Construction stages of a wooden house
Modern construction technologies make it possible to build houses from a timber or log all year round, even in winter. This greatly simplifies the task and reduces the waiting time, however, the customer needs to come to the decision to build a house with all seriousness: the comfort of your stay depends on it for the next years.
What to begin with? With a choice of a house: a typical house or an individually designed one? There is a third, compromise between them: when small changes are made to a typical project (if possible). The next issue that needs to be solved is the way the house is built and decorated:
- By the forces of the construction company that designed the house;
- By forces of contractors and subcontractors;
- Who controls the property - the general contractor, subcontractors or you yourself.
To make it easier for you to navigate, we have prepared a short description of each stage of construction.
Construction planning
What comes first: a chicken or an egg, a house or a plot? Of course, the house can be built when you already have a building plot. But we always recommend, if a decision has not yet been made, to consult with an architect before buying a plot: he will be able to talk about the pros and cons of this option.
All major decisions are made precisely at the planning stage: later it will be very difficult (and sometimes unrealistic) to make any changes to the project. Therefore, devote maximum time to this stage:
- Analyze the plot, its location and features, do the primary zoning (even if the design is postponed until later);
- Create your own list of needs based on the wishes of all family members;
- Based on this sheet and the site's capabilities, select a house project (if it is a typical house), or order its design;
- Decide how the project will be implemented (terms, equipment, contractors);
- Calculate the preliminary construction budget.
Organization of work
You can start work after the conclusion of the contract and registration of permits. So that the site does not stand idle, it is very important for you, as the owner, to understand the steps of works and make their schedule. Of course, it is much easier to do this if you only work with the direct developer and have made a contract for the construction of a turnkey house. In this case, the developer himself is interested in precisely meeting the deadlines and minimizing his risks.
In the case of independent involvement of third-party contractors, each of them starts work when the previous stage of construction has been completed (and agreed). And if it is completed with a delay, most likely, the rest of the deadlines will be postponed. If you work with different contractors, be sure to delimit and fix the areas of their responsibility and indicate in each contract the terms, budget and other issues (for example, the supply of specialized equipment or any materials to the facility). Otherwise, you run the risk of greatly increasing your expenses - both financial and temporal - and this will be an unpleasant surprise.
Control of works
In order for the construction process to go perfectly, strict control of each stage is necessary, starting from the arrival of workers on the site. The principle of “let's start, and then we will figure everything out” is a it’s a bad decision. The logistics, equipment arrival, and the supply of materials should be thought out in advance: for example, first, the necessary earthworks are done (leveling and strengthening the plot, cutting trees, laying communications and access roads), and after that the material can be delivered and the foundation is made.
You need to provide for everything: accommodation of workers, proper storage of material, cleaning of the facility and removal of construction waste, necessary equipment, etc. The work notebook will make it easier to check, and you will understand what was done and when. It is important to understand that control is not unnecessary thing and bureaucracy, but necessary security measures.
Construction procedure
When concluding a contract, technical specialists will tell you in what order the installation of the object will be carried out. We will emphasize again that when attracting subcontractors, the terms of work may change, since it will be necessary to agree on the schedules of their work.
The way to a dream - living in your own home - looks like this:
- Earthworks;
- Foundation;
- Construction of walls and rafter systems;
- Arrangement of roofs and gutters;
- Exterior decoration, installation of windows and doors;
- Internal works (water supply, sewerage, heating, power supply systems);
- Internal finishing;
- Landscaping.
Moving dates
Completion of work must be recorded by an acceptance document with the developer. After that, the house must be put into operation in accordance with the laws of the country. Interior decoration is not required for such a delivery, but it is necessary to clarify which items must be completed (for example, whether the installation of plumbing equipment, a finishing staircase to the second floor, etc. is required).
The expectation of a new life in nature can be so strong that you want to move into the house literally the next day after the completion of construction. Although it is not forbidden, living in a house where the finishing work is not completed and the crews are working is still inconvenient. Wooden houses do not require additional multi-layer finishing with walls, noisy and dusty manipulations, as is the case with concrete and brick, so it is better to wait until the finishing work is completed - it will not take much time.
Do not forget to check all communications and discuss with the contractor the issue of further maintenance of the house.
Finns, who have perfected their skills in wooden architecture for centuries, are the best at building houses quickly, on a budget and with high quality. Therefore, all stages of construction will be easy and simple.
We wish you a happy and comfort life in an ecological wooden house and look forward to creating the perfect project for your family!