Build Hub Resources
Practical guidance on specifying, estimating and buying construction materials in Zanzibar — written for the people actually ordering and laying them.
Read now
Guides are added steadily rather than in bulk. Each one covers a question we are genuinely asked by contractors, developers and homeowners in Zanzibar.
4 inch vs 6 inch vs 8 inch concrete blocks
Which block size belongs where, what each one costs you in floor area and labour, and where projects most often get the choice wrong.
Read guideHow many concrete blocks do I need?
Estimate from wall area rather than guesswork: the method, the deductions, the waste allowance and what to send us for an accurate quote.
Read guideGuides being written
These topics are planned. They are listed here so you know what is coming — they are published only once there is something genuinely useful to say.
Types of sand used in construction
Concrete sand, mortar sand and plaster sand — what separates them and why substituting causes problems.
Aggregate sizes and uses
How aggregate size relates to section thickness, reinforcement spacing and workability.
What is crusher dust used for?
The practical uses of crusher dust and the situations where it is the wrong material.
How to calculate construction material quantities
Turning drawings into a material schedule a supplier can actually price and deliver against.
Rebar sizes and uses
Reading the bar schedule: diameters, links, laps and why substitution is a design decision.
Concrete block curing
What controlled curing does to a block, and how to handle and store units on site.
Buying building materials in Zanzibar
What to check before you commit an order, and how to keep a project supplied without overstocking.
Construction material delivery in Zanzibar
Access, off-loading, stockpiling and sequencing — the practical side of getting material to site.
Looking for a specific material?
Every material category has its own page with specifications, applications and delivery detail.