ARCHITECT'S IDEAS & ADVICE ON A TO Z OF HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA

MY SITE - ARCHITECTS IDEAS & ADVICE ON HOSE CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA
In India, most of the immigrants into cities are buying apartments nowadays, because of the exorbitant cost of land and the headaches involved in getting it registered under their name. People find it easier to buy an apartment from well known builders since the land registration problems are already taken care of. However given a choice, most people in India, will still prefer to construct their own independent house as an independent house gives them the feeling of independence as they do not have to share common areas, there is space all around for gardening or any other activities, they can have it built expressly as per their requirements and to their liking and with their choice of materials and finishing and they also have the option to add floors or increase the area of the building as the need arises.

In my experience, I have noticed that most people in India are quite knowledgeable about the construction of a house, because they have access to a lot of information on building construction thanks to the frequent exhibitions on building products and also because of the discussions they have with people who have already constructed and with Contractors. But unfortunately, they don’t know how to use this information effectively, because they shy away from consulting an Architect, because they prefer giving the job of ‘constructing their dream home’ to one agency, the person who ‘actually’ constructs the house – that is the Contractor and thus they can also avoid paying extra fees to the Architect. Even if they engage an Architect, they hesitate to clear all their doubts as some Architects appear to be unapproachable.

It is for these reasons that I, an Architect practising in India for the past 15 years have started this site, ‘ARCHITECT’S IDEAS & ADVICE’. It is intended as a guide for all of you who are planning to construct, or who have already begun construction of your house (in India). I want to share with you some invaluable tips, ideas and advice from the experience that I have acquired. I hope to clear all your doubts and misconceptions and make the process of construction interesting, smooth, hassle free and enjoyable. We construct only once (generally) and that period is the culmination of all our dreams and aspirations. If it is a trouble free time it will be remembered as one of the most memorable events of our life. So go out and enjoy the construction of your house and don’t worry about problems as this site can be your reference guide along with the services of your Architect and Contractor.

Also I would like to hear from you as your feedback is important to me in my profession.

Through this site, I hope to touch all aspects of the discipline called Architecture, in a simple and uncomplicated manner. I shall systematically address all topics related to House Construction under broad categories listed from A to Z as:

ARCHITECTURE
INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL ORGANISATIONS IN INDIA
INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL ORGANISATIONS
ARCHITECTURE COURSE IN INDIA
ARCHITECTURAL COLLEGES IN INDIA
ARCHITECTURAL DICTIONARY
ARCHITECTURAL DIRECTORY
ARCHITECTURAL EVENTS
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
GREAT ARCHITECTURAL WORKS-OLD
GREAT ARCHITECTURAL WORKS-CONTEMPORARY

ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECT- NATURE & SCOPE OF WORK

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
House Construction
Planning the Building Construction

CONTRACTORS & BUILDERS

BUILDING CONTRACTOR- NATURE OF WORK
BUILDING CONTRACT -DEFINITION
TYPES OF BUILDING CONTRACT

LIST OF CIVIL CONTRACTORS

COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURE
ABOUT THE COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURE
CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURE
COA - STANDARDS OF ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION
COA-STANDARDS OF ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION M.ARCH
COA - REGISTRATION OF ARCHITECTS

DESIGN IDEAS
Drawings in Design
Building Design Considerations
Design of a Living Room
Design of a Dining Room
Design of a Bathroom
Design of a Bedroom
Design of a Kitchen

ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS
Electrical Engineers & Consultants
Structural Engineers & Consultants
Plumbing & Sanitary Consultants
H.V.A.C. Consultants

FENG SHUI
Popularity of Feng Shui
Principles of Feng Shui

FURNITURE
Home Furniture
Office Furniture
Antique Furniture

GREEN BUILDINGS
Feature on Green Buildings
Future is Green
Building Green Homes

HOUSES – DIFFERENT STYLES
Modern Style
Kerala Style

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Home Interiors
Office Interiors

INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Interior Designer’s Qualifications
Registration of Interior Designers
List of Interior Designers in India
Interior Designer’s Scope of Work
Interior Designer’s Services
Interior Designer’s Scale of Charges
Interior Designer’s Conditions of Engagement
Interior Designer’s Responsibilities

JOINERY
Joinery Details
Different Styles of Doors
Different styles of Windows

KITCHENS
Kitchen Design Considerations
Kitchen Styles
Compact Kitchens
Maximizing Space in Kitchen

LANDSCAPE
Design Principles in Landscape
Elements of Landscape Architecture
Design Process in Landscape Architecture
Styles in Landscape Architecture

MATERIALS & PRODUCTS
List of Building Materials in India with Architect’s rating
List of Building Products in India with Architect’s rating
Specialty Products

NEW PRODUCTS
Latest building Products
What’s new in Building Products

OFFICES
Office Planning Considerations
Office Design Guidelines
Office Types
Maximizing Space in Offices

PLANS
Planning Considerations
Basics of Plans

QUAKE PROOF
Principles of Quake Proof Construction
Quake Proof Constructions

RENOVATION
Advantages & Disadvantages of Renovating
Renovations of Houses
Renovations of Offices

STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION
House construction
Stages in House Construction
Soil test
Foundation
Column & Beam Structure
Cement Blocks versus Bricks
Electrical Wiring
Air Conditioning
Roof
Sanitary
Plumbing
Windows & Doors
Flooring
Finishing

TECHNICAL POINTS
Technical Information on Buildings
New Technical Ideas

TIPS
Design Tips
Tips on House Construction
Tips on Interiors
Tips on Interior Decoration

VASTU SHASTRA
Essential Principles of Vastu Shastra
Scientific explanation of Vastu principles

WATER CONSERVATION
Water Management
Waste Water Rehabilitation
Desalination – Water for all?

XTRA INFORMATION
On any Topic that cannot be put in any of the above categories

YELLOW PAGES

ZILLION IDEAS
All the Ideas on House planning that I can think of.

This Site has just been started and is still in the process of Construction. I know it can be very frustrating for you to browse through an incomplete site. Kindly bear with me as it will take me some time to put up all the information that you are looking for. Sorry for the Inconvenience.