Tag: foundation

Every step of building your dream home is fresh, new, and exciting, but what exactly are those steps?  What happens when and how does it happen?  The actual home building process will vary according to your home builder’s particular way of doing things, but this is a general guide that will help you understand the building stages of your South Texas custom home.

Site Prep & Foundation Pouring

The initial stage of your home building is to prepare the area will your home will be built.  Rocks, trees, and other debris will have to be removed before the area can be leveled.  After this, a wooden form is laid as a template, then holes and trenches are dug and footings are installed.  Footings are what connects your house to the ground.

If your house is slab directly on the ground, after the footings are complete then the space between the footings is level and utility runs (such as electrical chases and plumbing drains) are fitted, then the slab is poured.  If your house has a basement or needs a septic tank, it is dug at this point, and the walls of the foundation are then poured.

After the concrete slab is poured, it needs to cure.  This takes time, up to 6 to 8 weeks depending on the thickness of the slab and the weather.  Nothing else can happen at the construction site while waiting for this to happen.

When the concrete has finished curing, the construction team will use a waterproofing membrane to coat the foundation walls before installing the drains, water taps, sewer lines and any other plumbing for the first floor or basement floor.  The hole around the foundation wall is then filled back up with dirt.

First Inspection

A city inspector will need to visit the construction site to check that the foundation fully cured, is up to code, and that everything is properly installed.  After the inspection has been passed, the forms around the foundation are removed.

Framing

The skeleton of the house is the next important step.  In this step, the builders will complete framing for the floor, wall, and roof systems.  Plywood is then fixed to the roof and exterior walls, while exterior doors and windows are also installed.  The plywood is then covered in house wrap which is a protective barrier against water and reduces the likelihood of wood rot or mold.

Check back next week for the continuation of Major Stages of Construction.