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 (Mediumrise or high rise), Villas etc.
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 Vastu
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.
Some of the factors mentioned below are with referenceto 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, and, staircase and corridor lighting. Fire
detection and alarm system; proper storage of garbage; parapet walls/barricades
in terrace area; emergency first aid facility.
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 oftanks; fumigation/ extermination/pest control; checking of
electrical installation including earthing and recalibration of safetrip
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.
• Have the building plan approved by the statutory andadhere to the Regulations.
• Entrust the design to a competent designer.
• Get the work executed by a suitable person withproper licence.
• 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.
• 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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