Brick by Brick: A personal journey of building a home in India

In India, they say that constructing a home is a once in a lifetime kind of experience. Everyone aspires to it but once it happens, nobody wants to revisit it due to the financial, physical, and emotional toll involved. While construction technologies and processes have evolved and more professional roles created, it remains a very personal activity requiring many choices and compromises. Any such house construction activity invariably follows in the wake of change. It could be an upgrade of lifestyle or a move out of government quarters as in our case. However, what usually begins as a rosy exercise turns to an agonizing crawl to the finish or when you finally get to move in.

The most striking thing about a construction site is the number of people engaged in it. Some do the demolition, others cart the waste out, and the seniors or ‘mistrys’ do the actual building. These craftsmen differ in their vocations — some are masons, others are expert stonecutters, tile layers, false ceiling fabricators, and so on. There are also painters, welders, plumbers, and electricians. The master craftsman is usually accompanied by one or more ‘labour’ apprentices who do the manual tasks. Like their professions, the men, and they are mostly men, come from different parts of the country. In our case, the majority were from Bihar, but there were others from Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, and Rajasthan. It is astonishing to think that the predecessors of these people, in much the same way, have created the architectural marvels dotting this vast country. Also, amazing is the very act of creation, the combining of bricks, cement, and sand to create walls, roofs, and rooms. Another distinct memory of the construction period, was the sheer number of decisions, functional and aesthetic, that needed to be made every single day and then the constant following up to ensure execution. Somewhere in the middle of all of this, I got to visit parts of Delhi that I had only heard of — Mongolpuri for granite, Kirti Nagar for woodworks, Chawri Bazaar for hardware, and Kotla for everything else.

The joy of entering a home that you have had a hand in building or customizing makes up for the travails of a long and overwhelming construction journey. But it does leave you with several observations and lessons. This is an attempt to capture the salient ones in case I need to refer to them again in the future, the prospect of which gives me the jitters!

Budget & Approvals

Before embarking on the project, it is important to have a clear vision of your home and tailor your choices of layout, materials, and style accordingly. Securing financing is a critical first step of the home building project. Alongside the financing, approvals from land title to consent from neighbours, and construction permits including plan and layout approval need to be secured before ground is broken. Furthermore, before moving-in, ensure that the Completion-cum-Occupancy Certificate is granted by the local authority or municipality. Ensure financial discipline and make efforts to stay within the budget.

Visualization

We have moved ahead of simple paper architectural drawings to 3D renderings giving various perspectives. However, as the process moves along, there will be countless choices that one needs to make. And most decisions tend to happen in the field amidst the dust and noise. So, even if 3D renderings are not made for every decision, one must keep in mind the final product and how each choice affects it. Take the time to consider all options and make informed choices during the planning and design stage.

Sequencing

There is a logical flow of events from the start till end of the project. Though obvious, there are several overlaps which need to be kept in mind. For example, electric wiring needs to be pulled before the painting, while the fixtures must go before the final coat is applied. The same needs to be kept in mind for other parts of the process such as air conditioning ducting, waterproofing, and wood working. Any seasoned contractor is usually cognizant of the sequencing. But there are instances when a wrong step can lead to cost and time overruns. This is extremely likely in a case where there are multiple contractors instead of a single master contractor.

Materials

The evolution of building construction and tastes has resulted in various new materials and formulations being available in India. However, there is a tendency to stick to the orthodox resulting in some creative friction between craftsmen and homeowners. Also, try to avoid unreasonable markups and limited choices in the easily accessible city markets, and rather visit wholesale markets that have more extensive options as well as room for bargaining. But be mindful of the budget and overall style and be ready for tradeoffs that might be required.

Quality Control

Quality control from sourcing to delivery and then the actual construction is a must. A common scam is to deliver counterfeit items such as PVC pipes, granite, and tiles, with all the markings but suspect quality. It is best to purchase from authorized dealers and maintain records of bills, delivery challans, and payments. And as matter of prudence, always select materials that are of the highest grade and rated for the intended usage. Even during construction, aim to personally supervise as much as you can, and especially critical processes such as waterproofing, plastering, and final finishing. These can create issues later and require expensive renovations.

Professionals

The construction process will be both exciting and stressful, with a lot of unexpected delays and issues. Professionals including contractors, engineers, architects, and craftsmen can help navigate the process, providing guidance and expertise to realize your vision. One thing to guard against is the laissez faire attitude in India, the common solution to a lot of problems would be ‘tod do’ or let’s demolish and start over; a situation which in most cases shouldn’t arise. It also reflects in the usually unsatisfactory safety and hygiene conditions at the worksite.

Timelines

The stretching of the project duration is a remarkably common phenomenon world over and especially so in India. The reasons are aplenty, such as non-availability of craftsmen and labour, delays in materials shipment, tool breakdown, regulatory red tape, construction bans due to pollution and in our case, even the COVID-19 lockdown. Plan with sufficient margins for these delays and be prepared for the challenges that will invariably arise during the process.

Moving-In

Once the construction is complete, the process of moving in and getting settled begins. At this stage, there is relief but also confrontation with all the choices and compromises that were made during the process. But more formidable is the packing and moving, discarding of old treasures, and defining a new style for you new home.

In summary, building a home in India is a significant investment that requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a commitment to quality. Homeowners should be prepared for the challenges and responsibilities that come with home ownership, and should work closely with professionals such as architects, engineers, and contractors to ensure that the finished product meets their expectations.

And best to remember the following words, “a house is made of walls and beams but a home is built with love and dreams”. The real home building begins only after the workmen have left.