Preparing the Construction Site for House Finishing
Before work on the facade can begin, preparations are required. The preparatory stage should be approached responsibly, because it affects everything that follows. The way the "zero stage" is organized is also a clear marker for the builder of both the workers' qualifications and the quality of the construction firm.
Here is what to do at the preparatory stage.
Equipping areas with firefighting equipment
Fire extinguishers, a barrel of water, buckets, felt (or burlap), sand, and shovels. The exact set depends on the conditions. This may seem like a routine checklist item until a fire breaks out and damages property and harms people. Many things burn on a construction site, and there are everyday conditions that can trigger a fire: equipment operation, the storage and use of flammable materials and liquids, temporary electrical wiring, cooking, and smoking.
Worker accommodations
In cottage construction, providing daily transportation of workers to a remote site for several months during finishing work is too expensive. As a result, housing workers on site in container cabins is a widespread practice.
A living area for construction workers should include sleeping quarters with bunks and a place to cook and eat. You can cut costs in some areas, but chronically tired people work worse. Keep in mind, too, that the higher a worker's qualifications, the more important it is for him to have a comfortable setup at the construction site.
The living area must include first aid supplies and a fire extinguisher.
Toilet and shower
The easiest option is to rent portable toilets and showers.
A portable toilet should be cleaned and serviced during construction at least once a week, and more often in hot weather.
A permanent installation of shower stalls on the construction site is also possible; builders often already have showering setups (a barrel with a heating element).
Workshop
Many materials require additional preparation before they can be used on the facade: sawing wood, tiles, and metal, painting parts, and so on, as well as cleaning and repairing tools. You need to set aside space for the equipment and a workbench, preferably with shade.
Materials and equipment storeroom
This is where tools, equipment, fasteners, and fragile or individual items for the facade, such as decorative elements, fixtures, railings, sills, and gutter components, are kept clean and in order. In a new building, a garage or outbuilding is allocated for this purpose. When repairing or remodeling the facade of an occupied home, especially during the cold season or winter work, the storeroom can be combined with a room for washing, drying, and storing work clothes and protective gear.
Open-air storage area for materials
Lumber, loose mixes, and insulation materials are delivered to the construction site and must be kept dry for a long time despite the risk of heavy rain and gusty winds. The materials must not obstruct passage once the scaffolding is installed; they should be raised off the ground on pallets, insulated underneath, and securely covered with film on top.
Construction debris collection area
Prepare an area and a container to collect construction waste so it can be hauled away later. The area should have construction film to cover dusty debris and netting to keep the wind from blowing away paper and rags.
Mortar station
If plastering is involved, you need to provide a place to prepare the construction mixes. Bear in mind that the area is dirty and dusty. Water and electricity must be connected to it. With large volumes of plaster, during breaks in application and at the end of the work shift the concrete mixer must be washed, so an area must be set aside to collect or dispose of the liquid cement, gypsum, and lime mixtures.
Erecting scaffolding
For work on walls higher than 3 meters, scaffolding and/or, in spots, a mobile tower must be erected. The scaffolding is draped with high-density protective construction netting, which not only guards against falling objects and traps construction dust but also shields against excessive solar radiation. The netting should protect a thin layer of plaster from drying too quickly and from the cement component of the mortar ceasing to hydrate.
A protective transparent canopy made of reinforced PVC film stretched over a wooden frame should be installed on top of the scaffolding. This allows work to continue even in the rain.
Remember that the steel scaffolding must be grounded to keep workers from being injured by natural or supplied electricity.
Setting up a work platform on the roof
A reliable ladder must provide access from the top tier of the scaffolding to the roof for work on the pipes. The roofing material beneath the supports of the ladders and platforms is protected with sheets of extruded polystyrene foam covered with PVC film to guard against construction debris and dust. After finishing the work on the pipes, you must thoroughly clean the gutters and flush the roof and gutters with water, collecting the water and debris from the gutters in containers and protecting the drain from solid sediment.
Running protected power wiring
Electrical wiring and extension cords in the areas attached to the scaffolding tubes that run alongside the walkways must be protected with corrugated conduit. All electrical wiring must have a working grounded conductor. Wiring and cables laid across passageways or passage areas must be run in metal pipes or covered with wooden boards. The cables must be fastened so that bends are avoided; the outer metal braid of the power cables must be grounded.
Site lighting
Good lighting will extend the working day at a crucial moment, for example when plastering without seams, and let you do the work more skillfully and safely at dusk. Laying tiles, installing decorative elements, mounting lights and awnings, and similar tasks can be done with local lighting. Local lighting will also be needed for the mortar station and the materials storeroom.
Installing protective coverings
Film must be applied to the windows and doors. If the planned work includes removing tile, stone, or old plaster, portable fiberboard shields can be used in critical areas.
The roofs of the first tier must also be protected with film or other roll materials.
If there are tile coverings on entrance areas or balconies that cannot be removed, these should be protected with inexpensive technical sheeting.
Boundaries of the work area
When working on an occupied home, prevent injuries to people not involved in the construction. The work area must be cordoned off with warning tape; pits and trenches, when work stops, must be covered with wooden boards or fenced off; and warning plates and signs must be attached to electrical panels, circuit breakers, and outlet boxes.
Safety on the job
It is a bad outcome if construction workers on your site lose their health or get injured. Construction generates a great deal of dust (mineral, fiberglass, and paint during demolition), welding sparks, wood chips, chemically active solutions, and metal shavings. Workers must wear good-quality construction clothing and footwear and have an assortment of gloves and mittens; protective goggles and respirators are often required; helmets and safety and rigging belts are used for work at height; and welding without a mask is prohibited. Elbow pads and kneepads are required when working with flooring or roofing.