Articles

1. While doing brickwork, take care that all queen closers are used in such a way that their kiln-mould-faces are kept on outer side and checked to be in true plumb. Tell the masons not to use brickbats in the walls that are not to be plastered but showing exposed [...]

1. Do the brickwork in English bond or Flemish bond. Flemish bond can be used as it gives better appearance but generally, English bond is preferred as it gives better progress. Masons too are proficient in English bond only. Whichever type of  bond is chosen, should be followed throughout the [...]

1. Often, common walls of the houses are a common cause of tiff between two house owners. Wherever the bylaws don’t allow a common wall, this situation is avoided. Otherwise the one who has built his house earlier of the two is the sufferer. Though the second house builder pays [...]

1. Bricks used in masonry work should be fully soaked in water. In general, water is sprinkled over the stacks of bricks just before their use and moist bricks are used by the masons. Such sprinkling of water just before the use of bricks brings no benefit. Identify the stacks [...]

1.  It is always convenient if some line-and-level pillars, popularly called burjis are created at site along the centerlines of the walls. These help in accurate layout1, fixing of plinth level2 and right-angled3 Keep these pillars at least 5 feet away from the excavation lines so that these are not [...]

1.   Always insist for Earthquake resistant building design. To make a building Earthquake resistant, first check the seismic zone in which it falls. Zone V is most earthquake prone zone while Zone II is least seismic zone. Recently Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) that issues various ISI Codes, has [...]

1. If you plan to use some of Vaastu tips in your house, perform bhoomipujan in northeast or center of the plot. Begin excavation from northwest side and laying of the foundation from southwest side. Leave more space around the house on North and East sides and less on South [...]

1. While deciding where to buy a plot, keep three things in mind: location, location and location. This is one factor that is really governing. Of course the location is to be decided as per your budget and your home and work circumstances yet try to find your piece of [...]

1. Quality of the reinforcement steel plays a very important role in determining the life of the building. Visually, all steel lots may look the same but quality wise, these may be a lot different. The first thing to be checked while buying steel is that it must be produced [...]

1. Always use fresh cement for construction work. Check the date of manufacture and don’t accept cement bags more than two months old. Manufacturers attach tags to cement bags and these tags carry the week and year of manufacture. Don’t confuse the week with the month. A tag with a [...]