6 construction systems you should know to build your home

Vartika Gupta Vartika Gupta
VIVIENDA UNIFAMILIAR AISLADA, FRAMASA CONSTRUCTORA DEL NOROESTE SLU FRAMASA CONSTRUCTORA DEL NOROESTE SLU Modern walls & floors
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We understand how difficult it is to decide what type of construction system you should use to build your house. On one side you would want to follow the the conventional system, and on the other hand you would want to try the newer and faster, more evolved methods of construction. Taking this decision might get a lot easier for you if you are able to understand the pros and cons of every construction mechanism along with the case and conditions best suitable for every kind of construction system. Architects and engineers are the best people, who are well versed in finalizing the type of construction technique, based on the location, budget and design of your home, and you could discuss with them for better understanding. Building a house is not easy, and there are a lot of prerequisites that you need to work on before starting to build one, but once you have the right information, you will be better equipped to make an informed choice and take a call for what kind of construction system you would want to use while building your dream house.

The conventional brick construction

Bricks are made from shale and soil, by shaping and heating them to make them strong and hard. Most houses in India are made from bricks by placing one brick on top of the other and sealing them together using cement. This type of construction system is popular all over the country for personal houses, mainly because it does not need to hire highly specialized workforce, and makes it easier to find work force for the conventional construction method. It will be good to understand the pros and cons of this kind of construction:

Pros:

Bricks are environment friendly, as they are made from material present naturally on the earth, and does not cause any harm to the earth. Bricks are fire resistant and water proof, so they are robust against most damages. Bricks require low maintenance and can be cut and used to create custom designs and curves in the structure.

Cons:

Bricks are expensive, and do not offer very good sound insulation. The construction using bricks takes time, and is slow.

Construction using Structural Masonry

Structural masonry construction method is a mix of the structural system with the fence, with concrete blocks/ceramic blocks manufactured especially for this purpose. Since the walls form the basic structure of any building, the architectural design must be detailed enough and should be compatible with the dimensions of all the doors and window spaces, and should be compatible with the hydraulic and electrical design. The spans and openings are calculated keeping in mind the size of the blocks that will be used in the work. For buildings with more than 4 floors it is necessary to use steel bars to stabilize the building. 

Pros: Structural masonry construction system is known for it's cost efficiency, lesser waste of materials, reduction in the amount of people required to complete the construction work, and presents agility and also adds a certain degree of ease in the construction.

Cons: It is difficult to remove a wall if you wish to remodel in future, without placing an element that supports the load of the structure. In addition, it does require specialized manpower, open areas are limited on account of the structure and there are some aesthetic limitations.


Precast Concrete Construction

Precast concrete construction systems makes use of solid structural walls of reinforced concrete. A form of wood or metal is manufactured according to the architectural design of the building, and then it is assembled locally (that is at the construction site). Because the electrical and plumbing installations are built-in, it eliminates the need to break walls to pass electrical and water pipes. This constructive method is recommended for large-scale constructions, since the manufacturing of forms is usually expensive. In a large-scale construction, the forms can be reused, making the construction cost effective.

Pros: Precast Concrete construction system offers good resistance to high temperatures, and causes very little waste of materials (except wood of the forms) and also ensures high productivity.

Cons: Precast Concrete construction system does not usually provide good thermal and acoustic insulation. By using forms, small-scale constructions become very expensive and infeasible. It is not easily possible to make changes while remodeling to any wall after the construction.


Wooden Frame

The wood frame is one of the innovative building systems, and is mostly used in the hilly regions in India. Wood has a restriction for a country like India with such diverse weather conditions, and can only be used in areas that receive less rainfall to prevent the structure from any damage.

The structure of the Wood Frame is formed by profiles of wood, usually of pine wood in the mountainous regions. The structure of wood, is first passed through an protective process, with the purpose of protecting it from termites and humidity, before it can be assembled, since wood is prone to termite attack and also can get damaged because of water. Have a look at some wonderful wood houses for inspiration.

Advantages: This constructive method presents optimum acoustic and thermal performance, results in a quick construction and reduces the waste of work in the construction site. The pieces of wood usually arrive cut to the correct size at the construction site, and the construction system does not use water, so the work is usually clean and organized. In addition, it is a constructive system that uses reforestation wood, which is the only raw material that is renewable in the construction world.

Disadvantages: Because the structure is made by frames, that is, by parts, it has a limit of pavements, and the workforce must be highly skilled and specialized. The construction using wooden frames incurs high cost. The main point of attention is the care that we must have in relation to the waterproofing of the structure and the closing.


Construction with steel frame

This construction method is very similar to the wood frame, but the main one is that the profiles, instead of being made of wood, are profiles of galvanized steel. The closure in this constructive system is usually done by means of cemented boards, wood and or drywall. 

Advantages: It is possible to gain speed in the construction and there is greater precision in the execution of the work, besides generally obtaining a better thermal and acoustic insulation, and a light structure, with large spans. Waste of materials and amount of waste is also greatly reduced. 

Disadvantages: There is a limitation in the number of decks and the workforce must be highly specialized—and therefore harder to find and more expensive. 


Container construction method

Although not too popular in India, the container is being widely used around the world as a construction system, as it presents itself as a resistant material, which gives a modern and industrial aspect to the house, besides being a sustainable material and, therefore, it is one of the alternative construction system that can be highly cost effective. Construction time is also very short as compared to other construction methods. Have a look at this container home for a better idea.

Advantages: A super fast construction, which usually takes 60 to 90 days to be ready, and can cost up to 30% less than a traditional construction. It is a type of sustainable construction, because it reuses the container, which in maritime use, is only used for 8 years. Container houses also generate clean construction with little debris and few additional materials. There is also the saving of natural resources, such as little use of sand, brick, cement, water, iron and etc. Once ready, the house can be disassembled and mounted on other terrain, and feature high durability. The modular features of the container allow for diverse forms of assembly, creating unique and modern buildings. 

Disadvantages: Specialized labor is required, mainly regarding the cut of the frames. In addition to the construction space itself, it is important that the ground has space for the transport cranes to maneuver the container. Because it is made of steel, thermal and acoustic insulation is poor, so it is necessary to use blankets and specific treatments. 

It is important to be careful when purchasing the container, depending on what it has transported in the past may be contaminating traces, in addition to rust—in this case it is important that an appropriate treatment be done before the application in construction. and therefore it is necessary to use blankets and specific treatments. 

Now, we hope you would have a fair idea on the type of construction methods available, and should be feeling confident to discuss with the architect regarding the same.



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