Shyjel who runs a business in his hometown in Feroke, Kozhikode narrates how he had overcome the spatial limitations of a 6 cents plot to build his dream dwelling. It was two years ago that he had purchased the plot at Feroke. He says that the plot was quite pricier and had burned a hole in his pocket. So, he couldn’t afford more than Rs 25 lakh for building the house.
The family had entrusted noted architect Ijas who is also their close friend, to design their dream dwelling. They were impressed by a budget house that Ijas had designed for his brother.
The rectangular plot was indeed a challenge. So, the elevation features the box style to fit into the plot. The pandemic broke out when the construction of the foundation was completed. So, the rest of the construction got stalled for six months until everything got back to normal.
The double height show wall in green colour is the highlight of the elevation. UPVC windows are installed above and below this wall. Besides, the designer wall above the sit-out has tiles in brick red colour pasted on it. Interestingly, this adds the perfect contrast against the green show wall. The ground floor is constructed using laterite stones and the upper floor has been built with hurudees blocks to reduce the weight. Besides, this helped in reducing the expenses a bit.
This splendid abode has a sit-out, living and dining areas, two bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a kitchen with a work area and a store room on the ground floor. Meanwhile, the upper floor of the 1800 sqft house has two more bedrooms and a study area.
The interiors have been embellished with beautiful furnishings, which exude positive vibes. The quaint sit-out leads to the formal living area. A wall here has been highlighted with wooden finished tiles. A showcase is what separates the living and dining areas. The multi-wood jali screen with CNC cut designs is an interesting design element.
The dining area with double-height ceiling is the soul of the interiors. This area acts as a space that connects both floors. The roof in this part of the house has been installed with GI truss work. This is then paved with roofing tiles too. The dining table in the wood and glass combination is simple yet elegant. A wash area and a TV unit too have been arranged in the dining area.
The metal staircase is covered in wooden planks. Meanwhile, the hand railings are done in glass and wood. The prayer room has been arranged beneath the stair area to make the interiors space efficient. There is a CNC jali screen here to ensure privacy. A study area has been arranged in the first landing of the staircase.
Shyjel says that the budget often overshoots during the furnishing of the interiors and not when the structure is constructed. He had acquired an estimated quotation of Rs 14 lakhs for furnishing materials in timber, even before the construction began. Later, he decided to replace timber with alternative materials like steel, glass and UPVC. This saved him more than Rs 10 lakhs, that too, without compromising on the quality or the looks.
In Kozhikode, there are shops that sell authentic Gujarati tiles at wholesale prices. The tiles for the flooring works were purchased from there. The owner says that he purchased the tiles for Rs 35 per square foot which is a reasonable bargain.
The bedrooms have lots of storage spaces. These rooms have been designed in the sizes 14 x 13 and 12 x 11. Besides, all the bedrooms are bath attached and have inbuilt wardrobes too.
The kitchen cabinets are built using island sheets that are more durable than the aluminium composite panels. The countertop, meanwhile, has been paved with nano white. Shyjel says that he had spent around Rs 1.20 lakh just for furnishing the kitchen, store room and the adjacent work area.
Shyjel’s friend runs a business of interlocking tiles. He purchased interlocking tiles with tiny scratches that have been chipped in the edges at an incredibly low price. Interestingly, these defects are so tiny that they cannot be detected or spotted easily. These second-quality interlocking tiles have been paved in the front yard. The owner says that he was able to save quite a lot of money by using these.
The family was relieved that they could complete the construction, including the structure and furnishing, on an affordable budget of Rs 23 lakh. This is incredibly amazing as building an 1800 sqft house now would be extremely expensive.
Project Facts
Location – Feroke, Calicut
Plot – 6 cents
Area – 1800 SFT
Owner – Shyjal
Designer – Ijas Ahmed
I Is Style Architects
Mob – 9897213632
Year of completion – July 2022
Budget – Rs 23 lakhs
Pictures – Ajeeb Komachi
