General Building Specs

I. Dimensions

Drawing dimensions govern over scale. Verify all rough opening

dimensions for selected doors, windows, and mechanical requirements
before construction begins.

II. Design Load Criteria

Unless otherwise noted, the drawings are based on the following load
criteria.Allowable soil bearing pressure is assumed to be 2,500 p.s.i. or
greater.

NOTE: Verify design loads with local codes and site conditions. Check with
local building department officials for wind, seismic, snow or other special
loading conditions. If unusual site conditions exist, or local building
requirements exceed the above design criteria, consult with a local
architect, engineer or qualified designer to adjust the foundation design and
other structural elements if necessary.

III. Concrete

Unless otherwise noted, all concrete foundation walls and slabs on grade
shall be 3,000 p.s.i. (28-day compression strength) concrete. Place
concrete slabs on 4" of compacted gravel fill with 6" x 6" - W 1.4 x W 1.4
wire mesh reinforcement. All slabs under interior finished and heated living
spaces shall be placed on 6-mil polyethylene vapor barrier with a minimum
of 6" lapped joints.

Provide 1/2" expansion joint material between all concrete slabs and
abutting concrete or masonry walls occurring in exterior or unheated
spaces or areas.

All concrete work should be machine mixed, vibrated with electrical vibrator
to avoid honey combing

Pouring of RCC and fixing of steel shall not be allowed in the absence of
the Consultant.

Concrete/masonry must not be stopped before two weeks time.

 Slab/beams should be of monolithic cast.

IV. Structural

A. The truss manufacturer (if trusses are specified on plans) shall submit
shop drawings and/or stress and load calculations (diagrams) for
contractor's approval prior to construction. Diagrams shall bear seal of
registered engineer in the state the structure is built.

B. Install rafter or truss tie-downs, Simpson #H7 or equivalent at each truss

bearing point and/or every other rafter bearing point.

C. Solid wood beams shall have an allowable bending stress of 1,500 p.s.i.
and a modulus of elasticity of 1,760,000 p.s.i. Composite wood beams
(constructed of 3 or more members) and repetitive members (e.g..joists,
rafters) shall have an allowable bending stress of 1,200 p.s.i. and a
modulus of elasticity of 1,500,000 p.s.i. Changes in the member size or
structural characteristics will alter the integrity of the floor and roof system
design.

D. All structural panels (plywood, waferboard, composite, particleboard,

oriented strand board) shall bear the BASIC GRADE TRADEMARKS of the
American Plywood Association.

E. All structural steel beams and columns shall conform with the American
Institute of Steel Construction Specifications A36.

F. All masonry over wall openings shall be supported with one steel angle
(or an equivalent load-bearing member) for each 4" thickness of masonry
supported as follows with longer leg of angle positioned vertically:

Opening Size Angle Size

Up to 4' - 0" 4 x 3 x 1/4"
5' - 0" 4 x 31/2 x 1/4"
6' - 0" 5 x 3 1/2 x 5/16"
7' - 0" 6 x 31/2 x 5/16"
8' - 0" 6 x 4 x 3/8"

G. Masonry veneer shall be attached to supporting wall with corrosion-

resistant metal ties. Ties shall be spaced not more than 32" O.C.
horizontally and not more than 16" O.C. vertically.
V. Foundations

A. Check the depth of frost line(s) for footing depths and verify footing
requirements with local code officials. Consult with local architect or
engineer when encountering unusual or unstable soil conditions.

B. Unless otherwise noted, masonry foundation walls shall be constructed

with:

1. Grade "N", Type 1, hollow load-bearing concrete masonry units.

2. Type "M" mortar.
3. Horizontal joint reinforcing, (ladder or truss type) continuous, every other
block course.
4. Reinforce walls of excavated areas which exceed 4'-0" in height with #7
vertical rebars full height at 4'-0" O.C. and at each corner and both sides of
openings. Fill all cells containing vertical bars with cement grout.
5. Fill entire top course with stiff grout. C. Unless otherwise noted, cast-in-
place concrete foundation walls shall not exceed 8'-0" in height and shall
have a minimum wall thickness of 8". Reinforce with two #5 horizontal bars
in upper and lower 12" sections of wall and with #3 bars placed vertically
every 18" O.C.

D. Place 1/2" diameter x 12" long anchor bolts at 6'-0" O.C. set a minimum
of 8" into concrete and within 12" of end of each sill plate member to secure
sill plate to foundation.

E. Basement walls shall be treated as follows:

1. Apply two coats (minimum) of troweled or sprayed-on waterproofing;

compound to exterior wall surface of excavated areas.
2. For foundation wall drainage, install 4" minimum diameter drainage tile or
perforated pipe at the perimeter of excavated areas and below finished
basement floor slab elevation (when applicable). Cover top of pipe with 15-
pound felt and a minimum 18" course of rock or gravel. Slope pipe to drain
or sump pump as required.

F. All grades to slope away from foundation a minimum of 1"; fall per foot
for a distance of 8'-0" or to a swale. Use concrete splash block or drain pipe
at each downspout to direct roof run-off away from foundation.

G. Provide termite protection as required and remove all wood construction

materials from the excavation near the structure.

VI. Carpentry
Unless otherwise noted on drawings, provide:

1. Double header joists and trimmers at all floor openings where joists
terminate.

2. An extra joist under all parallel partitions.

3. Double 2x10 headers with 1/2" rated plywood between, at all door and
window openings.

4. Minimum of one row of joist bridging per joist span.

5. Floor construction: use 1/2" plywood sheathing with exterior glue under
5/8" particle board underlayment for carpet and ceramic tile areas.
Substitute 5/8" underlayment grade plywood where sheet vinyl floor
covering is used. (Optional 3/4" tongue-and-groove plywood floor system
may be used in lieu of the two-layer floor system.)

6. Roof construction: Minimum 210# asphalt shingles (adhesive type) or

equivalent on 15# felt on 1/2" C-D exterior plywood sheathing on roof
framing; sheet metal flashing where roof abuts any vertical surface.

7. Corner bracing: Approved diagonal corner braces in both directions at all

corners. (Optional 1/2" or 3/4" x 48" wide C-D exterior plywood both
directions at all corners.)

8. All interior walls and ceilings are to be covered with minimum 1/2"
gypsum board with exterior corners metal reinforced. Surfaces to be taped,
floated (3 coats) and sanded. Water resistant gypsum backer board is
required around bathtubs and showers.

9. Interior walls and ceiling of garage to be covered with minimum 5/8" fire
code gypsum board. Door(s) leading from garage to living space shall be
3/4 hour fire rated. Fire stop all, duct chases, bulkheads, laundry chutes,
metal flues, and all shafts at each floor.

10. Glass in storm doors, doors intended for human passage, patio doors,
shower and bathtub enclosure walls, panels and doors, to be fully
tempered, laminated safety, approved wired glass or approved shatter
resistant plastic.

1. Steel

All steel shall be deformed steel made of Pakistan Steel having certified
yielding strength of, fy. 40, 000PSI. deformed bars conforming ASTM A
615-81 or BS449 for compressing & tensile reinforcement. Cold Twisted
(TOR) steel and bars made of recycled steel (scrape) shall not be allowed.

2. Masonry

Load bearing walls masonry should be completed using Prime Grade

baked bricks strictly adhering the working drawings and engineers advice.

3. FLOORING Bed, Bath, Kitchen and Living area

ALL flooring with 1’x1’Prime Grade Ceramic Tiles made by

Master/National/or any other imported make and type (other then Chinese)
in a variety of color shall be fixed in all the flooring grouted on the PCC
embedding of appropriate thickness as advised by the Consultants.
Flooring of the areas exposed to the open sky such as porch, driveways
and terraces shall be of Mosaic or marble in a color and variety of the
choice. Floors fixed with 1’x1’x1 Prime grade master tiles with 4” sand bed
underneath, 4” P.C.C @1:4:8 with proper edge precision and matching
skirting with the wall.

4. Foundation

Pre-determined Load bearing R.C.C foundation masonry, chemically

protected as approved design/drawings of the consultant/client Prime
quality backed brick masonry 18” thick brick foundation shall be 2’.6” width
at the bottom & 3’ deep built with cement concrete ratio of 1:4:8 at the
bottom and brick work @ 1:6 up to plinth. Foundation treated with Termite
protecting agent. DPC shall be 2” thick cement concrete ratio 1:2:4 with
layer of cold bitumen enveloped with film grade PE sheet of appropriate
microns in thickness Foundation should not be built over the fill, it must be
laid minimum 5feet below NSL on the hard strata.

5. Structure /walls

(a) Mortar in 9” walls 1:6

(b) Plaster all interiors 1:4

(d) Plaster all exterior 1:6

6. Roof

All RCC roof slab shall be of 5” or 6” clear thickness. Reinforced Concrete

and Cement (cement-sand-concrete-aggregate ratio shall be 1:2:4 machine
mixed, agitated and properly machine vibrated. Water proofing consists of
two layers of hot bitumen film grade PE sheet overlapped 3” earth cover
and 1 ½ ‘ thick hollow tile/Chokera over the cement mortar to control rigid
seasonal onslaughts.

Roof style:

Concrete with fair face with appropriate treatments on flat roof and
Terracotta tiles on the sloppy roof coated with the ICI weather shield in a
color of choice mosaic floor on the terraces and fair face concrete on roof of
the last floor.

7. Boundary walls

Boundary walls 4 ½” thick, 7’ high brick masonry (using mortar 1:4) as per
architectural designs with 9” brick pillars at 6’ interval.

8. Paints

Paints. Vinyl emulsion ICI/DULUX on walls and ceiling in a color painted

with state of the art combination of with ICI primer and plastic emulsion in a
color of choice Exterior: Weather shield of ICI with appropriate combination
of shades. Walls are treated with special effects of rough casting
representing a beautiful interplay of dark and light shades

9. Doors, Windows and ventilators

Hand carved solid deodar wooden doors with double leaf main entry door
polished neutrally fixed in a deodar wooden dolly frame. Solid deodar wood
frame paneled with MDF and/or 5mm smoked glass doors for Drawing and
Dining. All remaining are flush doors with deodar veneer finish/ paneled ply
wood or MDF as per design. All doors shall be made of double leaf with fly
mesh (jali fixed) openings. Powder coated (50 Micron) in a color of choice
ALCOP Channel windows with 5mm silvery ting mercury glass shall be
provide. imported uPVC Turkish channels of appropriate quality shall be
allowable as an alternate of Aluminum with prior approval of the
consultants. Opening exposed to roads and noisy area shall be double-
glaze soundproof. Aluminum channels single-glazed in a color of choice
(Champaign or Dark brown)1.5mm made by ALCOP Channel windows with
5mm silvery ting mercury glass made by Khawaja or Gung Glass or any
local maker of the same fame shall be provided. All windows ventilators
shall be provided/fixed with Aluminum fly mesh of approved style/standard
and quality of the consultants.
A. Roof vents and/or gable vents shall be used in conjunction with soffit
vents to provide adequate removal of summer heat as well as winter
moisture.

B. Attics and spaces between roof and top floor ceilings shall have a
minimum of one square inch of free vent area for each square foot of
ventilated space. This required vent area may be reduced by one-half when
at least 50 percent of the required vent area is provided by vents located in
the upper portion of the space to be ventilated, with the remainder of the
required ventilation provided by eave or cornice vents.

C. The space between the bottom of the floor joists and the earth (except
such space as is occupied by a basement) shall have a minimum clear
height of 18" and a minimum net area of ventilation openings through the
foundation of not less than one square foot for each 150 square feet of
crawl space area. If an approved vapor barrier is installed over the ground
surface, only 10% of the above vent area is required.

D. Baths with no operating windows shall be mechanically vented.

10. BATH

H&C connections shall be laid in Bath and Kitchen with PVC pipes of
proper density wrapped into HD Polyethylene film before being concealed
Bedrooms: floors: Finished with 1’x1’ porcelain tiles with up to 4” height
skirting matching with the flooring all around Mat finish Porcelain/ceramic
flooring with wall covered up to 8 feet height matching glazed tiles. Prime
quality English W.C with allied Hot and Cold fittings made of Masters/ICL or
maker of the same fame. English W.C Porta or IFO/ICL prime grade with
allied fittings. ALL fittings manufactured by IFO/ICL, Gore and Master or
the makers of the same fame

11. Kitchen

Floors: finished with 12”x12” ceramic tiles made of Marshall/National/or

EMCO or any other maker of the same fame. Kitchen fittings American
style counters with single bowel basin fixed in marble sills with MDF vanity
underneath. Shelves delicately designed in MDF single leaf and 5mm glass
fitted in the pre polished deodar finish color as per architectural drawings
Counter top Custom-made chemically polished super-white, bouticina (2’-
10”) single slab marble, bull nosed, placed at the comfortable working level
with a pre-fixed vanity made of MDF underneath.

12. Stairs
Treads/risers 6”x10”x1” made of single black marble sill chemically polished
with 04 (four) inches marble skirting alongside the stairs. Handrails made of
deodar wood polished neutrally as per design.

13. Locks & Handles

Prime Quality locally made Branded locks with the combination of gunmetal
and GP with matching handles for all doors and cupboards shall be
provided Prime Quality Branded YALE of UK locks or made by well know
foreign manufacturers of the same fame with matching handles for all doors
and cupboards.

14. Electrical fittings

Prime Quality BOSCH circuit breakers, lights, fans and switchboards shall
be provided. Pre-tested concealed quality-wiring network with Pakistan
cables or makers of the approved manufacturer (list attached) Phillips lights
and bulbs in all rooms and chandeliers at the drawing and Dining shall be
provided. Circuit breakers lights, fans and switchboards from Bosh
Germany, shall be provided (as indicated in the electrical drawings. cables
and lights Cables using Pakistan Cables, lights energy savers made of
Philips

All electrical work shall comply with all codes in effect in the local
community. Where no codes exist, the work shall conform with the
regulations of the National Electrical Code and the electric utility company
servicing the area.

15. Entry gate. & safety grills

Beautifully designed entry gate made of cube pipes painted in a color of

choice with electrolytic application of powder-coat ever-lasting color. All
windows ventilators shall be provided/fixed with Aluminum fly mesh of
approved style/standard and quality of the consultants.

16. Walkway:

Porch and driveways plinth protection area around the house shall be
paved with tough pavers in a color of choice.

17. Fascia:

Glazed with pre stressed cement tiles made by the M/s Concrete Wizard or
treated with ICI weather shield and/or combination of clad stone, marble
 tiles silica bricks shall be provide at the fascia. Rest is painted with ICI
weather shield in a color and combination approved by the Consultants.

18. Water Tanks

Two RCC water reservoirs one at the basement and the other atop of the
designed capacity should be built.

VII. Insulation

Unless noted on drawings, provide:

1. Minimum R-ll batt insulation in all exterior walls, minimum R-30 insulation
in all attics and cathedral ceilings, and minimum R-19 batt insulation in all
floors adjacent to the exterior or to unheated spaces.

2. When using unfaced insulation, install minimum 6 mil polyethylene vapor

barriers against warm side of all insulation.

3. All exterior windows are to be insulating double glazed.

4. Caulk and seal at all windows, exterior doors, vents, pipe penetrations,
bottom plates and around all electrical boxes mounted in exterior walls.

5. Install sill sealer between foundation wall and wood sill plates.

VIII. Plumbing

A. The contractor shall furnish and install all soil, vent, and waste piping,
the hot and cold water supply system, the plumbing fixtures and fittings,
and the connections to the potable water supply and to the sewers as
directed.

B. The contractor shall obtain all permits and inspections as required by

state and local codes, and all work shall be in accordance therewith.

IX. Heating and Air Conditioning

A. The heating contractor shall furnish an engineered heating layout in

conformance with local codes, and shall install a complete heating and
cooling system of the type selected by the owner.
 B. The heating system and air-conditioning system shall satisfy local
weather conditions in accordance with the design practices recommended
by ASHRAE, and shall conform to the rules and regulations of the National
Board of Underwriters and any and all governing local and state codes.

X. Miscellaneous

A. These specifications have been developed and issued without

knowledge or reference to a specific geographic location. Therefore,
supplemental to these documents is the owner's and his builder's
responsibility for following material and equipment manufacturers'
instructions, using recognized standards for each building craft and trade,
and complying with all governing code requirements for the geographic
area in which this house is to be built.

B. Home Design Alternatives sells house plans to assist in the construction

of new single family and multi-family residences. However, in some
markets, building regulations or codes may require that the plans and
specifications be prepared under the supervision of an architect licensed in
that jurisdiction. Where such regulations or codes apply, compliance is the
responsibility of the owner and/or contractor.

C. It is the responsibility of the owner and contractor to verify with local

building officials that details on these blueprints and specifications DO
COMPLY with ALL applicable codes prior to beginning construction.