How to Build a House – House of a Lifetime: The stone contractor continues installation work on the building’s main facades, as well as the walls and facades of ground-level annexes—if any—in accordance with the project’s approved designs, and it must always be emphasized that installation must be done mechanically using screws and galvanized steel brackets, as mentioned in the previous episode. It is absolutely not recommended to install stone, marble, or granite using a cement mortar mixture, as these materials are susceptible to water damage—God forbid—during the installation phase. It is also essential to emphasize to the contractor the need to sort the materials—such as stone and others—and to exclude any pieces with inconsistent color or defects. It is advisable to monitor the installation on a daily basis and to report any issues to the contractor immediately, as making adjustments during installation is relatively easy, unlike making adjustments after installation is complete, which can be difficult or even impossible.

It is advisable for the site engineer or the owner to ask the contractor to prepare a sample of the decorative elements to be used around windows and entrance doors, to be approved by the owner or their representative. as this procedure increases work efficiency and speeds up completion. Some may resort to addressing deficiencies in the facades by installing fake windows; this is a result of neglecting to integrate facade design with the architectural design during the planning phase. Undoubtedly, these fake windows—which are usually structures «concrete blocks» covered with glass to make them appear as windows on the facade; however, this approach has long-term drawbacks, such as the accumulation of dust and dirt on the glass, which requires the use of special scaffolding to clean the glass. It is advisable to line the window openings according to the materials used for the facades, as the aluminum window frames are later installed directly onto these materials—whether they are stone, marble, granite, or other materials— with a cement mixture applied behind these materials to prevent them from cracking during aluminum installation.

Coordination Among Contractors

How to build a house... when there are large glass facades or when using aluminum facade systems such as structural systems and the like,

it is advisable to ensure coordination between the contractor responsible for the aluminum work and the contractor installing the facade cladding materials,

This ensures, God willing, that the work turns out well and without any conflicts between contractors or suppliers of the materials used for the facade cladding.

Determining the finishing materials for facades and fences before beginning any facade finishing work,

contributes significantly to reducing costs and completing the work on schedule,

and greatly reduces the need for demolition and removal work, which usually arises due to a lack of clarity regarding the facade design,

as well as the failure to definitively specify the materials to be used for facade finishing.

How to Build a House

It is essential to ensure that the contractor responsible for the facade cladding creates the necessary openings in accordance with the existing layout of the building’s facades and walls—specifically for electrical boxes, circuit breakers, and lighting, as well as for the intercom and camera enclosures at the entrances. When using small-sized stones, they should be installed using adhesive, and care must be taken to use high-quality adhesives. It is always recommended to select stones that have a rough back surface, as this greatly enhances the adhesive’s bonding strength. In contrast, some decorative stones have a smooth back surface, which results in very weak adhesion; in such cases, the stone may fall off, God forbid.

Care must be taken to use lighting effectively, especially since lighting serves to highlight and showcase the beauty of the building’s facades at night,

It is essential to determine the locations of the lighting fixtures in a way that complements the design of the facade and walls so that the necessary openings can be created,

At the same time, the electrician will install the necessary wiring.

This concludes the cladding work on the facades and walls. At this stage, all work must be reviewed to ensure it was carried out in accordance with the approved plans before the contractor’s final payment is settled and disbursed.