Constructing a House

On their own plot of land, Rahul and Priya work with a contractor to construct their house, including choosing the paint colors.

Meanings in Rahul, Priya, Contractor, Painter

Key words and phrases

contractora person who manages the building of a houseThey hired a reliable contractor.

foundationthe base structure of a building, set undergroundThe foundation was laid last month.

blueprinta detailed plan or design of a buildingThe architect prepared the blueprint.

construction materialitems like bricks and cement used to build a houseThey ordered construction material for the walls.

labourera person who does physical work on a construction siteSeveral labourers worked on the site daily.

painta colored liquid applied to wallsThey chose a light blue paint for the bedroom.

paintera person who paints the walls of a houseThe painter finished the living room first.

budgetthe amount of money planned for a projectThey tried to stay within their construction budget.

deadlinethe target date for finishing a projectThe contractor promised to meet the deadline.

finishing touchesthe final small details completed at the endOnly the finishing touches were left.

scaffoldinga temporary structure used to support workers during constructionWorkers climbed the scaffolding to work on the upper wall.

plasteringapplying a smooth layer over brick walls before paintingPlastering makes the walls smooth and even.

roofingthe work of building the top covering of a houseThe roofing was completed before the monsoon.

electrical wiringthe network of wires installed for electricity in a houseThe electrician finished the electrical wiring last week.

plumbingthe system of pipes for water supply and drainageThe plumbing work is done before tiling the bathroom.

tilesflat pieces used to cover floors or wallsThey chose white tiles for the kitchen floor.

cementa grey powder mixed with water and sand to build wallsThey ordered several bags of cement for the walls.

bricksrectangular blocks used to build wallsThousands of bricks were delivered to the site.

masonrythe work of building structures with brick or stoneThe masonry work took nearly two months.

ceilingthe inner upper surface of a roomThey installed lights on the living room ceiling.

Useful sentences

Ask Has the foundation work been completed?
Answer Yes, we finished it last week.
Ask Can you show us the blueprint again?
Answer Sure, here's the updated version.
Ask What color paint should we use for the bedroom?
Answer Let's go with a light blue shade.
Ask Are we staying within our budget so far?
Answer Yes, everything is on track.
Ask When will the finishing touches be done?
Answer By the end of this month.
Ask Has the electrical wiring been completed?
Answer Yes, the electrician finished it yesterday.
Ask When will the plumbing work start?
Answer It will start next week, before tiling.
Ask Which tiles have you chosen for the kitchen?
Answer We picked simple white tiles.
Ask Is the plastering finished on all the walls?
Answer Almost, only the kitchen wall is left.
Ask Is the roofing done before the monsoon?
Answer Yes, the contractor promised to finish it in time.

Dialogue

ContractorThe foundation is complete. We'll start on the walls next.

RahulGreat. Are we still within budget?

ContractorYes, and we're on track to meet the deadline too.

PriyaWonderful. We've decided on the paint colors for each room.

PainterI'll start with the living room and bedroom this week.

RahulThank you. We can't wait to see the finishing touches.

ContractorBefore painting, we still need to finish the plastering and plumbing.

PriyaAnd the electrical wiring too, right? We want the ceiling lights installed.

ContractorYes, the wiring team will come once the masonry work is fully done.

RahulSounds good. Let's also confirm the tiles for the bathroom floor.

Common mistakes

Saying "We are constructing our house" for the whole ongoing project casually, instead of more specifically "Our house is under construction."
Saying "Paint the house color blue" instead of "Paint the house blue" or "Use blue paint for the house."
Saying "Contractor is doing work fast" instead of "The contractor is working quickly" (use "quickly," the adverb, not "fast" informally in this context).
Saying "do the wiring work" instead of "complete the electrical wiring" (use the specific term, not the generic phrase).
Saying "fitting the tiles" instead of "laying the tiles" (use "lay," the standard verb for tiles and flooring).
Saying "plaster is doing" instead of "the plastering is being done" (use the correct passive form).

Quick quiz

1. What is the base structure of a building, set underground, called?

2. Complete: "The architect prepared the ___."

3. What do you call the final small details completed at the end of a project?

4. What is the system of pipes for water supply and drainage called?

5. What is a temporary structure used to support workers during construction called?

6. What is applying a smooth layer over brick walls before painting called?

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