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What Factors Should You Consider Before Starting Construction?
You might think you can start your building construction whenever you feel it is the right time. Technically, you can do that if you want. However, it will not yield the best results. For instance, the weather dramatically impacts how you plan to build your home. Furthermore, the current economic condition, festivals, crop harvesting season, labor availability, etc., factors can influence the decisions you might require to make. First, you should consider the time of construction. Bangladesh has six seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, late autumn, winter, and spring. But the seasons can be divided into mainly summer, monsoon, and winter. The best season for construction in Bangladesh is post-monsoon, followed by winter, which is from October to March. The quality of the structures built during post-monsoon or in winter will undoubtedly have the edge over homes built in summer and during monsoon. From October to March, rainfall is usually very limited in Bangladesh.How does Weather Affects Construction Work?
It would be best if you considered an ideal time to start constructing your house. As discussed earlier, Bangladesh meets various kinds of weather conditions. It gets scorching during the summer seasons and downpours heavily during monsoon seasons. You should take the following factors into account before starting the construction work.Construction During the Summer Season
Temperatures can rise to 45 degrees in Bangladesh during the summer season. The hottest region in Bangladesh is the Rajshahi Division. Starting construction work in the summer is possible but provides some additional challenges. It is ideal for creating lengthy projects because you will get a long, uninterrupted period to progress the work. However, there is a high demand for construction materials in the summer. So, prepare yourself to face price hikes for materials like cement, steel, brick, etc. Excessive heat quickly saps away the moisture content inside the concrete that is required for it to cure appropriately. Curing is a crucial task that ensures the concrete in your structure gains maximum strength to withstand calamities and stand upright for centuries. There are different types of concrete curing methods. Some are suitable for hotter environments, and others for colder regions. If you plan to start construction in the summer, ensure the curing is done correctly. During hot summer days, laborers cannot work as efficiently as they can. They need frequent resting periods compared to working on cooler days. Hence, ensure the working site is facilitated with enough hydration points and shades for laborers to work effectively.Construction During the Monsoon Season
During the monsoon season, Bangladesh gets wet, hot, and humid. It is highly discouraged to start construction during this season. Monsoon poses various challenges to workers and delays the project subsequently. The foundation work becomes almost impossible due to waterlogging and may involve additional pumping costs to drain clogged water. Rainwater washes away the soil and increases the chance of soil collapse in many areas. As a result, the whole construction process faces severe threats. During the monsoon season, the quality of sand may vary depending on the moisture content it absorbs. The sand might require proper storage facilities. Otherwise, the sand will absorb the moisture content in the air, and its usability will decrease. Furthermore, proper storage of cement and aggregates is a must during the monsoon season. Cement is a highly sophisticated product that gets ruined if it absorbs too much moisture from the air or gets wet. If you plan to purchase cement bags in bulk during the monsoon season, they should be kept in a safe and secure location where rainwater cannot go through. Direct contact with rainwater during concreting can delay the concrete setting process. It will cause strength loss in the concrete. Cement plastering works outside the building can wash away due to heavy rainfall. So, it gets challenging to complete the construction process this season. The real monsoon arrives between late May and Early June in Bangladesh. The rain is more abundant along the south coast, especially in the south-eastern zones like Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar. It rains heavily in the northeastern zone like Sylhet, which is closer to the Indian mountains. In July, the rainfall reaches 800 mm in Sylhet, 750 in Chittagong, and 900mm in Cox’s Bazar. The rainfall averages between 350 – 400 mm in Dhaka. Hence, the monsoon season will cause severe disruptions in the workflow if you plan to start construction, especially in high rainfall zones in Bangladesh. Therefore, you must spend additional money to purchase covers and shades to protect the construction site from rainwater if you plan to begin construction in the monsoon season.Construction During the Autumn Season
The post-monsoon season is considered the best season to start construction work in Bangladesh. As a result, autumn is a good season for construction work. During the autumn season, the temperature is not too cold to make the soil stiff or too hot for the workers to work effectively. It is easy to pour concrete foundations in this weather condition. Autumn lasts from mid-August to mid-October. Bangladesh does not experience much rain during this period. So, your contractors can work without facing unnecessary delays. Furthermore, winter comes after autumn, the driest season in Bangladesh. Hence, the construction work can go ahead at full pace if it begins in autumn.Construction During the Winter Season
Winter is also an excellent time to start construction work in Bangladesh. The weather remains constant and dry. The temperature does not fall extremely low, and workers can work without delays. However, during winter, the daytime reduces significantly. Hence, there is less sunlight for contractors to work. You might need to spend a little extra to facilitate artificial lights for laborers to perform comfortably.Why is Post Monsoon the Best Time for Construction in Bangladesh?
It is easy to get confused by all the information on the weather conditions in Bangladesh and decide when to start the construction work. By analyzing the weather conditions in Bangladesh, it is apparent that the post-monsoon period is the best time to start construction. RCC, masonry, flooring, and plastering works achieve their potential service life when worked with the best standard of construction practices and have good exposure to the environment. Any delays or unnecessary impediments can severely hamper the workflow and progress of the work. Furthermore, any delays in curing, which is often neglected but one of the essential tasks that ensure the rigidity of the structure, can cause serious detrimental effects on the structure. Curing ensures that the concrete attains its maximum strength. During cooler days, water can stay for more extended periods without evaporating. It enables hydration of the maximum quantity of cement incorporated in the concrete mix. It is because the more percentage of cement reacts with water, the more the strength gain of the concrete. Moreover, if concrete or mortar becomes well hydrated, it will have fewer pores, making the structure more durable. It is much easier to carry out the curing process in post-monsoon and winter than in any other season in Bangladesh. It gets sweltering during summer, and the water evaporates quickly. So, it isn’t easy to maintain a proper curing state. Curing gets more accessible during the rainy season, but other detrimental factors come in. So, the post-monsoon period is the only time that will best suit your requirements for construction. The houses built post-monsoon period will have the edge over those made in other seasons. The prior homes will have better quality and finish. RCC work is the initiation of the construction process. If the main structural parts of the building get finished before the upcoming summer or monsoon period, the internal works can be done smoothly regardless of extreme weather conditions. So, you can start building your dream home soon after the monsoon period to achieve maximum benefits. Source: Lowder New HomesOther Factors You Should Consider
After figuring out the perfect time to start constructing, you should consider a few more factors to safeguard your investment. One of them is labor availability. Check with your contractor that you have enough workers to complete your task in the scheduled time. Consider the below factors regarding labor availability:- Availability of labor is low during festivities like Eid or Puja. So, if your construction lands in the range of any festivals, you will not get sufficient workers.
- During the sowing and reaping time of crops, labor availability is low. Many masons come from rural areas to the city to work. So, during crop harvesting seasons, they go back to their villages.