Indian Real Estate

Cement costs a fortune, steel is not cheap either, timber depots have revised prices and sand too comes at a price. In these days of escalating construction costs, any idea that promise help in keeping the budget slim and trim is surely welcome.

For those looking at ways to check construction expenses and that too without compromising on quality or looks, Nirmithi Kendra at Gachibowli has several options. Tucked away along the Mumbai old highway near CMC complex, the facility not only offers several ready-to-use materials but also has a good collection of cost-effective construction practices as exhibits.

The Kendra which provides frames, blocks and lintels to various Government housing projects also makes the same available to private builders or individuals. Pre-cast RCC window frame is available for Rs.300, door lintel at Rs.220, door frame for Rs.360 and window lintel at Rs.180.

Being pre-cast, the frames can be straight away taken and fitted reducing not only the costs involved in timber but also charges on carpenter. For those keen on using wooden frames for the window, the Kendra has recently come out with a new design which makes provision for the same. Get wooden frames of proper size and fix the same into these frames.

A regular door frame made even with cheapest timber would cost around Rs.1,000 while the pre-cast frame here is available for just Rs.360. For design conscious, there are also frames which come with complete carving and patterns that are pre-cast. A threshold too is added. "In terms of strength and durability, these can easily match the regular wooden ones," says the Kendra Project Manager J. Munichandra Reddy.

A cement block which is sold for around Rs.12 in the market can be procured from here at Rs.10.

The quality of Kendra's blocks, Mr.Reddy says, is much better than what is available in the market. "We prepare about 40 to 45 blocks with a bag of cement while commercial production comes out with about 70 blocks," he points out.

A series of practices that promise to save at least 25 per cent in construction costs are also put on display here. Arch foundation, pile foundation, filler roofing, rat trap bonding walls are explained and one can pick more details from the Kendra officials. "Concepts such as rat trap bonding not only cut building cost but also help save in energy expenditure in the long run since they keep the interiors cooler," informs Mr.Reddy.

# posted by mashup @ 12:43 AM