1. These are technical thoughts in the construction of your house
2. You will build a house that comprehends well the environment and culture
3. It is a technical guiding path to turn the idea into reality
4. It is the assurance to follow to carry out your construction activity
5. It is guidance during maintenance and renovation of your house
6. It is a required document when you apply for a building permit
7. It helps to avoid arguments and quarrels during construction
8. It is the main guiding document during a discussion in your construction
9. It is the main guiding document during cost estimation of the building
10. It is the main guiding document during the preparation of the construction schedule
11. It helps to start buying some of the building materials early
12. It is a guiding document during hiring and negotiation with your builder

PREPARATION

1. Get a house plan that suit you well, fits well your plot and which you can afford in construction
2. Purchase your house plan which has been prepared professionally from www.makazi.network wherever you are in the World and in Africa. Get all documents necessary for your construction
3. Get the building permit from your local municipal government
4. You can start construction after getting a building permit from your local municipal government
5. Make a commitment from the beginning to build your house according to professional standards, using required experts and also following the house plan documents
6. Make sure you keep well your receipts for purchases; record expenses and purchases; record construction schedules in a notebook or special file so as you can have a document to come to review what was done during future inspections on your site
7. Normally, these are construction procedures to follow in many locations in Africa when you are building a residential house; Even though they can change depending on the type and style of the house, location and local government bylaws, so communicate with your local expert for more assistance

FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION

1. Clean the part of the plot where you will put the house on by removing all rubbishes, plants, decays and compost soil
2. Do the setting out of the house by ensuring the house is at the right place from left, right, front, rear and orientation by following site and foundation plan documents
3. Excavate the foundation by following section and foundation plan documents; communicate with your designer, structural and site engineers so as you can advise each other concerning the conditions of the site. Pay attention to the clay soil and water table at your site.
4. Fumigate the foundation trenches to control pests like termite
5. Pour well concrete in trenches of foundation by following section and foundation plan documents
6. After the concrete has set well, you can start to build plinth walls by following foundation plans and sections documents
7. Remember to put footings of columns by following foundation plans, floor plans and sections documents
8. Fill and compact well the soil within rooms of the foundation
9. Put and arrange hardcore (stones) on top of compacted soil so as to ensure the floor is strong and also to break out the rise of water from the bottom to the floor by capillary action
10. Fumigate again on the top of the hardcore to control pests like termite
11. Put DPM (Damp Proof Membrane) on top of hardcore to cut out water from rising to the floor
12. Pour well the concrete on top of the DPM of your foundation by following the section document and cure it until it has settled by the guidance of a structural engineer
13. If it is necessary to put reinforcements(steel bars) in the footings and top of the plinth wall then just do it; remember to work close with your structural and geotechnical engineer

WALLS CONSTRUCTION

1. Use foundation, floor plans and section documents to set out walls of your building well
2. Put DPC (Damp Proof Course) at the bottom of walls before you start to build them to cut out capillary action of water in walls
3. Build your walls well and put doors, windows, openings at required places by following floor plans, sections and elevations documents; make sure your walls are very straight and strong.
4. Install columns as per floor plans, sections and elevations documents
5. Install lintels and beams in your house as per floor plans and sections documents…
6. Install verandahs, columns and concrete structures at appropriate standards.
7. For the hidden roof, ensure you build all gutters and their downpipes well. Apply waterproofing at all necessary places; make sure all gutters and downpipes are not and will not leak in future, water doesn’t settle instead flow immediately to downpipes.
8. If there are walls on top of lintel and beams, then remember to put them well and ensure the right heights are set as per foundation plans, floor plans and sections documents
9. You can also decide to plaster your house in this stage if possible or you can plaster later after roofing depending on your construction type, budget and preferences
10. You can also decide to install doors and windows frames and grills in this stage or do it later depending on your construction type, budget and preferences

ROOF CONSTRUCTION

1. Depending on the type and style of the house, build the roof at its best and ensure it is attractive and is not leaking. The beauty of the house is carried by the roof as for a woman is her hair
2. For a trussed roof, you can use timber or metal truss depending on the availability and design, but we will look at metal roofing sheets and timber trusses
3. Prepare all required materials; make sure timber is well treated and store it at shedding. Prepare roofing sheets that are durable and the ones indicated in the house plans documents. Use nails or screws that are appropriate especially those with a rubber head
4. Fix timbers as per roof plans and sections documents. Nails or screws should be fixed well at the right position without leaking or leaving holes that will leak water. Tie and fix your trusses with steel cords to the lintel/beam or according to the technical drawings provided so as to avoid it blown by the wind
5. Carefully put your roofing sheets on the roof while ensuring they are neatly arranged and attached on the trusses well and aesthetically pleasing
6. Install caps, facial boards, ventilators and other roofing components according to the house plan documents
7. Next, move to the finishing stage 👍🏽