Queries and replies-House Design and construction

QUOTE

Hi Thomas
. All I need to know is what would be the approx. cost of building a house of 2700 sq. ft. with standard features like vitrified tiles, country wood doors/windows, burger\Asian paint, standard electrical\sanitary fittings. . If the cost is within my budget, we can take this forward.
Thanks
Tony Jose

My reply

Technically there is no such term as square feet cost of construction.For each construction of building factors contributing to cost varies.Professionally managed construction work is done based on unit cost of each item of construction.Using measurements taken from site billing is done using unit rates mutually agreed.
Only after finalising both architectural and structural design,cost can even be calculated using Engineering Estimate methods.
When you do construction simply depending upon a non professional contractor,he will not have a proper architectural design and he will not even use correct size and quantity steel for concrete reinforcement.All that he looks for is profit by hook or crook.Naturally he will try to save both material and labour to increase profit even at the cost of strength and utility of your building.As a non professional you will simply believe whatever he says as you yourself cannot  assess work done properly.
All that you want is a lower sft rate.All that contractor need is profit.In the process quality of building construction is forgotten by both parties.If I say some square feet rate on what basis I will say it?I have directly built more than 200 houses in different locations in Kerala.None of the building had same square feet cost in the end.In fact when building is completed nobody even bother about adding all expenses and divide by square feet plinth area.

This term square feet cost is needed only when you start construction.After you start construction,contractor will start demanding extras and once the work progresses you will have no other option but to agree to whatever demands of contractor.
That is why I advised you to have professional design,professional monitoring of work and professional drawings for every stage of construction instead of leaving everything to whims and fancies of the contractor

QUOTE

Sir,I am Farzana Malik.I need a good house plan in Kannur District.
My budget is 5lakhs&i have 4cent plot.Pleas guide meSir,What will be the cost of this plan? pleas reply

Farzana Malik

My reply

You cannot simply take plan of a house from some website and build in your plot
You have to get a plan suited to your requirements and plot.
QUOTE

Hello Mr Thomas,

I visited your blog and liked the contents. I am planning to renovate a massive 90 year old house which is still in good condition. The plan is to give the entire structure a concrete roof and change the wooden windows to glass. The house has wooden beams on the ceiling and roof tiles. There are occasional repairs we do to stop leaks and termites. My concern is whether the structure will support a new concrete roof? It is in two stories. The upper storey has a covered verandah, three bedrooms,a small study and two attached baths. Downstairs, the living space is about ten rooms in all with three baths.

I am aware you will need more details , however on the face of it, is the project viable?

Thanking you in advance.

Vijaykumar

My reply

Without visiting the site and checking up the structure,I cannot give answer to your query.
However a 90 year old structure may not have used cement for construction.Walls must be hard laterite and quite a good portion of it at least inside might have got damaged due to pests.In view of these I will not recommend concreting a new roof for the structure.
In my opinion you should leave the structure as it is if you have other land to construct a new house

QUOTE

Dear Mr Thomas,
 
Thank you for your advice. It is refreshing to note that there are professionals like you who are willing to help people. We may have to think of some other solution to retain the house. We hope to request for your services sometime late this year when we re ready to start renovating.
 
Regards,
Vijaykumar

QUOTE

Hi ,

I am Shaan from Bangalore..I have seen some of your work,its really awesome.

Are you doing interior designing sketch for houses?

I have designed my house plan.I need your suggestions in this plan please.

There are two doors in the front.One door is big and another is small ,Is there any Vasthu problem for that.
How to make the drawing hall little more open.but i need privacy also in living room.
I would like to have a courtyard and a study place in staircase.In this plan some space has been wasted in the left side of the stair.how to use it.

Please give your suggestions..

Regards
Shaan

My reply

Preparing plan of the building to be constructed is not that simple as you think.You cannot simply draw in Excel sheet and call it plan of the house.At best it can be treated as an indication of your requirements.

However intelligent you may be ,you cannot avoid services of a qualified and experienced Architect for design and building of your house.

QUOTE

Hello Sir,

I am constructing a house in a 30 by 40 site in Bangalore which is east
facing.
As per my foot measurement(Ayam measurement) the constructed area is
24feet 6 inches in North to south and 36Feet6inches in east to west side.
Due to the limited area and also to construct first and second floor we
are thinking of extension of the roof of ground floor. In this regard I
have few questions .So please help me.

1.I want to know if Vasthu rules are applicable for first and second floor.
2. We have left 5 feet in the north side and 4 feet in the west side in
the ground floor.
We are planning to extend the roof of ground floor in the north ,East and
west .If doing so will it violate the Aya measurement done in the ground
floor.
3.Do suggest me the best allowed direction for extension for first floor
since I am getting mixed opinions on the extension of floor area for first
and second floor.

4. Can I construct a Toilet and bathroom outside the constructed area in
the ground floor without touching the foundation .If doing so Will it
violate the Ayam measurement of Ground floor.

Best Regards
B L ThulashiRamu

My reply

1.Vasthu is applicable for all floors of the building
2.Before deciding on projection of first floor both structural feasibility and Building rules compliance will have to be checked.As for Vasthu,ground floor and First floor will be like two buildings and each of these buildings will have to comply with Vasthu requirements.
3.You can construct toilet outside Ground Floor building.Do not place toilets in south east,south west and North east corners.

QUOTE

Hi Mr.Thomas,
My name is Robin and I am planning to build a house/few apartments.. The Plot is 20 cents in Kattappana.Within 2 KM. May I know whether I can build 6 apartments in 3 floors in that plot..Otherwise I may have to think about building a house ..
Pl let me know..Robin Thomas

My reply

Cents is just area of the land.Without knowing dimensions of all four sides of the plot,position and dimensions of roads nearby,nature of land I cannot comment on suitability of land to build six apartments

QUOTE

Dear Mr. Thomas,
 
I am basically from Calicut and have purchased  10 cents of land  there.     The site is  almost 10 foot above the road level and  just adjacent to the road.
 
I would like to construct a house in the traditional style with   minimum cost.    I would require  something like the nalukettu structure.  If you can  just provide  me a rough estimation for  a house of  1,500 -2000 sq. feet, with  minimal space occupation as well because I would like to have  lawn  and kitchen garden as well.
 
Regards,
 
Hariprakash

My reply

Nalukettu type house will require a Nadumuttom,Poomukham and Chuttu verandah in addition to usual facilities in a house.Naturally plinth area  and cost of building  the house will go up .

QUOTE

Hai , Thomas

I need  a small favor from you , i am attaching a picture with this email can you advise me how can i make attractive for the  stair tower . with a simple & elegant design .

Regards
Jaseer

My reply

I or any professional can  not suggest anything just by seeing picture of a portion of  the building
If I have to make suggestions to improve external appearance of the building,I will have to visit site and study the case in detail.

QUOTE

Hai,
i did contacted you before. attached plan for a 1600 sq. ft. house in Pala town.Are you under taking house constructions in Pala. .
i attached my approved plan. if u do construction in Pala,then what will be the rate for complete  construction.( turn key contract).please email back.
thanks.
Jomit Sebastian

Ireland.

My reply

Plan forwarded by you seems to be reasonably good .Leaving dining room double height is quite old fashioned , inconvenient and waste of money.If you concrete above dining at normal height you will get a family living space at First floor above dining without any extra cost and  you do not have to move at First floor in a bridge!
Elevation of the house looks quite unimpressive and house when completed will not look good.
We do not take up work on square feet basis as only non professional contractors use such non professional terms to cheat customers like you.Not even one contractor has completed work at promised square feet cost of construction till today.Term square feet cost is just a lie to get work.Once work starts contractor will start demanding extras and nobody else will come to take up work left by a contractor.You will have no other option other than paying whatever he demands to complete house construction.
We have to take Engineering Estimate giving item wise costing and work is taken up  by us on billing against actual site measurement basis

QUOTE

Sir
 
I am an NRI and is about to buy 5.5 cents land near Kallai railway station, Calicut…….front side is tarred sub road, immediate back side and right side there are houses…Any problem in getting permission to construct a house of 2700 sq.ft. and a well, from corporation  and any opposition from neighbours???
Please help me with your valuable advice as early as possible before proceed further
Seller convinced me that there is no problem in constructing house and he will help in getting permission from authorities. But I don’t know how much I can trust?
 
Salim
 
My reply

As the plot is near Railway station,no construction will be allowed within 30 M of railway property.
It will be better for you to check up with concerned Panchayath /Municipality town planning section with survey no of the plot to check up in advance whether there is any objection to build a house in the plot.
Seller may tell anything to misguide you as he has to sell the property.Do not get carried away by such words of the seller
Read this blog entry of mine and  check whether all these documents are in order before you buy land
 
 http://kerala-architects.blogspot.com/2010/05/house-loan.html
 
QUOTE

Dear Sir,
 
Thanks for your quick and detailed response.  I am in dilemma now, I paid 1001 Rs token advance and they r insisting to sign agreement by paying 5 lakhs this Saturday.   Total 5.5 cents am paying 30 lakhs. Am in Abu Dhabi and relatives are in Trivandrum…land is in Calicut Kallai…….but of course it is more than 30 meters from railway station and lot of shops and houses are around…I took a print out of documents required from your website and of course I will do that whatever way I can.
 
Do u have any rep in that area? What will be your charge to verify.
 
In order to construct a house of 2700 sq.ft.  can u tell me approximate budget.
 
Thanks once again sir.
 
Salim.M.I

My reply

Do not pay anything more than that Rs.1001 before obtaining all documents as indicated by me in order verified by a civil lawyer and after ascertaining with Panchayath
If the seller is sure of genuine nature of the deal,why they are pressurizing you to pay  on Saturday itself?

QUOTE

dear Mr. Thomas,

i got your name from the net.
i have plot (admeasuring 7 cents) in mala (Trichur dist.) and would like
to construct a house with a carpet up area of approx. 1000 sq.ft. it
should have 3 bedrooms (bath attached) + kitchen + work area + sit-
out+hall etc.

kindly let me know your guidance...

Nair

My reply

In seven cents of land you can build three bed room attached house  in two floors only.Plinth area of the house may be around 1700-2000 sft. and definitely not 1000 sft.

QUOTE

Dear sir,
 
Let me introduce my self. I am Basil, Presently working in Qatar and i am belongs to north Paravoor 
Sir, I have a house plot which measuring 8. 2 cents having all facilities such as school, churches, temple, shopping and bus stop with in walk able distance.  I want to construct a dream house which should have 2000 square feet. But my concern is the plot is near( not very near) to cemetery of catholic church. The cemetery is located south east side of plot after the Municipal road.Therefore, i would like to know whether the plot is suitable for house construction. Could you please give me your valid suggestion.
 
The plot plan is already attached here with for your reference.
 
Thanking you in advance
Regards
Basil.

My reply

Cemetery is next to the road on the side of your property?
As per Vasthu it is not good to have  house near to any religious place and burial ground.Even from the sanitary point of view, water in well you may construct in the plot will get polluted and you may not be able to use it.
In my opinion,it will be better not to construct house in that plot.If you have no other land and if it is not possible for you to sell this plot and buy another plot,you may construct house trying to keep other vasthu factors properly.
 

QUOTE

Sir, I have an old Remodeled Nalukettu at Monkompu, Alleppey, Kuttanad.You might know the soil type and other factors prevailing there.Now I desire to renovate that or demolish and reconstruct. Can you advise a plan .
 
Sundareswaran

My reply

Only after visiting the site,I can comment on what exactly can be done on the building