EP 171 - Your DMs, Answered (Part 3, Final): Bricks, Sand, Plaster, Foundations & Quantities

The final part of our listener Q&A series. You sent your questions to my DMs — here are the last 25 answers, with the science, the logic and the IS code behind each one.On this episode of The CODE – India's No.1 Construction Podcast, Rishabh Aggarwal covers steel cover and checks, bricks and blocks, sand and water, mortar and plaster, foundations and site work, and how much material a house really needs.Questions answered in this episode:21. Minimum steel in columns, beams and slabs22. How much concrete cover steel needs23. How to check TMT bars on site24. Red brick, fly ash, concrete block or AAC?25. Standard brick size in India26. How to tell a good brick from a bad one27. Should bricks be soaked before laying?28. What's the white powder on your walls?29. Which wall keeps your house cooler?30. River sand or M-sand?31. What sand "zones" mean32. The simple silt test for sand33. Can you use sea sand or seawater?34. Which size of aggregate to use35. What water is safe for concrete36. Mortar ratio for brickwork37. Plaster ratio and thickness38. Why plaster cracks, and how long to cure it39. Do you need a soil test?40. Removing topsoil before a footing or slab41. Anti-termite treatment — when and how42. What a damp-proof course does43. Cement, steel and bricks for a 1,000 sq ft house44. Getting an accurate BOQ and allowing for wastage45. Why material prices vary so muchNew here? Start with Part 1 (EP 169) and Part 2 (EP 170).This is general guidance. Structural decisions should always come from a licensed structural engineer.What should the next Q&A series cover? Send your ideas to Rishabh on Instagram.If this series helped you, follow The CODE and leave a rating — it helps more builders, architects and homeowners find the show.️ The CODE – India's No.1 Construction PodcastHosted by Rishabh Aggarwal Watch on YouTube: @indiasno1constructionpodcast