It is every one’s dream to have a house of his liking. But it
needs proper planning from the initial stage itself.
The residential accommodation can be of various types, viz.
Independent buildings, Row housing, Multi-storied apartments (medium rise 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 installation of solar water heaters and solar cookers as
part of energy conservation, use of energy efficient construction materials,
easy maintainability, aesthetics, 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, Floor
Area Ratio/Floor Space Index (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, effective carpeting, etc. The
exterior should include the right type of plants, trees and lawns.
Some of the factors mentioned below are with reference to multi-storied
buildings, apartments and clusters of inter-connected 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 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) marked materials and fittings
and fixtures, use of fire-resistant and eco-friendly materials, provision of
standby power supply for elevators and water pump sets, staircase and corridor
lighting, fire detection and alarm system, proper storage of garbage, parapet
walls/barricades in terrace area and 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 of
tanks, fumigation/extermination/pest control, checking of electrical
installation including and recalibration of safe trip mechanism and burglar
alarm system, checking plumbing system 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 multi-storied 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.
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