BOOK BUILDING
Building safety plans
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Just as bees assemble their hives and spiders weave their webs, why doesn't man always construct his abode but readily goes in to book a flat?
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BIRDS build their nests, rats burrow their holes, bees assemble their hives, and spiders weave their webs. But we generally shy away from constructing our own abode. Instead, we choose the safe route of booking a flat, paying the money, counting months or years, and then eagerly snatch the key that the builder would at last give us. No different from ordering a dish in a restaurant, or even picking one off the tray in a fast-food joint, if one were to cut all waiting by looking at ad space for `ready for occupation' places. Perhaps we are afraid of our structures falling on our heads if we put our hands to work. What you need are certain precautions, assures C.H.Gopinatha Rao, in his book, Build Your House Yourself.
To clarify at the start, we are talking about building a house, not a flat, so land is a must. "Ensure that the house plot is not under any acquisition proceedings of any government or statutory bodies," is among the first tips that Rao would give. In view of the new securitisation law this becomes all the more crucial, so cover the ground well when it comes to land. It should not happen that you sink money in a building only to find years later that the land is not yours, and normally you can't shift the building to another place.
Plan comes next, but do it "within the affordable limits". If funds are a crunch, get a `master plan' approved and construct in stages; "this will avoid demolition of buildings at later stages, when extension is done."
Rao is down to earth throughout the book. Here is a sampler, when he talks about building rooms `at different levels': "Although, it may appear dramatic, in practical life, people will find it difficult to climb up and down frequently. During power failure, the situation will be still worse. Hence the house should be built up on a single level only."
The small book has chapters that lead readers stage by stage, that can almost entice one to walk the `do-it-yourself' route too. "If there are signs of white ants, the entire area proposed to be occupied by the building together with an extra width of 3 metres shall be excavated to a depth of 15 cm and soaked with water." Construction needs water, remember.
Another book from the same author is "Rate Analysis and Testing of Materials for Buildings". It has building terminology right at the start, wherefrom you can know that chajja is `a sloping overhand usually provided over openings on external walls to provide protection from sun and rain,' that `even and fair' is not an odd audit opinion but a phrase referring to `finishing of the final plastered surface', and that `stretcher' is not for carrying patients but `a brick laid with its length in the direction of wall.'
Reverting to your house project, a different chapter is on materials. Did you know, for instance, that cement loses its strength over time. "Purchase cement from reliable dealer who supplies fresh stock." Also, don't buy in bulk and store for long time, unless you plan to use hardened cement as items of display in your garden. Rao provides inputs on water supply, sanitation, electrical installations, pumps, and crack-prevention. Those who have some grooming in costing would appreciate the `bills of quantities' and `out-turn per day for skilled labour'.
For the law-minded, there is a format of agreement for drawing up with contractor. Scores of sketches, from the house plan to kitchen shelf, add value to the book. So, what's your plan for the vacation?
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bookbuilding@thehindu.co.in
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Property Plus — Chennai
