The build, stage by stage

01

Structural evaluation

A licensed structural engineer inspects the existing house and says what it can carry and what needs reinforcing.

First guess: 1 month. Used for: add a floor, repair or reinforce.

Follows the structural design (NSR-10).

02

Designs and licence

Architectural and structural designs, then the licence application. Building starts once the licence is granted.

First guess: 3 months. Used for: empty lot, extend at ground level, add a floor.

03

Site preparation

Clearing, setting out the house on the lot with stakes and string, and digging for the foundations.

First guess: 1 month. Used for: empty lot.

04

Foundations and structure

Foundations, columns and beams in reinforced concrete, poured to the structural design.

First guess: 2 months. Used for: empty lot, extend at ground level, add a floor.

Best outside the wet months: concrete pours and open excavations.

Follows the structural design (NSR-10).

05

Walls

Brick or block walls between the columns, with the openings for doors and windows.

First guess: 2 months. Used for: empty lot, extend at ground level, add a floor.

06

Slab or roof

The floor slab for the next storey or the roof, and its waterproofing.

First guess: 1 month. Used for: empty lot, extend at ground level, add a floor.

Best outside the wet months: slab pours and roof work.

Follows the structural design (NSR-10).

07

Plumbing and wiring

Water, drainage and electrical runs inside the walls and floors, and the connections.

First guess: 1 month. Used for: empty lot, bare structure to finish, plastered house to finish, extend at ground level, add a floor.

08

Plaster and floor base

Plaster on the walls and the levelled base for the floors: the house reaches obra gris.

First guess: 1 month. Used for: empty lot, bare structure to finish, extend at ground level, add a floor, repair or reinforce.

09

Finishes

Floors, tiling, paint, doors, windows, kitchen and bathroom fittings, and the façade.

First guess: 2 months. Used for: empty lot, bare structure to finish, plastered house to finish, extend at ground level, add a floor, repair or reinforce.

Best outside the wet months: exterior paint and façade work.

10

Reinforcement

The reinforcement the structural evaluation asks for, such as jacketed columns or new beams.

First guess: 2 months. Used for: add a floor, repair or reinforce.

Follows the structural design (NSR-10).