1>Construction Quality

When buying or constructing an individual house, understanding construction quality is crucial to ensure safety, durability, and long-term savings. Here's a detailed explanation of key components:

🧱 1. Sand vs Robo Sand vs Quarry Dust

🏖️ Natural River Sand

• Pros:
  • Good particle shape and texture.
  • Excellent workability with cement.
• Cons:
  • Expensive and scarce in many regions.
  • Illegal mining/environmental issues.

⚙️ Robo Sand (Manufactured Sand or M-Sand)

• Made by crushing granite rocks.
• Pros:
  • Consistent quality, no impurities.
  • Better for concrete strength.
  • Economical and sustainable.
• Cons:
  • Slightly rougher texture — less workability in plaster (can be mixed with river sand).

👉 Recommended use:

• Robo Sand for concrete (slabs, beams, columns).
• River Sand for plastering.
• Some builders mix 70% Robo + 30% River Sand for plaster to balance cost and finish.

🌫️ Quarry Dust

• Waste product from crushers.
• Not ideal for major concrete work.
• Can be used in:
  • Flooring base fill, roads, paver blocks.
  • Not preferred for plaster or structural work due to poor binding and high fines.

🧱 2. Cement Types & Grades

Common Types Used in Residential Construction:

• OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement):
  • Grade 53: High early strength, used in RCC, slabs.
  • Grade 43: Used in masonry, plaster, and non-load-bearing works.
• PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement):
  • More durable, slow setting — used for walls, plaster, brickwork.
  • Better for long-term strength & waterproofing.

📝 Tip:

• For structural work (columns, beams, slab) → OPC 53 is preferred.
• For plaster, masonry → PPC is economical and better for finish.

Popular Brands in India: Ultratech, ACC, Dalmia, Ramco, Bharathi, JK Cement

💦 3. Curing (Post-Construction Watering)

✅ Why it's critical

• Prevents cracks.
• Helps cement hydrate and gain full strength.
• Increases long-term durability.

⏳ Curing Time (Minimum)

• Slabs & Beams: 14–21 days.
• Walls / Plastering: 7–10 days.
• Columns & Footing: 7–10 days.

🚫 Poor Curing Results In:

• Surface cracks, reduced strength, shrinkage.
• Higher maintenance in long run.

Pro Tip: Ask your builder about curing methods. Ensure regular water spraying or wet covering is done daily after concrete work.

🔍 4. Quick On-Site Checks for Construction Quality

Feature	What to Check
Brick Quality	Tap a brick — should produce ringing sound. Should not absorb water >15%.
Concrete	Check slab for honeycombing (holes), cracks, proper formwork.
Sand	Rub in hand — should not be too fine or too muddy.
Steel Reinforcement	Ensure proper coverage (minimum 25mm concrete cover). Rust-free steel.
Cement Storage	Stored away from moisture, raised from ground. Bags should be recent (within 3 months).
Curing	Ensure slab and wall curing is visibly done daily.