The Steps & Stages In The Construction Of A House

The construction of a house is always undertaken in specific steps or stages. These Stages are arranged to utilize a specific team on site (masons, electricians, carpenters, etc.) to the fullest before you release them and bring in another. Since most of these construction activities are specialized and require personnel of high experience, it’s important to know the financial impact and time requirement of each activity.

This article will break down the construction process of your home into logical steps & stages. These steps & stages are related to implementation teams placing work required by a specific team next to each other.

For those who wish to know how to build a house in simple cost-effective stages, you can read the article here.

Some of the items listed don’t apply to every home and some are not always done in the exact order listed. This gives you a basic overall guide to the steps & stages in the building process.

• Site clearing: This involves removing all unwanted trees, shrubs, grass, rocks, and soil and most importantly, leveling or grading the plot as specified by the architect or required by the construction team. This process can be called site preparation.

• Setting out the site: This is simply drawing out the location of the construction work on the ground. It usually involves the use of chalk powder, string or rope, and wooden pegs. This set gives you an idea of the location of all works and services to be constructed concerning the plot and all existing buildings, trees, and roads.

• Foundation construction: This step involves excavation of the prepared ground, pouring concrete, and building the foundation walls. This step can simply be pouring concrete piles, hammering steep piles, or placing wooden piles into the ground.

• Back-fill of foundations: After the foundation has been constructed in the case of a non-pile foundation, the foundation has to be back-filled or simply the still existing holes should be filled with materials to bring the site back to the required level. Most of the time, the backfill will consist of the soil that was excavated but in some instances, better material may be required for this very important activity.

• Wall & column construction: Walls can now be erected on top of the foundation/ ground floor slab. For the storied building, the columns of the ground floor will be erected at this stage.

• Slab construction: For storied houses, the first-floor slab will be constructed at this stage.

• Wall and column construction: For storied houses, the second-floor walls and columns will proceed at this stage.

• Roofing: For a typical gable or hipped roof, this involves placing the wall plate, erecting the trusses, and placing the roof cover (tiles, iron sheets, shingles, etc.). For a flat concrete roof, the construction of the roof slab will be carried out at this stage.

• Start planting grass/ lawn, flowers, and trees: For those who wish to have a fully grown garden when they move into the house, this would be the best time to start planting.

• Installation of windows and doors: The windows and door frames and shutters can be installed at this stage.

• Rough electrical: The electrical ducting with all the in-wall accessories will be fitted at this stage for both the internal and external electrical works.

• Rough plumbing: This involves laying the plumbing lines and installing them with elbows, joints, junctions, reducers, valves, etc. If a skeptic system is to be installed on the property, this stage will also include the wastewater construction and installation works.

• External wall plastering; This involves plastering the outside walls of the house to a fine smooth complexion.

• Internal wall plastering; This involves plastering the interior of the house to a neat smooth complexion in preparation for painting or finishing designing.

• Floor finishes: This will involve laying the floor tiles and floorboards or screeding the concrete.

• Painting: Internal paint works and external finishes (painting, facing bricks, roughcast, etc.) will happen at this stage.

• Finish electrical: Installing the wiring, control units, and electrical appliances and testing them to verify the installation has happened to the required standard.

• Applications to national service providers: Applications to the Power Grid Company, National or Regional Water Provider, and Communal or Regional Waste Management Service Company can happen at this stage. In some regions, this is also the time to apply to the garbage disposal services and their activities.

• Hard Surfaces installed: This stage involves installing granite worktops and railings finishes.

• Finish plumbing and install gutters & water harvesting system:  Installing of water appliances (WCs, wash basins, sinks, etc.) and all water harvesting or arresting systems will happen at this stage.
• Furnishings: At this stage, the kitchen counters, inbuilt cabinets, cupboards, and wardrobes will be installed.

• Carpet, wallpaper, and decorations

• Air conditioning

• Connection to water main: The connection or hook-up to the national or regional water services mains or well drilling will happen at this stage.

• Connecting to the waste system: Hook-up to the sewer network or installations to the septic system.

• Installing compound finishes: Lay pavers, asphalt, concrete, murram, or stone spread into your compound/ yard at this stage.

• Final quality check: This is best undertaken by the owners together with professional technicians who will check that all the finishes are as per the specifications, and all connections (electrical, plumbing, sewer, air-conditioning, etc.) are made to the national and manufacturers specifications. In general, a check to give the owners approval that the house is safe to move in.

• Move into your new home!

There you go! Those are the steps a typical bungalow (single story) and two-story house involves during construction. If you are planning or already in the process of constructing a house, you can find information about lowering your construction costs here and a guide to building your own house in manageable phases here.