How Masonry Contractors Build Brick Houses
Masonry contractors have used bricks to build many structures for years. The material is versatile and durable, even though the bricks’ strength may depend on the brick’s quality. Still, they are easier to handle and have uniform shapes and sizes, making them easy to lay in any pattern.
Brick houses are made up of brick units and a bond to adhere the bricks together. However, that is not all there is to build a brick house. Building a brick house requires a lot of expertise and labor. That’s why we advise hiring masonry contractors to carry out the process.
While we won’t recommend building a house yourself if you aren’t a certified contractor, we have compiled the steps for building a brick house below. You could use this as a guide to follow your building project’s progress or build brick walls and other smaller structures around your home. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
Make A Plan
The first step in building a brick house isn’t to build; it is to plan and make adequate preparations. Before starting your project, you will need to figure out many things, including your budget, materials you want to use, the cost of those materials, etc. Once you have that figured out, you can proceed to get the permits and licenses that permit you to build. This could vary depending on different states but ensure that you have all the required permits to excavate the ground, build, and so on.
After this, you will need a professional architect’s help to create your building design and advise you on the best materials you could use based on your budget. You must also meet with a structural engineer for details of how deep your foundation should be, reinforcement to use, electrical installation, an estimate of the materials needed for your project, and so on.
Site Clearing And Excavation
The first step might take a while, but you can begin to clear the site when you finally have a solid plan and layout to follow. Clearing the site of your new building is simple; all you need is to achieve an even ground where you can build a house that doesn’t slope to one side or the other.
So, you can proceed by clearing any grass, trees, and other debris until you have an even leveled ground. It would be best if you also filled up any dip on the land. After clearing the site, proceed to excavate the grounds based on your structure layout and detailed drawn plan.
Build The Foundation
A foundation is essential for any building. It will be responsible for supporting and evenly distributing the weight of the building constructed on it. Thus, this lower portion of your building must be built carefully following the building plan drawn by the architect, stating the type of foundation that best fits the structure. You must pay attention to detail when constructing the foundation and ensure that you use the right size, depth, width, material, etc., as stated in the building plan.
Complete Beam And Column Framework
Once you complete the foundation work, you must begin the beam and column framework. First, construct a plinth beam between the walls and foundation, then begin masonry work over the plinth beam. Afterward, proceed to build the column of the superstructure.
Getting started with the superstructure, the part above the plinth level of the building, is exciting. But, first, ensure that you install drainage and vent pipes on the site, dig trenches, and lay pipes and ducts before preparing the frame for further construction.
Lay The Bricks
Now, you have your frame for construction ready. So, it is time to begin building and laying the bricks. This should be done carefully, and fill all mortar joints with mortar mix. Avoid using broken bricks and ensure you carefully follow the building plans to lay gaps for windows and doors. Note that a lintel is constructed above the window and door gaps to enable laying more bricks over it.
Install Rough Plumbing And Electrical Work
You must install the following during this stage: pipes and wires, water supply lines, sewer lines, HVAC pipes, bathtubs, and shower units. It is important to do this at this stage because there’s room to carry around large and heavy objects compared to when you complete the building. Plus, it is easier to install the vent pipes of the HVAC system before wiring than vice versa.
Install Roofing
A building comes together when it is time to add the roof. At this point, the roofer decides on the pitch for your roof, purchases the material, then proceeds to frame the roof. You can do this with prefabricated trusses, which you can purchase if you install the roof yourself.
Next up is the sheathing stage, also known as decking. This layer goes over the frame and provides the surface for your roofing. After the decking stage, add a protective layer over the sheathing before installing the roof cover.
Plaster The Bricks
Ensure that initial electrical and plumbing work is complete before plastering your building. Plastering the brickwork will strengthen the building, protect it from harsh weather and make it visually appealing.
Install Finishing Materials
Finally, it is time to install finishing materials. First, you should do all the windows and doors installation. Then proceed to finish the electrical and plumbing work. Of course, the electrical and plumbing work shouldn’t be visible, so they must be installed in the walls and roof.
Add Finishing Touches
Once you have completed all electrical and plumbing work, the next step is to add finishing touches to the building. This includes interior plastering and then interior and exterior painting. You can then proceed to fix tiles, add fixtures and woodwork, etc.
Conclusion
Building a house is a technical and labor-intensive process that should be left to professional masonry contractors. However, understanding the process will help you keep track of your house building progress while your preferred contractor builds.
