{"id":865,"date":"2021-06-01T09:19:31","date_gmt":"2021-06-01T09:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/habitatcdp.microwarecomp.com\/?page_id=865"},"modified":"2021-07-15T10:11:43","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T10:11:43","slug":"low-cost-house-construction","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/low-cost-house-construction\/","title":{"rendered":"Low cost house construction"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Low cost house construction<\/span><\/h1>\n

Adequate shelter for all people is one of the pressing challenges faced by the developing countries.\nIndia is currently facing a shortage of about 17.6 million houses. The dream of owning a house particularly for low income and middle-income\nfamilies is becoming a difficult reality. Hence, it has become a necessity to adopt cost effective, innovative and environment-friendly housing\ntechnologies for the construction of houses and buildings for enabling the common people to construct houses at affordable cost. Strength and\ndurability of the structure, stability, safety and mental satisfaction are factors that assume top priority during cost reduction. It is found\nthat about 26.11% and 22.68% of the construction cost can be saved by using low cost housing technologies in comparison with the traditional\nconstruction methods in the case studies for walling and roofing respectively. This proves that using low cost housing technologies is a cost\neffective construction approach for the industry.<\/p>\n\n

Importance of low construction cost consruction<\/span><\/h1>\n

Low cost housing is a new concept which deals with effective budgeting and following of techniques\nwhich help in reducing the cost construction through the use of locally available materials along with improved skills and technology without\nsacrificing the strength, performance and life of structure.<\/p>\n

In developing countries such as India, only 20% of the populations are high-income earners, who are able to\nafford normal housing units. The low-income groups in developing countries are generally unable to access the housing market. As housing demand in\nIndia is continuously growing, different government schemes are being implemented to cater to the need of mass housing for the poor and lower income\ngroup people. So that mass housing can be done in a low budget through appropriate Cost effective Eco-friendly Construction Technologies (CECT).\nThe reduced cost of building, enhancement of comfort level and non-compromise on safety may establish appropriateness of CECT, which will also act\nas a market force and demand for such technologies is expected to grow up.<\/p>\n\n

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  • It should be noted that low cost housings are not houses which are constructed by cheap building materials of substandard quality.<\/li>\n \t
  • A low cost house is designed and constructed as any other house with regard to foundation, structure and strength.<\/li>\n \t
  • The reduction in cost is achieved through effective utilization of locally available building materials and techniques that are durable,\neconomical, accepted by users and not requiring costly maintenance.<\/li>\n \t
  • Economy is also achieved by postponing finishing and implementing low cost housing technologies in phases. High efficiency of workers,\nminimize waste in design and apply good management practices, can also be achieved.<\/li>\n \t
  • Low cost housing technologies aim to cut down construction cost by using alternatives to the conventional methods and inputs. It is about\nthe usage of local and indigenous building materials, local skills, energy saver and environment-friendly options.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

    Low cost building technologies<\/span><\/h1>\n
    The general economy in the construction of a house can be achieved by:<\/h5>\n
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      \n \t
    • Proper layout<\/li>\n \t
    • Proper selection of materials<\/li>\n \t
    • Better structural designs and<\/li>\n \t
    • Speedier and economical construction methods<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

      Before presenting the new techniques in building construction, it may not be out of place\nhere to give a brief account of the conventional methods of construction adopted in this country.<\/p>\n\n

      Traditional construction methods<\/span><\/h1>\n

      The traditional construction methods are used in the case study. The detail procedures of each step used\nfor the case study are as follow:<\/p>\n\n

      \n
        \n \t
      • Foundation:<\/b> Foundation is the lowest part of the structure which is provided to distribute loads to the soil thus providing base\nfor the superstructure. Excavation work is first carried out, then earth-work is filled with available earth and ends with watering and compaction\nin a 6\u201d thick layer.<\/li>\n \t
      • Cement concrete:<\/b> Plain cement concrete is used to form a levelled surface on the excavated soil. The volumetric concrete mix proportion\nof 1:4:8 (cement: sand: aggregate), with a 6\u201d thick layer for masonry foundation and column footings is used. Plain cement concrete is finished on\nthe excavated soil strata and mixed by manual process.<\/li>\n \t
      • Wall construction:<\/b> Size stone masonry for foundation is constructed for outer walls and burnt brick masonry of a 9\u201d thick layer for main\nwalls and a 4 \u00bd\u201d thick layer for all internal walls. Good quality table-moulded bricks are used for the construction.<\/li>\n \t
      • Reinforced cement concrete slab and beam:<\/b> The normal procedure to cast reinforced cement concrete slab is to make\nshuttering and provide reinforcement and concreting. Good steel or plywood formwork is used, with proper cover blocks between bars. Both\naggregate and sand used are clean, with aggregate being \u00be\u201d graded. After the concrete is poured, it is properly consolidated.<\/li>\n \t
      • Plastering:<\/b> Plastering is used for the ceiling, inside and outside walls. Joints are raked before plastering and proper curing is ensured.<\/li>\n \t
      • Flooring:<\/b> For the flooring purpose, the earth is properly filled and consolidated in the ratio of 1:4:8 (cement: sand: aggregate) concrete.<\/li>\n \t
      • Plumbing:<\/b> Good quality plumbing materials are used and passed hydraulic test before using it.<\/li>\n \t
      • Painting and finishing:<\/b> Before the painting process, surface is prepared with putty and primer and readymade paint is used.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

        Low cost construction technologies<\/span><\/h1>\n\n

        It is found that cost-effective and alternative construction technologies, which apart from reducing\nconstruction cost by the reduction of quantity of building materials through improved and innovative techniques, can play a great role in\nproviding better housing methods and protecting the environment. It should be noted that cost-effective construction technologies do not\ncompromise with safety and security of the buildings and mostly follow the prevailing building codes. The detail procedures of each step used\nfor the case study are as follow:<\/p>\n\n

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          \n \t
        • Foundation:<\/b> Arch foundation is used in which walls are supported on the brick or stone masonry. For the construction of the foundation,\nthe use of available materials such as brick or concrete blocks can be made to resist lateral forces buttresses at the corner.<\/li>\n \t
        • Walling:<\/b> Rat trap bond technology is used in the case study. It is an alternative brick bonding system for English and Flemish Bond. The\nreduced number of joints can reduce mortar consumption. No plastering of the outside face is required and the wall usually is quite aesthetically\npleasing and air gaps created within the wall help making the house thermally comfortable. In summer, the temperature inside the house is usually\nat least 5 degrees lower that the outside ambient temperature and vice versa in winter. Also locally available and green materials can be used\nfor walling.<\/li>\n \t
        • Roofing:<\/b> A filler slab roofing system is used which based on the principle that for roofs which are simply supported, the upper part\nof the slab is subjected to compressive forces and the lower part of the slab experience tensile forces. Concrete is very good in withstanding\ncompressive forces and steel bears the load due to tensile forces. Thus the low tensile region of the slab does not need any concrete except\nfor holding steel reinforcements together.<\/li>\n \t
        • Flooring:<\/b> Flooring is generally made of terracotta tiles or colour oxides. Bedding is made out of broken brick bats. Various\npatterns and designs are used, depending on shape, size of tiles, span of flooring, and client\u2019s personal preference.<\/li>\n \t
        • Plastering:<\/b> Plastering can be avoided on the walls, frequent expenditure on finishes and its maintenance is avoided.\nProperly protected brick wall will never lose its colour or finish.<\/li>\n \t
        • Doors and windows:<\/b> As door and window frames are responsible for almost half the cost of timber used, avoiding frames can considerably\nreduce timber cost. Door planks are screwed together with strap iron hinges to form doors, and this can be carried by \u2018holdfast\u2019 carried\ninto the wall. The simplest and cost effective door can be made of vertical planks held together with horizontal or diagonal battens. A simplest\nframeless window consists of a vertical plank of about 9\u201d wide set into two holes, one at the top and one at the bottom. This forms a simple\npivotal window. Wide span windows can be partially framed and fixed to walls or can have rows of pivotal plank<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

          Cost effective and eco-friendly construction practices<\/span><\/h1>\n
          methods of construction for low-cost housing:<\/h5>\n

          Analysis of Applicability and Availability<\/p>\n

          In recent years, prefabrication of components of houses or complete houses has proved to\nbe the most satisfactory method for reducing the consumption of structural and centering materials, construction time and skilled labour\nrequired at the site of work. Prefabrication does not necessarily mean mass-production, mechanization or installation of expensive equipment.\nLarge scale mechanized prefabrication industry will be premature at the present stage of housing efforts in India because India does not have a\nstrong industrial base and the great majority of the people live in rural areas which lack good transport facilities. A simple style of\nprefabrication, without the use of expensive equipment or mechanization is the need of the day. It would be possible to affect overall economy\nin low-cost housing if prefabrication is adopted for the components which are light enough to be handled by a few men or a small mobile crane.<\/p>\n

          The manufacture of the components should be located near the site of the housing project to reduce\nthe transport charges. Also the locally available materials such as soil, stone, lime, fly ash, coal ash etc. should be used as freely as\npossible without sacrificing the quality and the strength of the products.<\/p>\n\n

          Forms of foundation:<\/h5>\n
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          • \n

            Random rubble masonry<\/i><\/p>\nStones are sustainable and reuse in later stage\nlife expectancy of building. Foundations are the lowest part of building, so below ground level dry pack is provided unless it is not a\nwater logged area. Otherwise RR with CM 1:6 is provided for foundation and basement.<\/li>\n \t

          • \n

            Solid block masonry<\/i><\/p>\nSolid block with CM 1:6 is provided for foundation and basement.<\/li>\n \t

          • \n

            Strip beam foundation<\/i><\/p>\nMade up of reinforced cement concrete in 1:2:4\nor brick masonry with CM 1:6. It consists of footing and pedestal.<\/li>\n \t

          • \n

            Arch foundation<\/i><\/p>\nInverted arch foundations are provided in places\nwhere SBC of soil is low. Inverted arches are constructed between the walls.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

            Forms of walls:<\/h5>\n
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              Rammed stabilized mud<\/i><\/p>\nFor a single-storey house, the cheapest wall one can\nthink of is a rammed in-situ stabilized mud wall. It can be built by laying mixture of mud with water and crushed straw into a sliding form and\nramming it. Next layer is done after hardening of the previous one. For stabilization it is advisable to add cement or clay. Sliding form is\nmade of timber as a unit about 25 cm long. The usual thickness of wall is 25 cm. The wall can be improved by plastering or white washing.\nStrength largely depends in stabilization process and degree of stabilization. So not trustworthy.<\/li>\n \t

            • \n

              Soil-cement blocks<\/i><\/p>\nThese blocks are used in walls varying in thickness\nfrom 6″ to 12″ upto a height of 12′. Soil-cement blocks are made by hand or power-operated machines in a standard unit size of 4″ x 8″ x 12″\nand also in three-quarter unit and half unit sizes. Soil-cement mixtures with optimum moisture content are selected to give a minimum compressive\nstrength of 250 lbs\/in2 and a flexural strength of 50 lb\/in2 after 28 days<\/li>\n \t

            • \n

              Concrete hollow blocks<\/i><\/p>\nPrefabricated concrete hollow blocks are made from\nheavy or light-weight concrete can be used for one or two- storeyed houses as bearing walls or for multi-storeyed houses as partitions. Blocks\nof nominal size 8″ x 8″ x 16″, also three-quarter and half-length blocks are produced using wooden or steel moulds by hand or machine. The walls\nare laid in the conventional way using composite cement lime mortar (1:1:10).<\/li>\n \t

            • \n

              Pillars and panels<\/i><\/p>\nThe pillar units can be of any suitable size but\nthe most convenient one is 8″ x 8″ x 12″. Such units can be solid or hollow and are provided with a groove on the sides to receive the\npanel slabs. They are made in cement mortar (1:6) in the same manner as concrete hollow blocks. The panel slabs are 1 1\/2″ to 2″ thick\nand 12″ wide. The length varies with the spacing of “the pillars. The concrete mix used is (1:2 1\/2: 3 1\/2) and the reinforcement is 1\/4″\nbars longitudinally and 1\/8″ bars transversely at 8” centers. These units are made in simple wooden or steel moulds.<\/li>\n \t

            • \n

              Precast panels (UCOPAN)<\/i><\/p>\nThese panels have been designed and\nstandardized by the Calcutta Metropolitan Planning Organization. The panels are 1 1\/2″ thick and have two sizes 3′ x 9′ for walls and 3′\nx 10′ for floors and roofs. Different types of wall panels with voids for doors, windows, ventilators or solid ones can be manufactured\nin a single-type universal form by using replaceable inserts wherever necessary. The panels have a mesh reinforcement consisting of steel\nbars of diameters 1\/8″, 3\/16″, 1\/4″ and 5\/16″. They have ribs 8″ in depth which serve to provide the rigidity needed. It is suitable for\nhouse colonies as well as places where transportation is easier i.e. access for cranes to the site.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

              Forms of roofs:<\/h5>\n
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              • \n

                Precast T-beam type<\/i><\/p>\nThis roof system is very simple and easy to construct and\nhas been successfully used on a number of constructions in India. It is of two types – ordinary and hollow. For all spans, these units have a\nuniform flange width of 12″. The depth of the rib and the reinforcement are adjusted to suit the span. After units are set in position, the\njoints are grouted to make them water-proof, with cement mortar (1:2), mixed with 10 % of (by weight of cement) crude oil. The hollow type\nof roof, although more expensive, provides better heat insulation and also has the added advantage of better appearance due to flat ceiling.\nThe T-beam units are cast in simple moulds either of wood or steel. If the number of units required is small, an adjustable mould can be made\nto make T-beams of different depths.\n Some of the disadvantages of such forms of roofs are they are heavy members which results in difficulty in connecting the members as well as weak\nin resisting lateral forces.<\/span><\/li>\n \t

              • \n

                Composite T-beam type<\/i><\/p>\nThis roof consists of precast rectangular ribs\nsupporting precast slabs and a layer of 1 1\/2″ thick in-situ concrete laid over them. The in-situ concrete when poured, bonds with the\nprecast rib and slabs so that the rib together with portions of precast and in-situ slabs, acts as a T-beam; this action is further aided\nby the provision of stirrups protruding from the rib. For all spans, propping of beams at mid span is essential until in-situ concrete has\nhardened sufficiently.<\/li>\n \t

              • \n

                Composite I-joist-slab type<\/i><\/p>\nThis roof is similar to the composite\nT-beam type except that I-joists are used instead of rectangular ribs and the ceiling tiles are supported by the bottom Flanges of\nI-joists. The maximum spacing of the joists is usually limited to 3′-0″ to facilitate the provision of flat ceiling. Joists exceeding\n12′ span require propping.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

                Forms of Stairs:<\/h5>\n

                The conventional method of constructing a staircase is cast-in-situ which is constructed by providing\nformwork and concreting during the initial stages of construction. However this type of construction has proved to be expensive when compared\nwith precast stairs. The riser and tread of such stairs will be 15cm and 25cm for residences. Precast stairs are cheaper and quicker to construct.\nIt does not require any formwork thus reducing the labour charges as well as shuttering expenses. Such stairs can be cantilever or simply supported.\nCantilever is more suitable for low cost construction but simply supported is more durable.<\/p>\n\n

                Forms of door and window frames:<\/h5>\n

                Since good seasoned wood is not easily available except at exorbitant prices, substantial savings in\ncost can be affected by replacing the timber frames of doors and windows by those of reinforced concrete. They cost about half the price of\ncountry teakwood and are becoming increasingly popular, especially for low-cost houses.<\/p>\n\n

                The other types of window and door are given below:<\/h5>\n
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                  \n \t
                • Aluminium window frame and shutter<\/li>\n \t
                • Steel window frames and shutter<\/li>\n \t
                • Readymade skin door<\/li>\n \t
                • Steel door<\/li>\n \t
                • Fibre door<\/li>\n \t
                • PVC door<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Low cost house construction Adequate shelter for all people is one of the pressing challenges faced by the developing countries. India is currently facing a shortage of about 17.6 million houses. The dream of owning a house particularly for low income and middle-income families is becoming a difficult reality. Hence, it has become a necessity […]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-865","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/865","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=865"}],"version-history":[{"count":48,"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3120,"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/865\/revisions\/3120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cdp.habitatindia.net\/ml\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}