Subtle Factors That Affect Cost and Strength of Cement When Constructing Your Home
Concrete is a big deal to anyone who wishes to put up a significant structure like a home. The quality of cement affects the overall strength and stability of a house, and by extension the safety of inhabitants. Additionally, cement does not come cheap. It represents one of the largest cost drivers in a construction exercise. To this effect, you need to pay particular attention to cement related issues when constructing your home. For example, the price and strength of cement is affected by a number of factors that are not obvious to a non-technical person. This article articulates some of these parameters.
Time of the Day – Ever wondered why pouring of cement is mostly done early in the morning? Well, worry no more. Cement dries by losing moisture and in doing so gains strength. Scheduling a cement pouring exercise early in the day will give it an allowance to dry slowly since moisture is not lost instantaneously. Additionally, such cement will be stronger and so will be your home. On the other hand, it is wise to avoid pouring cement when heat is high. If you do so, you are more likely to incur additional costs associated with reworks because of weak cement.
Time of the Year – Raw materials used in the manufacture of cement are mined, for example, limestone. The price of such inputs depends on the time of the year because the seasons affect production and supply. For example, during a rainy season, mining grounds become inaccessible. Supplies of cement go down and demand up. Consequently, the price shoots up. If you plan to build a home, it is advisable to schedule activities that consume a considerable amount of cement during summer. Supply is high because production is steady.
Size of Workforce – The number of people you put on site during cement intensive tasks determines the quality of work. Insufficient manpower will be overwhelmed by the pace of a cement pouring exercise especially if the home under consideration is big. As such, the strength of cement might be compromised because of the rush. Always consult about the optimal size of workforce required.
Complimenting Equipment – Having the right equipment on site during a cement pouring task goes a long way in determining quality and strength of cement. For example, curing of cement might require specialized equipment. In this case, lack of proper equipment will affect the drying process and weaken your home.
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