Eleven reasons one may not need waterproofing on their construction projects are …
* One feels that the increased Cost component of (i.e. less than) 1.8% of the total project cost for using waterproofing system is too high to spend on a construction project
* One has got a construction contractor who has Godly powers and there is no error ever on his part or has a super human team of labour who will work on your site
* It never ever rains in your area.
* The plumbing is guaranteed to never leak in the life time, be it bathrooms or kitchen or any area with water contact in your structure
* Your construction project is in a region where there is no water table to affect your basement areas
* You are that guy who will just sell the apartments you constructed, and care too hoots about the people who will inhabit it, even if they face damp ceilings and moist walls.
* You do not believe that temperature variations of summers and winter will ever cause cracks in your building structure.
* You simply do not care if your project will be a hassle free place to inhabit, or not !
* Again waterproofing is just like insurance, it is matter of “if” the building ever leaks. So you feel it will never leak in your life time.
* You think that concrete is a non-porous material and that moisture cannot climb up in concrete structures through capillary action. (Google it to understand better)
* Waterproofing is a silly concept for you
* One has got a construction contractor who has Godly powers and there is no error ever on his part or has a super human team of labour who will work on your site
* It never ever rains in your area.
* The plumbing is guaranteed to never leak in the life time, be it bathrooms or kitchen or any area with water contact in your structure
* Your construction project is in a region where there is no water table to affect your basement areas
* You are that guy who will just sell the apartments you constructed, and care too hoots about the people who will inhabit it, even if they face damp ceilings and moist walls.
* You do not believe that temperature variations of summers and winter will ever cause cracks in your building structure.
* You simply do not care if your project will be a hassle free place to inhabit, or not !
* Again waterproofing is just like insurance, it is matter of “if” the building ever leaks. So you feel it will never leak in your life time.
* You think that concrete is a non-porous material and that moisture cannot climb up in concrete structures through capillary action. (Google it to understand better)
* Waterproofing is a silly concept for you
Above are 11 “logical” reasons why waterproofing is still a misunderstood, unknown and an often confusing concept.
It is perceived almost like so many of the insurance policies we get thrown on us by marketing campaigns but we do not understand!
“The theoretical fact is that concrete is a fantastic material. And waterproofing is automatically inbuilt in a perfectly constructed structure and so one does not need to pay any major attention to it.”
But this is far from truth, as is quite evident from a visit around any city where buildings and apartments have sprung up. You just have to count and see that many of these structures have become ugly with spots on each floor level with exterior paint peeling off, structures appearing as discoloured monoliths and making the buildings look unpleasant.
It is even worse for the inhabitants who have bought the property or have taken it on lease; they just get used to it and live in an unhealthy, smelly damp environment.
The builder or developers have no reason to help once the project is sold out. It is impractical too, as the repairs of waterproofing problems are much costlier when done later on because
It is perceived almost like so many of the insurance policies we get thrown on us by marketing campaigns but we do not understand!
“The theoretical fact is that concrete is a fantastic material. And waterproofing is automatically inbuilt in a perfectly constructed structure and so one does not need to pay any major attention to it.”
But this is far from truth, as is quite evident from a visit around any city where buildings and apartments have sprung up. You just have to count and see that many of these structures have become ugly with spots on each floor level with exterior paint peeling off, structures appearing as discoloured monoliths and making the buildings look unpleasant.
It is even worse for the inhabitants who have bought the property or have taken it on lease; they just get used to it and live in an unhealthy, smelly damp environment.
The builder or developers have no reason to help once the project is sold out. It is impractical too, as the repairs of waterproofing problems are much costlier when done later on because
* Sunken Portion has to be dug out again; this involves huge cost of redoing those areas, new fitting news tiles everything!
* Once occupied, it is not easy to vacate the area again for waterproofing treatments.
* Uncooperative neighbours, who won’t let you disturb their space just because their own bathroom or kitchen plumbing has screwed your false ceiling or walls, as the non-existent or failed waterproofing has allowed the leaked water to seep through. The fact to understand is, that we have an environment which is constantly affecting our structures and new construction projects by way of following ways…
* Temperature variations
* Workmanship issues
* Errors in specifications
* Negligent supervision in construction
* Once occupied, it is not easy to vacate the area again for waterproofing treatments.
* Uncooperative neighbours, who won’t let you disturb their space just because their own bathroom or kitchen plumbing has screwed your false ceiling or walls, as the non-existent or failed waterproofing has allowed the leaked water to seep through. The fact to understand is, that we have an environment which is constantly affecting our structures and new construction projects by way of following ways…
* Temperature variations
* Workmanship issues
* Errors in specifications
* Negligent supervision in construction
It is in the interest of every stake holder, not just Architect or the Builders or the Developers or the Construction Engineers, but also the end-user who will inhabit the structure to pay attention on waterproofing proofing systems used in construction of the structure.
Successful waterproofing is coming together of:-
* Correct Specification of the material to be used
* Quality of the Product that is to be used
* Application Quality and supervision of application
* Quality of the Product that is to be used
* Application Quality and supervision of application
If any of the above three are out of sync it may lead to a doubtful or imperfect waterproofing system, both in terms of performance when needed and cost implications.
