Topic 1:House Construction
Query-1
I made a house 2000 s feet,I have to plan laying full granite,please advise how much it cost and more used colors.
Kumar
My reply
Present trend is to avoid use of granite and marble for flooring as much more attractive tiles with lesser cost and with anti slippery properties are available.If you need advice on flooring and other finishing works of house, please get back to me to vhthomas@viruvelil.com
Query-2
My name is Sony ,currently working in Saudi Arabia. I
I am planning to build a small home in , Pathanamthitta District. My plan is a small home of maximum 1500 Sq. Ft. built up area. I prefer a small home because of the future cleaning maintenance cost & problems. Moreover, i think, for a small home i can use good quality materials for plumbing, electrical accessories and a good interior works also.
As per my plan, 03 Rooms (with 02 attached bath) a kitchen, work area, common & family living space, in this 1500 Sq. Ft. area.
Could you please advise me an approximate cost per Sq. Feet separately for the Structure, Electrical and Plumbing works with normal standard materials & specifications, to finalize the basic plan size for the home. I know that you can't provide an exact cost without any details, and this cost is just to decide on an area to finalize the size of the home only.
I plan to proceed on a plan, after deciding on a final area of the building. This is important for me because i don't like to go for a home loan and i would like to make it on cash payment basis.
If you can provide me a vague idea of the cost involved, it will be of much help for me in this primary stage.
Sony
Query-3
My house work is going on...it is 2000 sq. ft. including car porch. 3bedrooms attached, one common bathroom, living dining etc.'we have given it on contract basis for 1600 per sq. ft. It will be around 34 lakhs...wish to know whether this price is too high?
My reply
Three bed room single floor house may cost around Rs.30 Lakhs(Guess Estimate).There is no such standard square feet cost of construction applicable anywhere. Each contractor in Kerala build house in a different manner to suit his profit and no two contractor build in the same manner with same quality and specifications. Even the Architect will know plinth area of the house only after finalisation of Basic Plan of the building.So how can you predetermine plinth area of house before preparing plan of the house?
Query-4
I own 18 Cents of land and want to build a 10 storey building and a space for commercial property. The plot is in rectangle shape 23 M X 35 M . The 23 Meter is facing the road and the 35 Meter is on either side.
Looking forward to your comments on whether this is possible and how much estimate would I need to mobilize on a budgetary basis to start with the plot.
Ben
My reply
When you plan to build a ten storey commercial building it is a major project which require expertise and assistance from building professionals
It is better you first contact a good Architectural firm who will have all kinds of experts in Architecture,soil testing,structural design and professional construction management.On our side we can act as this professional agency for design and construction management.We can be contacted at email
vhthomas@viruvelil.com
Phone-9388701702
About clearance required for the proposed building from nearby roads and allowable plinth area for construction in a floor you can contact town planning section of your local authority with specific details of plot like Survey No and Location sketch
Query-5
I like to build a house with maximum cost effectiveness.From certain articles i have read that by using old materials like brick and wood we can reduce cost of construction.Is it effective?What percent of total cost can be reduced by that ?
Anil
My reply
As per Vasthu,it is better not to use old building materials used in old houses as such parts are likely to bring bad effects of old house to your new building
.Even if you go by engineering standards old building parts might have crossed its life to a great extent and hence they are likely to get deteriorated when compared to new materials used
Cost reduction can be brought in to building design and construction by following advice of an experienced building professional who can guide you properly after considering all aspects in a professional manner
Topic 2: House remodeling and extension
Query-1
Myself planning to renovate the house and add a room to the terrace side of house . The ambiguity is the type of roof to be used for extension , whether we will b in need of RCC slab or is there any alternative to it keeping in mind the difficulties for doing it (i mean the RCC work ) .would like to know whether truss work with false ceiling will help or not .so that the work is quick and less headache compared to RCC and will it be apt for our climatic conditions and heat insulation properties
reply will be much appreciated !!
Vaikundanathan
My reply
Renovation and extension of existing house is a tricky affair.Compromises in quality and structural stability of the building done by the previous builder will be the major problem faced by the team of persons who attempt to do remodeling or extension of existing building.In all probability,house owner will be unaware of the problems as previous builder would have used all the nice words he knows to talk of quality of his construction even while trying hard to make profit in his construction contract while also trying to adjust to the limited funds available as per contract in the face of galloping cost of all inputs.
In one typical case where I did a remodeling and extension of a building done by a non professional contractor only after I started work on the building house owner came to know the following;
1.Height of walls are one feet less than usual wall heights of building which he never bothered to measure and check while taking care of only “square feet plinth area”
2.Height of doors were again one feet less and quality of wood used were inferior even though it was promised to be “best quality”
3.Quality of construction was very poor
4.Architectural or structural design of the building never even thought of
As unexpected problems will crop up while trying to do remodeling,cost cannot be estimated correctly and all estimates can go wrong
In view of these and more problems one may face while trying to do remodeling/extension,please ensure that the building to be remodeled is inspected thoroughly by a well experienced building professional and take his views on these aspects:
1. Whether the remodeling/extension considered by you is worth proceeding
2. Possible cost implications at least on a guess basis without going through Engineering Estimate methods
3. What exactly can be done on the building without costing too much
In this case,I can only suggest remodeling/extension work possible only after visiting and studying existing building.You can call me on 9388701702 or email me
vhthomas@viruvelil.com
Query-2
We bought house in Thiruvalla. it need some renovation. Is your company undertaking such renovations. or can you suggest somebody who will do such works and are reliable. Mammen
My reply
We can take up remodeling/extension,interior wood work and design and supply of interior furniture for the house,landscaping with professional quality and best workmanship.We can also arrange traditional hand carving work for interior and furniture for the house
Query-3
Sir, I am renovating my family home which is a traditional Nalukettu. We are planning to lay "Clay tiles" on the floors. We are doing it so as to get that traditional look. Would appreciate your opinion on this.
Kamal
My reply
There is nothing wrong in using clay tiles.In fact it is better and healthy as clay tiles are environment friendly.After laying tiles,apply anti fungal polyurethane coating to prevent tiles getting affected by fungus growth over it
Topic 3:Vasthu compliance
Query-1
How can one identify a Vasthu Expert? All proclaim that he is an expert?
Vasutan
My reply
Interesting question! You can get good books on Vasthu.Read them and get basic ideas on Vasthu.This will help you to avoid getting mislead by those who claim to know Vasthu without actually knowing much
Query-2
My bedroom is in the Agni kone and I am facing terrible illness after marriage. Please advise me what is the remedy.
Megha Agarwal
My reply
Using South East room(Agni Kone) of the building as bed room can create lots of problems.Avoid using that room as bed room and convert it as Kitchen.It will give you better life
Topic 4: Building Permit
Query-1
i already constructed a house,i left 5m from panchayat road and front side there is one pocket road around 20 meter long.it is private road.From that road i left only 2meter.And behind the house, corner of work area (only corner) i left only 1 meter.I am staying at panchayath area.Expecting favourable reply.
My reply
To me ,it appears to be fine.But your local authority is the right agency to check and confirm compliance with building rules
Query-2
I have got a building permit from Trivandrum Corporation on 2010 January to construct a two storey total 1500 sq.ft. area.
My construction was done very slowly due to financial reason. Now 2013 September completed my house. But I didn't extent my building permit.
Now I am planning to submit my house for assessment to get TC number.
Shall I submit this as normal, or there is any penalty will come due to expired permit, if penalty is there, how I can avoid that.
My reply
If the building is constructed as per building rules,there cannot be much problem for you.If any penalty will be charged for not getting extension in building permit in time has to be decided by the local authority only
Query-3
I am from Kasarcode dist.I had purchased a flat in Kasarcode for which i have not received the building number yet.
There is some case going on with the building owner due to which the building number is delayed.
I have sold the flat and would like to know is there any problem on doing registration process to the new owner to whom i sold my flat.
The building owner has promised that as soon as he finishes the case he will issue the building number to all the flats in the 5 storey building.
My flat does not have Electricity meter.Is that because of the court case.?
In short i would like to know is there any problem in going ahead with the sale of my flat.I mean registration to the new owner buyer.
The building owner is very helpful and cooperative gentleman and my friend.
Kindly advice
Sanjay
My reply
It is not wise to buy an apartment or any type of property unless and until all legal documents are found proper and satisfactory by a legal expert and construction found good enough to buy by a building expert
In your case I think title of the property is in dispute and it is not wise to invest your money hoping that documents will get cleared later by the builder.Without approval of the building by the appropriate local authority(numbering of the building as you refer to),Electric connection and water connection cannot be obtained
Query-4
hello sir my self Jestin from Trissur dist. .have only one property (5 cent) in my name in an agricultural area ( padam).but there is no agricultural work carried out for many years.can i get permission to construct my house over there.please give your advise .
Query-5
Want to ask you something: I have a 18 cent land which I bought an year back. In the deed, it is mentioned as land, but in the possession certificate, it is 'NILAM'.
Query-6
I have 25cent land, before it was agriculture land . Now I have plan to construct a house and I don't have other land.
Please give legal advice regarding this matter.
Vinayan
My reply
As a first step,you have to apply to local authority for building permit.If the documents related to plot show it as agricultural land,matter may be referred to a committee by local body for taking appropriate decision.You can present your views before committee for a favourable decision
