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On renovating homes.

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K

krish44

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Many senior citizens are left with homes/flats which are 15-25 years old and in bad condition

Many think of either selling them at rock bottom prices or making minor changes to make them liveable.

It is sensible to invest a couple of lakhs or more to upgrade them by hiring an interior designer, make modifications to

civil,plumbing and electrics .

Besides adding the latest models of consumer durables,[frig,AC,water purifieretc] is worth a consideration.

Senior citizens spend bulk of the time home.

Why not make the home in line with 21st century homes ?

I shall share my experiences of flat upgradation of a DDA flat[not known for its elegance or good design having the

worst of all fittings]
 
I hired an interior designer by advertising in an online site.

I deliberately chose a young 25 year old designer a Punjabi girl with 2 interior degrees from amity and symbiosis with just 2 years

experience.She had designed her own office and her own home . So I thought she would be good enough.


She first increased by carpet area by 100 sq ft [15by 10 feet ] by adding my front open veranda. I had already added 75 sq ft

..Before that at the back of the flat to construct a personal office space.with PC and printer.This had steel sheets with false ceiling and modern lights.

The designer did the same at the front veranda ..She put designer tiles on all walls and painted glass panels [decorative thick

glass] on steel panel frames.She put mosquito net jaalis on them to keep out mosquitos,flies.

The front yard room started looking like drawing room of new flats.

more in next post
 
Then I moved on to doors and windows.
First decided to increase the size of front door into living room into double width to 6 feet plus and master bedroom opening into front yard.

Replaced all wood of sal with teak.Also replaced old metal frames of door and Windows with teak frames.

In front door, got made main door of 3 feet plus two side units half height teak and half thick glass to get light into room.
Learnt about teaks of various kinds,popular are those from Ivory Coast and Indian from Madhya Pradesh.

Labour hiring can be tricky.

Labour contractors have margins of 2 to 3 hundred %.

So decided to hire labour directly and got rid of contractors after one bad experience for 2 days

masons,carpenters,electricians operate in pair.One the main fellow and other helper.The pair cost 1100 a day.,material extra.

I made the designer oversee their works. I of course arranged for their tea and drinking water.
 
In electrics,replaced all switch boards,switches,wiring lights with led and fancy lights,tv, invertor ,ac wiring,removed all stabilisers,invertor outside the covered area. I consolidated all wiring into ducts inside walls to ensure nothing was exposed.

I used the carpenters to make new book shelves with teak ply partially open,some closed and accomdated them in unused spaces beneath stair case (available in all DDA flats)

I made the designer redesign the living room with walls painted with standard paint with colour combinations of maroon and grey.I got TV mounted on walls with tv furniture made by carpenters
 
.For another walls ,th e designer made fancy 1 foot. Cube openings in wall and lined it with wood to accommodate small fancy items like Gods statues .Beneath it made special mountings to accommodate photos.In another wall opening into dining added a wooden fancy partition.On ceilings added fancy lightings.
 
I have not yet got redesigned the kitchen and guest bedroom .

I shall post some more when I do the same.
I went over budget by 20 %.
 
Last edited:
krish44 said:
I have not yet got redesigned the kitchen and guest bedroom .

I shall post some more when I do the same.
I went over budget by 20 %.
Click to expand...

Great! Did you do this renovation after moving out & taking temporary accommodation or when you were staying? How much time it took!! I am keen to have a look!!
 
hi

in any govt allotted homes....the fittings are always bad condition.....either DDA/TNHB......all are same conditions...i have

both experiences in DDA/ TNHB FLATS IN DELHI/CHENNAI TOO...renovation always very costly..
 
vgane said:
Great! Did you do this renovation after moving out & taking temporary accommodation or when you were staying? How much time it took!! I am keen to have a look!!
Click to expand...
I did not move out as back half of flat with kitchen,dining guest room were functional.But had to put up with dirt and noise .I used up five weeks before suspending balance work.

I intend next phase after Feb.

I am abroad and shall revert to you.
 
Renovating old flats can be a little expensive .But returns in terms of expanded closed area with modern decor increases sale value by several lakhs.Abroad many redo their flats before sale for better returns
 
krish44 said:
I did not move out as back half of flat with kitchen,dining guest room were functional.But had to put up with dirt and noise .I used up five weeks before suspending balance work.

I intend next phase after Feb.

I am abroad and shall revert to you.
Click to expand...


Thank you Krish Sir!
 
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