CONSTRUCTION METHODS

Foundation Method of Construction



Foundation Method of Construction

Q 5) Foundation Method of Construction

The first step for the foundation involved the crew marking the foundation boundaries and digging trenches along them.  The trenches are then filled with steel reinforced concrete to make a sturdy platform for the masonry work.  The next day after the concrete is poured, masons lays cinderblocks and bricks around the perimeter of the house and the major load bearing points(Brunskill , 2008 : 41-65 ).  Oddly enough, at this point, the house looks very small compared to what you might envision it to be.  We actually went to the home site with a tape measure to make sure we didn't get a “miniature” version of our home built by mistake.  Sure enough, it was the right size, and as we have come to find out,  looks will be deceiving throughout the construction process.

Excavation of House Corners and Footing Trenches

Excavate the surrounding of your home base perimeter in order to build a trench. The minimum width of your trench should be 6 inches and its depth should be 24 inches for perfect fitting(Diestelkamp, 2009: 73-91). Take note that if you are living in an area where the temperature is freezing during winter, it would be best to make your trench base deeper than that of the underlying soil which is considered as the permafrost level.

It is also necessary to put up a frame for your trench. You may use boards with a measurement of inch x 8 inches x 10 feet. The boards have to be leveled at all times so as to build a perfect frame base for the foundation of your home. (Bamforth, 2008: 149-155) You may need to change the level of your frames from time to time as you work your way through digging the trench.

To support the trench, put the bricks underneath. You may proceed to fill the dug up area with concrete materials. When you reach the top, level the surface with a trowel and begin removing the boards which was used in framing. Place 4 inches-depth gravel on the internal section of your pad and put plastic sheets to cover the surface and avoid moisture from sipping in. (Charlton, 2007: 55-60)

Construction of Footings

If a home has a slab-on-grade foundation, which is a layer of concrete poured directly on prepared soil, then the builder digs the trenches for the plumbing and electrical lines at this time. Before the slab is poured, the builder calls in the plumber and electrician to install the rough plumbing lines and the conduit for the electrical lines. Some slabs are poured at the same time as the footings and some are poured separately. A variety of climate and site conditions, building techniques, and local codes can influence when footings are poured.

Foundation Materials

Builders construct foundations from three basic types of materials: poured concrete, concrete block, or pressure- treated wood.

Poured Concrete. Poured concrete is the material of choice for slab-on-grade ...