All guides
Before buying a building plot: documents and questions — title deed and survey report, building regulations, services, soil and water
Questions a buyer should check before paying for a building plot: are the title deed and survey report ready for a permit application, what are the building rules for the subdivision (setbacks, building ratio, floors), are services available, and what are the soil type, ground level and rain drainage. No remote judgement on a specific plot.
A guide to Saudi building codes, standards and regulations: which reference covers which work, and where to find it in the encyclopedia
A map of the binding and official Saudi references behind Binaaline's guides: parts of the Saudi Building Code (general, electrical, energy, plumbing), SASO regulations (energy efficiency, water saving, plugs), electricity and solar regulations, and Balady services, with a link to the guide that explains each.
Locating and checking a property: official maps, the Geospatial Real Estate Portal, the National Geospatial Platform, and what maps don't tell you
Before buying land or property: how to use official maps to learn about the neighbourhood, plots and nearby services, what the Geospatial Real Estate Portal and the National Geospatial Platform show, and why a map does not replace the title deed, survey report and municipal requirements.
Building your home from plot to occupancy certificate: the Balady building permit, engineering offices, contractor and insurance
A clear map of the stages of a residential building project in Saudi Arabia: before the permit, the steps to issue a building permit online on Balady as the official service describes them, then construction and supervision, then the occupancy certificate, with links to the guide for each stage.
Concrete for owners and supervisors: what C25/30 means, cube tests, and why curing takes 7 days
What does C30/37 concrete mean? And why does the engineer insist on keeping concrete wet for days after pouring? An explanation based on the European standard EN 206 and the US Federal Highway Administration's summary of curing requirements.
Ready-mixed concrete: ordering and receiving it, the '90-minute rule', and why water must not be added
Most concrete for homes now arrives ready-mixed in truck mixers. What the US standard ASTM C94 says about delivery, what changed in the 2021 edition regarding the '90-minute rule', and what to check on the delivery ticket on pour day.
Portland cement types: Type I to V and when you need sulphate resistance
'Ordinary' or 'resistant' cement? The American standard ASTM C150 defines five main types of Portland cement. The differences, and why they matter in soils and groundwater carrying sulphates.
Construction quality checkpoints for owners: what to watch, photograph and request at each stage from excavation to finishing
An owner is not a supervising engineer, but can know what to ask for. A list of observation, photo and document checkpoints by stage: excavation and soil, rebar before pouring, concrete placing and curing, blockwork, waterproofing and flood testing, services before closing up, and tiling.
Reinforcing steel: what Grade 60 means, and how to inspect rebar on site
The grade on reinforcing bars means a minimum yield and tensile strength. The common ASTM A615 grades, and what to check before pouring.
Concrete blocks: load-bearing vs. non-load-bearing, minimum strength, and insulated blocks
Not all blocks are equal. The strength requirement of ASTM C90 for load-bearing concrete block, the difference between solid, hollow and insulated blocks, and what to check on delivery.
Roofs and slabs: the roof layers from slab to tiles, waterproofing and insulation, cracks, and access for maintenance
A concrete roof in our homes is not one layer: a structural slab, then falls, then waterproofing and insulation, then a protective layer. The role and order of each layer in conventional and inverted roofs, when cracks are serious, and what to ask the designer; leaving loads, spans and openings to the structural engineer.
Cracks in concrete and walls: types, causes, and when they are serious
Not every crack is dangerous, and not every crack is harmless. The common crack forms as classified by the US National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, why concrete cracks in hot weather, and the warning signs that call for a structural engineer.
Rebar corrosion and spalling concrete: why it happens in our buildings and how to prevent it from the start
Flakes falling from the ceiling and exposed rusty steel are widespread problems, especially in coastal cities and on salty ground. How steel corrodes in concrete, the role of chlorides and carbonation, and what the US National Ready Mixed Concrete Association recommends for prevention.
The ground under your house: expansive soils, sabkha and the soil investigation report before you build
Foundations are only as good as the soil beneath them. In Saudi Arabia expansive soils cover about 37% of the country, and salty sabkha lines the coasts. The risks, and why the soil investigation report is the most important document before digging.
Water around the building: garden irrigation, AC condensate, roof downpipes, and why it matters for foundations and walls
Irrigation, AC and rain water pooling next to walls can cause rising damp and efflorescence, and on expansive soils or sabkha it can move foundations. Why it happens, what falls to use, and a checklist around your house.