Queries for free consultation on Kerala House construction, Kerala Architecture may be sent to
and not by posting in blogs as your reply will be delayed quite long
Building Construction
Query-1
I constructed a structure of home with ground floor 1291 sft excluding car porch and ground floor with 802 sft area 1st floor was initially was 728.car porch and added 94 sft more in the 1st floor. Car porch up to sunshade only concrete roof and above that trussed roof with clay tile. Trussed roof is doing by another contractor. Whether I have to pay for car porch as the same rate of house structure per sft (the house contractor had not concreted the roof done only up to sunshade)
Anish
My reply
So called "square feet rate" of construction has no scientific basis or any rational credibility as house construction cost do not depend on square feet area only. At best it is only one of the factors contributing to cost. With the same square feet plinth area any one can build houses or buildings costing different depending upon design, engineering, materials and quality of construction
Most of the people including you think that there is a specific square feet cost applicable for any type of construction anywhere. It is wrong
As people like you will give construction contract only if a particular square feet cost is quoted, nonprofessional contractor to get work sometimes quote a lower cost and then try hard to get profit by compromising on engineering and quality of construction. I will not blame him as you forced him to quote a lowest "square feet cost" to give contract
To extract more money from customers almost all contractors also cheat on plinth area of construction. Your contractor has only done that
If you want correct square feet area of your building, we can visit your site take measurements, prepare plan of building using Computer aided design (Auto CAD) which will give correct square feet area
Are you interested?
Query-2
I am Nair from Delhi. I am settled here for last 35 years or so. Now that I will be retiring within a year or so, thought of having another house in my place. I belong to Muvattupuzha. While searching the nuances involved in house building, I came across with your answers to the queries of general public.
You are perfectly right when you said people ask square feet rate for construction. It is a very common understanding of people to calculate the cost. May be the person thinking of constructing on a turnkey basis. Just give a plan, calculate the cost as per sft, enter into an agreement, start construction, that's it.
If I say I am thinking of a 4-Bedroom house, two each in GF and FF with other normal hall, attached toilet, kitchen etc. with a covered area of 1700 -1800 sft, I need some basis to calculate the approximate cost involved. For a just normal house with these ideas in a normal plot of land of 25 cents, I should know how much money is involved and how much I should arrange to complete the building. To get a rough idea, people rely on sft cost. May be I am wrong. I would like to know the costing part of a house. I would like to meet you also in person also soon.
My reply
Cost of construction cannot be estimated without site study, preparation of plan and Elevation.
Cost estimation is done using Engineering estimate method by calculating quantity of material and labour expected for each item of construction
Even this estimate can go wrong as cost of all inputs keep rising every day and house construction normally take about an year or more depending upon size of building and time required for proper quality construction which cannot and should not be rushed through
In your case a four bed two floor house with moderate size rooms and living spaces may have a plinth area not less than 2500 sft and it may cost above Rs.50 lakhs (Simply guess basis. Do not ask me what all is included and not included. As the construction cost in Kerala keep rising every day, it is better to build your house yesterday and not tomorrow. Even if you do not have sufficient funds towards expected cost, do not postpone house construction as your dream house will remain dream forever if you do so. Taking housing loan is always better as you get long term for repayment and real value of your repayment will be financially negligible after so many years
Take professional guidance from beginning to end of construction. It will save your money and will get you better house at lower cost
Query-3
We wish to construct a small house (800 sf) in a 4.5cent plot at Palakkad. But a difference of opinion among family members cropped up stating that a G+1 house will be more convenient keeping the total area as 800 sf itself. Your advice is solicited. If so, what should be the area of each floor?
Manu
My reply
Are you a professionally qualified person to design your house?
It is better to leave design and engineering parts of building your house to someone with right qualifications and experience
In a 4.5 cent plot, normally it should be possible to have a two bed house in single floor. Plinth area of the house will be known only after drawing the plan of house and not before
If you are interested in having our services in designing your house, please get back to me
Query-4
I am Reena residing in Trivandrum
We are planning to construct our dream home
The contractor agreed to do it for Rs 1600 per square feet which includes flooring and painting
Is this a reasonable rate?
If no please let me know the current trend
My reply
Kerala: How to plan building your house
What I have observed is that those who plan to construct a house in Kerala start making enquiries about “square feet cost of construction” to those whom they meet in their daily life. Based on feedback he receives he fix up square feet area of the house without compromising on his requirements. It seems he think his requirements of house can be met with square feet plinth area he fixed .Then he start looking for a contractor who offers lowest “square feet cost”
What about plan of the house? He will draw one as per his ideas and will show it to the contractor. “I want plan of my house like this” Contractor nods his head and give it to someone who can draw a plan and who will not charge much as house owner will not pay for the plan
What about Elevation? Contractor will tell owner of house that he will get him a good elevation. If he is not convinced with that promise, He will tell him to contact an Architect with the plan of the house. Common thinking is that Architect is only for giving a better Elevation for your plan of the house.
What happens to ‘square feet rate”? As building work progresses, owner will get hundreds of free suggestions and advises from relatives, friends and any one he come across in his daily life. Naturally he will ask the contractor for such changes and contractor with a smile will ask for extra charges. As the work progresses, he will learn and understand more about house construction and will start noticing defects in plan of house and everything which he has not noticed earlier. Finally he will be struggling with his funds to finish the work and contractor will go on demanding extras. When the construction finally completes, both owner and contractor might have forgotten original quoted “square feet rate”
Is this the way your major investment in life using major portion of your savings in life will have to be done?
Definitely, NO. Taking assistance of professionals with knowledge and experience is not going to cost more as contractors go on telling you to save their business and get them more profit. Professional assistance will get you better facilities in house at lesser cost.
To start with, discuss with your family members what they hope to have in their future house. Make up a wish list and meet a professional and discuss with him about your plan to build a house.Be frank with him about how much money you can mobilise with own sources and through bank finance.
You cannot draw plan of the house. It requires not only professional training but also wealth of experience in designing and building houses. In any case you will have to spend several lakhs in building your house. Why should you be reluctant to spend few thousands to get professional design for your house which will get you better facilities and can save you lakhs in construction cost?
A good Architectural plan, proper structural engineering for the building parts, right materials, construction work under close professional supervision all these are essential to save your money and to get you a better house. Do not leave everything to a nonprofessional contractor
Query-5
Rajeev Nair has left a new comment on your post "Free Consultation,19/7/12,second":
I am having a budget of 1300000 with me to build a house. Please let me know if it is possible to construct a house in a Nalukettu style, in 4 cents of land.
My reply
In 4 cents land, you can at best construct a two bed room house with moderate size rooms provided your plot has a frontage of at least 10M.You cannot build a Nalukettu style house.Rs.13 lakhs is too low a budget to build that sort of a house unless you are willing to compromise on construction as per advice and close monitoring of an experienced building professional
Query-6
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Building Permit":
I have 65 cents in Trivandrum Corporation. Do I need permission from any authority and if so which one, to divide this into 8 plots. There are different opinions on the matter.
My reply
You have to get sanction for sub division of plot from Regional Town planning authority and sub division to plots can be done only as per relevant rules
Query-7
Sunny Varghese has left a new comment on your post "Kerala: How to plan building your house":
Great article Mr. Thomas. Your blog describes the very clear and crucial information about building a new houses in Kerala. Thanks a lot
My reply
Thank you
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