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It
is everyone’s dream to build a house within
our budget in our lifetime. Usually very few house
owners consult an architect before buying a site.
A feeling of urgency is always created and a feeling
of losing a great opportunity if that particular
site is not bought looms large and the decision
will be normally quick. It is always better to
take time in decision-making than to buy in haste
and repent later. Hire the services of an architect.
It is worth investing on a professional.
The process of constructing a house, after a suitable
site has been found involves four main aspects:
conceptualization of design, planning the work,
giving the contract, and the construction of the
building.
Conceptualisation is the most important part in
the process of constructing a house. Architects
abroad spend more time for the design and planning
of a residence than what is required for construction.
Arriving at a theme of design involves prolonged
interaction with an architect or a professional.
The requirements, lifestyles, aspirations, concerns
and resources are expressed to the designer with
which a relevant concept of design is evolved.
Meetings with the client would enable the architect
evolve an appropriate concept of design. Once
the concept is accepted, the final drawings are
made. From them, the plan for approval, estimation
and bill of quantities are prepared.
The second aspect is the planning of the construction
in terms of the economic factors as well as scheduling
of the time. This involves budgeting of the construction
according to a fixed budget or providing necessary
money to build the visualisation of the architect.
The money involved must synchronize with the schedule
of the construction. The construction time table
must also provide the time necessary to ensure
good quality of construction.
The third aspect of tendering the work involves
identifying the right agency to construct the
residence depending on the skill and the experience
required for the nature of the construction and
seeking a quotation for the work according to
the drawings and specifications. Since building
a house is a huge investment, it is quite natural
for the owner to look for the most reasonable
offer. The offers are negotiated and the contract
awarded to a deserving contractor.
Construction is the last phase of the process.
All resources, building materials and money are
to be kept ready. The architect and the house
owner should spend enough time to make sure that
the design as visualized is getting built. Supervision
of the work is recommended to make sure that the
progress of the work is satisfactory.
Requirements:-
A house is made of various parts such as the living
room, dining hall, kitchen, bedrooms and toilet.
The essential parts needed for one family is different
from another depending on the size of the family,
the frequency of guests, frequency of social occasions,
etc. determines the size of the house. A concept
is evolved and the areas in the house are interestingly
sequenced keeping in mind the efficiency and privacy
the clients demand.
Lifestyle of the family plays a major role in
design. The conservative families may need privacy
for certain areas which are probably not insisted
by the liberal ones. Hence the sequence of rooms
is determined by the areas where the outsider
is allowed and areas which are private.
The location of the site, its shape, natural features
and surroundings influence design. A corner site
will have the luxury of uninterrupted ventilation
and view on two sides where as a site in between
two will have view on one side only. The shape
of the site determines the form of the building
which will optimise the use of the land.
Budget:-
Many a times cost-saving techniques lead to unique
character of design. The will to restrict the
use of costly elements of a house, replacing them
with inexpensive and sometimes completely radical
solutions, drives the design concept. On the other
hand, the freedom of a big budget encourages a
designer to use appropriate material and technology
to get the desired outcome.
Social concerns like the use of eco-friendly materials
in construction and limited use of cement and
wood will lead to designing a residence without
conventional materials. Locally available materials,
skills and technology influence design. With the
material available in abundance, its nature known,
it is easier to design and accomplish good quality
of work in the shortest time.
Civil works:-
The cost of civil work involves amount spend on
the basic structure of construction like the foundation,
RCC columns, walls (bricks, stone, clay blocks,
etc.), lintels, sunshades, beams, roof, plaster,
weather-proof, etc.
The nature of the soil decides the structural
design of the building. Accordingly decide between
RCC framed structure and load bearing structure.
An RCC structure is used because of the complexity
of architectural design. Once the structure is
determined, the cost can easily be calculated.
Climate factor:-
Climate of the place also influence the design.
The houses in the costal areas demand continuous
draft of air without which one perspires. This
becomes a primary consideration of design. The
designer's preferences and allegiance to an established
philosophy of architecture also influence the
planning.
The plan of a house is normally finalized by the
client, after a couple of interactions with the
architect and two or three revisions in the design.
Once the plan is accepted, the client would want
to know how the exterior view of the house looks.
An attractive composition of the elevation is
prepared conforming to the concept of design.
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