How to build your dream house

  Part 2 

 Purchasing plot, preparing design and entrusting a contractor

If you do not own a plot of land where you can construct your dream home, you will have to buy a plot of land for this purpose. This is the first task which every person will have to face before fulfilling his dream of owning a house if he does not own a plot.

Before purchasing the land you have to ascertain whether the land is recently filled up one or not. It is always better to buy a plot of land which does not contain any filled up portions because such a land will always cost you too much for constructing the foundation of the building as concrete piling will be necessary in  such cases. Special care should be taken when you buy land in Kochi because most of the lands now available for sale is filled up lands which were marshy in the recent past.

Another aspect which is very important is road access to the land. If the plot is having  at least 8 to 10 feet  wide road access it will be very easy to transport building materials. Otherwise a good sum of money would have to be spent for this purpose.

Another aspect to consider is the shape of the plot. It is always advisable to buy a plot with grater frontage as it will facilitate the architect to design a good  plan with better arrangement of rooms and an aesthetically appealing elevation. In Kerala the area of land is usually mentioned in cents and one cent is equal to 435 sq feet of area.  For small house a plot with around 10 meter frontage will be better and for bigger houses it can go beyond 25 meters also.  For smaller plots a width of 10 meters will be enough where as for bigger plots a width of 20 meter or above is preferred.   It is advisable that the plot with lesser frontage and more depth may not be purchased as this will be a hindrance to the architect to apply your ideas to the fullest extent without losing the charm of the building and convenience of the inhabitants.

When you are buying a plot, a rough knowledge of the building rules prevalent in that area will be beneficial.  Generally you will have to leave 3 meters from the front road and 1 to 1.3 meters form the sides. If there is a passage on any side which ends in a dead end you will have to leave 2 meters on such sides. If you are planning a two storied building, you will have to leave 2 meters on back side also.

Another important aspect which has to be taken care of is to check whether the plot you are going to buy is included in any scheme of acquisition. If you do not check this and confirm,  after buying the plot you will be in trouble. You will not get a building permit and nobody will buy the  plot if you decide to sell it.

Applciability of Vasthu Sasthra

Vasthu Sasthra is an ancient sasthra based on which construction of houses, buildings etc. were controlled in the olden times. Even now it had great influence in the minds of the common people. So it is always better that when you build a house try to abide by the guiding principles of Vasthu Sasthra  as far as possible. Some important aspects of Vasthu Sasthra are detailed below. As per Vasthu Sasthra a plot with a road on the side of the plot is the best one for constructing a house. The sides where road is preferred is listed below in the order of preference.

1.  East

3. North 

3. West

4. South

Vasthu Sasthra also prescribes ideal positions for rooms for house facing in each of the above directions. Even if the house is facing southwards, there will be no problem if you follow the  guidelines provided for  the position of each type of rooms in the Vasthu Sasthra.  As  per Vasthu Sasthra a plot with a side road coming to a dead end is not advisable. Persons living in such huses will be subject to all sorts of miseries. Many other  Vasthu aspects also has to be considered before buying a plot of land. So it is better that you consult a Vasthu expert before purchasing a plot of land for house construction.

Legal aspects

Legal validity of the documents relating to the land you are going to buy is an important aspect which has to be verified by an advocate who is familiar with such matters.  The owner of the land has to give the following documents in original for verification.

1. Original deed

2. Original deed pertaining to the previous transaction if the plot came to the possession of the present 

    owner through a partition deed. 

3. Current land tax receipt issued to the seller by the concerned village officer

4. Ownership and possession certificate issued to the seller by the village officer.

5. Location certificate of the plot issued by the village officer in the name of the seller.

6. Encumbrance certificate for the last 15 years issued by the concerned Sub Treasury Officer.

For this purpose you will have to get the service of a good document writer.

It is always better that you avail the service  of a professional agency like us which will not cost you much and which will help you very  much to face the difficult  and unfamiliar situation without much anxiety and losses.

For further details you can call me in my mobile number 9605933311