Looking ‘under the hood’ of a home

One needs to investigate a few things before buying a house. We need to differentiate myths from facts.

While most of us know how to evaluate a car or two-wheeler, many have no idea about evaluating a new house. A house that has good finishes, automatic door locks, fancy switches — but what if I say all these can be retrofitted?

What goes ‘under the hood’ (in car analogy) is important. One needs to investigate a few things before buying a house. We need to differentiate myths from facts.

The first thing on the buyer’s mind is the maximum saleable area within a plot size. More is not always better. Check what is included and excluded within the saleable area. Comparing the saleable area calculation with the built-up area in approval drawings is a straightforward way to ensure only necessary items are accounted for in the saleable area. Leaving some open area for greenery in the site beyond minimum requirements goes a long way in improving the quality of life.

It is common for us to refer to the number of bedrooms in a potential future home, as a benchmark. But how many rooms do we really need? Back in the 1990s, when my parents bought their first apartment, 2BHK was considered respectable. Today, 3BHK is considered the standard, and 4BHK has become a common choice. In the past 20 years, the average family size has reduced, but why has the number of rooms increased? Yes, the standard of living has increased. But shouldn’t that mean larger rooms, than more rooms?

It is important to plan for bedrooms in relation to family size and the evolution of the family. A family may grow larger with children but may grow smaller when children move out. A good rule of thumb is to have N minus 1 number of rooms in a private villa and N minus 2 number of rooms in an apartment, where N is the number of residents.

Adding more rooms within the same built-up area means more space wasted in internal walls, furniture, and layout. It also compounds the inefficiency in electrical layout and maintenance. Every family has unique requirements, but we often overvalue the pride that comes with the number of rooms.

It is a trend to show large sliding windows on the street side façade, and minimal to none on the rear side. On floor plans, one window per bedroom looks sufficient. But adequate cross-ventilation needs a clear channel for air movement — an inlet and an outlet. Ideally, the inlet needs to be smaller while the outlet larger. At the drawing board, at least two windows in each room on different walls, results in significantly improved cross-ventilation, and bright, sun-lit rooms. This reduces the need for air-conditioning and artificial lights during daytime. Architect Murali from Chennai says, “Multi-functional (mosquito screen, flexible adjustments) aluminium windows are preferable these days as they are more durable than UPVC windows. Bay windows in traditional homes provided an opportunity for users to sit by the window and enjoy the views, which is a smart planning strategy that can be used in modern homes.”