Steps of Foundation for Home Construction
Once you have decided to build your own house, the next step is to start detailed planning and designing of construction works. And one of the most important steps of this plan is laying the foundation. Most construction works generally start with building foundations as they serve as the primary base and support for the above structures. It distributes the weight of your home to prevent the subsoil from spreading, which could cause the home to face uneven settlement and cause structural damage along the line. So it makes sense for home builders to pay close attention to detail to ensure the Step of Foundation for Home Construction stays dry and crack-free as long as it has a structure to last.
Here’s how you can ensure a solid foundation for your home:
A “good” foundation does much more than just hold the structure above the ground. It gives the house stability and strength, insulates against the cold, maintains moisture, and resists the movement of the surrounding soil. And a proper foundation should last practically forever. However, building a good foundation is more complex than digging a hole and pouring concrete into molds. You have to consider the soil conditions, the water table, and even the quality of the backfill to fit or adapt it to the site. And for that, every detail must be perfect – a properly compacted base, properly seated formwork, and concrete without any voids. Neglect any of these home foundation steps and even the most carefully poured foundation can fail.
Let’s quickly discuss the steps of building a house foundation to give you an in-depth understanding of the process.
5 steps to Building a House Foundation
Laying the foundation of a house is a crucial construction step because this is the moment when your future home begins to take shape. Typically, the foundation is built in the five steps described below:
Prepare the foundation layout
The drawing of the foundation for the excavation is prepared by the structural engineer and approved by the architect. The contractor follows this layout plan and marks the foundations on site accordingly. Then the architect checks the dimensions to make sure there are no mistakes.
Excavation work
As soon as the architect approves the laying out of the foundations, you can proceed with the excavation work. The details of the excavation depend on which construction method you have chosen: load-bearing wall system or column-beam-frame construction system. If you choose the former, trenches will be dug along the wall. In the case of a frame structure, the excavation will be carried out under each column up to the footing. Ensure that all excavation work is carried out according to the foundation layout drawings and the instructions of the architect and structural engineer.
Treatment against termites
After the excavation for the foundation is complete, make sure that the trenches and excavated areas have been treated against termites. The soil needs to be treated down to the plinth level with appropriate chemicals to protect your home from termites and other subterranean pests in the future.
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Building foundations
The next step is to start building the foundation of your house. Again, the process will vary depending on the construction method you’ve chosen.
In the case of the foundation of the supporting structure, concrete beds (PCC) are laid on the bottoms of the grooves. Brick or stone masonry is built above it according to the documents provided by the architect and structural engineer.
In contrast, in the column-beam frame construction system, the foot of the column is formed in the groove. Once the architect and structural engineer have agreed on the steel details and the quality of the work, the concrete can be poured into the formwork. You can prepare the concrete on site or choose ready-mixed concrete (RMC) if the foundation and concrete requirements are large. After the column is built to the level of the plinth beam, the plinth beam is erected so that the walls of the house rest on it.
Healing the foundation of the house
Curing should always start the day after pouring the concrete and repeat two to three times a day. Immediate curing of concrete is essential as cracks can appear and even the strength and life of building elements can be affected if curing is not done properly. It ensures that enough water is available for the chemical reaction that ensures the strength of the concrete.
These were the basic steps in building a house foundation that you needed to know, but remember that the quality of the construction will only be as good as the materials used.
Ghar Banwao is Construction company in Lucknow , providing one one-stop Solution in Architect, Construction with Material, and Interior design.
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