Staircases

Staircases are no more in the unnoticed corner of a house ,they are now taking centre stage in the house. They have became show pieces and add  luxury to home. So staircase designing needs more attention.

There are different types of staircases. According our taste and the available space and budget we may select any among this.

Straight – The most popular and common type is the straight staircase. It could be a straight line from top to bottom, else and L shaped staircase .It goes straight up and them turns left or right. The other makes a T shape,goes up and turns right and left from the landing.

Spiral – Spiral staircases are perfect for small spaces. There is a central pole with stairs around it

Circular – This type is also good for small spaces.They curve around a continuous radious

Elliptical –this type of  staircase follows along the side of a curved wall. The elliptical staircase is narrower at the bottom and at the top and wider in the middle.

Single –Open user- It is straight and open underneath. One side is attached to the wall.

Freestanding- This means that you can walk beneath them. All staircases can be freestanding. It depends on the structure. Every spiral staircase is freestandingThey do not attach to a wall, allow you to completely pass underneath.Only the top ans bottom steps are attached.

The material that we use for the staircases area also important in deciding the look of it. You can make  concrete,wooden,stone,brick,glass or even metal staircase. Wooden staircases give a traditional look. Usually in Kerala the stair floors are of the same material that we use for the flooring , stair posts and hand rails are wooden. Using glass between stair posts have become a recent trend and entire stair can also be done in glass with etched glass painting between posts.

While thinking of a staircase you should not only think about the beauty of it but also the space utilization. You may make storage cabinets, bookshelf, showcase, workspace, garden, parking or even rooms under the stairs. Vasthu instructs to have rising stair steps going up in North South direction or West East direction in a clockwise direction

Building your Dream Home

Everybody will have a dream home at their dream spot. There is a lot of homework to do to make that a reality. Here are certain things that could help purchasing the plot and constructing your dream home.

1.Make a budget:

  If you’ve already begun thinking about building a house, you should have a clear idea as to how much you can afford to spend for the plot as well as the home. Enquire from the bank and other financial institutions that how much of loan you are eligible for and how much you should take while keeping the harmony in your day to day life.You will be required to furnish details of your income, and the estimated cost of construction. Each financial institution has its own set of rules and documents to be submitted to be eligible for a home loan.

The cost of building a home can quickly add up if you’re not careful, thus the importance of a budget.  Be reasonable with what you can expect to spend, but stick to your budget when it comes to adding luxury.

2.Selection of plot:

    If you are planning to purchase a plot for building your home there are so many things to be taken care of.

a.     Geographical specialties of the plot like the soil nature, level of land, dimensions of the plot, availability of water etc.

b.    Statutory clearances and other building rules compatibility to construct a home there.

c.     Convenience to the locations like hospital, school, church, public transportation etc.

d.    Vasthu considerations, if any

3.Legal Verification and Documentation You have to make sure that the land you are buying is genuine and have enough documentations to prove it. You also have to verify local administration authorities whether any objections in constructing a house in that land is prevailing.

4.Hire professionals

Take the time to hire people you know and trust. The best way to find the best suited contractor for your residence is reference.in a yea. .Also set up an account with the building material suppliers in your area.

5: Preparation of Basic plan of your Building
Building a home is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Preparing plan is the most important part in the construction of your dream house. A real good plan can make your house real good with most appropriate design, effective space utilization, substantial savings in cost and good appearance.

 You should have clear ideas as to what exactly you want. When you begun thinking about building a house, there’s a good chance that you have a list of things you absolutely can’t live without in your future home. You should make your own plan for your dream home including these things. Visualize you dream home, put it on a paper. Walk through it whenever you get time, Change it whenever you can see an improvement. Always get your final plan prepared by an expert experienced Architect.

6: Preparation of engineering estimate for your Construction
 There is no common square feet cost for a building. Each building is different in material inputs, work involved, specifications, choices of owner and many other factors. You need an engineering estimate giving detailed costing for each part of the work involved quantified in engineering terms. A proper picture of the expected cost of construction along with various options to control costs should be ready before you start construction. Make sure the cost will come near to your expected budget.

7:Foundations

Once you have assessed the site for the ground quality, you will need to think about the type of foundations you are going to have. Take a look at the local area to decide which type of foundation is most acceptable to you and then check with different  suppliers to see what's available and at what cost.

8. Proper selection of Wooden or other types of joineries
 Wood used for your Doors /Windows are a part of your basic structure. Care should be taken with professional assistance to select good quality wood or other type of joinery. Select the type of wood depends on its durability and your budget.

9: Structural Design of the Building
 Steel reinforcements and concreted parts of your building are extremely vital for the stability of your building. Never leave it to a nonprofessional labor contractor to do as he pleases. It can be real harmful to your building and its long term stability. Get the design done by a qualified Structural Consultant and ensure that your builder follows it correctly. Roof tiles play an important role in the visual elevation of your home.

10: Proper selection of material used for Construction
 Do not go by the advice of material suppliers or traders on quality of material to be used for Construction. Get professional guidance.

11: Electrical and Plumbing works An Architect can guide you on Electrical and Plumbing lay out for the building along with material to be used and proper installation of electrical and plumbing, fittings and equipments. Even while selecting fittings you need professional advice to choose the best within your budget among various options available.

12: Painting
 Painting is an important part of Construction. It can change the appearance and inner good feelings as well as outer appearance of a building to great extent. Color consultants are now available to guide you on color selection. Your architect can guide you effectively in this.

13: Flooring We now have several options for appropriate flooring for your building. Depending upon your budget the best option for you can be selected with the assistance of a professional. Proper laying of the Flooring material is also equally important to obtain the best results

14: Interior design and Interior work
 A Proper Interior design can make lot of difference to utility, appearance and even the moods and comforts of the inhabitants of the building. Get a professional Interior design and go for traditional hand carved interior wooden work if you can afford it.

An important paort of your interior design is lighting. A well thought-out lighting plan can be the perfect finishing touch for any interior, including wall lighting, ceiling lighting, accent lighting and down lighters.

15: Compound wall, gate and other outside works Compound wall need not be just a compound wall. It can be a designer compound wall adding value and beauty to your house. Even the gate, gate pillars can add value to your house if properly designed and done. Car porch Floor and drive way can be done with designer tiles.

16: Landscaping Landscaping deal with designing your outer space around the house in the most appropriate manner giving utility and appearance adding value to your house

17: Other services

You have to keep the services of an Electrician and Plumber on call basis to meet any emergency requirement. It is preferable to have the same professional agency who have done your building as they alone will know details of the connections

Nalukettu

The Nalukettu is the traditional style of architecture of Kerala(India).   The traditional architecture is typically a rectangular structure where four halls are joined together with a central court yard open to the sky.

Traditionaly,while arranging the rooms inside a Nalukettu, the kitchen should come only in the northern or eastern side. Bedrooms are better located in the southern and western blocks. The centre line in both directions must pass freely with out any obstruction. The central veranda as well as the `Poomukham' outside can be made more attractive by giving small architectural pillars and trellis.


A Traditional nalukettu Floor Plan



In the case of new generation Nalukettus as against in the traditional type, the roof structure is made of concrete and finishing is done using  tiles. This reduces the usage of wood and will improve the building's security.The tiles laid over the roof will reduce leakage and control the temperature inside during summer season. Also instrad of the open roof ,now the nadumuttam(courtyard) is cosed with a high quality glass for the secutiry reasons.

One can experience nature from within the house.The temperature and humidity control is  very effective in this style,offering a healthier environment.The natural light utilisation in this type of building is also much better than in the other types
The main disadvantage of this architecture is privacy, as each and every room is visible to anyone in the courtyard.The area of land required for constructing a Nalukettu is much higher than in the ordinary type of building. You need minimun 10 cents (4350 sqft) to construct a nalukettu.The construction cost of these types of building will also be slightly on the higher side.


               Its a better idea to create nalukettu homes when you want to go traditional , you would like  much light and wind circulation in all over your rooms, when you are not a big fan of  cost cutting.