Building a house is a long sequence of stages, each depending on the one before. Knowing the order — and what to buy, check and decide at each — keeps the site moving and the budget visible.
The Stages at a Glance
| Stage | Main work | Main materials to buy | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Planning and approval | Design, structural drawings, BOQ, permission | — | 1 – 3 months |
| 2. Site preparation | Soil test, clearing, marking out | — | 1 – 2 weeks |
| 3. Foundation | Excavation, PCC bed, footings, column necks | Cement, steel, sand, aggregate | 3 – 6 weeks |
| 4. Plinth | Plinth beam, filling, anti-termite, DPC | Cement, steel, murrum | 2 – 3 weeks |
| 5. Superstructure | Columns, beams, slab — per floor | Cement, steel, sand, aggregate | 4 – 6 weeks per floor |
| 6. Masonry | Walls, lintels, sunshades | AAC blocks or bricks, adhesive, cement | 3 – 5 weeks per floor |
| 7. Services rough-in | Conduits, pipes, chases | Electrical and plumbing materials | 2 – 3 weeks |
| 8. Plastering | Internal and external | Cement, plaster sand | 4 – 6 weeks |
| 9. Waterproofing | Terrace, toilets, sump | Waterproofing systems | 1 – 2 weeks |
| 10. Flooring and tiling | Floors, wall tiles | Tiles, adhesive, cement | 3 – 5 weeks |
| 11. Doors, windows, painting | Frames, shutters, paint | Joinery, paint | 4 – 6 weeks |
| 12. Fittings and handover | Sanitary, electrical fittings, cleaning | Fixtures | 2 – 3 weeks |
Stages overlap on a well-run site: plaster can start on the ground floor while the upper floor's walls are built.
Before Anything Is Built
- Title, layout approval and permission. See building permission in Hyderabad.
- Soil test, to decide the foundation. See soil test before construction.
- Complete drawings and a BOQ, so quotes are comparable. See BOQ for house construction.
Foundation and Plinth
The most consequential stage. Check excavation depth and soil, the PCC bed, footing steel and cover, column starter bars and their positions, and concrete grade and compaction. Anti-termite treatment and a damp-proof course go in before the ground floor.
The Frame, Floor by Floor
Each floor repeats: columns, then beams and slab cast together. Before each slab pour, check steel, cover, conduits and sleeves, formwork and props. After the pour: cure, and strip formwork only after the right time.
Walls, Services and Plaster
Walls go up within the frame, with lintels over openings. Conduits and pipes are laid in chases before plaster. Mesh goes across wall–column junctions before plastering, which is then cured.
Finishing
Waterproofing of terraces and toilets is done and tested before tiles. Then flooring, doors and windows, painting and fittings.
When to Buy Materials
Buy cement and steel per stage, a few days before each starts, in full stage quantities. That keeps cement fresh, steel rust-free, and gives you better quantity pricing than piecemeal buying.
The Short Version
Approvals and design first, then foundation, plinth, frame, walls, services, plaster, waterproofing and finishes. Supervise what will be buried or poured most closely, and buy cement and steel stage by stage.
