AVOID CRACKS IN BUILDINGS

                               AVOID CRACKS IN BUILDINGS

               

                                

Often people complain of cracks on walls after plastering works. Plastering plays an important role in the construction of a building. Just as skin gives shape and texture to the body and protects it from the harmful environment, plaster protects the building from damage caused by salts, acid and rain in the external environment. It also makes the building look beautiful and attractive.

Defect free durable plaster, free from cracks or other defects can be achieved by diligently following the correct construction practices. One of the reasons cited for cracks is lack of proper cement sand ratio. Normally, for outside plaster, the cement-sand ratio can be from 1:4 to 1:5, for internal plaster from 1:5 to 1:6 and for roof plaster from 1:3 to 1:4.

For better results, check that the mason uses a 1:4 rations mortar of cement and fine sand. For coarse sand, the ratio can be changed to 1:6. However 1:4 mixes is preferred for best results. Make sure that the mason has not prepared the mix all together for the whole day. The mix must be prepared only in small quantities so that it is used within an hour. If excess mortar is prepared, it dries up due to evaporation and remixing deteriorates strength and increases porosity.

The risk of crazing cracks may be minimized by the use of relatively weak mix for finishing coat, avoiding excessive proportion of very fine material in the finish coat and avoiding excessive toweling so as to prevent the excess of laitance drawing to the surface. A major precautionary measure to be under- taken prior to plastering is remove loose mortar and grease from joints. All joints in the masonry should be raked out to a depth of a least 12 mm with a hooked tool made for the purpose while the mortar is still green and not later than 48 hours of the time of laying.

Another important task is that the wall should be wetted for a few hours. The walls should not be soaked but only dampened evenly. Plastering on wet walls is seldom satisfactory because key is not formed between the plaster and the background surface. A good key is essential for successful rendering and for avoiding cracking and crazing. In an ideal state the background should be in saturated surface dry condition.

Addition of water should be carefully monitored. Excess water will cause shrinkage as well as low strength of plaster. Waterproof compounds if used should be uniformly dispersed and mixed properly.

When plastering is done in two coats, the first coat should be left rough and open from edge of the laying trowel and after it has been left long enough to set firm, the surface should be combed or scratched to form a key for the second coat. The first coat should be allowed to dry for three to five days before subsequent coats are applied.

Use a chicken wire mesh while plastering joints between the concrete work and brick-work. Plaster should be finished with a wood felt. A steel trowel shall not be used. Ensure continuous curing for 10 to 14 days. You may keep in mind that the need for repairs arises due to negligence, use of unsuitable materials and improper construction practices. Therefore, to save your buildings from cracking adopt proper construction practices.

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AFFORDABLE HOUSES-NEED OF THE DAY

                          AFFORDABLE HOUSES-NEED OF THE DAY

At every conference, every seminar, every meeting, eminent speakers from the Real Estate Industry and Housing Finance Industry have been speaking about the affordable housing. It is a known fact that the demand for residential housing is ever increasing, particularly in the higher and lower income groups. Housing for the poor classes is always an issue, which remains unsolved, since no one is interested in taking up the housing projects for these people. Apart from the affluent class, middle class (higher as well as lower) and poor class, there is one class that is people below poverty line (BPL) which, it seems, has never been addressed. The demand for houses for middle and poor class is said to be quite high, but the property developers seem to be not very much interested in taking up any projects as the profit margin will be comparatively low.

Affordability is a relative term. It varies from people to people, even person to person. There are people who can afford to have house l flat costing Rs.75crore and there are people who cannot purchase a house/flat even costing Rs.5lakh without raising a loan. They cannot pay even the interest on such loans. Now-a-days the loan facilities are available easily and people do try to have their own houses flats by raising loans. Of course, people in the urban areas, particularly in major cities and Metros, put themselves in 'search' mode and try to purchase a dwelling accommodation affordable for them.

The property developers organize, through their associations, periodically exhibitions, property Melas etc. in the major cities for promoting their properties. To attract the NRIs, exhibitions and melas are organized by the propertydevelopers in other countries, especially in the middle east.

As we are talking about affordability, who can afford is a matter that is perhaps decided by the financial institutions who come forward to offer loans. The affordability is determined on the basis of monthly income of the person, the job security of the applicant, collateral securities available, number of years the applicant will be in service before retirement, etc. Accordingly, the financial institutions work out the amount that the applicant can afford to pay monthly and the period for repayment of loan and interest here on.

The developers take up the housing projects in various parts of the city. The projects are generally designed to suit various classes of people. The higher class people have no problem of affordability. Number of developed flats/houses/sites will be available in the property market at the prices which may suit them. In most of the cases of this category, the affordability is not a problem at all as they can buy the property outright or through the financial institutions as they can raise loans without any problem. They buy the propertywhich they can afford easily without any fuss about the EMIs.

Propertydevelopers are also more interested in this class of buyers as the deals are finalized quickly. The affordable housing, about which we are talking, is applicable to the lower middle class and poor people as they are the main buyers. These people will be planning to purchase houses, flats with the help of financial assistance from the banks and other financial institutions. In view of the high cost of construction, the minimum cost of flats, as we see from the offers made by the developers through the media, is above 15- 20lakhs.This minimum cost is affordable only by the middle class people. 

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Anekal

Bannerghatta Road

Devanahalli Road  

Electronic City

Hosur Road

Indira Nagar

Kanakapura Road 

Koramangala

Sarjapur Road

Vijayanagar

Whitefield 

AKRAMA SAKRAMA

                                       AKRAMA SAKRAMA

                                              

Akrama means violation and Sakrama means regularisation. In this scheme, only violations of building and urban development is included. Violation from sanctioned building plans, unauthorised buildings, unauthorised layouts and land use violations have taken place on a large scale in Bengaluru Metropolitan Area due to lack of enforcement by Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). The Scheme is made applicable to all urban areas in Karnataka. In this article details about the bad situation prevailing in Bengaluru is dealt with. There are too many cases of unauthorised developments within the built up area of the city and suburbs. The helpless State Government without action to prevent unauthorised developments and the officials who colluded with the violators proposed the Akrama Sakrama Scheme during the S.M. Krishna’s Government in the year 2004. The Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961 (KTCP Act),  which has overriding provisions compared to the Bangalore City Corporation Act, 1964, and the Bangalore Development Authority Act, 1976, was amended to provided for regularisation. 321-A of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act was also amended to implement the amended provisions of the KTCP Act. The Act and rules framed specified the nature and extent of unauthorised developments, constructions that would be regularised, the procedure and fines to be levied for regularization of various violations. Since then, though the successive governments pursued the scheme, it was not possible to implement the scheme due to agitations by the rule minded citizens, Citizens Action Forum (CAF), and the residents welfare associations (RWAs). The BJP Government got the Bill passed by the legislature. The Governor of Karnataka rejected BJP government’s request for consent to the bill. The BJP government also tried to get an ordinance passed by the legislature in the year 2010, consent for which was again rejected by the Governor. The present Congress Government proposed an ordinance in May 2013 which was approved by the same Governor with riders. Government is said to have incorporated the Governor’s directions and also the directions of the Supreme Court in Judgements of such schemes by the Orissa and Tamil Nadu Governments. The scheme is pending in the High Court of Karnataka since the year 2007. The Law Minister of the present Government stated that the scheme as modified, will be people friendly. How it is people friendly is not understood as the citizens are affected with lack of ventilations, privacy, traffic problems, etc. The scheme is only violators friendly. Decision of the High Court will have to be seen. The High Court directed on 23.3.2015 that the applications to be received may not be processed till the decision of the court on the scheme.

The present revised scheme provides that the applications are to be made from 23.4.2015 upto 22.3.2016 (One year). The applications should be in respect of buildings built earlier than 19.10.2013. Regularisation will include violations in respect of:

-          Land Use

-          Unauthorised layouts

-          Set back violations, and

-          F.A.R violations

For residential buildings, only upto 50% violations will be considered. For non-residential buildings, only upto 25% violations will be considered.

Applications for land use violations will be available in BDA, and for other urban areas with the respective urban development authorities. This will be one time regularisation based on self declaration by the violator. If the application is rejected, the fine remitted will be refunded within a period of 60 days. If there are so many violations, the applicant will have to get the land use violation regularised first and later apply for regularisation of building with other violations.

A.      Fine for unauthorised layouts

Site area	Bangalore urban	Other corporations	Other
Less than 60/sqmtr	Rs 40/sqmtr	Rs 30/sqmtr	Rs 20/sqmtr
60-120 sq.mtrs	Rs 160/sqmtr	Rs 80/sqmtr	Rs 50/sqmtr
Above 120 sq.mtrs	Rs.600/sqmtr	Rs.250/sqmtr	Rs.150/sqmtr

B.  Regularisation of set back and FAR violations in residential and non-residential buildings.

% of Violation	Regularisation fee/sqmtr of total violated area as percentage of market value of land
Residential upto 25%	6%
More than 25% upto 50%	8%
Non-residential upto 12.5%	20%
More than 12.5% upto 25%	35%

Conclusion:

All the efforts made by Government since 1960 for planned development of urban area by preparation of statutory master plans is defeated as the violations are affecting the land use zoning, building regulations, etc.

The Effects:

Definitely, the Scheme is not going to be one time measure but many times affair by successive state governments.

During construction, violating the sanctioned plan or land use zoning, the violators may tell the officials, if at all a strict official is working in BBMP, that he will get the violations regularized under the Akrama-Sakrama Scheme.

The expected revenue of Rs. 5000 Cr by levy of fine will be a dream. Majority of the violators may not come forward to get the developments/buildings regularized. What Government may get will be hardly Rs.1000 Cr, that too over a period of time. In the suburban areas, the applications will be for buildings here and there and not according to a compact area to enable redevelopment.

It is difficult to expect that BBMP will provide/improve the infrastructure for the benefit of the people living in such sites. The bad position will continue as existing. They can expect only street lighting after a few years. Many of the existing suburban areas in the BBMP limits have no water supply and sewage connections, parks and playgrounds, etc.

How the violators can expect improvement in the unauthorised colonies even if some of them get regularised.

The officials who collude with the violators will not have discipline as so far such officials are not punished. Even if one batch of officials are transferred from BBMP, new batch of such officials only will come to BBMP to continue allowing violations. They will have no fear of disciplinary actions for allowing violations.

Can we expect quality of life in Bangalore if such regularisation schemes are considered by Government? Citizens welfare associations and civic analysts will approach courts against such schemes. Media’s awareness reports will have to be continued in the interest of planned development of the City at least in the future.

Last but not the least, the Government must act stringently against erring officials and take strict disciplinary actions against them.

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Anekal

Bannerghatta Road

Devanahalli Road  

Electronic City

Hosur Road

Indira Nagar

Kanakapura Road 

Koramangala

Sarjapur Road

Vijayanagar

Whitefield 

BEAUTIFYING THESTAIRCASES

                    

                                BEAUTIFYING THESTAIRCASES

Staircases are not just a transit connecting two floors. With creativity they could be transformed into the most appealing part of a home's décor. Staircases in their wide varieties of form and design become the cynosure of everybody entering a home. They look attractive because of the material used to construct them. At times the embellishments used to enhance their form cause astonishment. The extent of creativity in a mind reflects in the staircase and it gets transformed into an arresting and appealing piece of structure. The aspects of the staircase that could be creatively shaped are the risers and treads, the adjacent walls, railings and the ceiling.

The  Floor

Staircases are invariably built of strong and durable materials like reinforced cement and finished with aesthetic coverings like granite and marble. Sometimes, the steps can be surfaced with a less expensive alternative like mosaic, kota stone or kadappa and overlaid with carpeting for a luxurious look. Though carpets could be replaced easily, they are difficult for maintaining in cool climates.

The  Walls

In most of the cases, a staircase is built adjacent to a wall and getting support from it. This wall portion can be efficiently used to make the staircase cabin attractive by following some methods:

- The wall color can be a dramatic shade to draw attention to this area. Textured paint or wallpaper give depth and dimension to an otherwise monotonous stretch of flat surface.

- This wall space can be literally turned into a canvas where patterns using small painting could be created.  Pictures drawn or wall-hung sculptures could be placed.

- Lighting can be focused on the artifacts displayed on the staircase wall. A series of spotlights will enhance the appeal.

- During the planning stage of the house itself, niches could be created in the wall and they be lined with granite which can be used to display figurines or to light lamps and candles.

- When the staircase cabin has an external wall, interesting windows could be incorporated with etched and stained glass or even glass blocks.  These due to their translucent nature permit diffused light into this area.

- Above a level of 8 feet small glass, stone or wooden shelves supported on carved wooden or metal filigree brackets can be used to support miniature pots with trailing fern plants or vines. 

The Mid-landing

Staircases invariably have a mid-landing as a structural necessity.  This spot can be creatively altered into an interesting ambience. There is enough scope to that. If the landing is wide enough pot, statues, and lamps can be placed in the corners. The window opening can have a box planter on the outside to provide a colorful view of flowers from the staircase. The opening can be dressed with silk and organza blinds, scallops on pelmets and drapes till floor level.  Here also, focused lighting will bring out the best of the creative elements used.

The  Railings

The railings are the element that needs to have strength for support and beauty for visual impact. The markets have a variety of materials utilizing which a railing can be fabricated to suit any budget or any décor.Railings comprise of a handrail or coping supported on balusters or vertical members running the length of the stairs.The balustrade can be designed to complement the general ambience and it could be made of cast iron, mild steel, wood, aluminium or power-coated metal. Exclusive designs can be crafted from simple construction materials like exposed bricks.

The  Ceiling

The roof of the staircase cabin is usually sloped so as to reduce the volume of space created by its height.  Normally painted, this roof area of the staircase can be treated in many ways.

Cladding

The soffit of the roof can be covered with wooden panels and rafters which creates warmth and only wood imparts this warmth.

Lighting

Hanging chandeliers and using up lighting will draw attention to this area. Proper use of lighting will remove the feeling of being inside closed and cramped spaces. 

Cornices

The space of joint of the roof and wall can be made to look attractive by the judicious use of cement plaster, wooden and molded plaster of Paris cornices the run along the angle. These ornamental moldings could be highlighted by the enhancement of their carved profile with the use of textured paint and glazed tile mosaic.

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House for rent in Bangalore

Apartments for rent in Bangalore

BMRDA Approved Layouts

Anekal

Bannerghatta Road

Devanahalli Road  

Electronic City

Hosur Road

Indira Nagar

Kanakapura Road 

Koramangala

Sarjapur Road

Vijayanagar

Whitefield