Building Construction Process – Basic Steps

 Planning

 Permits

 Site preparation

 Foundation construction

 Framing

 Installation of windows and doors

 Roofing

 Electrical

 Plumbing

 HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)

 Insulation

 Walls

 Painting

 Finish electrical

 Bathroom and kitchen counters and cabinets

 Finish plumbing

 Carpet and Flooring

 Finish HVAC

 Hookup to water main, or well drilling

 Hookup to sewer or installation of a septic system

BASIC COMPONENTS A BUILDING STRUCTURE

1. Foundation or
Substructure
2. Base Concrete
3. Superstructure
4. Footing
5. Ground Level
6. Stairs
7. Flooring
8. Plinth Level
9. Plinth Beam
10. Damp proof course
(DPC)
11. Wall
12. Doors and Windows
13. Window Sill Level
14. Sunshade or Chajja
15. Lintel
16. Roof Slab
17. Ceiling
18. Weathering Course
19. Parapet Wall
20. Coping
21. Columns 22 Beams Page No.: 1 of 24
1. FOUNDATION OR SUBSTRUCTURE

It consists the parts of building below ground level.

Function of sub structure is to transmit the load from
super structure to the soil.

Foundation is part of sub structure forming the base is

building. It’s function is to transfer the load from
building to the soil. Also it resists / withstands seismic
loads exerted by the soil.

Material used is steel bars and concrete along with

filling material such as stones, clay bricks etc. It varies
from type of structures / buildings. Shallow foundation is
adopted for Load Bearing and RCC Structure

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2. BASE CONCRETE

The base in concrete construction is the layer between

the sub-grade (existing soil) and the concrete slab. The
base (usually a crushed stone material) acts as a
support between the dirt and slab, and ultimately,
reduces cracking of the slab

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3. SUPERSTRUCTURE

It is part of structure above ground level whose function

is to serve the purpose of building. The superstructure
is built with different sections of walls, roof, doors, and
windows, flooring.

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4. FOOTING

The bottom part of a foundation is called the footing.

Footings in construction are critical, as the footing
distributes the weight of the building evenly across the
entire structure so that it doesn’t sink into the ground.

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Page No.: 6 of 24
The 4 Different Types of Footings

Most building contractors will decide between four different

types of footings in construction: individual footings,
combined footings, strip footings, and raft or mat foundation.
Their choice depends on the soil, the weight of the building,
and what type of build they’re doing.

INDIVIDUAL FOOTINGS

Individual footings are the most common type of footing.

They are usually used for small structures such as sheds or
porches. Individual footings are also used for all four walls
of a building if the soil is very soft or there is a high water
table.

COMBINED FOOTINGS

Combined footings are used when two or more foundation

walls are close together and they share the load. Combined
footings are also used when one of the foundation walls is
much taller or longer than the others.

STRIP FOOTINGS

Strip footings are used to support a long foundation wall,

such as the side of a house. They are also used to support
load-bearing walls that run parallel to each other.

RAFT OR MAT FOUNDATION

A raft or mat foundation is one big slab of concrete that

supports an entire building. Raft foundations are used when
the soil is too weak to support individual footings or when
the building is very large.

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 5. GROUND LEVEL

Ground level may refer to: Earth's surface. Storey of a

building/structure on (level with) the ground; also called the
"ground floor"

6. STAIRS

Vertical component which joins adjacent storeys of building

and provide circulation of humans as well as materials from
one storey to another. Stairs are Located at centre or corner
building. Stairs come in different types based on shapes and
materials used.

Shapes – dog legged, circular, helix, semi circular,

rectangular, square, double helix etc.,

Material – Metal, RCC (Steel and Concrete) timber, wood,

combination of timber and wood etc.,

7. FLOORING

Flooring is a finishing layer provided to the roof slab,

which is a structural member and which separates two
adjacent storey’s from each other. The purpose of flooring
is to provide even finish to the roof slab and ensure proper
slope for drainage of water.

There are numerous materials available for flooring

finishing. Materials such as tiles (vitrified, ceramic),
granite, marble, special stones, wood, timber laminates,
wooden flooring, brick flooring, etc.,

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 8. PLINTH LEVEL

The plinth is the structure component built directly on top of

the foundation. It is typically a rectangular wall of stone that
goes along the outer dimensions of the structure. The plinth
raises the floor of the building to a few centimeters above
the level of the soil outside the structure in order to prevent
groundwater from getting into the building. This component
separates the substructure of the foundation from the
superstructure of the rest of the building.

Page No.: 9 of 24
 9. PLINTH BEAM

A plinth beam is a rectangular stone block that supports a

building's pillars and sub-columns. A reinforced concrete
plinth beam is built between the wall and its foundation
during construction. A plinth beam is a rectangular stone
block that supports the pillars and sub-columns of a
building.

Purpose of Providing Plinth Beam:

Following are the reasons for the providing the plinth beam,

- These beams in the structures prevent differential

settlement and all the loads on the plinth beams are
transferred equally due to the foundation.

- These beams prevent moisture from entering the building

from the foundation.

Page No.: 10 of 24
- These beams bind all the columns.

- It prevents cracks from the foundation to the wall.

- This prevents the building to collapse during an

earthquake.

- These beams distribute the load evenly.

10. DAMP PROOF COURSE (DPC)

A damp proof course (DPC) is a physical barrier that

prevents water from moving up a wall. This process of water
travelling up through walls is known as rising damp.

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 11. WALL

Walls are vertical structure components that support the

roof. They also provide security and protection from outside
weather. You can use a variety of materials to construct
a wall, depending on whether it is an exterior or interior
wall.

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 12. DOORS AND WINDOWS

DOORS

These are openings provided for entry or exit of users /

occupants into different spaces inside a building. They play
an important role in circulation of occupants from one room
to another. Privacy of a space can be maintained by doors. It
provides protection to interior of any space from exterior.

Doors are made up of many materials such as metal, wood,

timber, etc., and are usually placed in a door frame made up
of same material. The portion of brickwork above the doors
and windows are usually supported below lintels beams
placed on the top of them. So keeping doors and windows
height at one level is recommended in buildings.

WINDOW

These are openings provided for circulation of air and to get

natural light inside spaces of buildings. Windows are
generally provided on external walls only.

Windows can be shape is rectangular, circular or elliptical.

Windows are usually have glass with a framing material on
top of it. The framing material can be aluminium, wood,
UPVC etc., In olden Indian Houses, people used to cover
entire windows with wooden shutters.

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 13. WINDOW SILL LEVEL

It is situated at the lower base part of the window and the

floor level.

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 14. Sunshade or Chajja

Sunshades block direct sunlight from entering a building

through windows and entryways, which in turn help business
owners, better regulate temperature. This change does more
than help keep people cool while they're inside the building
— it can also lower regular air conditioning costs.

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 15. LINTEL

A lintel is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element)

that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and
fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a
combined ornamented/structural item.

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 16. ROOF SLAB

The roof is the uppermost structural element of a building. It

provides covering for the rest of the structure to protect it
from weather. You can construct a flat or sloped roof out of
a variety of materials, depending on what is best suited for
the weather of the region. The roof is a weight that rests on
other load-bearing structures. The load that the roof bears is
mostly its own weight, as well as any additional pressure
from weather.

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 17. CEILING

Ceiling, the overhead surface or surfaces covering a room,

and the underside of a floor or a roof. Ceilings are often used
to hide floor and roof construction

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 18. WEATHERING COURSE

A course laid on top surface of RCC roof slap to protect. it

against weather elements like rain, heat etc is known. as
weathering course.

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 19. PARAPET WALL

A parapet is a barrier that is an upward extension of a wall

at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other
structure.

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 20. COPING

Coping in a building refers to covering the walls that

independently stand with stone, concrete, tiles, or metals.
Coping prevents the seepage of rainwater into the wall that
might cause the water to stay and dissolve the construction
material. There are various types and styles to do Coping.

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 21. COLUMNS

Columns are defined as vertical load-bearing members

supporting axial compressive loads chiefly. This structural
member is used to transmit the load of the structure to the
foundation. In reinforced concrete buildings beams, floors,
and columns are cast monolithically.

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 22. BEAMS

A beam is a horizontal part of a structure used to carry a

load.

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