Category: House Construction

Bungalow Style and Designs

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What is Bungalow type of house?

According to Wikipedia, a bungalow is a type of building which originally from Bengal region in South Asia but now found throughout the world.   A bungalow today is a residential building which normally detached and may contain small loft, which is either single-story or has second story built into a sloping roof usually with dormer windows. Common features of bungalow include verandas, and being low-rise.

Also, a bungalow is a single family house type which became popular in the Western United States because it offers low cost, simple living quarters with artistic style and design.  Other special features of bungalow includes convenience and simplicity.

Advantages of bungalow house includes living in bungalow is very convenient for the homeowners because all living areas are on a single-storey and very cost effective way of living since small maintenance for the house. Other advantages are the accessibility and it is ideal for those reduced mobility. Bungalow houses is also easy to maintain so the maintenance cost is very low.

Here in the Philippines, some couples prefer to buy or construct a bungalow for financial reason because construction of bungalow is much cheaper compare to two-storey house. Like for instance, an 85 sq. meter bungalow house included the garage with 3 bedrooms, 2 cr/bathroom, laundry area, kitchen, dining and living area may cost only  Php 1.5 M compare to two-storey that may cost Php 3.5M.

Things to consider when buying or constructing a bungalow, make sure that the house is elevated from the road in order to prevent floods even the place is already high. Also, you may consider to have a foundation of the house that can be also suited to two-storey house so it can be converted into two-storey house in the future if you have enough budget..

Below are some images of bungalow house here in the Philippines:

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Checklist for Hiring an Electrician

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It is very important that you should hire a skilled electrician to avoid all electrical faults and repairs in the future.

electricianThe following are some checklist when hiring an electrician:

  1. Take references from friends, neighbors, relatives and friends before hiring an electrician and share their experiences about repair works and electrician work skills.
  2. Find out the prices and work experience of electrician, take note that a cheapest electrician may not be a good electrician. A good and skilled electrician can cost you little more but it saves your money in the future.
  3. Verify electrician’s work he had done in previous projects and confirm the quality of his work.
  4. Get skilled electrician even his rates are high compare to the others but of course have a little research about him.
  5. Describe and explain to your electrician the details of his work before making an agreement with him
  6. Get an estimate of cost and estimated completion date.
  7. Have an electrical work contract on labor rate.
  8. Clarify to him for completion of work in time before signing a contract
  9. Keep your payment schedule aligned with the pace of work.

Here, take a closer look for a characteristic of a good and reliable electrician:

  • Fully licensed or certified
  • Fully trained and experienced
  • Should have good reputation
  • Has good communication skills to address your needs
  • Honest and trustworthy
  • Updated to current technology

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Tie Beam

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What is Tie Beam?

Tie Beam

A tie beam is an intermediate beam that is used at floor levels and roof levels which provide lateral continuity of the masonry and to tie the tie columns or end walls to avoid lateral movement.  It is a soil level beam connecting two or more vertical load carrying elements usually column.

tie-beam

What are the purposes of tie beam in the construction of house or building?

Purpose of Tie beam

  • Tie beam is used to prevent two structural members from spreading apart such as roof rafters
  • Also, tie beam is used for establishing elements particularly in the context of high seismic motion
  • Ground beam is used to connect 2 or more other foundation elements to support a slab or walls that would otherwise not be supported by the soil.
  • Tie beam can be on the ground to carry axial loading mostly tension
  • Ordinary tie beam acts to bear all the loads come from the wall which constructed parallel with the beam
  • Tie beam stretches over a columns to bind both of the columns to support stability of structure.
  • Tied foundation are implemented as a way of exploiting to advantage opposing forces by linking them together via a tie or tie beam. To reduce the horizontal force requiring to be resisted by the ground.

Site Preparation for House Construction

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site-preparationSite preparation is one of the first step to be done before starting construction works. It is very important to be prepared such as ready all the materials needed as well to clean the site before the construction process. It consists of clearing away all the trees and grasses from the site and doing whatever rough grading and staking the house location in preparation for installation of the footings and foundation.

The factors to be considered that will affect by the placement of the house includes setbacks and easements, sun’s exposure, driveway, septic tank location, distance to run for utility, trees you want to keep, water sources and electricity sources.

construction-site-preparation

The following are some things to consider during site preparation:

  • Be sure to remove all the brushes or trees if there exists any on the site of construction
  • Trees and grasses should be cut properly and totally uprooted
  • The area should be roughly leveled
  • If there are holes at the area, it should be filled with sands or rammed earth and leveled off
  • Permanent bench marks should be established at a suitable point at the construction site
  • As part of site preparation, it also includes the fixing position of the site office and labor shed as well the access and existing roads for trucks, carts, etc.
  • The location for the storage and stacking of the materials should be also set on the ground in the site properly

Site Layout for House Construction

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Site Layout is the first step done in the construction site if clearing is already finished. Clearing is cleaning the area such as removing trees and grasses at the construction site.  Site layout is an important stage of any construction activity from beginning to end. It is done as part of proper mobilization activities before work on site.

site-layout

Activities involves in site layout are identifying and sizing the location of the house as well as placing temporary facilities for the duration of the project within boundaries of the construction site. It will outline the size, dimension of the structures as they build as well as the proper location of each area of the house. Site layout is done based on the floor plan in the house plan. The site layout is done in accordance with the design plans and specifications. Lack of proper site layout planning will lead to incorrect sizes of rooms, and other areas of the house.

construction-site-layout

After the site layout is finished, the next work will be the excavation of the area and steel forming to be used in the foundation of the house such as concrete forms, pour foundation wall, concrete slab pour including gravel, water barrier, rigid foam, rebar and pour concrete for slab.

Mistakes in Building a House

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mistake in building a houseBuilding your dream house is a complex decision to make. It entails a lot of planning so that you may avoid some mistake during construction. So it is very important to seek advice to those are already have experience or from the expert or professional such as architect or engineer. But of course, you to choose a right person depending to their reputation. Remember some mistake can be very costly.

Here are common mistakes in building a house.

 
1.    Unrealistic budget

When it comes to building a house, a huge amount of money is needed for the materials, construction services, and documents processing such as building permit, electrical permit, etc.  To establish the necessary budget, you should know the exact materials to be used in your house so that you can estimate the cost of materials to be used. Also, you should know the cost of services including masonry works, electrical works, and plumbing, roofing services, trussing and carpentry and among others.

2.    Working with cheap contractor.

Offering a cheap cost can be suspicious because it is possible that the contractor has not enough experience, not qualified, no license to do the work.  It is better to do some research about the contractor so that you may choose the right contractor for your home. Choose the best contractor for your dream house.

3.    Using poor construction materials.      

Choosing a cheap material with poor quality is definitely a wrong decision. Your supplier may offer several options with a wide ranges of prices.  Always remember that quality is very important for your future home.

4.    Wrong location for your house

Choosing the right location can be difficult sometimes and it can be a difficult task. So before purchasing any lot for your dream house, you should investigate the place. Know the advantages of living in the area.

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Bungalow and its Advantages

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bungalow sampleAccording to Investopedia,  bungalow is a single-storey house, cottage or cabin. It is generally small in terms of square footage but you can see also large bungalows. It is originally designed to provide affordable and convenient housing.
Some Filipinos dream to build a two-storey house than bungalow because they are afraid of flood during rainy season. But there are still advantages of living in bungalow. If you are thinking of floods, your bungalow should be elevated to prevent flooding inside your bungalow house.

Here are some advantages of bungalow

–    Affordable

Maintaining a bungalow house is affordable since there is low maintenance. Also, building a bungalow house is much cheaper than 2-storey house.

–    Flexibility

Bungalow is not restrictive in terms of modification.  Adding an extension is possible as long as there is available space and also it can convert your bungalow house into two-storey property.

–    Accessibility

Since a bungalow is a single storey layout, it easy to move to one area to another.

Both bungalow and two-storey house have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, it is really a matter of price to know your final decision in terms of building your own house.  The price of bungalow house will depend on how large the home is and what features it offers.

House Technical Specification

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Proposed Technical Specification

Technical Specification for Proposed One-Storey Residential Structure  

Project Proposal: Proposed One-Storey Residential Structure
Address: Santis Subdivision, Santana Abucay, Bataan
Owner: Engr. JC Mer Herrera
Subject: Technical Specifications

house technical specs

General Requirements

A.  The work to be executed shall be done in accordance with the accompanying plans and specifications

B.    All works to be done shall be in the best quality of workmanship under the supervision of an Architect or a Civil Engineer

C.    The construction shall conform to all the requirements of the National Building Code, as well as the local rules and regulations of the City or Municipality

D.    Scope of Works

I.    Site Preparation
II.    Excavation
III.    Backfilling
IV.    Concrete of Works
V.    Proportioning of Concrete
VI.    Forms and scaffoldings
VII.    Concrete Slab Floors on Fill
VIII.    Steel Reinforcing Bars
IX.    Masonry
X.    Finishes
XI.    Floor Finishes
XII.    Tile Wall and Floor Finishes
XIII.    Carpentry and Lumber
XIV.    Roofing
XV.    Doors and Windows
XVI.    Electrical Works
XVII.    Plumbing Works
XVIII.    Metal
XIX.    Painting

I. Site Preparation

The building site shall be leveled according to the plans and cleared of rubbish, roots and other perishable and objectionable matters to a suitable sub-grade.

All such unsuitable materials shall be removed from the building site and spread uniformly over the areas adjacent the proposed building, or otherwise disposed off as may be directed by the Architect or the Engineer in charge of the construction.

The contractor shall make the necessary temporary facilities such as the bodega and comfort room.  This section also includes temporary connections of electrical and plumbing utilities.

Existing walls will not be demolished, instead will be used and reinforced as wall partition at Ground Level.

II. Excavation

All excavations shall be made to grade indicated in the drawings, where the building site is covered with any kind of fill, the excavation for footings should be made deeper until the stratum for safe bearing capacity of the soil reached.

Whenever water is encountered in the excavation process, it shall be removed by bailing or pumping, care being taken that the surrounding soil particles are not disturbed or removed.

III. Backfilling    

After concrete for foundations reached the curing period to withstand pressure resulting from fills, the materials removed from excavations shall be used for backfills around them.
Backfills shall be placed in layers not exceeding 150mm in thickness, and each layer shall be thoroughly compacted wetting, tamping and rolling.

IV. Concrete Works

All concrete shall be mixed thoroughly until there is a uniform distribution of the cement and aggregates, and should be deposited as nearly as practicable in its final position, care being taken to avoid segregation of the aggregates.

Water to be used for mixing concrete shall be clean and free from injurious amount of oil, acids, alkalis, salts, and other organic materials.

All reinforced concrete columns, beams, and slabs shall be according to design as shown on plan.
Materials, Portland cement ASTM C 150, Type I, Sand ASTM C 897

V. Proportioning of Concrete

All concrete works shall be done in accordance with the standard specifications for plain and reinforced concrete as adopted by the Government.  Cement to be used shall be HOLCIM Portland Cement or equivalent.

The following proportions of concrete mixtures shall be used for the various parts of the building:

Columns and Footings – Class A (1:2:4)
Wall Footings – Class A(1:2:4)
Reinf. Concrete Beams and Slabs – Class A(1:2:4)
Slab on Fill – Class B(1:2 1/2:5)

The fine aggregate for concrete shall consist of natural sand, or of inert materials with similar characteristics, having clean, hard and durable grains, free from organic matter or loam.

The course aggregate for concrete shall consist of crushed rock of durable and strong qualities or clean and hard gravel.  Size of the course aggregate shall vary from 20mm to 40mm (3/4” to 1-1/2”)

VI. Forms and Scaffoldings

All forms for concrete shall be properly braced or connected together so as to maintain the correct position and shapes of the concrete members.  Forms shall be constructed sufficiently tight to prevent bulging and seepage of water.

Forms shall not be removed until the concrete has attained sufficient strength to support its own weight and any loads that may be placed on it.

Scaffoldings must be properly braced to prevent accidents.  Scaffolding materials may be lumber or steel.

VII. Concrete Slab Floors on Fill

Concrete slabs on fill shall be poured on a gravel bed not less than 100mm thick.  Each concrete slab course to be poured shall not be more than one meter wide, and each course shall be poured alternately to the indicated floor finish.

VIII. Steel Reinforcing Bars

All steel reinforcing bars to be used in the construction shall consist of round deformed bars with lugs, projection on their sides to provide a greater bond between the concrete and the steel.  Sizes range is 10mm dia., 12mm dia., 16mm dia.

All steel reinforcing bars shall be accurately placed and secured against displacement by tying them together at each bar intersection with Gauge #16 galvanized iron wire.

The steel reinforcing bars indicated for footings, columns, slabs, beams, girders and other concrete members shall all conform to the number, size and spacing as indicated in the drawings or schedule of steel reinforcements.

IX. Masonry

Concrete hollow blocks to be used in this project shall be 5 inches thick.

All exterior concrete hollow blocks to be used for the first floor walls shall be at least 150mm thick, while concrete hollow blocks for interior walls unless otherwise indicated, shall be 100mm thick.  For interior CHB walls where plumbing pipes and fittings shall be located, the thickness shall be at least 150mm thick.

Concrete hollow blocks to be used for walls above the first floor, shall be 150mm thick.

The concrete hollow block walls shall be laid, and the cells filled with cement mortar consisting of 1 part Portland cement and 3 parts sand by volume.  They shall be reinforced with round deformed bars, 10mm diameter, spaced not more than 1.20 meters on center, both ways.

X. Finishes

Interior walls shall be of Smooth Plain Cement Plaster finish unless otherwise specified in the plans.

Exterior walls shall be of Smooth Plain Cement Plaster finish.
This section includes Portland Cement Plaster materials

a.    Base – Coat Cement: Portland cement, ASTM C 150, Type I
b.    Job – Mixed Finish Coat: ASTM C 926, Portland Cement, ASTM C 150 Type I
c.    Sand Aggregates for Base Coat: ASTM C 897
d.    Water: Potable and clean

XI. Floor Finishes

All materials to be used as floor finishes for the rooms shall be plain cement finish and general areas of the building shall be plain cement finish.

XII. Tile Wall and Floor Finishes

The toilet and bathroom floors shall be finished with 0.20m x 0.20 CERAMIC TILES and approved equivalent

The walls of the toilets, bathrooms shall be 0.20m x 0.30m CERAMIC TILES and approved equivalent.

XIII. Carpentry and Lumber

Lumber shall be approved quality of the respective kind required for the various parts of the work, self seasoned, thoroughly dried and free from large, loose and unsound knots, sap, shakes or other imperfections impairing its strength, durability and appearance.  Tanguile shall be used for door jambs, corbets, hangers, ceilings joist and other framings.  Lumber standards must comply with Philippine Lumber Standard and with applicable grading rules of local inspection agencies.

XIV. Roofing    

The roof shall be covered with 0.40 mm Color Roof Rib Type roofing.  The roofing sheet shall be secured to the purlins.  Gutter will be Pre-Painted Spanish Gutter.  All accessories must conform to standard of ASTM.  All overlaps and connections must be properly screwed and riveted.

XV. Doors and Windows

This section includes Solid Wood Doors and Hollow – Core Doors
Material: Kilm Dry “J. Melina” for solid door and ordinary tanguile for hollow – core wood doors and approved equivalent.

Install wood doors to comply with manufacturer’s written instructions, referenced quality standard, and as indicated on drawings.

PVC door shall be in quality standard “POLY DOOR” brand or approved equivalent; Extend and Location: Toilet and Bath

This section also includes standard Aluminum Framed (analok) Windows with ¼’ thick bronze glass.  Materials shall conform good quality and to be installed by the required fabricator and must comply with manufacturer’s specification and recommendations for installation of window units, hardware, operators and other components of the work.

XVI. Electrical Works

Basic Electrical Requirements

A.    All electrical works shall be done in accordance with all applicable current edition of the Philippine Electrical Code and shall conform to requirements, agencies and Power Company with jurisdiction over this project.  All work for this installation shall be done under the direct supervision of duly licensed Electrical Engineer or Master Electrician.

B.    All electrical materials, devices, fixtures, fittings and hardware shall be of suitable and approve type for location purposes.

XVII. Plumbing Works

All plumbing works for this project shall be done in accordance with the approved plans and under the direct supervision and control of a licensed Sanitary Engineer or Master Plumber.

Piping shall be properly graded or pitched to ensure easy circulation, drainage and prevent water hammer and noise.

The plumbing installation shall conform with the provisions of the National Plumbing Code and the rules and regulations enforced in the locality.

Piping for drain, waste and vent shall be done using GI push – on system.  For the in-house water supply installation, GI pipes and fittings shall be used.

The plumbing fixtures and accessories to be provided and installed shall be follows:

Water Closets – COOL or approved equivalent
Lavatories – COOL or approved equivalent
Kitchen Sink – Stainless
Shower Heads – COOL or approved equivalent
Soap Holder – COOL or approved equivalent
Toilet Paper Holder – COOL or approved equivalent
Floor Drain – COOL or approved equivalent

Where a sanitary sewer system of sewage disposal is not in operation in the locality, standard septic vault shall be constructed as shown in the drawings.

XIII. Metal

Steel Grills and Ornamental Railings

A.    General: For smooth fabrications exposed to view in the completed work, provide materials with smooth, flat, surfaces without blemishes.  Do not use materials with exposed pitting.  Seam marks, roller marks or roughness.
B.    This section includes ornamental railing fabricated from custom shapes.
C.    Steel and Iron: Provide steel and iron in form indicated to comply with the following requirements
Tubing: Cold formed, ASTM A 500
Steel Plate, Shapes and Bar: ASTM 36

XIV Painting

A.    This section includes surface preparation and field painting of the following:
Exposed exterior items and surface
Exposed interior and surfaces
Surface preparation, priming and finish coast specified in this section are in addition to shop priming, and surface treatment specified in other sections.

B.    Material Compatibility: Provide block fillers, primers, undercoats, finish-coat materials and related materials that are compatible with one another and the substrates indicated under conditions of service and application, as demonstrated by manufacturer based on testing and field experienced.

C.    Materials Quality:  Provide manufacturer’s best quality paint material of the various coating types specified. Paint-material containers not displaying manufacturer’s product identification will not be acceptable.

Proprietary Names:  Use of manufacturer’s proprietary product names to designate colors or materials is not intended to imply that products named are required to be used to the exclusion of equivalent products of other manufacturers.

Cementitious Filler: Not shrink formulations; white Portland cement with fine silicate aggregate, zinc-oxide pigment, and reinforcing chemical binder as approved.

Thinner:  As  recommended by each manufacturer for the respective product.

Equipment: Provide scaffolding, staging, drop cloths, covers, brushes, rollers and spraying and other equipment of the type, grade and size required for the proper execution of work.

D.    Color:  Colors of items or surfaces to be painted are indicated on the drawings and schedules.  Provide custom color of the finished paint system to match the Architect’s sample.

E.    Mixing:  All materials shall be factory or supplier mixed to proper application consistency.  Perform job mixing and tinting only as approved by the Architect.

F.    Application:
General: Apply finish systems in accordance with the manufacturer’s written instructions.  Use applicators and techniques best suited for substance and type of material being applied.  Apply to the dry film mil thickness for each coat as recommended by the manufacturer.  Finish coats shall cover substrate and produce a uniform finish surface, free form from sags, lap mark and other defects.

How to Prevent House Construction Delay?

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construction delaysWe can avoid construction delays if we are aware of the common causes of delays and foresee it and be ready for the appropriate action.

Let us take a look the most common cause of delays:

  • Rainy Weather
  • Client financial trouble
  • Changes to initial design
  • Contractor’s poor management skills and poor communication
  • Contractor’s lack of manpower
  • Labor dispute and disagreement
  • Late delivery of materials from supplier
  • Restrictive rules and regulations
  • Access to power and water
  • House owner additional work that is not included in the house plan
  • House owner request for modification

It is totally impossible to eliminate construction delays but we can minimize it by proper planning and management.  House construction is very complicated because there are many people involved. One of the most difficult tasks is handling different people from different walks of life. Materials may not be delivered on time, subcontractor will not always be sure that there are enough manpower needs on site immediately, mishandling of communication between carpenters, plumbers, electrician and among others.

The following are some simple strategies to minimize house construction delays:

  1. Monitor the weather and be prepare for the bad weather and make necessary action.
  2. Make sure that there are proper permits before each phase of the construction.
  3. Ensure that there is a site access and on-site security to avoid theft of materials and equipment
  4. Hire only the most experienced workers and subcontractors
  5. Owner should minimize their change request.
  6. Make sure to have daily communication with your workers, subcontractors, owner and supplier.
  7. Monitor all cost including materials and labor costs as well as the time schedule for every phase.
  8. Schedule daily tasks for the next week
  9. Ensure that you have safety training program and have plans for emergencies.
  10. Hire subcontractors that is honest, trusted and trustworthy and with good communication skills to avoid conflicts and disagreement in the future
  11. Make sure that the client or owner of the house paid on time based on terms of payment
  12. Contractor should know how to handle money.

Causes of House Construction Delays

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house construction delayNo matter how careful you are, delays is not avoidable because weather is change, and people is change that is why it is important that we should be aware of the causes of delays during house construction.  Delay is common because constructions is complicated and involve a lot of different people.  Everyone must be working together to avoid delays.  The contractor will suffer because of the overhead expenses as well as owner of the house.

The following are some causes of delays during house construction:

  • Excessive bad weather
    Bad weather is unavoidable but we can avoid excessive bad weather if we start our house construction during summer season before the rain starts.
  • Insufficient manpower
    If there is no manpower, delays will be expected so it is important to verify your contractor if he has enough manpower to do the job.
  • Labor dispute or labor disagreement
    Labor dispute or labor disagreement is avoidable between contractor and his labor or subcontractor.  The contractor should have extra person or labor so that the construction will not stop.
  • Contractor mismanagement
    Make sure that your contractor has good reputation and trusted. There are times that the contractor may not know how to manage money and people.
  • Failure to purchase material on time
    Sometimes the contractor forgets to order material in a timely manner.
    • Delivery delays
      If the supplier delays the delivery of materials

 

  • Owner house modification
    Owner requests additional work or some modification for the design of the house. Small modification can have large impact to the construction.

Now that we are aware of the possible causes of delays, make sure to come up with the solution if we experience the above situation. Proper planning and scheduling can prevent this unavoidable situation.