step 7 - 10

Step 7: Wiring and Plumbing the House

A house is build and finish nicely but without utility supply is still not enough. Electricity is necessary for modern living and many devices in the home rely on electricity to function it. Water also is essential for us. We use it for laundry, bathing, drinking and moving human waste from the house.

The local power company will distribute the electricity by underground system to the house. Firstly, is applying permits and make sure that the materials you use is approving by Local Regulations. Then a conduit will be used for the installation of the service into the house and installation of distribution panels.

Plumbing got 3 major parts a supply; a drain; and vents. The first step in installing is installing the main supply pipe and main drainpipe. It should be done at the time of the excavation for the footings and foundation. Pipes for both water and waste are called lines or also known as water line or the sewage line. Secondly is install remaining pipes, drains and vents as the building is erected

Normally pipes and drains are hidden in the wall and under the floors, so must install them before the inside wallboard is applied. The pipes are laid under the plastic vapor barrier and there should be some flexibility left in the pipe to allow its move with the expansion and contraction of the slab.

Common sizes for the first supply line are 1 inch, 11/2 inches and 2 inches in diameter. Then smaller pipes are generally used to carry the water to various locations. Common sizes for this area are 1 inch, ¾ inch and1/2 inch in diameter. The supply pipe to most location will cap with cut-off valves. And airs chambers must be install near each supply outlet to prevent a louse noise from occurring each time the water is turn off.

Pipes that carry wastewater from fixture are called drains. Because wastewater is not under pressure, the drain systems must be angled down to allow gravity to move the water. The same slope for the drains must be used from each drain to the main drain line. All drains must slope down.

Vents allow air to enter the drain system so that the water can flow properly. Vents are simply a vertical pipe that rises from a drain up through the roof and allow air to enter the drain. Without it, vacuum could be formed in parts of the drain system that would prevent the wastewater from flowing.

Step 8: Ceiling

A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that bounds the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above, like roof timber, water storage tank, pipe, and ducts. Beside that, it can improve the appearance of a room and conserve energy y increasing the insulating value of the ceiling. It also aids in controlling sound transmission.

Normally, ceiling is finished after the outside walls are finished and after doors and windows have been installed. This is because most interior materials are not weatherproof so can be finished on bad days.

Step 9: Stairs

Stairs is a number of steps leading from one level to another; its function is to provide means for movement between different levels. In the building, its function is twofold which are access from floor to floor and escape from upper floors in the event of fire.

The requirements of the stairs are:
1) Strength and stability - must carry loads (weight of people + weight of any furniture or equipment being carried up or down them), meet the loading requirements for that class of building.
2) Fire resistance – for escape in the event of fire.
3) Sound insulation – It may transmit noise for considerable distances, particularly with hard material. To prevent it, make a complete structural break between the stair and the structure of the building.

Apart from economic factors a number of others, related to comfort and safety in use, must be considered in the design of a stair. These factors generally will be considered:-
1) Width
2) Slope or pitch
3) Flights
4) Headroom
5) Handrails and balustrades

Stairs can be differential by type and construction. Type of stairs got straight flight, dog-leg, open well, newel stair, geometrical stair, ‘ladder stair’, ramp stair and so on. The construction of stairs includes brick stairs, stone stairs concrete stairs and timber stairs.

Step 10: Sanitary Installation And Bathroom

Sanitary is the system that protect people’s health especially those that dispose efficiently of sewage. Bathroom cannot be left in any building and house.

step 4 - 6

Step 4: Framing Walls

Walls are the vertical elements of a building which enclose the space within it and divide the space into room kitchen, living room and the other.

Wall are divided into 2 types:-
a) loadbearing- support loads from floor and roof
b) non-loadbearing- do not support loads from floor and roof

The function of walls are:-
- strength and stability
- weather resistance
- fire resistance
- thermal insulation
- sound insulation

There are many ways of framing a building, there are platform frame, ballon frame, modified frame, independent frame and prefabrication frame . Western platform method, walls are started by making a frame. The frame is make by nailing boards to the tops and bottoms of other board(which called as plate). The vertical boards called studs. The frame must be made very strong to hold up the roof.

The general sequence for making wall frame is:-
I. Lay out the longest outside wall section
II. Cut the parts
III. Nail the parts together
IV. Raise the wall
V. Brace it in place
VI. Lay out the next wall
VII. Repeat the process
VIII. Join the walls
IX. Do all outside walls
X. Do all inside walls

Step 5: Roof Structure

A roof is the essential part of every building. It main function is for sheltering. It other functions got weather insulation, strength and stability, thermal insulation, fire resistance and sound insulation. A roof structure may consists joists and sheathing, beams and decking, flat trusses concrete slabs.

The roof structure must be designed to carry dead loads, live loads and wind loads.The degree required against surface water from the outside, water vapor diffusion from the inside, moist air flow and heat flow and solar radiation.

Sloping roof shed water easily to eave gutters. minimum slope requirement is ¼” per foot.

Types of roof:-
a) flat and pitched roofs
b) two and three-dimensional roof structures
c) long and short-span roofs

Joists or rafters are spaced 12”,16” or 24”, depend on the roof load and the spanning capability of the sheathing. Sheathing over wood rafters typically consists of perfrmance-rated plywood or nonvencered panels. These panels maybe interior grade plywood, or exposure 1 (exterior glue) or exosure 2 (intermediate glue) panels.

Steps to build a roof frame:-
i. Check the plans to see what type of roof is desired
ii. Select the ceiling joist style and spacing
iii. Lay out ceiling joists for openings
iv. Cut ceilingjoists to length and shape
v. Lay out regular rafter spacing
vi. Lay out the rafters and cut to the size
vii. Set the rafters in place
viii. Nail the rafters to the ridge board
ix. Nail the rafters to the wall plate
x. Figure out the sheathing needed for the roof
xi. Apply the sheathing according to specifications
xii. Attach the soffit
xiii. Put in braces or lookouts where needed
xiv. Cut special openings in the roof decking
xv. Covering the roof

Step 6: Install Doors and Windows

Do you know that windows and doors play an important role in any type of house or building? They use to allow the air to circulate and allow passage in and out of the structure.

Some standards are set for the design of both. Most residential doors, are 6 feet 8 inches in height, it is a safe height to use for doors. Windows should be placed at the area that will allow some view from either a standing or a sitting position.

Ways to install window:
i. Check for proper window opening
ii. Uncrate the prehung window
iii. Remove the braces, if called for by the manufacturer
iv. Place builder’s paper or felt between window and sheathing
v. Place the window in the opening and check for level and plumb
vi. Attach the window at the corner or place one nail in the casing or flange (depend on the window)
vii. Check for the proper operation of the window
viii. Secure the window in its opening

Types of window that differ by hinge or swings direction: -
- Horizontal sliding windows
- Awning picture windows
- Double-hung windows
- Casement windows

Ways to install doors:
i. Check the opening for correct measurement
ii. Uncrate the prehung door. If the door is not prehung, place the molding and trim in place first. Attach the door hinges by cutting the gains and screwing in the hinges
iii. Check for plumb and level
iv. Temporarily secure the door with shims and nails
v. Check for proper operation
vi. Secure the door permanently
vii. Install the lock and its associated hardware

Doors can be divided in exterior door and interior doors. Then exterior doors include panel doors, sash doors, ventilating doors, sidelights and so on. Interior doors included flush doors, panel doors, French doors, louver doors, cafe doors, and so on.

building

Building exist to meet a primary physical human need which is shelter. To satisfy man’s desire for mental and spiritual satisfaction from his environment, building must be well designed as well as efficiently constructed.

Build a building is not easy, just like Roman cannot build within one day. To make sure that you can success complete a building many elements are require, such as a systematic planning, corporative of workforce, and the technique of professional, semi-professional and non-professional.

Every steps in complete a building from initial planning - prepare site work – form footing and foundation – floor frame – wall frame – roof frame – exterior finish – interior finish, must execute careful, attentive and concentrate. Otherwise, the complete building will meet some problem for example, leaking water, the door cannot fit, the wall slope or most serious is collapsed.

Step 1: Planning and Preparing the Site

When we build a building, we have to Planning and Preparing the Site. Initial planning is the most important element to success the completion of the building.

Firstly is locating the building on the site, because it will be costly and waste workforce to move a building once it has been built. So a lot of things have to be check when we locating the building. Then, a surveyor should be called in to establish the limits of the property or property boundaries.

Layout of the foundation is the critical beginning in house construction. Make sure the foundation is square and level. It can make rough work until finish construction become much easier.

Next is the builder’s level. There got 3 main parts of a builder’s level, which are the telescope, the leveling vial and the circle. Two types of levels used for building sites. The level and the level-transit are the two instruments used. After that, have to establish elevation. The level can help establish what these elevation changes are. From the grade line you establish how much soil will have to be removed for basement; it can also determine the location of the floor.

One of the things to do is clear the site. Determine if there are tree in the immediate area of the house. If so, mark the trees to be removed. Weeds are also need to be taken out. Then, is excavation and providing access during construction.

At last, you can start deliver the materials to the site and make a temporary building. You also will need electricity to operate the power tools so you have to arrange for the power company to extend a line to the side and put in a meter on a pole nearby. Water needed to mix mortar, so you can have it by the same way.

Step 2: Footings and Foundation System

Footings are the lowest part of the building. These footings are the widened parts of the foundation, which rest directly on the soil. They are spread in order to distribute their loads over a wide enough area that the soil’s bearing capacity is not exceeded. Footings can be made in several ways; there are flat footings, stepped footings, pillared footings and pile footings.

Two factors have to be considering when decide whether the need of footing and choosing type of footings, there are:-
Soil strength: various types of soil got different characteristic. For example, when soil is soft, the footing must be made wider to spread the weight over more surfaces.
Width and depth of the footings

To make the footings stronger and the foundation wall will not shift or slide; we can reinforce with steel rod and then matched or keyed the footings. The formula below is to estimate the volume of concrete needed in footings: -
L’/3 x W”/36 x T”/36 = cubic yards
Where L’ = length in feet
W” = width in inches
T” = thickness in inches

Foundation system is the critical link the transmission of building loads down to the ground. These loads include the dead load of the building’s weight and live load of its occupants and contents. It also has to resist ground pressure as well as anchor the building’s superstructure against uplift or racking due to lateral wind or earthquake forces.

A foundation typically got columns, piers or walls, which rest on footings. The factors in determine the foundation system of a building is the type and bearing capacity of the soil to which the building loads are distributed.


Below is the formula to estimate concrete volume for foundation:-
L’/3 x H’/3 x T”/36 = cubic yards
Where L’ = length in feet
H’ = height in inches
T” = thickness in inches

Following is the steps to make footings and foundation:-
i. Design footings and foundation
ii. Locate corners and lines for forms
iii. Check the level of footing and foundation excavation
iv. Make the forms for footings
v. Make the form for foundation
vi. Reinforce the forms as required
vii. Mix or select concrete for usage
viii. Pour the concrete into the forms
ix. Finish concrete in the forms
x. Embed anchor system in forms
xi. Waterproof foundation if neededMake necessary drainage system

Step 3: Floor Frame and Flooring

A floor form the base for the rest of the building and typically consists of a support structure called a sub-floor on top of which is laid a floor covering to provide a walking surface. Floor must transfer the loads horizontally across space to either beams or columns or to bearing walls. Floor frame means built over basement and crawl spaces. The work of installing a floor covering is called flooring, which is finishing.

The requirements of floor are:-
1) Strength and stability
2) Fire resistance
3) Sound insulation
4) Thermal insulation
5) Damp and ground gas resistance

Floor framing can be divided into 2 types which are platform type and balloon frame. These two differ are lie on how the wall and floor frame are connect.

Firstly, is checking the level of foundation and support and lay sill seals, termite shield. Then is lay the sill by anchors it and lay the girders. Joists are the support under the floor. They span from the sill to the girder. The sub floor is laid on the joists. It will be lay after girder. Lastly, is laying the sub flooring (also known as underlayment).

Types of floor structure are: -
- Solid floor
- Suspended floor
- Timber floor
- Concrete floor
- Steel floor

Concrete floor systems are classified according to the type of span and the resulting form:
- One-way and two-way slabs
- One-way joist slab
- Two-way waffle slab
- Two-way flat slab
- Two-way flat plate

Factors in system choice include the type and magnitude of load conditions, the desired floor depth, and the desired size and proportion of the structural bays.

As for upper floor, it also used concrete floor. The steel reinforcing bars are cast into the underside of the floor with concrete cover below them to prevent the steel rusting and to give it some protection in case of fire. The thicker the concrete cover to reinforcement the greater the resistance of the floor to fire. Normally, engineer will determine the thickness of concrete required and span according the loads have to be bear.

Laying ceramic tile is one of the decorations for floor and it is known as furnishing. Normally it will be do after complete the rough work. Two method can be use to install ceramic floor tile.

It is known as cement-plaster combination. A special concrete is used as the bed for the tile. The bed be mixed, poured, leveled and toweled smooth and let it sit for few minutes. Then embed the tiles in place. The tiles should be soaked in water if this method is used. They should be taken out of the water one at a time and allowed to drain slightly.

Press the tile into place in the cement base. All the tiles are installed. Then special grout is pressed into the cracks between the tiles. Then completely fills the joints between the tiles. The grouted joints should be cleaned and tooled within a very few hours after installation.

The other one is known as adhesives. The adhesives are spread evenly on the tiles. This is much like laying resilient tile. After the adhesive has been spread, the tiles are placed. Then a common grout is forced between the tiles. It is wiped and allowed to dry.