Have you ever found yourself reeling from the shock of an exorbitantly high invoice, all because of ordering more building materials than necessary?
It’s a common pain point, but fortunately, one that’s easily avoidable with the right know-how. Discover the insiders’ secrets to professional measurement and start saving money today!
Optimal Material Ordering: A Step-by-Step Guide
To prevent over-ordering, the key lies in meticulous preparation before you place any orders. You’ll need your Building Regulations-approved plan, a reliable scale rule, and a trusty calculator. Here’s what your ordering list might look like:
- Foundation concrete
- Underground drains and lintels
- Sand, cement, and mortar plasticiser
- Brick or block work up to damp-proof course (DPC)
- Oversite concrete, DPM and insulation
- Cavity walls and associated materials like wall ties and lintels
- Roof timbers and metal strapping
- Roofing materials like tiles, battens, and flashings
Finessing Foundations: Avoid Excess with Precision
For straightforward strip foundations, typically measuring 600x225mm, the process is quite straightforward. A cubic metre of concrete typically covers a 7m stretch of foundations. To calculate the total volume required, measure the total length and divide by seven—simple, right?
hen it comes to building foundation walls up to DPC, these could be made of dense concrete blocks, engineering bricks, or trench blocks. Calculate the area by multiplying the length by the standard height, which is usually about 1 metre.
Have you ever found yourself reeling from the shock of an exorbitantly high invoice, all because of ordering more building materials than necessary?
It’s a common pain point, but fortunately, one that’s easily avoidable with the right know-how. Discover the insiders’ secrets to professional measurement and start saving money today!
Optimal Material Ordering: A Step-by-Step Guide
To prevent over-ordering, the key lies in meticulous preparation before you place any orders. You’ll need your Building Regulations-approved plan, a reliable scale rule, and a trusty calculator. Here’s what your ordering list might look like:
- Foundation concrete
- Underground drains and lintels
- Sand, cement, and mortar plasticiser
- Brick or block work up to damp-proof course (DPC)
- Oversite concrete, DPM and insulation
- Cavity walls and associated materials like wall ties and lintels
- Roof timbers and metal strapping
- Roofing materials like tiles, battens, and flashings
Finessing Foundations: Avoid Excess with Precision
For straightforward strip foundations, typically measuring 600x225mm, the process is quite straightforward. A cubic metre of concrete typically covers a 7m stretch of foundations. To calculate the total volume required, measure the total length and divide by seven—simple, right?
hen it comes to building foundation walls up to DPC, these could be made of dense concrete blocks, engineering bricks, or trench blocks. Calculate the area by multiplying the length by the standard height, which is usually about 1 metre. Our easy construction calculator for the cost to build foundations can help.
Building Up: Calculating Requirements for Cavity Walls
The walls from the DPC to the roof need careful measurement too. Calculate the face area by multiplying wall lengths by their height, subtracting any areas for windows and doors. For standard stretchers, you might use 60 face bricks per square metre and about 10 internal blocks per square metre. Always add an additional 10% to cater for any breakages or miscalculations.
Remember your ancillary materials! Lintels, cavity batts, and wall ties are crucial. Wall ties, for example, are generally placed at 450mm vertically and 900mm horizontally, with approximately 2.5 ties per square metre. Our easy construction calculator for the cost to build cavity walls can help.
The Roof Over Your Head: Don’t Short-Change on Covering
When it comes to roofing, calculate the number of tiles based on the type specified in your plans; you’ll need around 60 per square metre for plain tiles. Remember extra for those inevitable breakages. Timber should be ordered according to the required grades and precise lengths – don’t forget to factor in metal strapping for securing everything in place!
Your Go-To Treatment for Fascias and Barge Boards
For these, just straight up measurements do the trick. Calculate the total length required and you’re set. It’s all in the details, and missing out on these can derail even the best-planned project.
Ordering Process: The Smart Way
With your quantities carefully calculated, next is placing your orders. Always seek quotations from various suppliers to ensure competitive pricing. Engage mostly through phone calls or emails and strive to get at least three different quotes to ensure you get the best deal. Remember, delivery costs and VAT should be included in your price comparisons!
For timber specific needs, directly approach timber merchants as their rates can be more competitive than general builders’ merchants.
Conclusion
Measuring up building materials isn’t merely about sticking to numbers; it’s about economizing without compromising on quality. By following these detailed guidelines, not only will you mitigate the risk of over-ordering, but you’ll also tune up your project’s cost efficiency. Ready to put these tips into action?
FAQs
- How do I prevent over-ordering of materials?
Start with accurate measurements of your plans and always add a contingency of about 10% for unexpected needs or breakages. - What’s the basic toolset for measuring building materials?
You will need a Building Regulations-approved plan, a scale ruler, and a calculator.
