You do not need to be an engineer to catch most problems on a house site. You need a checklist, a tape, a camera, and the habit of looking before the concrete arrives.
Stage-by-Stage Checklist
Excavation and footings
- Footing positions and sizes match the drawing
- Excavation depth reached; soil as expected
- PCC bed level and cured
- Footing mesh size, spacing and cover (50 mm)
- Column starter bars in the right positions
Columns
- Size, bar count and diameter per column schedule
- Tie spacing, closer near joints; 135° hooks
- Laps at correct length and position
- Cages plumb and centred; side spacers
Slabs and beams
- Formwork level, tight, propped
- Bottom and top steel per drawing; chairs; cover blocks
- Conduits, sleeves and boxes fixed
- Slump test, cube samples, vibrators on pour day
- Curing started within hours; ponding kept up
Walls
- Lines, plumb and level
- Lintels over every opening with bearing
- Ties and mesh at column junctions
- Gap under beams (AAC)
Plaster and finishes
- Mesh at junctions before plaster
- Plaster thickness and curing
- Waterproofing pond-tested before tiles
Material Checks on Delivery
| Material | Check |
|---|---|
| Cement | ISI mark, IS code, type, packing week, no lumps, 50 kg |
| Steel | Markings, BIS tag, certificate, weight per rod |
| AAC blocks | Size, chips, count |
| Sand and aggregate | Quantity, silt, moisture |
Records Worth Keeping
- Delivery notes and test certificates for cement and steel.
- Photographs of steel before every pour, with the date.
- Cube test results.
- A site diary: dates, work done, materials received, problems.
These help with quality disputes, future renovations and resale.
The Short Version
Look before it is buried, check what arrives, and photograph the steel before every pour. Those three habits catch most of what goes wrong.
