The building estimator will calculate the quantity of the materials and the number of the various work items and create an abstract sheet that displays the building's construction costs. If you have limited resources, we need to get loan pre-approval for your building work in advance so that you don't get yourself in a cash crunch.
5. Building Permits
After the project is prepared for execution, this work must be completed. Prior to beginning building work, we must first obtain approval from the local municipal body.The list of documents that must be submitted before requesting authorization is provided below. While some parts of this document may vary from state to state, all building construction projects require them.
- Land survey
- Soil test report
- Land documents
- Sectional drawings
- Architect certificate
6. Approach a Contractor
In order to ensure high-quality building construction and on-time project completion, a builder or contractor for construction must be carefully chosen. Before submitting work, a preliminary inquiry into the builder is required. All information pertaining to the task must be specified in the contract document. The contract agreement should detail the work's goals and requirements as well as the payment procedures, delivery dates, and costs. Before concluding a deal, the contract's terms should be carefully examined.
7. Building Warranty Period
The contractor establishes a warranty period following the project's completion and transfer to the owner. Any construction flaws that are discovered during this time must be corrected and replaced by the responsible contractor. Appliance and material makers and suppliers provide warranties. Appliance and material warranties are obtained from manufacturers and suppliers.
During Building Construction Steps
1. Site clearance
Before beginning work, the construction site must be cleaned. This work entails clearing away waste, levelling the ground, and removing tree roots.
2. Excavation
Using excavation equipment, the building's foundation is dug up according to the dimensions shown on the blueprints for the structure. Before installing the foundation reinforcements, a layer of PCC (Plain Cement Concrete) is laid in the trench's dug area.
3. Foundation
The lowest section of the building that comes in contact with the ground is the foundation, which supports the entire structure. A building must be exceedingly sturdy to handle the load that is carried from the superstructure to the soil by the construction. The foundation is strengthened when the PCC work is completed. Before pouring concrete, the bottom level of the foundation must be verified. The space between the foundation is filled with earth.
4. Superstructure Column and Beam
The component of the building above the plinth level is known as the superstructure. A column and beam form the superstructure's major structural element. The frame for additional building has been constructed, with the columns raised to slab level.
5. Brick Masonry Work
Following the completion of the column and beam structure, masonry construction is undertaken using a variety of materials, including bricks, concrete blocks, fly ash bricks, etc., in accordance with the architectural drawing. Cement mortar is used in masonry work. Sand and cement are combined to make it. Doors and windows are placed in these gaps during the masonry work carefully and according to the drawing.
6. Lintel Over Door Window
The door and window's lintel is built to support the masonry construction above it. Following this, more masonry work is completed.
7. Floor Slab or Roof Structure
The slab that rests on the column and beam is then constructed using formwork. The placement of the slab reinforcement above the slab formwork follows the slab detailed drawing.
8. Plastering
After the first lighting, electrical, and plumbing work is finished, plastering work can begin. The typical thickness of cement plaster is 12 mm, though it might occasionally exceed 20 mm thick.
9. Door and Window Framing and Fixations
After that, the door and window frames are set in place according to the drawing's designated locations.
10. Painting
There are many different paint qualities that can be used to protect our house for a long time from stains, mud, sunlight, rain, dirt, etc., ranging from basic paint to high-quality paint that can give our house an additional 5 to 10 years of life while also giving it an amazing look on the inside and outside.
11. Electrical and Plumbing
Buildings are created with a neat finish that hides the plumbing and electrical wiring, as we know. They are inserted in the slabs and walls so that after the finishing work is done, they are hidden and invisible. The pipe ends and points are left unfinished so that they can subsequently be finished with plumbing and electrical fixtures.
12. Exterior Finishing
After this work is finished, external finishing and plastering work begins. To stop rising humidity in the wall, waterproofing is also carried out. Another option for improving the elevation of the house is external cladding.
13. Internal Finishes
Internal walls are finished in smooth plaster, and tile flooring is used. The walls are afterwards painted or given a texture.
14. Woodwork and Fixture Fittings
The aforementioned procedure allows for the completion of nearly all construction work before beginning work on the furniture. The bathrooms and kitchen sections also include finished electrical, switchboard, and plumbing fixtures.
15. Boundary Wall and Gates
Ideally, compound walls should be constructed right before the start of big construction building work. It serves to keep the area safe from intruders as well as the stuff kept at the storage facility and in outdoor situations.
16. Hardscaping and Landscaping
After your builder has finished, there is still "hardscaping" to be done, such as the driveway, patio, and pathways. After that, the "landscaping" design might be implemented, such as the irrigation system, laying of the grass bed, planting of trees, and taking into account outdoor lighting.
17. Punch List
When the project is finished, the contractor thoroughly examines every piece of work and creates a punch list. The punch list includes these structural components or regions that were improperly built or have poor quality. Later, the responsible contractor fixes this.
The slab that rests on the column and beam is then constructed using formwork. The placement of the slab reinforcement above the slab formwork follows the slab detailed drawing.
18. Warranty Period
The contractor outlines a warranty period before turning the project over to the owner. Any flaws in the structure that are discovered must be corrected and replaced with the contractor in charge within this time frame. Appliance and material warranties can be obtained from manufacturers and suppliers.
Conclusion
The steps of construction involved in building a new house can be both exciting & challenging. From the very beginning of the planning process to the end of the building construction process, there are numerous crucial aspects to take into account. You can begin enjoying your new house once the building construction process is finished. Your efforts and careful planning have paid off with this. Enjoy your new house and take good care of it so that it will last for many years.