Island Kitchen in 1700 sft four bed house
Query
Hi Sir,
My name is Filsy .We are from Kochi,now staying in US.I happen to have gone through your blog recently .I really liked it, especially your communications with your clients.We are planning to build a home in Perumbavoor for my parents.We kind of almost finalized a plan.After reading your blog I have some concerns.If you have time I would really appreciate it if you spent your valuable time to answer some of my concerns.
1.My total Building area is 1705 sq. - 2 storied home excluding car porch ,with 4 bedroom and 3 bathroom
I read one of your answers which says that we need at least 2000sq for f 4 bedroom plan.My Concern is that if it possible to build a 4bedroom house in 1705sq? Will that be too congested ?
2.I am looking forward to build an Island kitchen,and my kitchen area is only 356*232.My architect said it is not possible to turn this in to a Island kitchen. So what will be the minimum dimensions for an Island kitchen?
I have your phone number from the blog .. is it ok for us to call you and discuss this ?
Thanks for your precious time. We really appreciate it.
Thanks & Regards,
Filsy
My reply
People have a mistaken notion that cost of construction is directly proportional to square feet plinth area of the house.This is not at all correct.At best square feet plinth area can be treated as one of the factors contributing to cost
Most important cost reduction technique is getting most appropriate plan of the house giving you maximum utility for every bit of built up space,proper ventilation and natural light in all living spaces and make maximum utility by utilising space inside the house appropriately.
Just any one who knows how to draw a plan in AutoCAD cannot give you this best possible plan of the house which is the most critical factor to give you a better house by design and at lesser cost.Expertise for designing such a plan will not come by attending an engineering /architectural course.It require wealth of experience acquired through years of designing and getting involved in actual execution of work at different sites in different circumstances.It also require creative talent and common sense which can get ignited only by learning by working with established experts in the field.
A Four bed room house may have to be even less than 1500 sft if your land available is less.I have designed and built four bed room attached house with all usual living spaces including car porch with a plinth area of 1400 sft.Our office is such a house.But rooms are a bit small but designed to have maximum utility.Reason I had to bring down area is because land available is only 3.5 cents,that too with a non utilisable corner.
But when you have larger land space,it is better to go for bigger rooms and living spaces.House is for a long time,at least for your life time and for life time of your children.So get an expert to decide how best the available land can be utilised with better facilities at lesser cost.Do not simply go after some one who promises free plan or plan for a song and loose lakhs of your hard money.An ordinary person however intelligent he may be will not be able to understand defects in a plan of the house till construction reaches structure completion stage.After that stage no expert can correct defects in design.So better be careful at initial design stage itself.
Whether Island can be incorporated or not in that plan can be checked only after going through that plan.
Type of foundation
Query
Thomas Abraham has left a new comment on your post "Foundation Rubble work for house construction":
i have to construct a house at near Ranni, the soil type is white gravel,and light quacks happens some times. what type of foundation is suitable please give details
My reply
It will be more appropriate to suggest suitable foundation only after a site visit and after going through plan of your house.Don’t you have a consultant for designing the house , to provide structural/architectural drawings during execution of work and to advise you during construction?
I have designed and built a house at Ranni few years back.I have found soil there generally stable suitable for rubble foundation.Other than this I cannot comment anything without proper data/information
Is soil test required?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Foundation-Soil Investigation":
Hi ..that was a nice post and something that I was looking for. I have a query, hoping you will answer. I have a 12 cents land on which I m planning to build 3 apartments of a total area of around 4000 sq. m. The GF will have 3 BHK and the 1st floor two 2 BHK units. Engineer was asking me to do a soil test? Do u think it is warranted..no one in the near vicinity has done it? the land used to be an agricultural land decades back
My reply
Do you know 4000 sq. m is roughly 48000 sft? Without even preparing a plan of the building how do you know plinth area of the building?
If the concerned Engineer thinks that soil test has to be done,it may be necessary.Without a site inspection,I cannot comment on his opinion
Clearance required from Highway
Hi Thomas
We had 10 cent plot at Thodupuzha and front side is facing to the state highway(Pala -Thodupuzha) .
Some renovation work is going on the high way by KSTP.
The plot is triangular shape and little bit difficult for house construction
and we are planning to create a new house. Currently we have old house there.
Previously we hard that only need to keep 3 meter distance from highway.
But when taking with municipality they told that KSTP put a rule to keep distance of 5 meter
Do u know about the KSTP rules? if so please share with me
Please provide description of house construction rules near state highway
My reply
Your local authority(Municipality in your case) is the competent authority to decide on the matter of clearance from high way required in your areas considering all aspects including Kerala Building rules provisions,road widening projects and other restrictions imposed by appropriate authority from time to time.
