“Devivaram”, in Thamarasseril, Kottayam, stands pretty on five-plus cents of land.“Devivaram”, in Thamarasseril, Kottayam, stands pretty on five-plus cents of land. If small is beautiful, then Devivaram is a sure rocker. What makes the house a looker is the meticulous planning and the owner’s clear-cut ideas about his project.
Elevation
It’s hard to believe that owner Sajeev Chandran shelled out less than Rs 20 lakh to build the 1,250 sq ft house, its compound wall and also dig a well within the yard. Chandran who works in Bajaj Motors in Kottayam, found time every morning and evening to be at the site, give suggestions and contribute his ideas, which went into the construction. The first step in the venture was the plan, which the owner made on his own. He then sought the services of a designer who worked on it.
The first step in the venture was the plan, which the owner made on his own. The owner himself bought all the material and the workforce was drawn from the neighborhood. To begin with, a concrete belt was given over the foundation laid in rubble. Cement bricks made up the walls set in thickness of six inches. Though lintel was provided above the walls, it was decided to do away with sunshades.
Vitrified tiles cover the floors. Except for the porch, all the other parts are concreted. A truss roof covers the porch as well as the rest of the house and ordinary roof tiles have been paved over the entire space. Since this design was visualized in the plan, sun shades were avoided. Except for two bedrooms, the rest of the area has been done up in the open space concept. This ensures maximum benefit of sunlight all through the day. At night, just one light is enough to brighten up the whole place.
While the kitchen has been given a matte touch, the rest of the flooring has a glossy finish. Vitrified tiles cover the floors. While the kitchen has been given a matte touch, the rest of the flooring has a glossy finish. The kitchen cupboards have been done up in ferro cement slabs, which fit into powder-coated aluminum and ACP panels.
The putty gives the walls a fine finish. The putty gives the walls a fine finish. Only the main door comes in wood. All other doors and windows have frames in concrete and only the panes are of wood. All of them were made to order. This was a huge saving grace and contributed in a big way in cutting costs.
All other doors and windows have frames in concrete and only the panes are of wood. As each phase got completed, the cost that went into it was assessed against the budget set for it. This again was a great money-saving exercise. But when it came to the bathrooms, the cost escalated a bit as the owner went in for expensive water closets and concealed flush tanks. The modular switches give the rooms their total finish.
The modular switches give the rooms their total finish.A visibly happy Sajeev Chandran says pucca planning and a well-laid out design can get you a house the way you want it.
