How to know if a Residential Project is built to Last in India?
Before buying a home, a buyer has to make sure of certain factors, two of them being the quality of construction and how safe the location is. Though the latter can be ensured, the former is almost impossible to determine, especially if the residential project is brand new or a few years old.
Also, the banks only do a cursory check on the construction quality of a residential project in India at the time of evaluating home loan proposals. So, it is left to you to examine the construction quality.
To gauge the quality of the residential project you plan to invest in, there are certain parameters on which you can make your assessment, and gain real estate awareness on this front. Here’s a list that you can follow:
- Examine the foundation
If you find patched cracks on examining the building’s exterior that means that the residential project is built on a faulty foundations. Other things that you can look for are little cracks, creaking doors and windows, and incorrectly aligned or uneven floors.
- Fixtures
Developers who take pride in their real estate projects never compromise on the quality of window frames, taps, electrical outlets, door handles, fittings, etc., For instance, if the building involves the installation of a lift, then the developer will make sure that it is installed only by a well-established brand like Otis or Schindler. The developer will also make sure that the maintenance of the lift will always be taken care by an established facility management agency. So, if you see the presence of unfamiliar, obscure brands on inspecting the property, then you should see if the residential project is worth considering or not.
- Design
The design of a quality constructed residential project is such that the weight of the entire structure is scientifically and evenly distributed. If a developer focuses on quality, he/she will never save up on costs such as intricate detailing and detailed furnishing, be it in residential units or the common areas of the building. Hence, make sure that you look out for these details to check if the residential project is built to last or not.
- Paint
Cheap paints on the doors and walls are easy to take note of. Make sure that the house you are considering is painted with good quality paint. The usage of good quality paint on the wooden surfaces and walls will only improve the visual appeal. Plus, good quality paint will only work towards increasing the lifespan of the surfaces.
- Concrete
If you ask about the quality of the concrete used in a residential building in India or other countries, such as the concrete grade that has been used, the concrete/sand ratio, and if the concrete was given the required amount of time to cure. Getting this information will also help you determine the construction quality of the project.
- Building’s life
The average life of an apartment or a building for that matter should be around 70-80 years if the project is constructed following quality construction parameters. After the lifespan of the building is over, the building will need to be reconstructed. So, you must know this important bit of information before going for property purchase.
“Additional information: By knowing the average life of an apartment, you can also estimate its depreciation rate. Here’s how you will arrive at that ratio –
Depreciation Rate = The number of years after construction / The total age of the building.”
These are some of the ways in which you can determine how long the building will last. You must always have this awareness of real estate and lifespan of buildings when it comes to investing in properties as you will be spending large sums of money on the property purchase; you must be absolutely sure of your choice.