1. Foundations
"The foundations are the first structural aspect of the build as they anchor your home in to the ground. There are a few different types of foundation; trench, piled or raft. The type we use and the depth of the foundation is dependent mainly on the ground conditions that your house is being built on,” Zara explains.
Foundations are typically constructed from concrete but sometimes will be reinforced with steel rods, again this is dependent on the ground conditions.
2. Drainage
Once the foundations are constructed, we install the drainage that will run underneath your house and take wastewater away from your property into the main drainage, which is normally situated in the road. We also install drainage external to your house to take storm water (clean) from your gutters and into the main drainage. There are separate wastewater and clean water drainage runs. The drainage is tested at this stage.
3. Substructure
“Foundations and drainage are classed as part of the substructure build stage. Substructure essentially means anything below ground and therefore before the damp proof course,” Zara says. “It also includes the structural ground floor, external paths, driveways and garages up to damp proof course.”
4. Superstructure
This build stage is when we construct all external walls, structural internal walls, the first floor and, in some house types, the second floor too.
“Superstructure takes your home up to the “wall plate”, which is where your roof starts,” Zara explains. “During superstructure the window and door openings will also be formed.”
Typically, at Redrow, we build in a traditional method which consists of blockwork and brickwork with a cavity in-between to form the external walls.
5. Roof stage
Once the structural walls are built the roof will be installed. This is typically a timber truss structure which is covered with felt and batten and then roof tiles.
“The roof stage also includes fitting the fascias, usually UPVC boards to enclose the end of the trusses. Soffits are also fitted in some cases along with the gutters,” Zara says.
Once the roof stage is complete, the scaffolding is dismantled, and we start the next stage – “externals”. This includes boundary fencing, landscaping, paths and patios.
6. First fix
“Once the roof is complete and the windows and external doors are installed, your home is classed as ‘watertight’, and we can start work inside. Known as first fix, this starts with the installation of the stairs, internal walls and window boards. Electricians and plumbers then install all the pipes and cables,” Zara explains.
If you have purchased extras using MyRedrow, it’s likely that these will go in at this stage. Depending on whether your cavity wall insulation is installed during superstructures or blown into the cavity, by the end of this stage, your walls will be insulated.
Once the first fix stage is complete, you’ll be invited for a first look inside your new home, known as a hard tour. You can find out more about hard hat tours here
7. Drylining
The drylining stage may also be called plastering, depending on which area of the country you are in. Either way, this is when your house is ‘closed up’ and starts to take real shape.
“You may hear the terms ‘tacking’, ‘sticking’, ‘tape/jointing’ and ‘rubbing down’, which are all sub-stages of drylining,” Zara says. “Before we go any further, a light coating of paint is applied to all walls and ceilings to seal the plasterboard and give a base for the final coats of paint.”
8. Second Fix
The second fix stage is when a lot of the fittings and fixtures are installed – kitchen, sanitary ware, doors and linings (frames), skirting boards, architraves, switches and sockets, light pendants, wardrobes, wall tiling and loft insulation. It’s likely that your services – gas, electric and water – will also be connected at this point.
9. Finals stage
The finals stage is essentially the finishing off phase, when the building really starts to feel like a home. It starts with the walls, ceiling and woodwork in your home, plus external doors and garage door, all being painted. After this, the finishing touches will be installed such as door handles, toilet seats, appliances and mastic sealant to give everything a beautifully neat finish. If you have ordered flooring through MyRedrow then this will now be laid.
10. Key Stage Inspections
You may hear the term “key stage inspections”. This could refer to internal and external inspections where quality, compliance to building regulations and specifications are checked.
Zara says: "We carry out our own Redrow inspections at each of the above key build stages on our bespoke app and ensure any defects raised are rectified before homeowners move in. External bodies including the NHBC, who provide the 10-year new build warranty, and Local Authority Building Control also carry out inspections at each key build stages and at interim times to ensure the completed home handed over to our customers meets all their expectations.”
Thanks to our handy construction terms glossary you should now have a good understanding of the work that goes into building your new Redrow home. Find out everything you need to know about the new home buying process with Redrow.
