lto self-construction It is one of the main forms of access to housing in Mexico; However, building a house without technical support can lead to cost overruns and structural risks.
According to recent official figures from the National Survey of Household Income and Expenses (ENIGH) 2022, 57.3% of the housing stock has been self-produced, which is equivalent to more than 20 million homes.
This practice has intensified in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City and the State of Mexico, where the high costs of land, Mortgage credit and specialized labor limit the formal housing options.
“Many self-builders begin with good faith and excellent intentions; the problem is when they discover that what seemed like a ‘saving’ translates weeks later into additional reinforcements, waste of materials or partial demolitions,” commented Oscar Montoya, general manager of Materiales San Cayetano.
The most frequent errors have a common origin: the lack of planning and advice from the first stages of the work. Its effects not only impact the home securityalso the family budget, the efficiency in the use of materials and the durability of the property.
Steps to follow in self-construction
Skip structural calculation: One of the most common mistakes is building walls and ceilings without knowing the capacity of the soil or the loads that the structure will support increases the risk of avoidable failures.
Basic technical advice from the preliminary design makes it possible to anticipate these problems and reduce subsequent corrections.
Poorly prepared mixtures: Mortars and concrete made without controlled proportions may seem like an economical option, but they compromise the resistance and useful life of the construction.
Instead, the use of high-quality ready mixes guarantees homogeneity and compliant performance.
Material selection: Bricks with different absorption, poorly sized rods or low quality inputs affect the behavior structural of the house.
There are latest generation materials that offer greater uniformity, better thermal performance and greater resistance.
Ignore construction sequences: Skipping processes such as curing, levels or reinforcements weakens the work. This causes cracks, moisture and fissures. Following formal procedures and participating in technical training reduces these risks.
Materiales San Cayetano Express has identified that the lack of information can be so costly, which is why it offers free training for its self-build clients in its eight stores, some of them located in Ticoman, Ecatepec, Cuautepec, Teoloyucan, Pantitlán and Melchor Ocampo.
“It is not about selling blocks, but about preventing bad decisions that, in the end, cost more to the pocket and put the family at risk,” explained Montoya.
