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What are the Basic Steps in Constructing a Home?

For most people, owning a home is probably the biggest investment of their lifetimes. When considering owning a home, you have to make up your mind whether to build your house or buy an already built one. Unfortunately, most people, do not know what it takes to build a new house and the process it takes. This article sheds more light on the basic steps in constructing a home.

  • Site Preparation

The first thing you need to do when considering building a house is acquired land. If that is already in check, it is now time to prepare the site to make it a host to the house of your dreams. Site preparation may even involve installing temporary water and electricity for the construction works.

new house being built
It is also time to make way for trucks that will ferry building materials to the site. The main activity when preparing the site is clearing the bush, marking boundaries, and excavating the foundation where the house will sit on.

  • Pour Concrete Footings and Foundation

With the foundation excavated, trenches and footings are now sitting bare, ready for concrete. In this step, it is now time to pour concrete into the foundation trenches and footings. To make the work easier and faster, hire concrete mixer trucks and you should have your trenches filled with concrete within no time. It, therefore, means that the house contractor will have to subcontract the concrete work to a different team so do not be surprised to see a new team at the site.

  • Install Electrical and Plumbing 

With the foundation trenches filled with now already dry concrete, it means it is now time for the installation of the foundation slab. Before then, electrical and plumbing conduits are installed since they often pass below or in the slab. The project’s electrician and plumber do this work and the house contractor should subcontract them both. These two teams will frequent the site at different stages of the construction process.

  • Pour Concrete Slab

With electrical and plumbing conduits firmly laid on the foundation, it is now time to pour and spread the foundation concrete slab. Once more, a concrete contractor with the help of concrete mixer trucks does this work. After the pouring, the concrete is spread and the slab leveled while paying attention to drain points and elevation. Again, the slab has to be elevated above the ground frost line to protect the integrity of the house.

  • Install the Frame, Side, and the Roof

This stage of the construction process now involves the wood experts who take the longest time at the site. It involves installing the framing of the house, where the frame, side, and roof are installed. After completing the wood framing, the house should now take shape and you have your shell standing in place.

  • Install Electrical, Insulation, and Plumbing 

Once more, the electrical and plumbing teams return for the rough-in installations. At this stage, the main electrical and plumbing connections are done. These include the wiring, connecting the HVAC system and so much more. At the same time, insulation is sprayed into the crawl spaces and between the interior and exterior walls. These highly critical and sensitive features should only be sub-contracted to certified and qualified people to avoid home fires and accidents going forward.

  • Hang the Drywall and Trim and Paint It

It is at this stage that the drywall and ceiling are hung and trimming done to give way to wall features like windows, doors, sockets, and so on. The contractor tapes the seams and then uses the joint compound to mud and sand the finish on the drywall. After that, it is now time to paint the walls and the ceiling. If you are handy enough, you can do the painting by yourself. Since it is a lot of space to handle, let the contractor handle especially if you are not the handy type.

  • Install the Flooring

To avoid messing it up with paint, the flooring is done last. Whichever your choice for flooring material, this should take approximately 1 or 2 days, after which you can now comfortably say your house is ready.

With your house now ready to host you and your loved ones, it is now time to have it cleaned since it is full of dust and dirt from the construction works. It is advised that you hire professional cleaning services to avoid messing with the new fresh paint. When it comes to the construction process, you might need to hire a good contractor who will explain everything to you and ensure things are done according to plan.

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