It is obvious that every one of us wish to have a perfect home to live in for decades. A reliable and professional builder helps you in building your dream home. However, it is to be ensured that the structure, materials and quality of the work are at their best in order to get a house that lasts for years.
It is therefore your own responsibility to assess the quality of the builder. It is better if you visit the previous properties constructed by the builder. You need to inspect the quality of carpentry, electrical wiring, plumbing, painting, cabinetry, trim work, cement and steel used etc. to assess the quality of the builder. One of the main things you need to assess is the quality of bricks to ensure proper strength of the build.
Different types of bricks used
Various types of bricks such as common burnt clay bricks, sand lime bricks, fly ash bricks, concrete bricks, and fire clay bricks are used for construction of buildings. Among these types, common burnt clay bricks are recommended for building a house. Red clay bricks have been in use from many years for home constructions. The red bricks are much heat resistant and hence are preferred keeping Hyderabad heat in mind.
Many people get confused while choosing between the clay and cement bricks. Both have their own unique features. But, red clay bricks are more fire resistant than the cement ones and hence are mostly preferred. They are also stronger than the cement ones. However, it is the best basic foundation that makes the main structure good and strong. So you need not conclude that a building made of cement bricks is less stronger provided that the foundation is good.
However, some apartments in the city are being constructed with hollow cement bricks these days. They are light in weight and have bigger dimensions compared to others. But there are certain issues of using these hollow cement bricks. It is not possible for nailing the walls (nails will not have good grip) as the brick is hollow. It is also difficult to replace them during repairs in the walls as you cannot adjust the size of the hollow bricks accordingly (they are not easily available too). However, they are mostly preferred to build common areas such as corridors, compound walls etc.
Guidelines for checking the quality of bricks
- Neglecting to hire a qualified builder is a big mistake. You should ensure that quality products and tools used for construction. Here are some guidelines which can help you in checking their quality.
- The first and the foremost thing you check is their appearance or size. They should be uniform in size with sharp edges and angles. The bricks must be smooth and rectangular in shape. This is because the accurate size and shape of the bricks ensures a neat work.
- The bricks should not have any cracks, chips, and warpages. They must be free from large particles of limestone and lumps of any other organic matter.
- Good quality bricks are hard and well burned. One of the easy ways to assess the brick quality is to strike two bricks together. A hard ringing sound ensures that the bricks are strong enough for any ordinary work. Remember that a dull sound ascertains that the brick is soft or shaky.
- The other major thing you need to consider is the level of water absorption by the brick. Weighing the brick before and after immersing it in water for 24 hours, helps you to know the absorption rate. The average water absorption should not be more than 20% of the brick’s own dry weight. Good quality bricks absorb not more than 5% and hence are best suitable for foundation and outside walls.
- When a scratch is made on brick surface with a finger nail, it should not leave any impression on the surface. This indicates that the brick is hard enough.
- The brick should not break when dropped from a height of 1m. When you drop a light-weight and a heavy brick from the same height, the heavier one is found to break more easily. So light-weight bricks are mostly preferred.
Both the appearance and strength of the building are affected by the bricks. Considering the quality of bricks used for your home construction is therefore very important to attain a better structured and strong building.
Other Useful Posts on this Topic:
- Aerocon Bricks – Types and Advantages
- Assess the Quality of Sand Used for Your Home Construction
- Don’t Compromise on Quality Plumbing for Your Home
- Don’t Compromise on Quality Electric Cables for Your Home
- Assessing the Quality of Steel to Ensure Strong Home
- Assess the Quality Concrete to Ensure a Strong Home
- Strengthening your Home using Good Quality Cement