FEATURES
Walls are fundamental structures of a house . Image : eqclearinghouse . org
If a reinforced concrete roof is required on the house then the minimum width is 750mm for external walls and 600mm for internal walls . Trenching , placing and curing are a few things that need to be assimilated to prevent contamination , falling back , or not drying quickly enough . After all the foundation guideline boxes are ticked , placing the concrete can begin after 48 hours .
Proper and correct installation from a registered builder is a sure way of building the right way at the right price . Homeowners or developers can find out if builders are registered by contacting the NHBRC to verify the builder ’ s or contractor ’ s credentials .
FLOORS
Tiling , wooden flooring , multi-layered flooring or plastering , are a few of the types of floors builders and home owners may look for . The type of floors specified in building plans will determine the materials required as well as the sub-contractors or specialists who are going to be involved in the building project . There are many floor coverings and floor finishes for our homes and buildings , but in construction there are only two basic types of floor structure from which we can choose . The one is made using concrete and the other is made with timber . Both may be used for ground-level floors and for upper storey floors . A third alternative , suitable only for ground floors , uses impervious floor units that are laid directly on compacted ground or fill .
South African building regulations website Sans10400 . co . za lays out various floor construction methods that are available to use during construction . The choice is between conventional bricks or blocks and some type of timber frame method . Both types of building may utilise either concrete or timber floors , or both . It all depends on the design . And sometimes these two materials are combined , for example , with timber that is laid over concrete .
There is quite a lot of leeway in building regulations regarding floors , provided the floors are safe and fire resistant . They must also be strong enough to safely support their own weight and the weight of whatever is placed on the floor , as well as the weight of the people who walk on the floor .
Floors of laundries , kitchens , shower-rooms , bathrooms and other rooms where there are toilets must all be water-resistant .
If a concrete slab is supported directly on the ground or on some type of fill , the regulations state that the floor must be constructed so that any moisture in the ground or fill can ’ t penetrate the slab . This means that you will need to use damp-proofing , usually in the form of plastic sheeting manufactured specially for this purpose . Concrete floors offer the most options in terms of floor finish because so many different materials can be laid on top of concrete . They can be constructed on the ground or to form upper storeys , above the ground . The specifications differ depending on where the slab is to be constructed .
WALLS
It is vital that walls are strong , stable , waterproof and fireproof because they support the roof and other loads . The fundamental structure of a house is formed by its external walls , which must support the roof and take any other load that is built above . SANS 10400-K section of the National Building Regulations deals with walls and it has several parts that each deal with building walls and the elements of how internal and external walls should be correctly constructed .
Part K 1 of the regulations states that , ‘ Any wall shall be designed and constructed to safely sustain any actions which can reasonably be expected to occur and in such a manner that any local damage ( including cracking ) or deformation do not compromise the opening and closing of doors and windows or the weather tightness of the wall and in the case of any structural wall , be capable of safely transferring such actions to the foundations supporting such a wall .’
This has been substantially expanded . Previously the legislation simply said walls must be capable of safely sustaining any loads . It also said that structural walls must be capable of safely transferring such loads to the foundation supporting a structural wall .
There are various walling materials available , made primarily from clay and cement-based products . Walls can also be built with stone or timber , but each material has its own set of methods to satisfy the requirements .
AFFORDABLE
SA HOUSING MARCH - APRIL 2017 31