Start a Waterproofing Business

           

 (172). Start  a Waterproofing Business

Starting a waterproofing business can be a recession-proof, profitable, and easy to start business idea for construction-minded entrepreneurs. The fact is that no one can afford a leaky home, so homeowners who might not be in the market to spend for cosmetic improvements to their homes will still need to maintain the basic structure of their investments—and that’s where your business comes in. As a waterproofing business, you or your employees will assess the homeowner’s situation—usually a leaky foundation—and provide an estimate for the work needed to repair and waterproof the structure. Basic fixes include filling cracks to seal off leaks, but the repairs—and your service menu—can be much more extensive than that, especially if you’ve got the know-how and the tools to solve bigger waterproofing issues. If your price is competitive, your work guaranteed, and your company professional, you will likely sell many of the customers you provide estimates for. If you are not an expert in construction or waterproofing in particular, you can still start this business easily by recruiting skilled employees to work for or with you. In addition to getting experience and experienced workers, you will also need a reliable vehicle that can transport your tools and even do double duty as a moving advertisement for your company. Finally, you will want to have a small home office with basic equipment so that you can receive messages from potential clients while you’re out working, print service contracts on an inkjet or laser printer, and possibly even set up a website for your business. A basic financial-tracking software program will help you keep your finances organized. If this sounds like a doable business idea for you, read on to learn just what you’ll need to get your business off the ground.
                             

Customers of a waterproofing business are likely homeowners who have discovered a compromised foundation that needs repair. They may have a serious flooding situation that requires clean-up or just some cracking that needs sealing. Depending on how extensive your service menu is, you can provide basic waterproofing needs or full-service clean-up, waterproofing, and air-quality control. Of course, the more you offer the greater revenue you stand to make, though you’ll need to make sure you and your employees have the know-how to complete the job. Customers will likely be looking for a competitive price but will also want to feel they can trust your company and that you stand behind your work with a 100 percent guarantee.

How to start Waterproofing Business

• You can begin a waterproofing business with a small investment and operate it on a part-time schedule.
• You don’t have necessarily have to know how to do the waterproofing yourself if you hire reliable employees to do the work for your business.
• The business is recession-proof and lucrative, especially if you offer a variety of waterproofing services.
• Though you’ll need to do some basic advertising, much of your future work can come from referrals from satisfied customers.
• The business is entirely scalable.

Waterproofing of Treatment for Sloping Roofs

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	Method Statement Surface Preparation New concrete must be a minimum of 7 days old Surfaces to be applied upon, must be clean, reasonably dry, free form dirt and loose material, and conform to the agreed minimum surface standard. All voids and pinholes shall be filled using polymer modified mortar

Application Primer Application Apply water-based primer Dr. Fixit Primeseal on cleaned & leveled surface @ 8 to 10 mtr/ltr. The priming will enhance the adhesion of the membrane to the substrate and will block the surface pore. Allow the primer coat to dry. The drying will generally depend on the ambient temperature Newcoat Application Apply 1st coat of Newcoat on the dried primer coat uniformly with stiff nylon brush at the rate of 2 sqm/ltr. Apply 2nd and 3rd coat at the same rate after drying of the previous coat. Choose any two or all the three available colour for the 3 coats. This will ensure the correct application of the material and the supervisor can have a proper control over the application. The drying time for each coat depends on the ambient temperature and can vary from place to place. At 30 degree C, the Newcoat coat will be dried within 4 to 5 hour.All the concrete / masonry pedestals present on the roof, constructed for supporting the water tanks or pipe lines or dish antenna, etc., also should be coated with Newcoat along with the terrace. The junction between such pedestals and the slab shall have corner fillet (corner rounding) made from Polymer Modified Mortar. For this Dr. Fixit Pidicrete URP from the Dr. Fixit range of products can be used. Cementitious Substrate Application of Dr. Fixit Primeseal Application of 1st coat of Dr. FixitNewcoat Roller Application of Dr. Fixit Newcoat Application of 2nd coat of Dr. Fixit Newcoat Application of 3rd of Dr. Fixit Newcoat Termination of Treatment The Newcoat application must continue till the end of the sloping roof and continue further on vertical face of the slab from all sides. The 4" thickness of slab (in elevation) shall be coated along with sloping roof in the similar manner Termination At The Expansion Joints In the case of large roofs with an expansion joints, The Newcoat application should be terminated at the joint. The curb wall of 4 inches thick shall be constructed on both sides of joint. The height can vary from 150 mm to 200 mm. The curb wall shall be plastered smoothly and corner rounding with polymer-modified mortar shall be done before Newcoat applications starts. The joint shall be covered either with GI strip fixed on one of the curb walls while leaving other end free or by neoprene sheet as detailed in the sketch. The expansion joint shall be filled with 2 part flexible Polysulphide Selant from the Dr. Fixit Range as per the specifications. Waterproofing Treatment for Large Terraces Method Statement Surface Preparation New concrete must be a minimum of 7 days old Surfaces to be applied upon, must be clean, reasonably dry, free form dirt and loose material, and conform to the agreed minimum surface standard. All voids and pinholes shall be filled using polymer modified mortar 75 mm x 75 mm angle fillets (corner rounding) of non-shrink mortar should be placed at the intersection of all vertical and horizontal surfaces for the waterproofing membrane to turn up. Brick parapet walls should be rendered by the Main-contractor. The render should be smooth, free from voids and pinholes Application Primer Application Apply solvent-based bitumen primer on cleaned & leveled surface @ 3-5 sq. mtr/ltr. The priming will enhance the adhesion of the membrane to the substrate. Allow the primer coat to dry. The drying will generally depend on the ambient temperature Membrane Application Starting at low point from the roof, unroll the DR. FIXIT TORCHSHIELD roll once the priming coat is dried.Align the DR. FIXIT TORCHSHIELD roll correctly & re-roll it half inlignment before torching. Avoid shifting of the membrane while torching Use gas burner to heat substrate & underside to softening points. When the embossing disappears, roll forward & press firmly against substrate to bond from the lower end towards the higher end. Ensure sufficient bleed on side & end over laps. Once the half of the roll is torched properly to the substrate, unroll the balance roll and repeat the process. An overlap of 100-mm shall be maintained for all the continuing sides. Heating shall be done on both the membranes to be overlapped and pressed firmly with the help of round shape trowel. The care shall be taken to leave no gap at any point in the overlapped area. If noticed, reheating shall be done to seal it Clean & remove dust, dirt, loose particles and unsound substrate Apply primer coat with solvent based bitumen primer Unroll the DR. FIXIT TORCHSHIELD roll Align the Dr. Fixit Torchshield Roll Use gas burner to heat substrate & underside to softening points Keep overlap margin for minimum 100 mm Heat both the overlaps & use round tipped trowel to seal overlap Seal the edges well and protect with a Polysulphide sealant Dr. Fixit Torchshield applied all over the terrace Termination of Membrane The membranes shall be first laid up to the parapet wall junction and then shall be overlapped with another membrane (flashing) with an overlap of 100 mm and taken upward on the parapet wall up to a distance of 300 mm. This overlap shall be firmly sealed over the corner rounding or fillet area at the junction of parapet wall and slab The rendering shall be done above this level till top of parapet wall to match the level of membrane and drip mould shall be created in the plaster at the place where membranes is terminated to drift the rainwater away from the membrane. Alternatively an aluminium or G.I. sheet flashing can also be fixed over the membrane, fixed with GI screws with the parapet wall At the opening of Rain water pipes The places where opening are encountered for rain water down take pipes, the membranes shall be cut open by sharp knife in + sign in the center of an opening. Circular cutting shall not be done. Torching shall be done on the reverse side of these four triangular pieces. Bend all the four pieces inside and tightly pressed against pipe surface Termination At The Expansion Joints The treatment shall have to terminate at the expansion joint. The curb wall of 4 inches thick shall be constructed on both sides of joint. The height can vary from 300 mm to 500 mm. The curb wall shall be plastered smoothly and corner rounding with polymer-modified mortar shall be done before membrane applications starts. The final slope of screed shall be away from the joint. The joint shall be covered either with GI strip fixed on one of the curb walls while leaving other end free or by neoprene sheet. The expansion joint shall be filled with 2 part flexible Polysulphide Selant from the Dr. Fixit Range as per the specifications. Protection The Torchshield membranes shall be protected either with concrete screed laid to slope or by applying bitumen based aluminium paint in 2 coats for the slopped roofs. The roof slabs used for human traffic or for any other purpose, concrete screed shall be laid as per Architects specifications. For non-sanded membrane, sprinkle sand on the top surface of membranes after torching the top of membrane for better adhesion with subsequent screed. Waterproofing of Treatment for New RCC Basements using Torchshield Method Statement The RCC for basement shall be laid as per standard engineering practices, which include correct placing of concrete, proper compaction, provision of water stops at every cold joints, curing, etc., Treatment over PCC - Application The PCC for basement shall be of minimum M 15 grade concrete laid to minimum of 100 mm thickness and cured for 15 days. Surfaces to be applied upon, must be clean, reasonably dry, free form dirt and loose material, and conform to the agreed minimum surface standard Primer Application Apply solvent-based bitumen primer on cleaned & leveled surface @ 3-5 sq.mtr/ltr. The priming will enhance the adhesion of the membrane to the substrate. Allow the primer coat to dry. The drying will generally depend on the ambient temperature Membrane Application Starting from one end, unroll the DR. FIXIT TORCHSHIELD roll once the priming coat is dried. Align the DR. FIXIT TORCHSHIELD roll correctly & re-roll it half in alignment before torching. Avoid shifting of the membrane while torching Use gas burner to heat substrate & underside to softening points. When the embossing disappears, roll forward & press firmly against substrate. Ensure sufficient bleed on side & end over laps. Once the half of the roll is torched properly to the substrate, unroll the balance roll and repeat the process. An overlap of 100-mm shall be maintained for all the continuing sides. Heating shall be done on both the membranes to be overlapped and pressed firmly with the help of round shape trowel. The care shall be taken to leave no gap at any point in the overlapped area. If noticed, reheating shall be done to seal it. The Torchshield must be laid over the entire PCC area with a minimum of 150 mm over hang from the size of raft on all sides. Protection The Torchshield membranes shall be protected against damage by laying sand cement mortar in 1:4 ratio at 15 to 20 mm thickness. Cure the surface for 7 days before starting the work for laying RCC raft or column footings. Treatment to vertical walls (external) - Application The entire external surface of the wall shall be prepared properly and made ready to receive the waterproofing treatment. All the honeycomb areas, undulations, cracks shall be filled with polymer modified mortar. For which Dr. Fixit Polymer Mortar PX shall be used as per the standard material specification. Primer Application Bitumen based primer shall be applied as explained above over the entire surface and shall be allowed to dry. Membrane Application Dr. Fixit Torchshield P 3160 / P 3050 shall be applied as per the standard installation practices as explained above over the dried primer. Before the application of Torchshield begins over the wall, a corner rounding / angle fillet shall be made at the junction of PCC and Raft to avoid the right angle bend of membrane.  The application of membrane shall begin from the edge of PCC with a sufficient lap of 100 mm minimum with the bottom membrane (over PCC) and to be taken over raft thickness and then over the wall. An overlapping of 100 mm must be ensured with the subsequent membrane with all sides. The fixing shall be done from the PCC level moving horizontally first and then vertically. All the lap joints and termination shall be done as per standard specifications as explained earlier. Protection The back filling can start simultaneously as one move upward. Before back filling begins, the membrane shall be protected either with plaster or with a protection board.  For plaster, sand shall be sprinkled over the membranes as soon as it is fixed after torching. The plastering shall be done in 1:3 sand cement mortar at 15 mm thickness. Thermocol in 20 mm thickness can be used as a protection board. The cold bitumen (mastic) can be used for fixing the Thermocol over the Torchshield. Once the Thermocol is fixed, back filling can start in layers. This will allow people to work comfortably as it will create the platform to work as one move upwards. Waterproofing Treatment For Flat Roofs Method Statement Preparing Surface Laying screed to slope  All the terraces requiring to be waterproofed using Newcoat, shall be cleaned thoroughly to remove all loose particles before laying a concrete screed to slope.  Concrete screed / brick bat coba shall be laid to slope as per the specifications of engineer / consultant over the terrace slab. The slope shall be maintained at 1:100 or as per the drawing and shall be cured for a minimum period of 15 days.  It shall be finished slightly rough and all the rain water down take pipes shall be fixed as per the drawing or instructions of engineer in charge.  Remove water from the terrace after its curing and leave the surface to get dried.  Thorough inspection shall be done to locate / identify any shrinkage cracks. All major shrinkage cracks, if any, shall be filled with polymer-based crack filling compound from the Dr. Fixit Range of products. For this, Dr. Fixit Crack X Powder can be used up to 5 mm wide cracks.  The 75 mm x 75 mm angle fillet (corner rounding) shall be done using polymer modified mortar at all the horizontal and vertical junctions (roof slab & Parapet wall junction) along with screed it self.  Finally, clean the surface once again thoroughly to remove all dust and cement particles. Application Primer Application Pre wet the surface prior to application of primer and allow surface water to evaporate. Apply water-based primer Dr. Fixit Primeseal (diluted with water in the ratio 2:1) on the cleaned surface @ 12 to 15 sq m/ltr. The priming will enhance the adhesion of the membrane to the substrate and will block the surface pores. Allow the primer coat to dry. The drying will generally depend on the ambient temperature Newcoat Application Apply 1st coat of Newcoat on the dried primer coat uniformly with stiff nylon brush / roller at the rate of 2 sqm/ltr. Apply 2nd and 3rd coat at the same rate after drying of the previous coat. Choose any two or all the three available colour for the 3 coats. This will ensure the correct application of the material and the supervisor can have a proper control over the application. For uniform and fast application use of roller is highly recommended. Newcoat shall be applied directly from the pack without diluting it for all the 3 coats. The drying time for each coat depends on the ambient temperature and can vary from place to place. At 30 degree C, the coat will be dry up within 4 to 5 hour. All the concrete / masonry pedestals present on the roof, constructed for supporting the water tanks or pipe lines or dish antenna, etc., also should be coated with Newcoat along with the terrace. The junction between such pedestals and the slab shall have corner fillet (corner roundings) made from Polymer Modified Mortar. For this Dr. Fixit Pidicrete URP from the Dr. Fixit range of products can be used. Parapet walls The Newcoat application must continue over the parapet wall up to the top. If desired, one can terminate the coating at 300 mm height on the vertical face of a parapet wall at the drip mould, made in plaster. In absence of any such water mould, the coating shall be extended till top of parapet wall. All rain water pipe ‘openings’ shall be coated with Newcoat from inside to a distance of 2 inches. Termination At Expansion Joints    In the case of large roofs with an expansion joints, the Newcoat application should be terminated at the joint. A curb wall of 4 inches thick shall be constructed on both sides of joint, which may be from 150 mm to 200 mm in height The curb wall shall be plastered smoothly and corner rounding with polymer-modified mortar shall be done before Newcoat applications starts. The joint shall be covered either with GI strip fixed on one of the curb walls while leaving other end free or by neoprene sheet (as detailed in the sketch) The expansion joint shall be filled with 2 part flexible Polysulphide Sealant from the Dr. Fixit Range in accordance with the product specifications. Waterproofing of Treatment for Terraces Gardens Method Statement Surface Preparation New concrete must be a minimum of 7 days old Surfaces to be applied upon, must be clean, reasonably dry, free form dirt and loose material, and conform to the agreed minimum surface standard. All voids and pinholes shall be filled using polymer modified mortar Brick parapet walls should be rendered by the Main-contractor. The render should be smooth, free from voids and pinholes Laying Screed to slope The concrete screed of M20 grade shall be laid to desired slope (1:100) over the RCC roof slab in accordance with standard concreting practices. The change in the slope to create a camber shall be achieved as per the instructions from the engineer in-charge. The location and size of rain water pipe shall be as per the drawing and must be ensured prior to start of waterproofing work. The screed shall be cured for a minimum of 14 days. The standing water then shall be removed and surface shall be allowed to dry. Alternatively, the slope also can be created in Brick Bat Coba / Lime Concrete, etc., 100 mm x 100 mm angle fillets (corner rounding) of non-shrink mortar should be placed at the intersection of all vertical and horizontal surfaces for the waterproofing membrane to turn up. Application Primer Application Apply solvent-based bitumen primer on cleaned concrete surface @ 3-5 sq.mtr/ltr. The priming will enhance the adhesion of the membrane to the substrate. Allow the primer coat to dry. The drying will generally depend on the ambient temperature Membrane Application Starting at low point from the roof, unroll the DR. FIXIT TORCHSHIELD P4160 roll once the priming coat is dried. Align the DR. FIXIT TORCHSHIELD roll correctly & re-roll it half in alignment before torching. Avoid shifting of the membrane while torching Use gas burner to heat substrate & underside to softening points. When the embossing disappears, roll forward & press firmly against substrate to bond from the lower end towards the higher end. Ensure sufficient bleed on side & end over laps. Once the half of the roll is torched properly to the substrate, unroll the balance roll and repeat the process.  An overlap of 100-mm shall be maintained for all the continuing sides. Heating shall be done on both the membranes to be overlapped and pressed firmly with the help of round shape trowel. The care shall be taken to leave no gap at any point in the overlapped area. If noticed, reheating shall be done to seal it.  In case of open drains running along the slab for water to get collected and then drained out through a down take pipe, the size and shape of the drain should be sufficient to allow the laying of Torchshield in the drain. In such case, the rectangular corner of screed and drain shall be chamfered for membrane to take smooth curve inside the drain. The membrane shall be screwed with GI screws to the drain wall along with aluminium or GI strip.  The drain shall have an adequate slope towards the down take pipe (1:100), the same shall be ensured before starting application of Torchshield.  In case of inadequate drain size (for fixing the Torchshield), the waterproofing of drain section shall be done with Dr. Fixit Proofcote Black, which is a polymer modified bitumen based cold applied waterproof coating. Apply 3 coats to cover the entire drain section and overlay 20 mm thick mortar to protect it. The plaster shall be finished smooth and cured for 7 days. Termination of Membranes The membranes shall be first laid up to the parapet wall junction and then shall be overlapped with another membrane (flashing) with an overlap of 100 mm and taken upward on the parapet wall up to a distance of 300 mm. This overlap shall be firmly sealed over the corner rounding or fillet area at the junction of parapet wall and slab The rendering shall be done above this level till top of parapet wall to match the level of membrane and drip mould shall be created in the plaster at the place where membranes is terminated to drift the rainwater away from the membrane. Alternatively an aluminium or G.I. sheet flashing can also be fixed over the membrane, fixed with GI screws with the parapet wall. (Refer sketch for details) At the opening of Rain water pipes The places where opening are encountered for rain water down take pipes, the membranes shall be cut open by sharp knife in + sign in the center of an opening. Circular cutting shall not be done. Torching shall be done on the reverse side of these four triangular pieces. Bend all the four pieces inside and tightly pressed against pipe surface. Termination At The Expansion Joints The treatment shall have to terminate at the expansion joint. The curb wall of 4 inches thick shall be constructed on both sides of joint. The height of curb wall shall match the overall height after filling of soil. The curb wall shall be plastered smoothly and corner rounding with polymer-modified mortar shall be done before membrane applications starts. The final slope of screed shall be away from the joint. The joint shall be covered either with GI strip fixed on one of the curb walls while leaving other end free or by neoprene sheet.. The expansion joint shall be filled with 2 part flexible Polysulphide Sealant from the Dr. Fixit Range in accordance with the product specifications. Protection The Torchshield membrane shall be protected with cement sand mortar laid at 20 mm thickness. The curing of this mortar shall be done for a minimum of 7 days before filling of soil for gardening. Anti root treatment: suitable anti root treatment shall be provided over the mortar as per the consultants specification. Water Proofing product Manufacturing Business Head Office Pidilite Industries Limited Ramkrishna Mandir Road P.O.Box No.17411 Andheri (East) Mumbai - 400059 Phone : (022) 28357000 Fax : (022) 28357008 E-mail : drfixit@pidilite.com