Building Construction Guide and Steps For Constructing a Building.

Constructing a building is possible only when the planning of building construction is done by a skilled and experienced person. It is not just a matter of preparing rooms according to your needs but also to keep in mind the rules of construction.

Today we will discuss the steps and procedure to follow while constructing a building.

The most important thing before planning is to set goals. This includes the size, layout, design, interior and exterior of the house and other things. After taking all these into consideration, move towards the set goal.

Most people who construct a building, design the building layout according to their family’s needs. But it is also important to note that, if you need more space in future. There should always be an extra room or entertainment space with a growing family.

Just think, do you want to spend the rest of your life in one place? The answers to these questions will help you in designing and choosing the right home.

Keep this in mind also that in future you may have to sell the house. So keeping this in mind, add some important features to the house so that it attracts people.

Think how things should be in the house. For the first time, people who construct a house do not think about furniture locations.

When building an existing floor plan, think about where and how the furniture will be placed. It is necessary so that the room does not look messy after bringing on the other items.

How much space will be needed to move the chairs and sofas comfortably? This is more useful while designing your hall.

So let’s get started with the things which are needed for building construction.

Construction Steps for Building Construction

1. Paperwork :

Construction of RCC building requires some of paperwork before the start of actual construction. The very first stage is preparation of drawings as per requirements of client.

Once drawings are completed, approval of drawings is important from the competent authority such as Municipal Corporation.Once you get the approval your good to go.

The approval from both architect as well as structural engineer is also considered. The next step is marking of plot boundaries.

But before doing this cleaning of the plot is also required for smooth construction.

2. Cleaning a Plot :

Site preparation basically means clearing away the trees, debris from your construction site. This involves the removal of trees, roots and other vegetation from the building site.

After cleaning the site, plot marking of site should be done as per drawings.

3. Excavation :

In this exercise a structural engineer or junior engineer will be needed to determine the depth of the excavation. The depth will vary as per building plan and depending upon soil strata of the construction site.

Excavation should be carried out properly as per the drawings. Excavation is to be done by the JCB.

4. PCC (Plain Cement Concrete)

After the excavation the surface is properly leveled. PCC is then poured over leveled surface. And the surface is made ready for laying the foundation bars.

Also Read : Combined Footing Types

5. Foundation Shuttering

After the completion of PCC, shuttering arrangements for the foundation shall be done. Shuttering for foundation is then placed. Foundation Shuttering should be strong enough to withstand all types of dead load and live load.

Also Read : Footing Design Consideration

6. Foundation Bars

Foundation bars shall be laid on the surface. Main bars and distribution bars shall be placed as per drawings.

7. Column Bars

Proper arrangement should be made for column bars with links as per drawings. Alum steel and foundation steel to be tied properly to avoid joint cracks.

Reinforcements shall be as per bar bending schedule prepared according to drawing. The reinforcement shifting and binding shall be started as soon as shuttering is completed.

Reinforcement bindings shall continue with shuttering work as progresses.

8. Concrete Work in Foundation

A foundation is a poured with concrete pathway that is used to spread the weight of the building from the foundation to the soil. It is very necessary to check the levels of foundation before concrete work.

Depth of foundation varies from 1.5 to 2 meters.

9. Shuttering Removal

The formwork removal procedures should be supervised by the engineer to ensure that quality of hardened concrete and structural member.

That is, it should be free from minimum casting defects such as honeycombing, size and shape defects etc. These defects and concrete influence the strength and stability of structure.

Thus immediate repair works can be done or the members can be rejected.

10. Backfilling

Once the foundation is completed, backfilling of remaining excavated area around foundation with soil is done. Backfill provides stability to the building.

11. Foundation Beam / Plinth Beam

Reinforcement shall be as per drawings. Top bars, bottom bars and stirrups to be placed with proper development length. Joints and the beams shuttering should be tight against leakage of cement grout.

Construction of shuttering should permit removal of various parts and desired sequences without damage to the concrete.

12. Foundation Beam Concreting

Foundation Beam is poured with concrete with grades mentioned in the drawings. The positioning of reinforcement should be properly aligned.

Shuttering parts and connections should be arranged in a way that makes formwork removal easy and simple. Doing this prevents damage to concrete and formwork panels, so that it can be reused without extensive repair.

13. Grade Slab Concreting

Grade slab requires no reinforcement if its resting on ground strata itself. Top of plinth beams and grade slabs should be at the same level. It should not overlap each other.

14. Column Shuttering

Columns Shuttering should be properly constructed and it should be sufficiently propped and braced both horizontally and vertically, so as to retain its shape.

The shuttering of the column should be set precisely to the ideal line and the levels should have plain and smooth surface.

15. Column Concreting

After the concreting of footing is complete immediately in a day or two, starters for column should be casted with proper alignment.

Columns are very important members in RCC design. If the column is placed is wrong position, even the slight difference in position may also create big problems for multi-storeyed buildings and it may effect the overall behaviour of the structure.

While Construction Process, the concreting of RCC columns should start from the center of vertical bars and go towards the ends.

16. Column Shuttering Removal

Once the column gain its strength, then the shuttering of column should be removed precisely. It should not be removed until the column has developed sufficient strength.

The separation of forms should not be done by forcing, otherwise it may damage the hardened concrete.

17. Beam Reinforcement

Beam reinforcement shall be as per drawings.

Also Read : Deflection of Beams Formula With Diagrams For All Conditions

18. Slab Reinforcement

Slab reinforcement shall be as per drawings. It includes the application of main bars and distribution bars as per design. Slab reinforcement should be properly anchored with beam bars.

19. Slab Shuttering

Bottom of the beam is first laid on the column and then slab shuttering is laid over it. Beam and slab levels should be maintained as per drawings.

20. Slab Concreting

After the concreting of column, beam and slab concreting shall start monolithically. The top of floor beam and slab shall be maintained as per levels.

21. Slab Shuttering Removal

Flexible members such as beams and slabs require special attention while the removal of shuttering. Because these members are going to withstanding self load and live load in future.

They may get deflected at the time of construction. This may happen if the sufficient strength is not gained by the slab.

Hence the removal of shuttering should only be removed once slab gain its strength.

23. Doors & Windows Frame

Once The Slab work is done the doors and window frames are installed. They are fixed as the the drawing openings.

24. Electrification, Plumbing and Painting

 

All the concealed Wiring is done before plastering the work. Required no of electric sockets and points are provided as per the planning and requirement. Once its done, then the next step is installation of plumbing work.

Proper plumbing work should be done by skilled workers. Plastering and Painting of the Building is done at the last.

Water-proofing is also done especially at terrace slab to prevent the leakage of water from terrace slab, which can ruin the entire slab.

Things To Consider While Constructing a Building 

• At the time of electrification work, special attention is required for locating the points and sockets and switches. Each and every aspect should be considered for future requirements.
• Weathering conditions play important role at the time of building construction. If possible construction of building should not be started in rainy season, as the climatic conditions makes it difficult for construction.
• Make sure to have parking space for your vehicle.
• LED lights are considered best for housing. They are energy efficient and moreover they last long as compared to other lights.