Measures to ensure a quality building

Needs focus:Foundation work on for a building in Coimbatore. — 

 

For those constructing a new building, a number of factors need to be taken care of to ensure safety during construction and have a quality structure.

Chairman of the local chapter of the Builders' Association of India D.R. Sekar told The Property Plus that selection of site is important. Some areas in Coimbatore have black soil and some are located near water bodies. In these places, the foundation needs focus and it should be appropriate. Soil testing is another important task. The services of a soil consultant should be taken to know the soil bearing capacity.

Mr. Sekar points out that Coimbatore is in a seismic zone and hence the buildings should also be quake- resistant. Awareness on earth quake resistant buildings has improved during the last three to five years. Earthquake resistant buildings cost about 10 per cent higher than a normal structure because of the increase in steel use.

The design of the building is another key factor. Those who go in for high-rise buildings should take the services of a structural consultant. They should also decide the purpose of the building to determine the load factor. After construction, the owner should have the “as built drawing”. This will help in maintenance.

Selection of materials and having the right plumbing fixtures are also important, he says. The Government should relax the building rules to suit the developmental trends. However, it should be stringent in enforcing these rules.

According to Mr. Sekar, the cost management should not compromise on the quality of the building.

The builders should also adopt all safety norms while constructing a structure. Several accidents in buildings occur because of negligence or human error. 

Hence, safety factor is important while constructing a building. The law is stringent now on site accidents, he says.

M. SOUNDARIYA PREETHA 

Photo: S. Siva Saravanan
Source:The Hindu,CBE,2nd May 2010