Monolithic house construction in Almaty

1. Design:
At the design stage, an architectural design is developed with layouts of all the rooms, and the structural scheme of the house and its number of storeys are determined. Loads are calculated and the necessary materials are selected. The utility systems are planned - power supply, heating, ventilation, water supply and sewerage. Competent design makes it possible to avoid mistakes during the construction and operation of the house.

2. Site preparation:
The site is cleared of debris, trees and shrubs. The terrain is levelled and drainage is provided. Marking is carried out for the subsequent installation of the foundation, along with temporary connections to electricity and water. Fencing and amenity facilities for the builders are also erected.

3. Foundation:
Strip, slab and pile foundations are suitable for monolithic houses. The strip foundation is the most optimal, as it is more economical and easier to install. Building a strip foundation includes: excavating trenches, waterproofing, reinforcement, installing formwork, pouring the concrete and letting it cure until it gains strength.

4. Formwork:
Formwork is a temporary mould structure for pouring the concrete mix. Panel formwork made of moisture-resistant plywood or plastic is used. The formwork is installed strictly to the markings and in strict accordance with the design. Tight contact between the panels and with the reinforcement is ensured.

The following types of formwork are used for building a concrete house:

• Wooden - economical, but requires renewing.
• Metal - wear-resistant, reusable.
• Plastic - lightweight, requires no lubricant.
• Climbing formwork - a collapsible and reusable structure.

5. Reinforcement:
The reinforcing bars and mesh are installed according to the design, ensuring a protective layer. Rebar of various diameters and strength classes is used. The rebar is tied by hand or with special equipment.

6. Pouring the concrete:
The concrete mix, prepared at the plant, is delivered by concrete mixer trucks and poured into the formwork. For high-quality compaction, poker vibrators, vibrating screeds and vibrating tables are used.

The composition and grade of the concrete mix for building monolithic houses are selected depending on the structural features of the building, the loads and the climatic conditions. A typical composition is: cement, sand, gravel/crushed stone, water and various chemical additives to improve performance properties. The most common concrete grade is M300-M400.

7. Concrete curing:
To gain strength, the temperature and humidity regime is maintained - the concrete is covered with film and moistened with water. Temperature deformations are monitored.

8. Formwork removal:
Once the concrete has reached its design strength (verified with cubes), the formwork is dismantled in stages. The formwork is cleaned and can be reused.

9. Roof:
For monolithic houses, various roof structural solutions are possible: single-pitch, double-pitch, hipped, multi-pitch, flat and combined.

1. Facade insulation
Monolithic houses especially need high-quality insulation, as concrete has high thermal conductivity. Without effective thermal insulation, the house will lose a great deal of heat in winter. Therefore, insulation is a mandatory stage when erecting the structures, making it possible to significantly reduce heat loss and heating costs.

Mineral wool or polystyrene boards are used for insulation. Mineral wool has high thermal insulation properties, is non-combustible and vapour-permeable. Polystyrene has low thermal conductivity and is hydrophobic. The thickness of the insulation is calculated in accordance with SNiP and provides the required heat-transfer resistance of the building envelope.

2. Facade cladding
Ceramic tiles are used for cladding; they require no maintenance and are highly durable. Natural stone (granite, marble) and stone-look materials are also used. The cladding materials are fixed to the load-bearing walls with special fasteners. The joints between the tiles are filled with grout.

3. Roof installation
A wide range of roofing materials is possible: metal tiles, soft tiles, flexible and bitumen shingles, ceramic tiles, cement-sand tiles, corrugated and profiled sheets with a polymer coating, and roll materials. The choice depends on the climatic conditions, the pitch of the roof slopes, thermal requirements and the architectural design of the building.

4. Installation of drainage systems
Gutters and downpipes with galvanised steel or plastic fasteners are installed. Waterproofing of the valleys and flashings is ensured. The drainage systems reliably divert atmospheric precipitation away from the foundation and walls of the building.

Interior wall plastering, floor screeding and final finishing of the premises are carried out. Painting work and the installation of utility systems and plumbing fixtures are performed.

Let us highlight significant aspects of the finishing:

1. Waterproofing
Its installation prevents moisture penetration and protects the building from premature deterioration. The following are used for waterproofing: coating, adhesive, penetrating compounds, concrete with additives, and membrane materials.
Thus, a well-built monolithic house is reliable, durable and safe housing for many decades. Its structural features allow any architectural ideas and layouts to be realised.

2. Thermal insulation
Despite the good thermal insulation properties of concrete, additional insulation is required to create a comfortable indoor climate. Rational insulation significantly reduces heat loss and heating costs.

When building a house from monolithic concrete, the following are most often used for external wall insulation:

• Mineral wool - a non-combustible, eco-friendly material with low thermal conductivity. It is laid between layers of plaster.
• Polystyrene foam is a lightweight and inexpensive insulation material. It is fixed to the facade with "plates" followed by plastering.
• Liquid thermal insulation mixtures - applied by spraying, forming a seamless heat-insulating layer.

The following have proven themselves well for roof insulation:

• Extruded polystyrene foam is rigid boards with high thermal conductivity performance.
• Mineral wool - a universal insulation material in the form of boards or mats.
• Polyurethane foam - a highly efficient insulation material sprayed onto the surface.

The following are used for floor insulation:

• Polystyrene boards
• Expanded clay
• Sawdust concrete

Correctly installed continuous thermal insulation around the entire perimeter of the house without "cold bridges" ensures an optimal temperature and humidity regime inside the premises.

3. Sound insulation
Reinforced concrete structures have a fairly high level of sound insulation against impact noise and low-frequency airborne noise. However, for comfortable living in the house, additional sound insulation is often required when monolithic house construction is carried out.

To insulate against airborne high-frequency noise, the following are used:

• Mineral wool - laid into special partition frames or stretched under suspended ceilings.
• Acoustic panels and boards - sheet materials made of wood or mineral fibre with special perforation.
• Sound-absorbing plasters and paints.

To protect against impact noise in the floor slabs, the following are used:

• Elastic pads are special rolled materials or boards between the floor screed and the floor slab.
• Sound-insulating screeds - dry screeds with a polymer binder and sound-absorbing granules.
• Floating floors are multi-layer structures made of joists, support pads and a subfloor, "spaced" away from the load-bearing floor slab.

The combined use of various sound-insulating materials makes it possible to achieve a high degree of acoustic comfort.