Brick Work:
If you are building a house using bricks, and you are stickler to details then this is the stage you should be more aware as it will define your house. So what should you look out for.
1. The wall Thickness:
Typically the outer walls will be 9" thick and inner walls will be 4.5" , they call it full brick and half brick walls. while a half brick wall will suffice for internal partition, I would recommend that you go for full brick wall.
2. The type of brick :
Generally all builders will go for wire-cut red bricks, there are some who use fly-ash bricks and AAC blocks. All are equally good go by your requirements and desire. If you are really into sustainable construction check out interlocking bricks as they are even better.
AAC Block
Fly Ash Brick
Interlocking Brick
Wire Cut Brick
3. Type of wall:
Depending on the final look of the wall you can decide on going for exposed brick structure or plastered finish. Generally in India we go for plastered wall finish , but if you want to have a nice retro look you can even go for exposed brick style.
Air vents:
This is one of the most under looked aspect of the building, many builders point out it is of no use and birds might come in to build nests and its difficult to clean. always insist on having air vents as they help in keeping the room fresh.
There are many prefabricated vents available in the market, like the one below
Air Vent
Windows:
Windows give character to your house and it determines how your house feels, when planning for windows decide on what look you want to achieve and how you want your house to feel.
Our house is facing west, and we wanted to take advantage of the evening sun, so we opted for four 6by6 windows on the road facing side and two small windows and a door at the side for cross ventilation.
Our builder was very vocal in his protests saying 6ft windows are not the norm and we are costing him more money. but we stuck to our position as we wanted a certain feel to our house.
Some things to consider for windows:
- always go for wooden frames, don't opt for UPVC as it gives a certain plastic smell when temperatures soar.
- Make sure the grill is fixed within the wooden frame as it is more safe.
- Consider the air flow when placing the windows.
- If you are in doubt if to place a window or not, go for it as there is no such thing as too much windows.
If windows are not that much appealing to you but you need lighting in that area go for Glass Blocks or laser cut panels.
Glass Block window
Laser cut window
