BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Waterproofing

Dampness or moisture can prove very damaging to any construction. A lot of money can get wasted due to
unexpected seepage of water into walls or woodwork. Sometimes the presence of moisture can even corrode
the steel framework, thus placing the whole structure at risk.

In order to safeguard your precious construction and also to avoid future inconvenience, it is highly
important to take strict measures to waterproof your house. There are various waterproofing techniques
that can be used during and after the construction of the house. The choice of method depends upon various
factors, the primary one amongst them being cost. It is essential to consult a qualified Engineer or Architect
for an appropriate waterproofing method to be followed in order to avoid subsequent hassles and damage.

Material for waterproofing

Traditionally, Kota stone and bitumen are used as effective waterproofing material during construction.
However with the advancement in technology, various specialised compounds are also available that can
also be used as effective waterproofing solutions. For high-cost constructions such as malls and shopping
complexes, some expensive and latest methods such as fibre-mesh and APP sheets are also used to form
waterproof layers.

The choice of the waterproofing material and the method of application must be decided by a qualified
Engineer or Architect. You can also refer to the BIS website for the list of standards related to waterproofing
compounds.

Primarily, there are 3 areas of a typical building that need specific waterproofing treatment:

1) Basements : Basements provide an excellent way of accessing additional liveable space within limited
space constraints. With the rapidly rising real estate prices, the concept of basements has even extended to
having multiple levels below the ground. With such concepts, it is all the more important that effective
waterproofing is done for the basements.

Basement waterproofing can be done internally as well as externally. However for more effective results, it
is advisable to use proper external waterproofing methods during the construction period itself. Materials
such as Kota stone, bitumen and specialised compounds are frequently used for external waterproofing of
the basement.

2) Terraces :Terraces are another area of concern with regard to waterproofing. It often happens in homes
that rainwater or water leaking from the overhead water tanks spoils the flooring of the terrace and even
seeps through the roof of the floor underneath. As in the case of basements, there are various materials
that can be used to effectively waterproof the terrace floor. APP sheets, though expensive, are most
effective for this purpose. Before commencing any waterproofing measure for the terrace, ensure that the
structure is complete and the work on rainwater pipes and electric conduits is over.

3)Sunken Area : Washrooms and kitchens have a sunken area below the floor that houses the water pipe
network. This area should also be treated as a basement, and similar effective waterproofing solutions must
be followed in this case. There is often a presence of water within the sunken areas, and adequate
waterproofing is essential to avoid its seeping through the floor/walls and causing damage to the
construction.

Vaastu is an ancient Indian science that works on the principle of Panchbhootas, a term referring to the five
basic elements of the universe: Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Space. Vaastu is a science that attempts to
achieve a synergy across all the five elements in such a way that the abode becomes favourable to its
inhabitants.
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The optimum use of Vaastu concepts can help one achieve an atmosphere at home that is physically
comfortable, emotional soothing and intellectually vibrant.

We have compiled a few Vaastu tips that you can use to enhance the positive effect of elements in various
rooms of your home.

GENERAL

 East is the most auspicious direction for entrance to a house.

 The slope of the property should be from west to east or south to
north.
 Shadow of a tree should never fall on the house.
 The north direction represents prosperity, and should never be
blocked.
 Cactus plant should never be grown in the house.
 All doors should open towards inside.
 Door hinges should be noiseless.
 Columns in a building must be placed in even numbers in any
construction.

BED ROOM
 The main bedroom should be constructed in the south-west direction.
 The bed should never be placed below a beam.
 Square and rectangle shape bedrooms are perfect for ensuring peace
and prosperity.
 Avoid hanging pictures that depict violence or sorrow.
 Any reflective surfaces such as mirrors and televisions should be
covered at night while sleeping.
 Sleep with your head towards South.
 Minimise clutter in your room as clutter represents the unfinished tasks
of your life.

Living Room

 The north direction is ideal for the construction of living room.

 Vaastu advises against the use of paintings which depict negative
aspects of life.
 Air-conditioners should be in the west and not in the southeast section.
 Southern and western corners of the room are perfect for placing the
furniture.
 Dining tables must have even-numbered chairs.

 KIDS ROOM Kids' room should be constructed in the northwest corner

of the house.
 The colour scheme should be mild.
 Don't place the furniture sticking to the wall, as it obstructs the flow of
positive energy.
 The study desk should be placed in such a manner that the child faces
eastern, northern or north-eastern corner while studying.
 The computer should be placed in the southwest corner.
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 KITCHEN : The ideal location of the kitchen is the southeast corner of
the house, with northwest being the second best option.
 Cooking activity should be done while facing east, as it's an auspicious
direction. The other option is north direction.
 Electrical items such as microwaves, juicers and mixers should be
placed in the southeast corner of the kitchen.
 The refrigerator should be in the northwest, southeast, south or west.
 The kitchen must have adequate provision for cross-ventilation.

With the help of Vaastu, one can find out the most appropriate directions for the various components of a
typical household. The objective of Vaastu is to achieve a perfect sense of balance between humans and
nature.

Vaastu is a precious compilation of concepts and ideas that consider the affects on human life and dwellings
of various natural phenomena such as:

 Earth's gravitational force

 Sun's heat, light and infra-red radiation
 Volume and intensity of rainfall
 Direction and velocity of wind

Painting : Just as an outfit can enhance or mar the image of a person, the quality and visual appeal of
painting can do the same for your home interiors. Additionally, the cost of painting being so high, it is all the
more important to take wise and efficient decisions with regard to painting. JK Lakshmi Cement has
compiled a few tips to help you make the best out of your investment on painting.

Preparing for the job.

 Ensure that the plaster on the walls is fully dried before the commencement of the paint job.
 In case, there is any seepage on the walls, ensure that the fault is fully rectified.
 Remove electric plates and cover all sockets & switches with tape.
 Cover the floor with plastic sheeting to avoid paint spilling on the floor.
 Ensure to use only high-quality POP material to provide a better base for paint colours.

Choosing the right paint.

 For most paint jobs, water-based paints are a good choice as they dry faster.
 Flat finishes are ideal in hiding minor imperfections on the wall surfaces, but they don't have a
shine.
 Velvet finishes are ideal to enhance the visual appeal of your home interiors and are easy to clean.
 Glossy and semi-glossy finishes are also good options as they have a durable finish and can easily
withstand scrubbing.
 Satin paints are excellent to give a warm and inviting look to your rooms.

Choosing the right colour.

This may be the toughest choice as regards painting is concerned. While choosing colours, it may be helpful
to consult an interior designer, as the choice of paint colour would set the theme for the complete interiors.
You would have to choose the colours of the upholstery and furniture accordingly.

For ceilings, it is best to go in for light and sober shades as they give a spacious look to the rooms. In fact,
white and off-white are ideal shades for ceilings. In case of wall colours, choice should be made on the basis
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of age-group and personality of the inhabitants. For example, light pink can be a great shade for a young
girl's room. In case of boys, you can be more experimental. All shades have specific effects on the moods of
a person:

 Blue and off-white are soothing shades.

 Shades of red can be stimulating for the mind.
 Orange is excellent for kitchen and dining room as it stimulates the appetite.
 Using purple is a great way of creating a royal ambience.

Estimating the paint quantity.

You can use our paint calculator to estimate the quality of paint required for a particular paint job. Please
note that this would give the quantity required for one coat. The number of coats would be dependent upon
various factors and you would require professional advice for the same.

Paint Calculator

Wall Height (ft.) 10

Total Width of all walls (ft.) 10

Area of doors, windows, etc. (sq.ft.) 40

You require 0.56 Litre(s) of paint

GENERAL TIPS : Building a home may be the most important and valuable investment that you make in
your lifetime. Although you may delegate a number of services to your contractor or engineer, it is still
important for you to have the best possible knowledge about the various aspects of the construction
process.

If economy is your concern, you can follow these tips to help you save construction costs:

 Avoid complicated forms of shapes.

 Avoid complex system of level.
 Insist on economic structural design.
 Provide maximum possible provision for natural light and ventilation.
 Ensure efficient placement of utilities like water-supply pipes, power cables etc.
 Use fresh, sound and durable building materials.
 Engage trained manpower.

There are a few additional factors that should be considered during construction of the various rooms of the
house:

 ENTRANCE : The entrance is the place to entertain visitors and should be constructed in a visually
appealing manner.
 For security reasons, the entrance must be constructed in such a way that it provides adequate
protection to the house.
 The entrance also needs to protect the house against inhospitable weather such as harsh sunlight
and excessive rains.

 LIVING ROOM : The living room should be located near to the entrance.
 The living room should preferably face the lawn, wherever possible.
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 Tall windows can add a lot of visual appeal to the living room

 KITCHEN : The kitchen must have adequate ventilation and natural sunlight.
 It should be adjoining the dining room.
 The working platform must be adequately wide and free from obstructions.
 The design should provide adequate space for appliances such as cooking range, dishwasher,
chimney etc.

 BED ROOM : The bedroom should be located away from the entrance and living room to ensure
privacy.
 The bedroom should be connected with a balcony and attached bathroom, wherever possible.
 Provide adequate storage facilities in the form of almirahs and cabinets

 BATH ROOM : The bathroom must have adequate ventilation and natural lighting.
 The bath fittings and sanitary fittings must be of a high quality to withstand regular and prolonged
use.
 The bathroom floor should be 5 cm lower than the other flooring of the house.

PROPORTIONS :

Using the right proportions of raw material is essential for obtaining an

optimum quality of concrete mix. Although it is advisable to seek professional
advice for determining the proportions, this chart can be used as a ready
reference:

Use/Application Proportion on volumetric basis

Cement Sand Stone Aggregates

Plain Cement Concrete (PCC) 1 3 6

RCC footing column, beam, 1 1.5 3

slab, etc.
Brick Masonry (23 cm and 1 6 -
above)
Brick Masonry (Less than 23 1 3 -
cm)
Cement plaster on wall 1 4 -
Cement plaster on ceiling 1 3 -
Ceramic tiles fixing 1 4 -
IPS flooring 1 2 4
Cement concrete for 1 1.5 3
footpath/internal roads in
housing societies

Note : It is preferable to use fine sand for plastering work and coarse sand for
masonry, PCC, RCC & CC Road work.
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Deshuttering Period :

Deshuttering period relates to the maturity of concrete and depends on the

ambient temperature. Forms shall not struck until the concrete has reached
strength at least twice the stress of which the concrete may be subjected at the
time of removal of form work.

Assuming standard conditions of workmanship and quality of materials, you can

refer to the following time-frames for the removal of forms.

Form Summers Winters (Temp <18°

C)
Walls, columns and vertical faces 24 hrs. 48 hrs.
of structural members
Removal of props under slab 7 days 14 days
Spanning up to 4.5 m
Removal of props under beams 14 days 28 days
and arches spanning up to 6 m

Selection of
Building Material : Selecting the right building material is crucial for any construction. Although the
contractor may be arranging the material, yet it is advisable for you as the house owner to be aware of
methods to ascertain the quality of the material being used. This is especially important if you are not using
ready-mix concrete.

SAND

In technical language, sand is referred to as Fine Aggregates. Size of particles is less than 5 mm. River sand
is cheapest source of natural aggregates. It should be free from dust, clay, silt and organic impurities.

You can conduct a simple field test for sand:

 Hold some of the sand in hand, rub it and just throw it. Check your palm. Good sand will not stick to
the palm.
 Take some sand in a graduated, transparent measuring cylinder and pour double the quantity of
water to it. Shake it vigorously for two minutes by keeping the palm on the top of the cylinder. Keep
the cylinder for one hour in undisturbed condition. Different layers will be observed enabling you to
check the quality of the sand.

COARSE AGGREGATES

Crushed hard stone and gravel are common materials used as coarse aggregates for concrete work in India.
Aggregates are available in sizes of 40mm, 20mm and 10mm. For residential slab, beam and column work,
20mm and 10mm size of aggregates are generally used

Aggregates should be hard, strong and durable. They must also be free of clay, loam, vegetable and other
foreign materials. As far as possible, flaky and elongated pieces of stone should be avoided.

WATER

Municipal water supplied for drinking purpose is generally considered fit for construction purpose.
Additionally, you can check if the water is free of oil, acids, salts and organic impurities. Sea-water and
 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
ground water should preferably not be used for construction purposes.

BRICKS

Bricks should be sound, hard and well burnt.

 They should be free from effloresces and be uniform in size, shape and colour.
 The bricks when struck together should produce a good metallic ringing sound.
 They must not break when dropped from a height of approximately a meter.

Construction Planning :

Construction Tips

In case of any construction project, proper planning is very important to ensure

that the timelines are met and the construction is strong and durable. With the
rapid development taking place in the industry, there is often a multiplicity of
factors to be considered and decision making can be complex. To avoid your
dependency upon the site engineer or contractor, it is advisable to be aware of
certain important aspects with regard to construction planning.

Building Configuration

An important feature is regularity and symmetry in the overall shape of the

building. A building shaped like a box, such as rectangular both in plan and
elevation is inherently stronger than one that is L-shaped or U-shaped such as
a building with wings.

Separation of Blocks

Separation of a large building into several blocks may have to be done in order
to obtain symmetry and regularity of each block. Separated sections can be
treated just like expansion joints.

Adverse Elements

Even before the construction commences, it is essential to check for certain

adverse factors whose existence would necessitate the abandonment of that
particular site for construction.
1. Immediate neighbourhood of rivers carrying heavy floods
2. Reclaimed soils; land subject to subsidence or settlement
3. Smoke or obnoxious odour due to vicinity to industrial areas

Besides the above factors, you must also ensure that the construction site
should not be a part of a land depression. The topographical conditions of a site
not only determine its elevation and foundation, but also affect the laying of
sewers and drains.

Geological Conditions

The geological conditions of the site are also important factors to be considered
due to their effect on the foundation and the subsequent life and strength of
the construction. If there is a rocky base on the surface or below, the site is
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optimum as it provides an excellent base for laying the foundation and also
prevents damage due to moisture.

Orientation

In northern India, longer walls are generally placed towards north & south and
shorter walls towards east & west, so that minimum possible walls are exposed
to the sun. The general wind direction of the site also determines the
orientation of the building.

Plinth

It is a good practice to keep plinth level 60 to 75 centimetres above natural

ground level.

Damp Proof Course

Provide a Damp Proof Course (D.P.C.) at plinth level in cement concrete by

adding water -proofing compound in the ratio 1 : 2 : 4.

R.C.C. Bands

Provide R.C.C. bands at sill, lintel and roof levels for load bearing constructions.

Brick Masonry

 Soak the red bricks in clear water thoroughly before use.

 It is desirable to provide expansion joints after every 30 meter length
of wall.
 Half brick masonry wall should be reinforced with suitable
reinforcement at every third or fourth course of wall.

Material Calculator :

Concrete Calculator

Site-Mix Concrete Calculator

Please specify the dimensions of the concrete structure (Beam, column, slab,
footing, etc.)

10 10 .1525 mtr.
Length Width Height

1:2:4
Concrete Proportion

The concrete proportion is represented in a:b:c format

a = Cement
b = Sand
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c = Stone aggregates mix of 10mm & 20mm

96 bag(s) of 50 Kg's JK Lakshmi Cement will be required.

Power-Mix Concrete Calculator

To calculate the approximate requirement for RMC, please specify the
dimensions of the concrete structure (Beam, column, slab, footing, etc.)

5 5 3
Height Width Depth (mtr.)
(mtr.) (mtr.)

75 cu.m RMC will be required.

Number of transit mixers required for delivery= 12.5

Note:-
1) Capacity of Transit Mixer to carry concrete is 6 cubic metre.
2) Minimum order quantity should be 30 cubic metre (with pump) and 6 cubic
metre (without pump).

Raw Material Calculator

Calculate the approximate quantity of construction material required for a
single storey load bearing building.*

100
Enter Area Sq. ft.

33 bags of Cement (50 Kg each)

117 CFT Sand
18 CFT Stone Aggregates (10 mm)
33 CFT Stone Aggregates (20 mm)
2884 Bricks
80 Kg Reinforcement Steel

*Assumptions:
1. Load bearing brick wall thickness of 23cm (9 inches) in cement mortar 1:6
2. Plaster in cement mortar 1:4

Note: We recommend JK Lakshmi RMC to save time and cost.

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Paint Calculator
Wall Height (ft.) 10

Total Width of all walls (ft.) 10

Area of doors, windows, etc. (sq.ft.) 40

You require 0.56 Litre(s) of paint