BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME

Some useful Tips

Home building steps:

Home is the place from where we live our life, build stories and so on. Hence, it is very
important to know the right construction process.
Building your own independent home is a dream. Starting from owning your own land to
griha prabesh is never the less thrilling journey as world tour.

Building your dream home requires due diligence and careful planning on both are
acquiring the land in a good locality and building the house. In the 1st stage to be careful
about legal issues and cost issues in the 2nd stage.

Check points:

1) Planned total estimated budget and arrange the fund.

2) Select the land
3) Verify the legal document & vastu compliance.
4) Prepare Plan & design for building
5) Select the contractor/developer for quality workmanship.
6) Select the correct quality of materials for building construction.
7) Inspection, Testing of workmanship during construction

1) Planning to allocate the fund:- The first step is to prepare a plan for total
estimated budget for your building Allocate the fund according to the estimated
project cost as per the planned budget. Consult with bank/private financial
institution for loan(if required). Working capital + bank loan must be more than
the estimated cost because there may be some unforseen expenses which are
not included in the project cost and may get added up in future.

2) Select the land :- At first finalise the area, place, position and plot area. While
chooseing the land keep the following factors in mind 1. Distance from work
place, railway station, Bus Stand. 2. Availability of public amenities like road,
water, electricity, drainage, sewage, hospital, park, market, school , post office,
Bank, etc.

3) Verify the legal document & Vastu compliance:- Verify the ownership of land
and search the legal papers e.g deed, porcha and obtain no objection certificate
from the registrar’s office for the land etc.
Vastu works on the principle of five basic elements of the universe : earth ,
water, air, fire & space. If required Consult Vastu expert for Vastu compliance.. 
Here, we give few vastu tips that you may use to enhance the positive effect of
these elements of your house.
#The land should not be irregular shape like triangular, ideally it should be square or

rectangular in shape

# Plot with extended north- east corner or east is good for the vastu complaint

# East is the most auspicious direction for entrance to a house

#The main bed room should be constructed in the south west direction

#Square and rectangle shape bedrooms are perfect for ensuring peace and prosperity

#The north direction is ideal for the construction of living room

#The ideal location of the kitchen is the southeast corner of the house and northwest

being the second best option

4) Prepare Plan & design of building:- Consult an authorised & reputed

architect/engineer for design & prepare a Plan. Plan should be prepared
according to the family requirement & as per Vastu recommendation. Check a
total estimated cost of the project within the planned budget. Construction cost
may be further divided into material, labour & other expenses in the ratio of
60:30:10.

5) Select the contractor/developer for quality workmanship:- Select the

contractor as per the market reputation of the contractor. Make a legal
agreement with contractor with his scope of work,BOQ,construction
schedule,patment terms safety and quality workmanship statutory compliance
etc. Keep regular inspection of the construction. Architects,Building materials
dealer & hardware stores are good information sources for labour contractor &
rajmistry/ skilled labour.

6) Select the correct quality of materials for building construction:- To

prepare a quality home the following points should be checked during
procurement of materials -
The materials used for the construction of the building are given below:

1. Cement.
2. Reinforcement Bars (TMT Rebars)
3. Sand and Water
4. Coarse Aggregate (Stone chips)
5. Bricks/ Blocks
6. Doors and windows
7. Flooring/ wall cladding materials as per the requirement like marble, vitrified
tiles, ceramic tiles, granaite, etc
8. Sanitation & Plumbing
9. Electrical
10. putty/pop/ Painting

7) Inspection testing of workmanship:- It is very important to make periodic inspection

by the construction of the building and go for testing of all building materials ans concreting
work datewise for quality construction of the building.

A.Cement:-

Cement is the most impornt building material for any construction work.Cement is the
binder & which with water binds all the construction material like sand and coarse
aggregates to prepare concrete and RCC of the correct grade & specification(like M25,
M20 etc.). It is the main ingredient for construction of a building. It accounts for 12-14% of
the total expenditure. So cheaper quality cement may give a little savings but entire
construction will be at higher risk & if compromised may lead to significantly higher cost of
repairment at later stage. So never compromise with the quality of cement.

Characteristics of good quality cement :-

▪ Less permeable to moisture
▪ Improved resistance to acids & chlorides
▪ Reduced heat of hydration
▪ Reduced shrinkage
▪ Reduced leaching problems because it contains low free lime.

Storage of cement

Points to be checked during procurement of cement

1) Cement must be ISI marked.
2) Generally use branded cement.
3) Cement should be smooth when rubbed between two finger
without any gritty feeling.
4) Always see the manufacturing date. Older cement means less
effective (quality degradation). Do not use the cement which is
older than three months from the date of its manufacturing.
5) Cement bags must not be torn.
6) Cement should be cold.
 7) Cement should always be kept free from moisture and water. At
site cement should always be kept on a raised platform covered
under tarpaulin. Do not store Cement for a long time which leads
to reduction in strength of cement.
8) Take a handful of cements and throw it on a basket full of water,
the particles should float for sometime before they sink.

Note:- Always use optimum quantity of cement. A high grade cement does not
mean lower quantity of cement requirement. Colour of the cement does not determine the
quality of the cement.

Possible reduction in strength of concrete made with stored cement

Period of storage of cement Minimum expected reduction in strength (%)

Fresh 0
3 months 20
6 months 30
1 year 40
2 years 50
*The above values are indicative If cement is likely to have deteriorated during storage, it
should be sent to laboratory for testing.

Storage of cement:-
1. Store cement in a building/shaded area which is dry and moisture proof as
possible.
2. The floor may comprise of two layers of dry bricks laid on well consolidated earth.
Stack the cement bags close to each other to reduce circulation of air.
3. Do not stack more than 10 bags in height.
4. Cover the stack with polythene to reduce contact with moisture.
5. Different types of cement should be stacked and stored seperately.

B) Reinforcement Bars :-
TMT rebars are the backbone of the RCC construction so quality TMT bar means long life
of construction. TMT rebars accounts for only 8-12% of your total expenditure. So never
use cheaper TMT rebars. It saves a little but if you compromise on quality product then the
total construction will become weaker & risky.

Points to be checked during procurement of Rebar:-

1) Steel must be ISI marked.

2) Chemical & physical properties must satisfy IS standard.
3) Use Fe-500D grade reinforcement bar for better earthquake
resistance.
4) Always ask for test certificate of the material.
5) Steel should not be stored uncovered and if such make a layer
of cement ghola.
6) TMT rebars must be clean , free from laps,seams & surface
irregularities.
 7) Rib geometry is a vital factor because it causes bonding
between steel and concrete.
8) Good steel always bend easily during bending at site.
9) A misconception regarding TMT bar is that “Reddish
reinforcement bar is not good”
10) Never used pitted steel for construction purpose.

For any steel rebar weight per running metre is equal to D2 / 162 kg          
where D is diameter of the rebar in mm. For example , 10 mm diameter rebar will weight
10x10 /162 = 0.617 kg / m.

Storage Procedure at site:-

1. Covered Shed and provisions of covering the bars with Polythene sheets should be
available at site to protect the same from rain,moisture attack.
2. Donot store the bars on ground. Always store the bars on a raised platform with
wood/ bamboo/ bricks to avoid direct contact with earth.

C)Sand and Water :-

1)Sand should be almost free from mica and other impurities and must be coarse grain for
good concreting work.
2) Sand should be free from mud and other foreign materials.
3) Sand classified as fine sand to be used for plastering, coarse sand for masonry work
and coarse sand for concreting work.
4) Sand should be chemically inert.
5) Water should be free from oil,acids,alkalies, salts& organic materials or any other
substances that may be harmful for concrete or masonary work.
6) The PH value of water shall be between 6.5-7.5 . Sea water is not recommended for
concreting or masonary work.
7) Potable water is recommended for construction and curing.
8) Water helps the cement in hydration and distribute the cement evenly.

Following tests can be done to ascertain the quality of sand

1. A glass of water is taken and some quantity of sand is placed in it. Shake vigorously,
allow to settle. A distinct layer of clay will be found if clay is present in the sand.

2. Take some sand from the heap and rub with fingers. If fingers are stained, it indicates
that the sand contains earthy matters.

D) Coarse Aggregates(stonechips) :
Aggregates constitute nearly 70-80% of the total volume of concrete and are essentially
inert in nature. Aggregates have two prime functions; namely to provide a rigid skeletal
structure & reduce the void space to be filled by the concrete paste. The aggregates used
to make concrete must be clean, dense,hard and durable, structurally sound, capable of
developing good bond with cement and must be weather resistant. The stonechips should
not be of uniform size it should be be preferable 60% of volume 20mm and down and
balance 40% of 10mm and down. The quality of concrete depends upon the quality of the
aggregate their strength, water absorption, shape and texture. Use a mix of ¾ , ½ & ¼
inch sizes of stones to reduce voids.
Storage of Sand & Aggregates:-

1. Store aggregate at site on a hard dry and level patch of ground.

2. If such a surface is not available then prepare a platform of old
corrugated iron sheets, or a floor of bricks, so as to prevent
contamination with clay, dust,leaf, vegetable and other foreign
matter
3. Store coarse aggrements(stonechips)& fine aggregates sand
separately and prefer the size wise like 20mm depth, 10mm
down, coarse, find etc. separately.

E) Bricks:-

Bricks should be in proper shape,well burnt and uniform red or brownish coloured.
The size of the brick as per BIS is 230mm x 110mm x 70mm. The
sound of the bricks must be metallic when contact each other. The brick should
not brake into pieces when dropped flat on a hard ground from a height of 1meter. The
less water absorbed by brick the greater its quality. Good quality brick doesn't absorb more
than 20% water of its own weight. Bricks when soaked in water for 24 hrs. Should not
show deposits of white salt when allowed to dry in shade. Fly Ash bricks exhibits almost
same mechanical properties as burnt clay bricks and are found to be a good cost effective
substitute

Aggregates, Sand & Bricks

Fly Ash bricks: Now a day’s fly ash bricks are extensively used in building construction
which exhibits almost same mechanical properties as burnt clay bricks and a good cost
effective substitute. The raw materials used in Fly Ash Bricks are fly 

ash about 60% by weight, sand or stone dust about 30% by weight and Ordinary Portland
Cement (lime + gypsum) about 10% by weight.
The strength of fly ash brick manufactured with the above compositions is normally of the
order of 7.5 N/mm2 to 10 N/mm2. Fly ash bricks are uniform shape & size, lighter and
stronger than clay bricks.

AAC Blocks: AAC Blocks (Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks) a unique and
excellent substitute of normal clay and fly ash bricks as building materials for masonry
work due to its superior heat, fire and sound resistance. AAC blocks are lightweight and
offer ultimate workability, flexibility and durability.

Main ingredients of AAC Blocks include fly ash, water, quicklime or lime sludge, cement,
aluminium powder and gypsum. The block hardness is being achieved by cement
strength, and instant curing mechanism by autoclaving. The finished product is a lighter
and less than 40% of the weight of conventional Bricks, while providing similar strength.
The specific gravity of the block stays around 0.6 to 0.65. This is one single most USP of
the AAC blocks, because by using these blocks in structural buildings, the builder saves
around 20 to 25% of structural steel, and concrete, as these blocks reduce the dead load
on the building significantly.

F Doors and windows:- Generally doors are side hung type with single /double leaves
made with best quality timber, ply,etc and windows are made with glass, aluminum, steel
etc. General size of the doors 3'*7' for living room and 2.5'*6' for bathroom. There must be
two windows for cross ventilation of air. Ensure that wooden frames of doors & windows
are treated with anti termite treatment before fixing the same.

G) Flooring work:-Generally there are three types of flooring. 1) Cement Concrete, 2)

Marble Flooring & 3) Tiles Flooring. You can choose any one of them as per your
requirement and planned estimated budget.

H) Sanitation & Plumbing work :- ISI marked sanitation products should be used for
plumbing. Assign a reputed plumber for plumbing work. There must be no leakage in the
pipeline. Plan for pipe line in such a way to reduce bends & joints. Use of proper pvc pipe
as directed by the Engineer.

I) Electricals :-
Always use ISI marked electrical products. Depute a govt. registered electrician for
electrical work. Always ensure proper earthing to prevent electrical shocks. Ensure that
your home has proper wiring and insulation. Ensure that every room has a separate
MCB which prevents short circuit or overloading. For overall protection of your house from
electric shocks use RCCB always use star rated electrical appliances and CFL or LED
fixtures to minimize the electricity consumption bill. Always ensure that wires are not
exposed at any place. They should always be covered with insulated strips or should run
within conduits, if concealed wiring is done. For false ceiling too, the same practice is
essential.

Construction Work
J) Painting - Painting not only beautifies your home but also enhances its durability &
protects it from harsh climatic condition. There are different types of paints like cement
paints, distemper, enamel paint or acrylic emulsion paints. Choose paint according to your
budget and requirement. Always use paints fig.of reputed company. Use preferably putty
instead of POP for long duration of paint. Always use primer before painting for long lasting
of paints. Clean the surface thoroughly with sand paper. Apply 2 coats of acrylic based
putty after the primer dried. Now apply 2 coat of paint with an interval of 4-6 hours.
Thinner should be used as per requirement. Use light colour for the rooms and deep
colour in balconies.

Steps for paintings –1)Chosse the right type of paint and desired colour, 2) Surface
Preparation, 3) Applying the primer as per the desired coats 4) Painting.

Calculation for paint requirements-

Type of Paints Area coverage

area of one coat
(in sq meter per
litre)
Water based wall Primer 20
Oil bound 20
Distemper(water based)
Synthetic Enamel Paint 30

Acrylic Emulsion 25
paints(water based) for
interior wall surface

Construction Phase:- This is the most important and crucial stage where building plans
and designs are finalized and to take care the phase in a well planned construction
schedule. Proper care has to be taken to make sure that the best construction practices
are adhered to with proper safety measures.

Construction Practices:

1. Foundation: It is very important to ensure a strong foundation of your building for

the structural safety of the building. Find here some useful checks:
- It is preferable to get soil testing done before designing the foundation of the
building.
 - The foundation should rest on firm soil and to be taken to a minimum depth of
1.2m from the original ground level.
- The area of the foundation should be significant to transfer the load safety to the
ground on which it rests.
- The area of the foundation depends on load carrying capacity of the soil. It is
important to mark the location and size of the foundation before excavation.
2. Planning Earth work of the foundation:
- Carry out proper surveying to obtain the layout plan/ centre line from the
engineers/ architect and establish reduced level of the ground from constructing the
benchmark level as a reference by a permanent pillar for future reference.
- Mark all trench excavation lines with respect to the centre lines of walls.
- Ensure that the excavation is done true to levels, slope , shape and pattern.
- Consolidate the bed of excavation by watering and ramming . Soft or defective
should be dig out and filled with lean concrete.
- Brace the sides of excavation with tight soaring work for deep excavation to avoid
collapsing the sides of the excavation area.
3. Anti-termite treatment: Termite infestation can weaken structure and damage
wooden materials. Some useful tips to keep your home free of termites is given
below:
- The soil around the foundation should be treated up to the plinth level with
appropriate chemicals.
- The chemical barrier should be continuous and complete.
- Treatment can be done pre, during and post construction stages.
- Care should be taken to ensure that the chemicals should not contaminate the
domestic water sources.
4. Masonry Brick/ Block Work: Building will not be considered safe if its wall are not
strong and sturdy. Please find here some useful tips:
-Bricks/ blocks should be laid on a full bed of mortar mixed properly as per the
guidance of the Engineer.
-The joints should be fully filled and packed with the mortar of same mix.
Vertical joint should be staggered.
For block work L/H ratio to be properly maintained and RCC band with stool
columns, etc need to be provided as per IS code.
The brick work should be cured well to make it strong.
5. Reinforced Cement Concrete(RCC) Work.

(a)Batching & mixing & Placing -

Use wooden box of specific sizes for convenient batching and maintain proper ratio
of materials. Always use a mixer machine for best results. Place all the concrete
mix within 30 minutes after preparation. Use water to obtain the required workability.
Additional water weakens the concrete and enhances the cracking potential. Use
vibrator vertically for proper compaction. Concrete must not be over vibrated. Do
not add water during compacting. The concrete should be poured within a height of
1.5 meters maximum to avoid any separation of aggregates. Proper leveling &
slope of the roof should be maintained during placing of concrete to avoid
accumulation of water on the roof.

(b)Curing-The Process of maintaining moisture in the concrete is called curing.

During the curing process the concrete hardens and gets maximum strength.
Concrete begins to dry after casting therefore curing should start within 12-15 hrs
of the casting. So, the parts exposed to the environment should be cured before the
dry. The curing process is continuous as per the stipulated time as mentioned in BIS
 codes. Usually 14-21 days is the proper curing time for concrete floor slab and
beams.

For flat surfaces like floors, roofs, etc curing should be done by pond formation.

For columns After the shuttering is removed, they must be wrapped with used jute
bags which must be kept wet by intermittent sparkling of water atleast for 3 to 4
times in a day, for 2 to 3 weeks.

(c)Concrete Mix & water cement ratio & material requirement for 1 cubic meter
concrete

Concrete Water & Water (Litre Cemen Sand Aggregates Steel

mix cement per bag of t (cubic (Cubic Rebars
Ratio cement (Bags) meter) meter) (Kg)
M25 0.35 17.5 11.2 0.40 0.80 80-120
(1:1:2
approx)
M20 0.42 21.0 8.0 0.42 0.83 75-115
(1:11/2:3
approx)
M15 0.55 27.5 6.2 0.43 0.87 70-110
(1:2:4
approx)

(d)Reinforcement bars- Reinforcement bars are a vital

component of R.C.C. It is important to choose the right steel
and place it right to prevent cracking or any destruction of the
R.C.C members. Some useful tips-
-To use same quality & grade TMT rebar for the whole
structure.
-Maintain bar bending schedule well in advance before cutting
& bending of rebars to minimize wastage of rebars.
-Use concrete cover blocks of same grade of concrete. during
bar placement for properly positioned reinforcement bars.
- For the bars joining adequate lap length need to be
maintained and laps should be staggered.
Cover Block

How to judge Reinforcement bars: Following are the critical parameters to judge
reinforcement bars:
-required tensile strength
- consistency of physical properties across the length of the bars.
- Adequate ductility.
- Lower impurities.
- Easy to bend/ rebend (during fabrication).
- Bond with concrete.
Why Shyam Steel brand is the builders choice?

• Superior tensile strength, yield strength across the full length(much above the
required strength as per IS 1786: 2008).
• Superior Ductility (much above the cooperative steel materials are available in the
market).
• Technical service to customers.
• Manufactured from iron ore, have the highest grade of purity and lower impurities of
sulphur and phosphorous content, making it stronger than any other comparable
make in Fe 500D category.

(e)Formwork(Shuttering)- This is a temporary structure to support the construction while

the concrete work is in progress and to develop required strength of concreting before
releasing the same.
-The formwork should be designed and constructed so as to be sufficiently rigid during
placing & compaction of concrete and be preferably leak proof to prevent loss of slurry
from the concrete.
-Proper grade of concrete should be mix designed using required amenities of cement,
sand, stonechips and water.
-Use releasing agent for smooth finish of concrete.
-The formwork should be sufficiently clean from foreign matter before the casting.

6.Plastering-Plastering is necessary because it protects the exposed surfaces and

masonry joints from external environment & provides lateral stability to wall by binding all
bricks or stones together. Remove loose mortar from joints between the concrete work &
brickwork. Cement sand mortar recommended for outside plaster, internal plaster &
ceiling plaster are 1:4, 1:5 & 1:3 respectively. Quantity of mortar should be prepare in such
a way that it is consumed within 45 minutes of preparation.

Cement plaster is usually applied in a single coat or double coat. Double coat plaster is
applied where thickness of plaster is required to be more than 15mm.

Steps of plastering:
Surface preparation →ground base for plaster→ applying 1st coat (undercoat or rendering
coat)→applying 2nd coat (finishing coat or final coat) –˃curing
due to poor workmanship defects generally observed during plastering and
brickwork :
1. Place the mortar between the bricks in such a way
that there should not any air pocket.
2. Prepare mortar with recommended ratio of cement, sand &
and required water for best strength of mortar.
3. Use the whole mortar within 45 minutes after preparation
of the mortar.
4. Maintain vertical & horizontal level of brick work and
proper plumb. .
7. Water Proofing
In order to safeguard your precious construction it is highly important to take strick
measures to water proof your house. There are various waterproofs technique that can be
used during and after the construction of the house. Below table provides some possible of
water leakage/ seepage reasons & their remedies.

Reasons for leakages/seepages Remedies

Accumulation of water on the roof Provide drainage, Maintain slope during
concreting
Poor quality of construction Procure quality materials as per the guide book
materials
Poor compaction Use vibrator for compaction
Capillary in brickwork Use damp proof course(DPC) at plinth level
Leakage from water retaining Use water proofing materials for water retaining
structure like water tank etc. structure. Ask expert opinion for water proofing
treatment.

External walls are built with masonry to fill the spaces in the RCC frame containing
slabs, beams & columns. This makes it vulnerable to seepage against rain water from
external walls to the interiors. Cracks in plaster leads to water seepage, and hence a
waterproof coatings are the remedy in all such cases.

Workmanship-Workmanship is one of the vital parts for home building. Choose a reputed
contractor/ rajmistry for construction.

Construction Expenses item wise : Construction cost depends on the quality of

construction and the finishing work one wants to have. The finishing work can be of
high, medium and econmy class finishes. This includes quality of building materials,
doors, & windows etc.

It is always advisable to take professional consultationno making budget for construction

cost of your house. However , you can also estimate item wise
cost of construction of your house as given in the table.
 Items % of Total Cost
Design & Engineers fee 3-5%
Boundary Wall & main gate 1-3%
Layout & Excavation 2-4%
Painting work 6-8%
Flooring work 5-7%
Electrical Works 4-6%
Plumbing& Sanitation 4-6%
Bore well 2-4%
Shuttering & Formwork 2-4%
Doors & Windows 5-7%
Steel Rods 10-12%
Stone &Aggregates 4-6%
Bricks 8-10%
Sand 3-5%
Cement 12-14%
Electricity 2%
Water 1%
Labour contractor for concrete 8-10%
miscellaneous 3-5%

  Quality check: It is very important to make periodic inspection of the construction of the
building . Important factor that needs to look at during the construction phase listed below:

* Estimation of the Material

* Quality of the Materials
* Footings and Foundations
* RCC & Masonry work
* Underground Plumbing
* Flooring and Framing
* Exterior cladding
* Door & Window joineries
* Sewerage
* Wiring for Lighting, Phone, Broadband etc
* Interior and Exterior painting
Griha Pravesh and Final Check -up

Building your own home is certainly an intimidating task. Once all the work is complete,
the final time has come when you enter to your house.
Ensure that you and your family do not face any difficulty when you start residing in the
house. Each item in your house needs to be inspected finally for
¾ Electrical
¾ Water Supply
¾ Drainage
¾ Sewerage
¾ Leakage

Finally you are all set to live in your dream home.