In order to construct a good quality house in the amount you have
budgeted, a thorough understanding of the quality parameters, cost and
quantities of these building materials are required.The cost of construction depends majorly on the following factors:
The approximate Steel consumption per sq.ft built up area (BUA) is 4 kg (for low rise construction i.e., less than 4 floors of construction). Steel contributes the most among all individual materials, about 25% of total material cost. So, a price rise of Rs.5 per kg can make big difference in the total cost of construction.
Good quality cement should feel smooth when rubbed between fingers. If a small quantity of cement is thrown into a bucket of water it should sink and not float. Cement should always be kept free from moisture. Its storage should have finished floor raised to at least 300mm above ground level and should have airtight storage. Use of cement older than 2 months should be avoided as cement loses strength with increase in its shelf life.
OPC 53 grade is generally used for concrete works and blended cement (PPC & PSC) for masonry, tiling and plaster works.
The approximate cement consumption per Sq.ft built up area (bua) is 0.4 bags. Cement as a construction material contributes about 16% of total material cost.
Natural Sand (also called River Sand) is obtained from River Beds. Due to environmental impacts and stringent laws by the government, Natural sand is slowly and gradually being replaced by Crushed sand (for concrete and masonry works) & Plaster sand (for plaster works). Crushed Sand and Plaster Sand are manufactured from Quarry Stone using latest production technology.
Sand consumption per sq.ft built up area (bua) is 1.8 cft and contributes about 12% of total material cost for building construction.
Aggregates should be clean, dense & hard. The aggregate should be neither flaky nor elongated. Flaky and Elongated aggregates decrease the strength of the concrete and demands more cement. Aggregates should be stored properly and different fractions must not be intermixed. Both these aggregate fractions should be used invariably.
Coarse aggregate (chips/gravel) consumption per sq.ft built up area (bua) is 1.35 cft. Aggregate as a construction material contributes about 8% of total material cost.
The clay bricks should have uniform size, uniform copper color, plain (without undulated surfaces), rectangular surfaces with parallel sides and sharp straight edges. Well burnt brick should give a metallic sound when struck with other brick. Good bricks should not exceed +/- 3 mm tolerances in length and +/- 1.5 mm tolerances in width and height. Water absorption should not exceed 20% by weight.
Bricks approximately cost Rs.7000 per 1000 units (Nos). Bricks contribute to about 5% of total material cost and are consumed approximately at 1.45 brick per sqft of built up area (BUA).
Tile should be easy to clean, strong, sturdy and stain resistant. Tiles in wet area like bathroom should be of anti-skid floor type.
Tiles consumption per sq.ft built up area (BUA) is 1.3 sq.ft. Tiles contribute about 8.0% of total material cost.
When selecting an interior paint, try choosing water-based paint instead of oil-based gloss paint. Water-based paints have less odor than conventional oil-based paints.They are much easier to clean up and are durable.
When selecting an external paint look for waterproofing, anti-algae, and dirt pick resistance properties.
Paints (Internal- Emulsion and external grade) consumption per sq.ft built up area (BUA) is 0.18 liter (0.14 liter for internal painting and 0.4 for external painting).
Paints contribute about 4.1% of total material cost.
- Architectural Design opted (like Open Top, Sloped Roofs, terraces with add-on features etc.,)
- Structural Design (depends upon type of strata available for foundation and numbers of floors / configurations (basement, stilt,G+2 etc.)
- Specification of Building materials selected (Quality/Brand of materials used for painting, flooring, woodwork, Bathroom, Electrical etc.)
- Exterior Finish chosen (i.e. front elevation design, stone cladding, facade, etc.)
- Peripheral external developments (such as compound wall, driveway, landscape, hardscape, Gate etc,).
The major raw material, intermediately and finished construction materials contributing major pie to overall material cost are:
Requirements for Building Construction:
1. Reinforcing Bars / Steel
2. Cement
3. Sand/Fine Aggregates
4. Coarse Aggregates
5. Bricks/Blocks
6. Tiles
7. Paints
8. Fittings (Window, Door, CP Fittings, Sanitary wares, Plumbing and Electrical fittings)
Reinforcing Bars / Steel required for building construction:
The approximate Steel consumption per sq.ft built up area (BUA) is 4 kg (for low rise construction i.e., less than 4 floors of construction). Steel contributes the most among all individual materials, about 25% of total material cost. So, a price rise of Rs.5 per kg can make big difference in the total cost of construction.
Cement required for building construction:
Good quality cement should feel smooth when rubbed between fingers. If a small quantity of cement is thrown into a bucket of water it should sink and not float. Cement should always be kept free from moisture. Its storage should have finished floor raised to at least 300mm above ground level and should have airtight storage. Use of cement older than 2 months should be avoided as cement loses strength with increase in its shelf life.
OPC 53 grade is generally used for concrete works and blended cement (PPC & PSC) for masonry, tiling and plaster works.
The approximate cement consumption per Sq.ft built up area (bua) is 0.4 bags. Cement as a construction material contributes about 16% of total material cost.
Sand required for building construction:
Natural Sand (also called River Sand) is obtained from River Beds. Due to environmental impacts and stringent laws by the government, Natural sand is slowly and gradually being replaced by Crushed sand (for concrete and masonry works) & Plaster sand (for plaster works). Crushed Sand and Plaster Sand are manufactured from Quarry Stone using latest production technology.
Sand consumption per sq.ft built up area (bua) is 1.8 cft and contributes about 12% of total material cost for building construction.
Aggregate required:
Aggregates should be clean, dense & hard. The aggregate should be neither flaky nor elongated. Flaky and Elongated aggregates decrease the strength of the concrete and demands more cement. Aggregates should be stored properly and different fractions must not be intermixed. Both these aggregate fractions should be used invariably.
Coarse aggregate (chips/gravel) consumption per sq.ft built up area (bua) is 1.35 cft. Aggregate as a construction material contributes about 8% of total material cost.
Bricks required for House Construction:
The clay bricks should have uniform size, uniform copper color, plain (without undulated surfaces), rectangular surfaces with parallel sides and sharp straight edges. Well burnt brick should give a metallic sound when struck with other brick. Good bricks should not exceed +/- 3 mm tolerances in length and +/- 1.5 mm tolerances in width and height. Water absorption should not exceed 20% by weight.
Bricks approximately cost Rs.7000 per 1000 units (Nos). Bricks contribute to about 5% of total material cost and are consumed approximately at 1.45 brick per sqft of built up area (BUA).
Tiles:
Tile should be easy to clean, strong, sturdy and stain resistant. Tiles in wet area like bathroom should be of anti-skid floor type.
Tiles consumption per sq.ft built up area (BUA) is 1.3 sq.ft. Tiles contribute about 8.0% of total material cost.
Paints:
When selecting an interior paint, try choosing water-based paint instead of oil-based gloss paint. Water-based paints have less odor than conventional oil-based paints.They are much easier to clean up and are durable.
When selecting an external paint look for waterproofing, anti-algae, and dirt pick resistance properties.
Paints (Internal- Emulsion and external grade) consumption per sq.ft built up area (BUA) is 0.18 liter (0.14 liter for internal painting and 0.4 for external painting).
Paints contribute about 4.1% of total material cost.