HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

FLOORING

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 04:36:00 +0000

Floor is the surface of a room on which one stands. Flooring, on the other hand is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor. The purpose of flooring is to provide a horizontal, clean surface to support the occupants of a building, the furniture and equipment. Therefore the flooring must be strong enough to bear the super imposed loads.

The choice of material for floor covering is affected by factors such as cost, endurance, noise insulation, comfort and cleaning effort. There are three broad categories for flooring material options, namely Natural, Man-made and Resilient and have their own advantages and disadvantages.

As an Architect practising in Bangalore, India, I have given my personal rating for each floor type, so that it gives you a rough idea of the suitability of a particular flooring to your requirement. Also it helps you compare the different types of flooring:

To know more about the different material options with my rating, read on:

For a very detailed description and analysis of the different flooring options in the market today, you can visit my site architectureideas.info, specifically the posts on flooring:

FLOORING

BUILDING MATERIALS

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 08:13:00 +0000

The most important structural components of a building construction are the columns-beams-slabs made of concrete and the walls which are made of bricks and plaster. The main ingredients in concrete, mortar and plaster are cement, sand, stone chips, water, steel reinforcement etc. As an Architect, I have been dealing with these materials for the past 20 years. And in any site, I always look out for the quality of these materials as that can impact the overall construction considerably.

People constructing houses can never be sure of the quality of the materials that the contractor brings to site. To help you, I shall describe some of the features you need to look out for, that indicate good quality building materials.

CEMENT:

Usage of Cement in Buildings:

Cement is the binder that holds concrete and mortars together and hence it plays the most critical role in giving strength and durability to your home. It is used to make concrete for slabs, foundations, beams, columns, lintels, chhajja (sunshades), and mortar for brickwork, plastering, flooring and other such work.

Types of Cement used in house construction:

Cements used for domestic building such as your home are basically of three types:

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC): A combination of clinker and gypsum.
Portland Slag Cement (PSC): A combination of good quality blast furnace slag (from the iron and steel industry) with clinker (which makes OPC) and gypsum.
Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC): A combination of fly-ash (from thermal power plants) with clinker and gypsum.

Ideal cement for house construction:

The best cement for house construction is blended cement like PSC and PPC. But please note that good quality blended cements like PSC and PPC will take more time to set. However the final strength after 28 days will be much more.

Features of good quality cement:

Reduced water requirement.
Improved workability .
Less permeable to moisture.
Improved resistance to acids and chlorides.
Reduced heat of hydration.
Easier to finish.
Reduced shrinkage.
Reduced leaching problems because it is low on free lime.

The colour of cement has no relation to the strength characteristics. There is a wrong impression that darker color cement gives better strength. In fact, darker color cement causes the workers to add more sand than allowed in cement-sand mortar for plastering, which can then cause problems.

Selecting the right cement for your house:

It is very important that you use only a reputed brand of cement. Good brands of cement may cost 2 to 5% more but offer quality, consistency and reliability as well as 10 to 20% greater strength characteristics. Cement accounts for a mere 12 to 18% of the total expenditure on your home. So, using cheaper cement gives you little overall savings but a greater risk to the strength of your building!

The right way of using cement in construction:

Cement must be added to the concrete and mortar in a precise, consistent manner. Too little or too much cement in concrete and improper water-cement ratios cause lower strengths, shorter design life and lower durability. Never try to save on cement use by diluting the concrete mix. Remember, that by using 30 to 40 bags less of cement, you would save no more than Rs 3000 to Rs 4000.

SAND:

Usage of sand in house construction:

Along with cement, sand is a very important ingredient in mortars and concrete. Therefore the proper selection of sand is critical in the durability and performance of the concrete/mortar mixture.

Ideal Sand for house construction:

River sand is the best for construction. However due to its scarcity and exorbitant price, filter sand and manufactured sand are also used nowadays. The price of sand includes three or four components - base cost, transportation, handling and number of intermediaries. Therefore procuring sand in bulk directly from the source will be cheaper than the neighbourhood dealer, except when you need smaller quantities.

Features of good quality sand:

Must be clear, angular and hard.
Must be free from clay, mica and soft, flaky material
Should be graded, which means it should be a mix of fine, medium and coarse sand
Must be free from contaminants like sea salt.
Moisture (water) content must be consistent and should not exceed 7%. When mixing concrete the moisture content must be taken into consideration.

Selecting the right sand for house construction:

Even though good sand is very difficult to procure and the price is very high, it is better to use good sand rather than filter sand. But if the cost is a big factor, filter sand is available at a cheaper rate. It is sand mixed with dust/soil. Filter sand can be made better by washing off all the dust particles with water. You could also vary the type of sand that you use based on the type of work. For example, for rcc slabs, rough sand can be used whereas fine sand can be used for plastering. A simple way of checking the quality of the sand - It should not be sticky when you hold it in your hand.

MANUFACTURED SAND:

Manufactured sand: also called M-sand is being promoted by the government as a cheaper alternative to natural sand because of the scarcity of good quality natural sand. Experts vouch that manufactured sand is not only a viable alternative to natural sand, but superior in many ways. Mortars and concrete using M-sand as fine aggregate are superior when compared to those using natural sand. The ready-mix concrete manufacturers are already using manufactured sand.

Advantages of manufactured sand:

The appropriate quality of rock suitable for construction can be used for manufactured sand;
There is no clay content in M-sand;
M-sand is scientifically graded to comply BIS specifications;
Customizing the different grades depending upon the need of construction ensures consistent quality throughout the construction cycle.
M-sand is half the price of natural sand.

AGGREGATES (STONE CHIPS)

Usage of aggregates in concrete:

Technically, known as coarse aggregates, stone chips are a major ingredient of concrete, giving it strength and solidity. The quality of concrete depends very much on the characteristics of aggregates used.

Features of good quality aggregates:

Stone chips should be angular or round, not flat or flaky.
They should not contain marks or layers of any other colour.
They should be free from mud and other impurities, which are harmful for concreting. It is advisable to wash the stone chips before mixing to make it free from dust, dirt and mud.
They should be well-graded, which means these should contain sizes from 5mm to 20mm in proper proportion, so that voids are minimal.

Selecting the right aggregates for house construction:

Aggregates should be well-graded and should contain sizes from 5mm to 20mm in proper proportion, so that voids are minimal. This will make a strong and durable concrete. At the same time, this will save on cement. So, always insist on graded aggregates and not 'pure' aggregates which result in larger voids within the concrete and more cement consumption. One should get aggregates from the source to get the best price.

REINFORCING STEEL:

Usage of reinforcing steel in concrete:

Reinforcing steel contributes to the tensile strength of concrete. Concrete has low tensile, but high compressive strength. The tensile deficiency is compensated by reinforcing the concrete mass through insertion of plain or twisted mild steel bars.

Features of good quality steel:

Steel bars/rods should be reasonably clean and free of rust.
Bars that cannot be easily bent manually or mechanically should be rejected.
Optimum length bars must be chosen to reduce wastage in cutting.
To avoid laps, shorter bars must not be accepted.
Welded lengths of bars should not be accepted.

Selecting the right steel for your house construction:

Both branded and unbranded bars are available. It is wise to buy good brands like SAIL. During construction, ensure that size and the type of steel reinforcement used is exactly as per the engineering design specifications.

WATER:

Tips in using water:

You must use only potable water in quality concrete production.
Brackish or salty water must never be used.
Contaminated water will produce concrete and mortars with lower durability, erratic set characteristics and inconsistent colour.

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BRICKS

Usage of Bricks in house construction:

For most of the buildings two types of Bricks are used:

Red soil bricks - the size is 9"x4.5"x3". They may be wire-cut or table moulded
Cement blocks - the sizes vary. They are of two types: Hollow blocks or solid blocks (Hollow blocks are preferable but nowadays they are not easily available)
Fly ash bricks - are used as an alternative to the regular bricks or cement blocks as they are lighter in weight.
With Hollow and solid cement bricks, you can complete wall construction faster than normal red bricks.

Features of good bricks for construction:

They should be show uniform texture and colour.
When broken, they must not leave lumps and grit.
Ensure that bricks are not made from saline clay.
Look for proper and uniform burning.

Categories of bricks used in house construction:

Features of 1st Class Bricks:

Perfect in size/shape.
Red to cherry-red in colour
Do not break when dropped from waist height
Do not absorb more than 15 to 17% of their own weight if kept submerged for 1 hour under water
Suitable for precision work such as exposed

Features of 2nd Class Bricks:

Not so uniform as 1st class bricks in shape/size/quality of burning.
Do not absorb more than 25% water of own weight if kept submerged under water for 1 hour.
Good for brickwork wherever subsequent plastering is to be done.

Features of 3rd Class Bricks:

Much inferior to 2nd class bricks in terms of shape/size and burning.
Absolutely out of size and shape, overburnt, fused with more bricks, with a honeycomb texture.

Features of Jhama/Overburnt Bricks:

Dark red to black in colour.
These bricks are unsuitable for any kind of brickwork, and are only used in broken pieces for consolidation of foundation soil and sub base of floors brickwork.

Selecting bricks for house construction:

Bricks may be purchased directly from the brick fields located close to your area to get it at a lower cost. Keep samples for conformity to ordered quality.

To know more about construction of a house and the stages involved got to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

BUILDING THE STAIRCASE

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:12:00 +0000

After the erection of the foundation, the next stage in the construction of the House can be either of the following two options. The superstructure (the walls) can be erected in case of a load bearing structure or the columns can be raised in the column-beam structure. Simultaneously, the staircase can be built. The stairs is useful as it can serve as the pathway to the upper floors for carrying building materials. A staircase is a utility construction, designed to bridge a vertical distance, for example between two floors. You can read more about Staircases on my site on Architecture.

PLANNING A STAIRCASE:

Earlier, the staircase was just a utility feature in a house, but now it is gaining importance as a central, focal point in interiors. You can opt for Curved, cantilevered, spiral or suspended, in steel, glass, timber, copper or aluminum – infinite possibilities have been opened up by clever design and engineering. You can read more about the different types of staircases here.

SHAPE OF THE STAIRCASE:

Some of the different shapes of staircases are Straight, Stairs with landings, Curved, Arched, Spiral, Circular. When choosing the shape of the staircase, the following aspects should be taken into account: Space available, Intensity of usage, Form (Shape) preferred, Convenience and safety.

DESIGNING A STAIRCASE:

Since the staircase is used all the time to access other floors, the following points must be taken into consideration in the design of the staircase, to ensure a comfortable climb.

Split staircases: It is always preferable to have a ‘Split staircase’ also known as a ‘staircase with a landing’ as it forces the climber to rest, pause for a few seconds, thus making the climb more comfortable. A split stairway also uses up minimal floor space. There are many different types of staircases-with-landings such as the Straight staircase with landing, L-shaped, double L-shaped and U-shaped staircases.You can read about it in my post Stairs with landings.

Staircase width: The width of each flight of the staircase should be 3' or 3'6". If space restricts, then you can compromise with a 2'6" wide flight.

Tread-To-Riser ratio: Usually stairs have 10" or 11" treads (the horizontal step on which you place your feet) and 6" or 7" risers (the vertical height between treads). It is important to make sure the total of the tread and riser should add up to 17 inches. This means that as the tread gets shorter, the riser should get steeper for the stair to feel comfortable as you climb. There are limits, of course. A riser of more than 8¼ inches is going to be too steep for many people.

Consistent treads and risers: If you stumble or trip on a staircase, it is probably due to an odd tread or riser that is not the same size as the others. Our bodies get into a rhythm when climbing or descending, and even half an inch of difference can throw us off. So while planning a staircase, keep in mind the extra thickness of the flooring (that will be added later), while calculating the riser and tread dimensions.

Tread overhang: A tread overhang will keep heels from scuffing risers on the way down and help you find your footing on the way up.

Space between treads: Sometimes, the riser is omitted entirely – it’s just empty space instead of a board. In such a stair, the stringer – supporting structure of the stair is visible. For safety, a stair that doesn’t have a riser should have a thicker tread and lesser space between treads.

Ceiling Height: On the way up, people will bump their heads if the ceiling is too low. On the way down, it’s hard to judge ceiling height, so people will duck if it looks too close. To prevent this, as much ceiling height as possible should be given. The distance from the highest tread below a ceiling should be at least 80 inches, or 6 feet 8 inches.

Lighting: While planning the staircase, it is worthwhile to think of the lighting points, even though the lighting design for the house is given later, at the time of casting the roof slab. The lighting should be planned in such a way that the stair flights are visible. If you want lights along the length of the stairs then it should be embedded along with the stairs during its construction.

CONSTRUCTION OF STAIRCASE:

Staircase drawings: The Contractor has to follow the staircase drawing given by the architect along with the structural staircase details prepared by the structural designer. The construction of the staircase depends on the design and materials used.

Slight slope of tread: The treads should very slightly slope towards the front for comfort in climbing and to make sure that the rainwater in open staircases does not stagnate and will flow out.

Grooves in treads: It is advisable to have 2 or 3 groove marks along the length of the tread towards the outer edge, to give proper grip to the climber. Grooves can be cut in the flooring material used to cover the steps - whether it is Kadappa or Granite.

To know more about construction of a house and the different stages involved, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

If you want to plan your staircase using Vastu Shastra principles, then you can read about it on my post: Vastu Shastra Guidelines for Staircases

If you prefer Feng Shui principles, then read about it on my post: Feng Shui Rules for Staircases

If you want to understand the scientific reasoning behind the Vastu Shastra principles that dictate the design of staircases, then visit my site at: Vastu Shastra for Staircases

DIGGING THE FOUNDATION

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 11:20:00 +0000

After constructing the sump, the next step is digging/excavating for the foundation of the building. This is an important stage as the dimensions of the foundation have to be perfectly right because otherwise, the future spaces will be affected. The foundation depth depends on the soil quality and the design of the foundation is decided by the site conditions. The excavation drawing and foundation details are prepared by the structural designer and approved by the Architect.

MARKING THE EXCAVATION:

Marking: The Contractor has to follow the excavation drawing prepared by the structural designer and approved by the Architect. The excavation plan is marked at site and the dimensions are cross-checked by the Architect. It is advisable that you also check the dimensions as any mistake can be brought to the Architect's and Contractor's notice so that it can be rectified before it is late.

DECIDING THE EXCAVATION DEPTH:

Excavation: Once the marking has been approved, the excavation can begin.

Depth of excavation: The excavation depth depends on the soil condition. Digging is done till hard soil is reached. For a fair idea, you can check with the neighbouring buildings, the depth of their excavations.

Filled up soil: If your site/Layout is formed on lakes or low-lying areas, it may have a lot of filled up soil. In such areas excavation must be done till firm ground is reached. Usually the depth of the foundation will be more and consequently the cost of the foundation will be very high. But do not compromise. Make sure the building is resting on solid ground even if it means you have to go 15 feet down, because otherwise it will affect the stability and strength of the house.

Excavation trenches/pits: The excavation details depends on the construction method that you have decided to adopt, the load-bearing-wall system or the column-beam-frame structure system. If it is a load bearing system, then trenches along the walls of the house have to be excavated. If it is a column-beam structure, then footings for columns have to be excavated. In either case, the architect approved, structural engineer's foundation drawings and details must be followed.

Anti-termite treatment: Before laying the foundation, make sure that the trenches and excavated areas have been given the anti-termite treatment by the Contractor. This will ensure protection against termites and other pests from underground, in the future

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION:

Once the excavations are done, the next step is to build the foundation.

Load bearing structure foundation: A bed of concrete (PCC) is laid at the base of the trenches and the foundation masonry is built using size-stones in accordance with the foundation details provided by the structural designer.

Column-beam frame structure system: In this case, a mat of steel bars tied together according to the structural engineer's specifications is placed at the bottom of the footing pit. The steel bars for the column are also tied in place with the help of binding wire. Column boxes are erected around it for pouring concrete.

Pouring concrete: After the architect and structural engineer have approved the steel details and the quality of work, the concrete can be poured. Concrete can be prepared at site or the contractor may opt for ready mix concrete (RMC) if there are very large footings and large requirement of concrete.
Plinth Beam: After the concrete columns have been raised to the Plinth beam level, the plinth beam is erected for the walls of the house to rest on.

CURING OF FOUNDATION:

Curing is very important during the construction period. If not done properly, cracks can appear and even the strength and life of the building components can be affected. Curing ensures that certain chemical reactions take place which strengthen the structure.

Chemical reaction during curing: There are two types of chemical reactions, one that releases heat during the process (Exothermic) and another that absorbs heat (Endothermic). The mixing of cement with water is an exothermic reaction due to the presence of lime stone. Because of this heat generation, the water in the mortar or concrete mix evaporates even before the compound gains strength. But for the structure to gain maximum strength, chemical reactions in a cement compound must go on and this can happen only in the presence of water and at an ambient temperature. Hence there is a need to preserve the water content and the ambient temperature and this is achieved by regular curing.

Starting the Curing process: Curing should start from the very next day after the concrete has been poured. Initially more water will be absorbed by the concrete elements, but after a week, the water required will be much less. If there is water runoff when water is poured on a new construction, curing should be stopped. The hotter the outside temperatures more amount of curing is required.

Curing schedule: Curing should be done at least twice a day though three times is better. Ensure that your Contractor entrusts this job on one person, so that it is not forgotten.

Curing of Columns: For columns, the preferred method is to wrap the pillar with wet gunny bags and then wetting them regularly. This is done because, while pouring water, the column does not absorb much water as it flows away. So to ensure that the column gets cured evenly, the gunny bag method is used. Sometimes a plastic bottle or polythene bag with a small hole is placed on the column so that the water drips steadily and the gunny bags are wet all the time.

VASTU SHASTRA PRINCIPLES FOR EXCAVATION AND FOUNDATION:

Auspicious day: The Excavation work for the foundation of the Building should start on an auspicious day, from the North-East corner of the building and end in the South-West corner. Therefore, the direction of excavation should be from N-E to S-E, then S-E to S-W corner. Simultaneously, the excavation should be from N-E to N-W, then N-W to S-W corner.

Shilaanyaasa: It is the foundation laying ceremony. After the excavation for the foundation has been completed, the stone which is consecrated at the time of the Vastu Pooja, is laid first in the South-West corner of the excavated trenches.

Construction work: The construction work like laying of the bed concrete, stone foundation or column footing, etc. should be started from the South-West corner to the North-East corner.

Filling: The filling of earth within the foundation should be done from the South-West to the North-East for the same reason as above.

For the scientific explanation of the Vastu Shastra principles visit Vastu Guidelines Foundation

After the excavation and the building of the foundation, the next step in House Construction is to erect the walls and simultaneously build the Staircase. Read about it here:

BUILDING THE STAIRCASE

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

FRAME STRUCTURE vs LOAD BEARING MASONRY WALLS

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 05:42:00 +0000

After constructing the sump, the next step is to start the excavation for the foundation. Before starting the foundation of your house, you must have decided the construction system that you want to adopt.
There are two methods of constructing houses, the load-bearing-wall system and the column-beam-frame structure system. Both these systems have been explained here with advantages and disadvantages:

Load bearing wall structure: is one of the earliest forms of construction. Raising the house, wall over wall and floor over floor, has been the most common method all over the world. In this system, the load is supported and transferred to the foundation through the masonry walls and there are no concrete structural elements, like columns or beams to support the load. Therefore, the walls must be strong enough for the purpose and are usually 9 inches or more in thickness.

Frame structure: also known as column-beam structure has a combination of beams and columns to support and transfer the load. The roof load rests on the beams, the beams transfer the load to the columns, which in turn transfer the load to the foundation. In this system, the masonry walls are not subjected to any load and so, the interior layout is flexible and can be changed any time. The walls can be thinner too, thus increasing the carpet area. Frame structures are preferable to load bearing wall structure in the construction of large and multi-storey buildings.

Both the systems have their respective advantages and drawbacks, hence require a judicious approach in deciding which system to go for. A simple criterion in making a decision is to consider the location of the site. A frame structure is inevitable where the soil is very loose, ground is water logged, land is earthquake prone, masonry materials are difficult to get and light weight construction is desired.

But nowadays, irrespective of the site context we see most constructions including houses being done with columns and beams. Even though the construction costs have gone up, people want frame structures because they think, they are safer and stronger. But this is not entirely true. Some of the myths on this matter have been busted here.

Earthquake resistant: Most people think that having many columns is a surefire bet against earthquakes. For structural stability against earthquakes, column-beams are not enough, other elements such as corner stiffeners, diagonal bracing and horizontal ties must be incorporated after designing the structure. If such issues are not adequately addressed, a framed building is bound to crack or collapse as much as a walled building would in the event of a strong earthquake.

Cost reduction due to thinner walls: The additional costs of the concrete components nullify the masonry savings. Moreover thin walls allow sound and water seepage and hence need to be adequately water-proofed which adds to the cost. Additionally, walls and beams in framed buildings require perfect alignment and proper junction between the different materials, which means skilled work and hence more cost.

Speed of Construction: The speed of construction is a factor in multi-storey buildings but is inconsequential for houses, where time saved by erecting columns is negligible, considering the time consumed in finishing the entire house.

Can add more floors: Most houses do not exceed 3 floors and will not get permisssion for more floors. A three storey building can be built using load-bearing walls. But people erraneously believe or are made to believe by professionals and market forces that a column-beam structure is necessary for stability in buildings with more than one floor.

The truth of the matter is that RCC frames cost money and consume resources, energy and are not eco-friendly in comparison to masonry walls. So you must take a decision based on the 'ground-reality' before the start of the construction.

Once you have decided the type of construction method that you want to adopt, then the next step is to build the foundation. The details are explained here:

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

BUILDING THE SUMP

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 13:50:00 +0000

As part of your House Construction, two water tanks are to be constructed: the Underground Water tank and the Overhead water tank. Of these two, the Underground tank also known as the Sump to which the municipal water pipe is connected, is the first to be constructed and should be built before digging for the foundation. This is because, being an underground tank, the excavation must be done before the rest of the foundation-excavation is started.

So the next step after constructing the temporary shed and organising a watchman to stay in the shed (either by you or by your contractor) is to build the SUMP. Here are some simple guidelines in planning, locating and constructing the sump.

LOCATION OF THE SUMP:

Close to the road: The Sump location should ideally be close to the road as the water lines run along the road. This way, a short connection to the sump from the water lines is sufficient and getting the right slope in the connection pipe is not a matter of concern. Being close to the road is also advantageous when you hire a water tanker to fill up your sump as it is easily accessible.

Under the porch: Usually the Sump is planned below the car porch because there is ample space available here and it is usually near the road (read water lines).

Vastu dictates the location of the Sump for some: Some people prefer to locate it according to Vastu Shastra guidelines. This sometimes becomes a problem especially if they locate it in the back of the site in a tiny space between the house foundation and the compound wall, just because according to Vastu, that is the best position.

VASTU GUIDELINES FOR LOCATION OF SUMP:

The Sump should be located in the North-East corner.
The Sump should not touch the compound walls or the building walls.
The Sump should be near the corporation water lines, which means, that it should be near the main road.

DECIDING THE CAPACITY OF THE SUMP:

Sump capacity: At the planning stage, you should decide the sump size. This size is directly proportional to the number of famillies/houses that you propose to have in the site and also depends on the water availability. If there is only one house then a 6000 litres to 8000 litres capacity sump is sufficient. If you are proposing more houses for the purpose of giving for rent, then consider an additional 4000-5000 litres per each extra house. A bigger sump is more expensive and takes up space but it is very useful especially when there is water scarcity.

DECIDING THE SUMP SIZE:

Sump depth is usually taken to be 5' and not more as a man (cleaning the sump) should be able to stand in the sump with his head sticking out so that he does not feel suffocated.

The sump size is calculated based on the sump capacity that you plan to have. As a rough guide, you should consider that 1 cubic feet of space can contain approximately 28 litres of water. So divide the proposed sump capacity with 28 to get the required sump volume in cubic feet, that you have to build.

The Sump length and breadth area: is calculated by dividing the sump volume by the depth, 5'. The figure that you get will dictate the length and breadth of the sump and the shape of the sump (rectangular or square).

For example: If you decide to have a sump of 6000 litres capacity, divide it by 28 to get 215 cubic feet. This is the desirable sump capacity. Then divide this figure by 5' depth to get 43 square feet. This is the desired sump area. Now you can decide the length and breadth of the sump according to the space available. It could be a rectangular sump of dimensions 4'X11' or 5'X8.5' or squarish with dimensions of 6.5'X6.5' etc.

CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL FOR THE SUMP:

Concrete is the preferred material: Ideally a concrete sump, cast at site is the best for an underground tank. This is because you need not worry about water seepage and contamination of the stored water from the soil or underground water or sewage. This type of tank will last long and is fairly maintenance-free.

Bricks/blocks can also be used for building sumps: But this type of sump is at risk of leaking if not constructed properly. Use good quality bricks and rough plaster the outside and smooth plaster the inside of the sump. Make sure that a plastering mesh is used during plastering to avoid cracks. The sump plastering should be completed at one stretch to avoid cracks.

Ready made plastic tanks (sintex etc) are also avilable in different capacities. They have the advantage that they can be placed in the excavated hole in the site, in a day and there is no plastering or curing required. But I am not convinced about the long term use of water stored in plastic tanks. Moreover I am not sure if they can withstand the pressure of a car above them, if they are placed under the car porch.

Constructing the sump: Water pressure will be more on the internal corners of the tank. So avoid constructing sump/tank corners with 90 degrees like room walls. Instead, have rounded corners so that the water pressure is distributed over a larger area and also so that the corners are easier to clean and do not accumulate dirt.

After the sump has been constructed the next step is to Build the foundation . The steps to be followed in this important aspect of House Construction have been explained in detail here:

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

TEMPORARY SHED AND POWER

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 07:07:00 +0000

Before the start of the Construction, after the digging of borewell, the next step is to build a temporary shed for storing construction material and to house a watchman to look after your site and material. A shed is essential to store the cement bags and other building material safely, away from moisture as you can’t keep buying these things in small quantities.

Having a watchman to take care of the material stored in the shed gives you a feeling of security and prevents thefts. Moreover, the watchman can help in taking care of other aspects of construction like curing (pouring water on RCC components) etc.

BEST POSITION FOR A TEMPORARY SHED:

Adjacent empty site: Th ideal place for a temporary shed would be in an adjacent empty site. For this, you must get the neighbour's permission in advance. But in case, permission is refused or if there is no empty adjacent site, then you have to think of other options.

Corner of a big site: If it is a big site, you can consider putting the shed in a corner of your site away from the construction foundation. For suggestions, you can refer to the Vastu Shastra guidelines described below.

Available space in a small site: If it is a small site then build the shed in whatever space is available in the setback area. Once the ground floor slab is cast, you can think of shifting the storage stuff into a room in the building.

Materials used for constructing a shed: Since it is temporary, you can consider using soil instead of cement and bricks while constructing the shed so that it can be dismantled easily and the blocks/bricks can be used for the house construction.

Blocks or bricks can be used to construct the shed with mud instead of cement

VASTU GUIDELINES FOR THE STORAGE SHED:

According to Vastu Shastra, it is preferable to follow these guidelines in the construction of the temporary shed, to prevent thefts and help in the smooth flow of the construction work.

Avoid a Storage Shed in the North-East corner: The Storage shed can be located in any part of the site except in the North or East.

The Storage Shed should preferably be in the South-West corner as the infra-red heat rays of the Sun, which are projected to the South-West will keep the material stored in the shed free from moisture.

The Storage Shed should be demolished after completion of construction to allow proper movement around the site, proper flow of air and light into the building as otherwise it will be an obstruction.

The Storage shed should preferably be portable as it can be removed from the site after the construction is completed. : It should not be used for further storage/living.

Portable temporary she s are preferable

TAKING TEMPORARY POWER:

Generally you can get temporary power connection to your site from the concerned authorities. Power is essential for so many construction activities such as pumping water from the borewell/tubewell, cutting tiles, wood, polishing etc. The procedure for getting temporary power varies from place to place. I can only speak about the process in Bangalore.

Refundable Deposit: On giving a written request with details of the required kilowatts and an initial, refundable deposit of about Rs 2500/-, the Karnataka Electric board (KEB) will give your site, temporary power connection.

Payement of power bill: Depending on the kilowatt power that you have taken, the rate per unit of power consumed will vary. You have to pay the bills on time, every 28 days. Usually, the KEB will install a digital meter at your site. The KEB meter reader is supposed to come and note down the readings and give you the bill. But many times this does not happen. So it is safer that you or your contractor note down the previous reading and current reading and go to the local KEB branch. There, they will prepare a bill and you can pay the due. If it is not paid on time, then you will have to pay huge penalty.

Refunding of deposit: When you are disconnecting the temporary power connection, KEB will not refund the deposit, but it will be adjusted against the cost of your permanent meter.

After building the shed and taking temporary power, the next step in House Construction is to dig and construct the Sump. This is because water is required throughout the construction and it has to be stored in a tank. So this is the right time to build the underground tank for storing water. The best position and the materials to be used in building the Sump have been described in the next post:

BUILDING A SUMP

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

DIGGING A BOREWELL

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 04:11:00 +0000

Before the start of construction, it is useful to have a source of water at the site, since a lot of water will be required during the construction. Moreover, even if they have municipal water supply, the water source will be an additional source of water for the inmates after they move into the house.

SOURCES OF WATER IN A HOUSE:

The most common Water sources in a Site are the Open Well, the Borewell (Drilled Well) and the Municipal Water supply.

Open Well: is an excavation in the ground created by digging to access the groundwater which is naturally stored below the ground as a result of the seeping in of rainwater. This water is more likely to be polluted as it is near the Earth's surface. Nowadays in cities, it is uncommon to find water by digging a well.

Borewell (Drilled Well): is much deeper and water is got by driving, boring or drilling through rock to an aquifer below. This water is most likely to be uncontaminated as it is sandwiched between rocks deep below the Earth. Borewells are the most common sources of water in cities.

GROUND WORK BEFORE DIGGING BOREWELL:

Before digging the borewell, do some research and ground work. Enquire about borewells in the surrounding sites/area. Gather information on the percentage of successful to failed bore wells near your site. Find out to what depth the nearby borewells had to be dug to get water and how many inches of water they got.

All this information will enable you to be mentally and financially prepared for the dig. So even if you are expecting to hit water at a certain depth and fail, you will be ready to dig further down till you get water.

GETTING QUOTES FROM VENDORS FOR DIGGING THE BOREWELL:

Get recommendations from friends, neighbors on the borewell companies. In case you have no good recommendations, go through the local classifieds, internet reviews and shortlist four or five borewell vendors. Then get quotes from all of them.

GET A WATER DIVINER TO VISIT YOUR SITE:

Get a water diviner to visit your site to locate possible points for digging the borewell. You can get a contact from friends or local borewell companies. There are two types of water-diviners, traditional ones and geo-technical ones. Both will give you at least two points for digging a borewell in your site and the likely depth at which you may get water. I personally prefer using the services of geo-technical water diviner since he uses scientific methods and is more accurate in his prediction.

COMPARE THE QUOTATIONS FOR DIGGING THE BOREWELL:

Once you get quotations, compare their prices on an (excel sheet). It is important to compare each item price instead of the final price because there may be some hidden costs in some quotes. For example, some borewell companies quote the same rate/foot for the first 300 feet and then increase the rate/foot for further digging while some others will quote the same rate for only the first 250 feet. Their charges may also differ from season to season also. For example it is more in summer.

GETTING PERMISSION TO DIG A BOREWELL:

In Bangalore, to check further exploitation of groundwater and also to keep a tab on those using groundwater for commercial purposes, the Department of Mines and Geology has made it mandatory for people to take permission from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to drill new borewells. Even existing borewell users — both domestic and commercial — should register with BWSSB in the prescribed format by paying a fee. All details are provided in this link.Failure to comply can attract a penalty of up to Rs. 10,000 and/or imprisonment up to three years.

PAYMENT TO BWSSB:

Download the relevant BWSSB forms and fill it with the relevant details. Pay Rs 50 for drinking purpose and Rs 500 for commercial/industrial purpose at any Canara Bank in favour of BWSSB current account No.0788201052332. Visit your sub-division's BWSSB office and submit the Form with copies of the bank challan and latest BWSSB bill & payment receipt.
Once you have done this, your future monthly BWSSB bills will also include a Rs.50 charge for well/borewell.

DIGGING THE BOREWELL:

After finalising a vendor based on the price and credibility, the vendor will visit your site to check whether his equipment will be accessible. Before digging, inform all your neighbors, so that they are prepared and can go elsewhere to avoid the dust and noise
It is preferable if high speed hydraulic rigs are used as the work will be faster and require less manual effort. Usually 6 or 7 inch diameter bore well drill bit is used for digging borewells for domestic purposes.

VASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES FOR THE WELL OR BOREWELL:

If it is not possible to get water by digging a Well, or if there is the likelihood that an open Well will get polluted, then a Borewell can be drilled after consulting an expert and a water diviner, and only if there is good yield of water.

The Well should have a circular cross-section.

The Well should be dug after the bhoomi pooja has been performed on the site, at an astrologically auspicious time.

It is ideal that the digging of a Well/Borewell be completed within a day as it can be fenced off or in case of a Borewell, covered with a stump to prevent anyone from falling in.

It is better to start the digging early and complete the digging before night as one cannot see clearly.

Avoid trees around an open Well.

Alum, limestone, gooseberry bark help to keep the water clear.

VAASTU GUIDELINES FOR POSITION OF A WELL/ BOREWELL/WATER SOURCE:

First option for a well is the North-East.

Second option for the Well is the North or the East sides.

Avoid a Well in the South, South-West or North-West.

Avoid a Well in the middle of the Site.

Avoid a well and pump house very close to the compound walls.

Avoid a Well touching the House walls.

Avoid sharing of well between two properties.

This post was about the Water Source, the Digging of Well/Borewell. Read about the next Step in Construction:

TEMPORARY SHED AND POWER

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

VAASTU GUIDELINES | CONSTRUCTION OF STORAGE SHED

RITUALS TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE START OF CONSTRUCTION

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 07:56:00 +0000

After finalising the Contractor, you can start the construction. But in India, it is common to refer to Vastu Shastra – the science for architecture and construction, before initiation of any construction work.

Vastu Shastra recommends that you perform certain rituals before and during the construction of your house. They have been explained in detail here.

RITUALS TO BE DONE JUST BEFORE CONSTRUCTION:

According to Vaastu Shastra, five rituals or Poojas must be done before the actual construction begins. Most people do not follow all of them, but almost everyone start construction only after performing the Bhoomi pooja. Some of you who might be interested in knowing about these rituals. So they have been explained here in detail. The five poojas are:

BHOOMI POOJA (Seeking permission from Bhoomi)
BALIDAANA (Offertory ritual)
HALA-KARSHANA (Levelling of site)
ANKURAA-ROOPANA (Sowing of seed)
SHILAANYAASA (Foundation laying)

THE BHOOMI (VASTU) POOJA:

The first ritual to be done before starting the instruction is a Vaastu pooja or Bhoomi Pooja. This should be done at an auspicious time and on an auspicious day, as fixed by your astrologer/priest (normally it is done in the morning).

According to Vastu Shastra, it is absolutely necessary to do the Bhoomi puja, as you must take permission from Mother Earth (Bhoomi) to build a space. When you raise a building, you bring about change in mother earth. So, you must seek permission and forgiveness from mother earth, for your actions that disturb the equilibrium. There are special vedic hymns to appease the various energies residing in the space.

PREPARATION BEFORE THE BHOOMI POOJA:

The following steps should be followed in doing the Bhoomi pooja:

Clean the site: The site should be cleared. Dirt, stones, holes in the ground, and trash should be removed. Thorny bushes should also be uprooted and removed.

Divide the site into a 9 x 9 Grid: Divide the site into 9 x 9 grid. Mark out the foundation of the proposed building.

Dig a square hole in the North East corner: In the grid, dig a square hole in the North-East portion of the foundation marking. The depth depends on the proposed foundation footing. In the center of that square mark out area to place cornerstone.

Prepare the base: Place cement in the four quadrants of the hole leaving at least 2’9” for the central area where the foundation stone will be laid.

Prepare 5 stones (bricks, stone) Wash the five stones and keep them ready for consecration by the priest.

Keep a kalash ready: Place the following items in a copper kalash or in a plastic box: Navratans(nine gems), a tiny piece of gold, a silver coin, whole betel nut, a stick of turmeric, a little whole green moong, coriander seeds, Sambarani and jaggery. Now these items vary from region to region and depends on the customs followed in your community. But each of them has a significance.

PERFORMING THE BHOOMI POOJA:

Perform a ceremony: After all the preparations have been made, perform a short ceremony either by yourself or with the help of a priest, to honour and appreciate the energy that emerges from the earth. If doing it by yourself, you may light a candle, which is symbolic of light, the source of all visual form.

Invocation (Devi poojan): Invoke the Vastu Devta (God) and offer prayers. Every community has its own special method of performing this puja. The priest will guide you accordingly.

Purification (Bhoomi abhishinchan): To purify the place, sprinkle pure water or Ganges water using mango leaves or flowers, while mantras are recited.

Offering (Pran pratishtha poojan): Sprinkle rice grains and flower petals on the earth while mantras are recited.

Placing the Kalash and stones: Place the kalash in the centre of the pit. Then place one stone above it and the remaining four stones in the four corners, around the central stone.

2) BALIDAANA (Offertory ritual):

This is the second ritual to be done before the start of Construction. It is an offertory ritual and offerings are made and spirits and demons are requested to leave the site.

3) HALA-KARSHANA (Levelling of site) :

This is the third ritual, wherein the Site is levelled and sloped according Vaastu guidelines for Site Slope, so that the Site is at a higher level than the road level and the South-West corner is higher than the North-East corner. It is also recommended that the whole site be ploughed to rid it of the past and give the soil a new life.

4) ANKURAA-ROOPANA (Sowing of seed):

This is the fourth ritual, the sowing of the seed and a final offering to the memory of those who have left the place. It is also the first offering to the new ploughed ground.

5) SHILAANYAASA (Foundation laying):

This is the fifth ritual, the foundation laying ceremony. The groundbreaking ceremony for the house should only be done during the Uttarayan period, when the Sun is in the northern hemisphere, from June 21 through December 20.

This post was about the Rituals to be followed before construction. Read about the next stage in Construction

DIGGING THE BOREWELL

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

CHOOSING A CONTRACTOR

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 07:35:00 +0000

After finalising the plan with the Architect, he will give you an estimate. The next step is to select a Contractor with the Architect's help. What does a Contractor do? What are his responsibilities and duties? How do you choose the right Contractor? In this post, as an Architect, I will share some tips on choosing the right Contractor.

DEFINITION OF A CONTRACTOR:

A Contractor is defined as a person who contracts, bids, negotiates a price, offers to construct, supervises, oversees, schedules, directs, alters, repairs, installs, improves, moves, demolishes, furnishes, labors, etc. There are various types of Contractors such as building (residential and commercial); electrical; plumbing; mechanical; etc.

SUMMARY OF A CONTRACTOR'S WORK:

Construction - A Building Contractor is responsible for the construction/execution of the project in accordance with the Contract documents which usually include the Contract agreement, budget, the plans and specification of the project that are prepared by an Architect.

Understand plans: The Contractor examines and interprets the plans. Accordingly, he quotes for the project.

Arrange sanction plans: He arranges for the drawing of plans according to building regulations if the Architect does not include it in his scope of work. He also arranges for the submission of plans to local authorities for approval and inspections of building work.

Calculate quantities of materials: required for building projects and order these from building suppliers or advertise for tenders.

Supplying of Labour, Materials, Equipment etc. - A Building Contractor is responsible for supplying material, labour, equipment, (engineering vehicles and tools) and services necessary for the construction of the project. He arranges delivery times of materials to coincide with various stages of the building process

Maintains a construction labour force: The Building Contractor usually retains a construction labour force.

Subcontracts: The Contractor generally subcontracts part of the work to other persons and companies that specialize in these types of work. These Subcontractors put up the foundation, walls, roof, electrical and plumbing systems, supply the labour etc.

Supervises the work of Subcontractors to make sure buildings are of an acceptable standard and are proceeding according to schedule.

Office staff: He also maintains an office staff involved in the preparation of bills and payment of accounts.

Undertake some of the building work personally and he goes to site everyday to make sure everything is going according to schedule.

WORK DEMANDS OF A CONTRACTOR:

From the above summary, it is clear that a Contractor’s work is mostly outdoor and demands the following:
Dust: Working in dusty or polluted environment.
Hands-on: Full use of hands/fingers.
Manual work: Heavy lifting and physical effort..
Out in the Sun: Mainly outdoor work.

Standing: for long periods.
Mathematical ability: for preparing bills, calculating quantities.
Ideally look out for a Contractor who is a civil engineer or done a diploma in civil engineering.

PERSONALITY TRAITS OF A GOOD BUILDING CONTRACTOR -

A Building Contractor must have the following traits in order to make a mark:
Good communication skills
Management and leadership skills
Good organisational skills
Technical aptitude.

SELECTING A CONTRACTOR:

Choosing a Contractor: is an important step in the process of House Construction. The right Contractor will give you a comfortable, well finished home whereas the wrong one will give you trouble through the period of construction, will slow down the work and sometimes will walk out of the project before completion. While choosing a Contractor, I suggest you go through the Architect, because they already share a working relationship and the Contractor is answerable to the Architect. So he will not take you for a ride.

Architect's recommendation: The Architect will usually suggest 2 or 3 Contractors, whom he feels will suit your temperament, budget and project. The Architect will then invite the Contractors to quote for your project. Based on the quote that is closest to his estimate, the Architect will recommend a particular Contractor. However, the final decision is yours and you should choose the Contractor whom you feel, instinctively will do justice to your project and with whom you will get along.

Friend's suggestions: Very often, Clients have come to me with Contractors suggested by their friends or family. This is also a good option because the Contractors will feel answerable since they are recommended by a known person. But even then make a background check, be sure that they deliver as promised and are willing to correct any mistakes or agree to changes.

Client acting as a Contractor: Occasionally the Client commissioning the construction of the building, chooses to act as the Contractor. In such cases, he works directly with various Subcontractors and takes on all liability for proper sequencing of the work, and dealing with the realities of construction. However, more times than not, the risks far outweigh the potential reward of saving the Contractor's profit even if things go perfectly. Owners considering this approach should keep in mind that Contractors make a living, working with known Subcontractors. An established Contractor will have established relationships that will outlast one construction project and the Subcontractors will acknowledge this with their cooperation whereas the client seldom has this advantage as most Subcontractors will recognize the risk of working with a one time client with higher bids. Also the Owner is likely to be cheated on the quality of building materials and products as he is not an expert in it.

The client, Architect and Building Contractor work closely together to meet deadlines and budget. The Building Contractor works with his team of Subcontractors and labourers to ensure quality standards and make sure that the project is completed within the specified time and budget. The next step is the start of construction.

Once the contractor has been selected, you can actually start the construction. But it is highly recommended that you perform some rituals before the start of construction such as Bhoomi Pooja.

BHOOMI POOJA | RITUALS TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE CONSTRUCTION

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION | GETTING YOUR PLAN APPROVED

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 03:09:00 +0000

Once the architect has been briefed and he prepares the plan as per your requirements, you must evaluate the plan with your family members, look at all the aspects and convey to your architect any changes that you may want to incorporate. After you are fully satisfied with the plan, you must 'freeze' the plan. By this I mean that, you should not make any more drastic changes, though small changes within the plan are acceptable. This is important because the plan for approval, the estimate, the planning for the construction by the architect and the contractor is based on a final 'frozen' plan.

The next step is to get the plan drawn for approval. Your architect, provided he is registered with the BBMP will draw up a plan which meets with the bye laws. He puts his/her seal on it and signs it.

PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN BEFORE GETTING THE APPROVAL:

Follow actual site measurements: Always measure the site before the planning starts. There may be differences between the dimensions shown in the papers and the actual dimensions of the site. Sometimes, though the dimensions tally with the documents, the site wont be a perfect rectangle and this has to be taken into account in the plan. While drawing the plan, the Architect will take into account the actual dimensions and the actual angles of the site.

Be informed about the building bye-laws: If you are building the house yourself without a Contractor, it becomes very important that you understand the bye-laws so that you are aware of what the authorities are talking about when you meet them. Very often, these government officials harass you if they realise that you are on your own just to get bribes. If you refuse, they accuse you of violations and threaten you with consequences. Knowing the violations and the consequences before hand will help you in such situations.

The construction plan should be similar to the approved plan: Make sure the area of the approved plan is as close to that of the construction plan. If the built-up area shown in the approved plan is more than what you intend to construct, you will end up paying more tax.

Avoid violations as much as possible: If you do not plan to bribe, then make sure your approved plan is according to rules and there are no violations in your actual construction. Otherwise you will have to pay a hefty fine or the construction can be stopped by the engineer.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH THE PLAN FOR APPROVAL:

You need to submit 10 ammonia prints with the house plan for approval.

In case of a site in a BDA layout in Banglore, the following are the legal documents that should be submitted along with the plan for approval. Make sure the photo copies are readable.

Title deed: Sale deed / Parent deed / Master deed - Agreement of sale / title.

Gift deed: If the site is transferred to your name, then the Agreement of transfer of ownership is required. This will take a day to get done, provided all the other documents are in order. - But this is not needed if you have purchased the site.

Khata Extract: You can get this done in your local BBMP office. This will be provided within a week if the site is already in your name.

Khata Certificate: You can get this done in your local BBMP office.

Encumbrance Certificate: Shows if there are any loans on the site.You get this done in your local sub-registrar office. This will take 20-25 days to get officially.

GETTING THE PLAN APPROVAL:

Contacting the Authotities: If you have the time and inclination, you can go to the concerned authorities for approval by yourself, but if you feel lost in the office bureaucracy, you can enlist the help of the Contractor whom you plan to hire for the job.

Online approval: In some cities online submission of plan for approval is accepted. But whether it is an efficient system, I cannot comment. For example in Bangalore, the automatic building plan scrutiny system for approval of building plans has some technical issues.

Time taken for approval: Usually in India, 'getting approval' takes around 15-30 days officially. But this could easily get delayed if you refuse to 'toe the line' by which I mean, giving bribes.

Bribe: Generally, a bribe is expected by the concerned engineer/s. This may be around 15,000/- for a 30'x40' site to 20,000/- for a 40'x60' site or more. If you refuse to pay the bribe the engineer might ask you to make some changes in the plans, show him your site for inspection and keep repeating this till you get exhausted. Even if you stubbornly refuse to pay a bribe till you get approval, the engineer will visit your site regularly to pull you up for small inconsistencies from the approved plan.

Validity of approved plans: The approved building plans are valid upto 2 years and so construction should begin within that period. After 2 years, they need to be renewed.

Commencement Certificate: All approved plans come with certain conditions, one of which says - "Laying of Foundation Concrete & Columns Should Commence Only After Obtaining Commencement Certificate from BBMP after inspection from AEE". To get the commencement certificate, you should submit an annexure before laying foundation columns. However, this is more applicable for big constructions and apartment complexes. For residential buildings no one really follows this. The fine for starting construction without obtaining commencement certificate is Rs100.

DEVIATIONS THAT ARE ALLOWED DURING CONSTRUCTION:

In Bangalore, the BBMP rules state that:

Violations within 5% may be regularised: Wherever any construction is in violation/deviation of the sanctioned plan, the Commissioner may, if he considers that the violations / deviations are within 5% of the set back to be provided around the building, plot coverage, floor area ratio and height of the building and that the demolition under chapter XV of the Act is not feasible without affecting structural stability, he may regularise such violations/deviations after recording detailed reasons for the same.

Regularising Violations: Violation/deviation may be regularised only after sanctioning the modified plan and recording thereon the violations/deviations and after paying the levy of fees prescribed by the Corporation from time to time.

When violations will not be regularised: Regularisation of violations / deviations under this provision are not applicable to the buildings which are constructed without obtaining any sanctioned plan whatsoever and also the violations / deviations which are made in spite of the same being specifically deleted or rejected in the sanctioned plan.

What does 5% violation mean: In my understanding, 5% means that 5% of the approved height or FAR or plot coverage can be added to the actual construction. So for example if the minimum setback to be maintained is 5', then you can reduce the setback by 3" (0.25') or if the allowable height is 40', then you can increase the actual height by 2'.

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

The plan sanction will take around 20 days or say a month. Meanwhile you can study the estimate given by the Architect - make changes in the choice of your finishes to suit your budget. Then the Architect can call Contractors to quote for your project. You must hire a Contractor who suits your temperament and budget. Read about selecting a Contractor in the next post:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION | EVALUATE THE DESIGN GIVEN BY THE ARCHITECT

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 04:41:00 +0000

When you have decided to build your dream house, the natural thing to do is to commission an Architect. You will brief him with your requirements and he will design accordingly. When designing a house, the main consideration is to create a pleasant, comfortable environment to live in. Any design challenge has many solutions but the best solution is the one which solves most of the problems.

To be sure, that you have got the best design solution, it is worthwhile to check whether the following points have been taken into consideration by your Architect:

Site location- Generally most clients go to an Architect after buying a Site. But if you have the chance to include the Architect in the selection, then you could benefit from his advice. The best location for a plot is in a peaceful and calm place, with lot of greenery and good water source and good soil. When purchasing a property, it is a good idea to stand on the land and feel its vibration for a few moments. Trust your feelings. If you feel positive about it, consider buying the land. If not, it is probably not good for you. You can also visit my other site to get tips on: V astu guidelines on Site Location.

Site shape- The best shapes for sites are square or rectangular, facing squarely on the four cardinal directions. The main reason is that square or rectangle shaped houses are generally considered most practical to use. It is easier to design a house on rectangular lines since this allows for a good flow of interior spaces within the house. It may be for this reason that sites in cities are usually available in rectangle shapes such as 30'x40', 40'x60', 50'x80' etc. You can visit my other site to get tips on: Vastu guidelines for Site Shape.

Orientation- The first thing to be considered when designing a house, is the Orientation. Ideally, the location of rooms, windows should depend on the direction, just as it is recommended in Vastu. This is because in Vastu (an ancient Indian building science), the rooms of a house are positioned in specific directions so as to capture the beneficial and positive effects of the Sun, Wind, Earth's magnetic field, natural resources, topography of site etc. There is scientific reasoning and logic in Vastu and this has been explained by me in my other site: Vastu factors |Cardinal directions.

Comfortable sizes of rooms- Depending on your site size, your budget and your requirement the room sizes will be fixed. However, for each room, whether it is a toilet, kitchen or living room, there are some basic sizes to be considered for comfortable living. It is not advisable to have sizes less than the basic sizes.

Proper circulation- Easy and unobstructed movement from space to space is very important. For this, The proper placement of doors, windows, furniture is an essential consideration.

Pleasant atmosphere- To create a pleasant atmosphere filled with positive energy it is useful to follow some scientific principles of Vastu (Visit my site: Vastu Shastra Factors) which manipulate the topography of site, the natural resources, the beneficial effects of the Sun, the Wind directions to create a well lit, well-ventilated and clean house. The skillful use of colours, right finishing materials(for floors, walls, bathrooms, windows, doors, woodwork), furniture etc can also create a pleasing environment.

Elevational treatment- The exterior of the house can be made attractive by the judicious use of materials (stone, exposed bricks, tiles etc) textures, colours, solids and voids in the right balance, sloping roofs and so on.

Landscaping- The Natural landscape can be enhanced or created with the help of lawns, water fountains, water bodies, stone arrangements, stone sculptures, seasonal or perennial flowering plants, benches and useful medicinal plants and fruit trees. For information on useful trees and plants in the House garden, go to: Vaastu Shastra | Garden trees and plants

After evaluating the plan and conveying any changes or additional requirements to the Architect, He will produce a final 'final' plan as per your requirements. The next step is to "get plan approval". You can read about it here:

GETTING YOUR PLAN APPROVED

To know more about construction of a house and the stages involved got to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

Related Topics:

DESIGN OF OTHER ROOMS IN A HOUSE

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION | MISTAKES THAT PEOPLE MAKE

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 12:16:00 +0000

You’re on the verge of building your dream home and you’ve thought about all aspects. You have envisioned the layout of your house and know exactly what you want to have in your home. You have collected a lot of information on buildings from the net and from the exhibitions on building products and materials, Interiors, etc, You must have discussed with friends and relatives who have already constructed houses about their experiences, you have asked them for referrals of Contractors, Draughtsmen, Architects etc.

However despite all this meticulous planning, in my experience as an Architect, I have seen clients inevitably make mistakes. Some of the commonest mistakes people make are listed here. It is worthwhile to go through this checklist before you actually start "House Construction".

Poor Preparation: When planning your home you should think ahead into the future and take your lifestyle and habits into consideration. Will your family be expanding? Will you need to accommodate safety features for new or young children? Or will your children be leaving the nest? Do you need to think of your requirements later in life as you reach retirement age and beyond? Do you entertain often and host overnight guests regularly? How long do you plan on staying in this home? Take your time and do your research both online and with experienced persons before you meet the professionals. You can get some ideas from my post on 'Preparing the project brief'

Hiring a Contractor without hiring an Architect: Many times, I have come across clients who believe that an Architect can be dispensed with, but a Building Contractor is necessary as it is he, who will actually give shape to your ‘dream’ house and obviously has a lot of practical knowledge and experience in building matters. You also wrongly believe that, with all the preparation and information You have gathered, there is no way you will be fooled and that you will be able to complete the construction well within your budget and on time. But the truth unfortunately, is that, most people unwittingly make a mistake by giving the job to the Contractor without hiring an architect to cross-check on the quality and cost of the Building Construction. Also very often, though the Contractor helps you in getting a 'plan' of your dream house, the source is not very clear – it may not even be designed by a qualified Architect.

Self-designing: People go to schools and colleges to learn how to design and then spend years getting real world experience in all the subtleties and nuances of space and ergonomics. If you think that you can just draw it on a napkin or envelope, and get a great design, you are wrong. Many people find out while living in the home, that they were wrong about so many things such as off centered windows, wrong door swings, miscalculated stairwell head room and space for stairs etc. So get an Architect on board and save yourself from life-long compromises in living in a badly designed home.

Poorly lit homes: Natural light should be the main source of light. Windows should be present in every room and should be large. Think about adding skylights if natural light is not sufficient. Light fixtures and outlets should also be plentiful. Do not compromise on this aspect, just to save some money because a badly-lit house can be downright unhealthy. See my posts on Vastu Shastra and Lighting.

Poor ventilation: Ventilation is also an important aspect of a well-designed house. Poor ventilation can cause the rooms to be stuffy, hot in summer and cold in winter. There will be stale, unhealthy air trapped in such houses and there can be stagnant moisturewhich can cause terrible mold growth that can affect your health. So make sure your window placements ensure cross-ventilation and constant flow of fresh air through your house. Also, the right placement of the rooms can ensure good flow of air. Read my posts on Vastu Shastra.

Poor placement of rooms: This is a very personal decision and depends on the way you use rooms. Ideally, the bedrooms should be far away from from the central living areas which are noisy. The dining room should be at the same level and near the kitchen, etc. If the rooms are not placed according to the way you live, the house can be uncomfortable to live in. You can get some ideas from my post on designing a house.

Under-utilized rooms: Include rooms that you will surely use. The addition of a playroom, game room or multipurpose room sounds enticing, but only do so if it is going to be used. Often an unused room becomes a dumping ground for things that never get used. If you plan on adding an extra room, make sure that it can transition from one type to another. For example, a family room can alternate as a guest room.

Losing Enthusiasm: Often I see many clients start your 'house construction' with a lot of optimism and enthusiasm but ultimately get overwhelmed by the many possibilities, choices and unexpected delays. You may believe that you know exactly what you want, but the number of options available confuses you and causes 'burn out'. It is better to request the architect to recommend 3 or 4 high-mid to high quality alternatives to each item so that the selection becomes easier. The post on Choices may help you be better prepared.

Cutting Corners: Remember the saying “the cheap person invariably pays the most”. Hidden cost, cheap materials, weird techniques all end up costing you more in the long run. Some contractors use cheaper, duplicate products that look like authentic products to raise their profit margin. This is where an Architect can help save your precious money. He can easily detect duplicate material, bad workmanship, poor finishing and get the Contractor to redo such work.

Architects, Engineers and Contractors are all trained to help you make effective decisions in your 'house construction'. They will help guide you as to where you can save money and where you absolutely should not cut corners. So please make use of them. You have to pay more for their services, but believe me, in the long run you will actually save money and get food value for your home. I speak from experience.

To know more about the different stages involved in the construction of a house, go to:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

VAASTU SHASTRA

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 01:31:00 +0000

Vaastu Shastra, a sanskrit word meaning science of architecture and construction is an ancient Indian science developed thousands of years ago by ancient Indian sages.

Vaastu Shastra has been practiced for centuries and lays down guidelines to create old architectural wonders like temples, palaces, monuments etc.

Vaastu is derived from the sanskrit word ‘vasathi’ which means ‘comfort’. Comfort is related to the right proportion and positioning of the five elements agni=fire, vaayu=air, vaari=water, prithvi=earth and akash=sky in our surroundings. The complex interplay of the above elements along with the eight directions (E, W, N, S, NE, SE, SW, NW) can profoundly influence the lives of the people living or working in the premises either positively or negatively.

Shastra is the sanskrit word for ‘science’ and stands for the principles and guidelines laid down for the construction of a building. Therefore, Vaastu shastra is the science of arranging the above-mentioned elements in their respective places so that they are in harmony which in turn will make the lives of the inmates happy and peaceful.

The fundamental principle of Vastu Shastra is to add ‘Value to the Life of man’ staying in a building by bringing about harmony between man, nature and the built environment. So, buildings designed according to Vastu guidelines are believed to vibrate with Universal Positive Energy and create a feeling of ‘contentment and well-being’ for the occupants whereas the improper positioning of rooms with respect to the elements causes imbalance in the equilibrium of the energy in the house.

Vaastu Shastra, has its roots extended in Indian Philosophy, maths, geology, geography, religion and takes into account, factors influencing a Site, such as topography, roads, structures around, Sun’s effects, Earth’s magnetic field, cardinal directions, Earth’s energy fields and elements of Nature.

The subject of Vaastu Shastra has been discussed under the following categories:

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 07:10:00 +0000

Today, with the easy availability of housing loans, with better and competitive professional services, with innumerable building materials and products in the market and with ample information on the net, house construction in India seems like a walk in the park!

But in reality, constructing a house in India or anywhere for that matter can pose its own challenges in terms of varying cost, lack of knowledge, risks involved etc.

Construction is a science and has been practised for ages but it is one aspect that is not documented well enough. In this blog I, a Bangalore based architect want to share with you some invaluable tips, ideas and advice from the experience that I have acquired. I hope to clear all your doubts and misconceptions and make the process of construction interesting, smooth, hassle free and enjoyable.

The Construction of a House involves the stages listed here. To make it simpler, I have classified the stages under these sub-categories:

STAGES BEFORE THE START OF CONSTRUCTION:

Mistakes that people make before construction
Preparing the project brief
Choices
Vaastu Plan
Choosing an Architect
An Architect's Services
Selecting the right Architect
Briefing the Architect
Evaluate the Design plan
Estimate
Selecting a Contractor
Plan Approval

STAGES AT THE START OF CONSTRUCTION:

Rituals to be performed before start of construction
Digging a borewell
Temporary Shed and power
Building the Sump
Building Materials

STAGES DURING THE HOUSE CONSTRUCTION:

Digging the Foundation
Raising the Walls
Building the Staircase
Wiring and Electrics
Casting the roof slab
Plastering
Laying the floor
Painting

MATERIAL SELECTION:

Selecting wood
Doors and windows
Bathrooms
Kitchen
Flooring Materials
Railing and Gate
Water Tank

STAGES AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE:

Electric Meters
Connecting to services
Interiors

DESIGNING A HOUSE

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 18:51:00 +0000

A house has many rooms like bedroom, dining room, living room, kitchen, study room and bathrooms. There are many things to consider when designing a house. Generally, people expect personalised designs based on their needs, tastes and budget which will make them happy and comfortable.

Here are some tips on designing a house and the rooms of a house.

DESIGN OF A HOUSE

DESIGN OF A BATHROOM | TYPES

VAASTU SHASTRA FACTORS

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 04:28:00 +0000

VAASTU SHASTRA FACTORS -
Vaastu Shastra takes into account environmental factors that affect man and his buildings, in laying down guidelines for the design of buildings, so that man can benefit from the positive and useful effects of these factors and is protected from their harmful and negative effects. The environmental factors and their effects on man and his buildings have been explained here:

Vastu Shastra lays down fundamental principles of Architecture that should be followed in designing, so as to ensure a beautiful, aesthetic, proportionate, comfortable sized and well oriented building. These fundamental principles are explained here:

VAASTU SHASTRA PRINCIPLES

DESIGN DRAWINGS

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 11:12:00 +0000

A designer’s principal language is through his drawings. These drawings help the client to understand what the designer has in mind. These drawings include plans to explain the horizontal layout, elevations to explain the external vertical view and 3-d images that give an almost realistic perspective. The drawings that are normally given by an Architect to explain his design ideas are described here.

These drawings will help you to interpret Design of a house better.

DESIGNING A HOUSE

VAASTU SHASTRA PRINCIPLES

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 04:30:00 +0000

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF VAASTU SHASTRA

Vaastu Shastra lays down fundamental principles of Architecture that should be followed in designing, so as to ensure a beautiful, aesthetic, proportionate, comfortable sized and well oriented building. These fundamental principles are explained here:

The Selection of Site is an important consideration since the plot represents a ‘fixed form’ which radiates positive as well as negative energy depending on its, location, shape, orientation, slope and soil condition. The Vastu guidelines for selecting the ‘right’ Site are explained here:

VAASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING SITE

BEDROOM FURNITURE

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 13:54:00 +0000

A bedroom is one of the most important rooms, since it is such a personal room and homeowners spend a lot of time there. An uncomfortable bedroom means un-restful sleep and even a general feeling of disharmony.

The main furniture in a Bedroom include the Beds, bedside tables, dressing tables, closets and sometimes TV unit.

TYPES OF BEDS
SPACE SAVING BEDS

NATURAL MATERIALS FOR FLOORS

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 11:45:00 +0000

NATURAL MATERIALS FOR FLOORS: These include naturally occurring materials like Marble, Granite, Kota, Slate, Wood etc

MARBLE FLOOR: Marble provides elegance, beauty and luxury to a room and therefore is best suited in residences. But it is avoided in large commercial areas and heavily trafficked areas because it scratches and stains easily.

GRANITE FLOOR: Granite is hard, doesn’t easily scratch and is stain-resistant making it suited for residences and commercial areas. But it is expensive.

KOTA STONE FLOOR: Kota stone is hard and strong, economical and non-slippery when rough, making it useful in exteriors and high traffic areas. When polished, Kota takes a shiny finish and so is suitable for interiors. But it scratches easily.

SLATE FLOOR: Slate is highly durable, water resistant, stain resistant and hence suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.But it is grey and dull.

HARDWOOD FLOOR: Hardwood flooring consists of real wooden blocks that are laid in desired patterns and fixed with hot glue. It is used in homes as it is elegant, charming, long-lasting and provides a warm look. Because of it's acoustic qualities, it is also commonly used in auditoriums, dance halls, gymnasium floors etc. But it is high maintenance and expensive.

VAASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING A SITE

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 04:34:00 +0000

VAASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES ON SELECTION OF SITE -

The Selection of a Site is very important in Vaastu Shastra, since the Site represents a fixed form that will radiate positive as well as negative energies depending on its location, orientation, shape, slope and soil quality. Therefore, these are the 5 important aspects to be considered when selecting a Site.

Vastu Shastra lays down guidelines on the ‘design of the House’ so that the inmates get maximum benefit of the natural elements like the Sun, wind, Air, etc.

VAASTU GUIDELINES FOR THE DESIGN OF A HOUSE

VAASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING A HOUSE

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 04:36:00 +0000

VAASTU SHASTRA FOR INTERIORS OF A HOUSE: Vaastu Shastra lays down guidelines on the 'design of the Interior of a House' so that the inmates get maximum benefit of the natural elements like the Sun, wind, Air, etc. The Vaatu Guidelines for the interior rooms of a House are explained here:

VAASTU SHASTRA FOR EXTERIORS OF A HOUSE: Vaastu Shastra lays down guidelines on the 'design of the Exterior of a House' so that the inmates get maximum benefit of the natural elements like the Sun, wind, Air, etc. The Vaastu guidelines for the Exterior of a House are explained here:

Vastu Shastra lays down guidelines for the Construction of a House, right from the rituals to be done before the start of construction, the preparation for the construction to the actual step-by-step construction of the House. These Vaastu guidelines have been explained here:

VAASTU GUIDELINES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOUSE

VAASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A HOUSE

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 04:37:00 +0000

VAASTU GUIDELINES FOR CONSTRUCTION STEP BY STEP - Vaastu Shastra lays down guidelines for the Construction of a House, right from the rituals to be done before the start of construction, the preparation for the construction to the actual step-by-step construction of the House. These Vaastu guidelines have been explained here:

VAASTU GUIDELINES BEFORE START OF CONSTRUCTION:

VAASTU GUIDELINES | STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSE :

Vaastu Shastra can be applied to buildings other than houses. The Vaastu guidelines for Apartments have been explained here:

VAASTU GUIDELINES | OTHER BUILDINGS

VAASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES FOR APARTMENTS

noreply@blogger.com (Minu CP) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 04:38:00 +0000

VAASTU SHASTRA | OTHER BUILDINGS -

Vaastu Shastra can be applied to other types of buildings such as apartments, hospitals, schools, office buildings, factories. The guidelines are very similar to those for houses. But a few differences are there and they have been explained here.

VAASTU SHASTRA | APARTMENT SITE

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

FLOORING

BUILDING MATERIALS

CEMENT:

Usage of Cement in Buildings:

Features of good quality cement:

Selecting the right cement for your house:

The right way of using cement in construction:

SAND:

Usage of sand in house construction:

Ideal Sand for house construction:

Features of good quality sand:

Selecting the right sand for house construction:

MANUFACTURED SAND:

Advantages of manufactured sand:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); AGGREGATES (STONE CHIPS)

Usage of aggregates in concrete:

Features of good quality aggregates:

Selecting the right aggregates for house construction:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); REINFORCING STEEL:

Usage of reinforcing steel in concrete:

Features of good quality steel:

Selecting the right steel for your house construction:

WATER:

Tips in using water:

Usage of Bricks in house construction:

Features of good bricks for construction:

Categories of bricks used in house construction:

Features of 1st Class Bricks:

Features of 2nd Class Bricks:

Features of 3rd Class Bricks:

Features of Jhama/Overburnt Bricks:

Selecting bricks for house construction:

BUILDING THE STAIRCASE

PLANNING A STAIRCASE:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); SHAPE OF THE STAIRCASE:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); DESIGNING A STAIRCASE:

CONSTRUCTION OF STAIRCASE:

DIGGING THE FOUNDATION

MARKING THE EXCAVATION:

DECIDING THE EXCAVATION DEPTH:

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION:

CURING OF FOUNDATION:

VASTU SHASTRA PRINCIPLES FOR EXCAVATION AND FOUNDATION:

FRAME STRUCTURE vs LOAD BEARING MASONRY WALLS

BUILDING THE SUMP

LOCATION OF THE SUMP:

VASTU GUIDELINES FOR LOCATION OF SUMP:

DECIDING THE CAPACITY OF THE SUMP:

DECIDING THE SUMP SIZE:

CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL FOR THE SUMP:

TEMPORARY SHED AND POWER

BEST POSITION FOR A TEMPORARY SHED:

VASTU GUIDELINES FOR THE STORAGE SHED:

TAKING TEMPORARY POWER:

DIGGING A BOREWELL

SOURCES OF WATER IN A HOUSE:

GROUND WORK BEFORE DIGGING BOREWELL:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); GETTING QUOTES FROM VENDORS FOR DIGGING THE BOREWELL:

GET A WATER DIVINER TO VISIT YOUR SITE:

COMPARE THE QUOTATIONS FOR DIGGING THE BOREWELL:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); GETTING PERMISSION TO DIG A BOREWELL:

PAYMENT TO BWSSB:

DIGGING THE BOREWELL:

VASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES FOR THE WELL OR BOREWELL:

VAASTU GUIDELINES FOR POSITION OF A WELL/ BOREWELL/WATER SOURCE:

RITUALS TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE START OF CONSTRUCTION

RITUALS TO BE DONE JUST BEFORE CONSTRUCTION:

THE BHOOMI (VASTU) POOJA:

PREPARATION BEFORE THE BHOOMI POOJA:

PERFORMING THE BHOOMI POOJA:

2) BALIDAANA (Offertory ritual):

3) HALA-KARSHANA (Levelling of site) :

4) ANKURAA-ROOPANA (Sowing of seed):

5) SHILAANYAASA (Foundation laying):

CHOOSING A CONTRACTOR

DEFINITION OF A CONTRACTOR:

SUMMARY OF A CONTRACTOR'S WORK:

WORK DEMANDS OF A CONTRACTOR:

PERSONALITY TRAITS OF A GOOD BUILDING CONTRACTOR -

AGGREGATES (STONE CHIPS)

REINFORCING STEEL:

SHAPE OF THE STAIRCASE:

DESIGNING A STAIRCASE:

GETTING QUOTES FROM VENDORS FOR DIGGING THE BOREWELL:

GETTING PERMISSION TO DIG A BOREWELL: