It is everyone's
dream to have a house to his liking.But it needs proper planning from the
initial stage itself. The residential accommodation can be of the various types
viz.Independent buildings,Row housing,Multistoried apartments (Medium rise
or high rise),Villas etc.
Planning
and Design:
The correct
approach is to bestow attention to details at the planning and design stage.These should take into account proper orientation to have full benefit of
natural daylight; adequate natural ventilation; soil analysis and treatment for
termites; adequate plinth height and slope to allow for satisfactory sewage and
waste water flow from the premises to the municipal mains; provision for rain
water harvesting; provision for installation of solar water heaters and solar
cookers as part of energy conservation; use of energy efficient construction
materials; easy maintainability; economy; aesthetics; facility for extension/modification;facility for old people and physically handicapped persons; environmental
improvement, and, economy.
The buildings should confirm to the statutory regulations with regard to setbacks,
clearances, FAR/FSI etc. In recent times emphasis is laid on Vaastu aspect
also.The interior furnishing should be done with ergonomic aspects in view,
proper selection of colours for wall paint and drapery and effective carpeting.The exterior should include the right type of plants, trees and lawns.
Safety:
Some of the
factors mentioned below are with reference to multistoried buildings,apartments and clusters of interconnected buildings. The buildings and
associated services should keep safety as one of the fundamental
considerations. This includes among other things proper approach; slope;
correct width, tread and rise of staircase steps; elevators of proper rating;
emergency staircase; proper illumination for stairways and corridors; marking
of exit routes in case of fire/other hazards; non-skid flooring for kitchen and
bath areas; use of BIS marked materials and fittings and fixtures; use of
fire-resistant and eco-friendly materials; provision of standby power supply
for elevators and water pumpsets, staircase and corridor lighting. Fire
detection and alarm system; proper storage of garbage; parapet walls/barricades
in terrace area; emergency first aid facility.
Maintenance:
Proper and
timely maintenance is the key to long life, good appearance, comfortable living
and safety. This also assures good market value for the property.The
maintenance of buildings includes periodic window cleaning; repainting of
internal and external surfaces; painting/polishing of doors, windows and
ventilators; lubrication of rolling shutters and other metal doors; floor
polishing; cleaning of pipes and storm water drains; cleaning of tanks;
fumigation/ extermination/pest control; checking of electrical installation
including earthing and recalibration of safe trip mechanism and burglar alarm
system; checking plumbing system for leaks and corrosion; checking for leaks in
walls/roof and taking corrective measures.
The
maintenance should cover not only the internal areas but also the external
surroundings. In the case of multistoried apartments and clusters of buildings
attention should be paid to the common areas; and common utilities like
elevators, water storage tanks (underground and overhead) and pumps, standby
power supply plant, lawns, garbage disposal area, playground, etc. This is
normally taken care of by a committee set up by the association of apartment
owners.
Following
are some suggestions to help have a safe, comfortable and trouble-free dwelling
place.
A Few
Tips:
• Have the building plan approved by the statutory and adhere to the Regulations.
• Entrust
the design to a competent designer.
• Get the
work executed by a suitable person with proper license.
• Draw out
contract specifications clearly to avoid disputes at a later date.
• Inspect the
materials and workmanship periodically during execution to ensure adherence to
specifications.
• Insist on
proper safety precautions to be taken by the persons engaged in the construction and maintenance and repair jobs.
• Do not
allow engagement of child labour in the works.
• Use only
three-pin sockets and plugs of correct rating for use of all appliances.
• Never
allow use of bare wires without pins for taking electrical connections.
• Use only
approved brand fittings for electrical, plumbing and sanitary works.
• Get
weatherproofing done only by reputed specialist agency and get written
warranty.
• Use rubber
mats for work with electrical appliances.
• Proper heights should be considered for mounting of electrical outlets and bolts and fasteners
to avoid access by children.
• Avoid
sharp edges in furniture and preferably have them castor- mounted for easy
shifting.
• Use energy
efficient light fittings and supplement with job lighting where required.
• Make sure
of proper earthing for the entire electrical installation.
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