How much is an Architects fee for doing House Planning in India

An architect is a professional who has invested years of practice and learning to create spaces which are optimal for use, functional in nature and aesthetically appealing. An Architects fee varies from project to project but for residential project it ranges from anything between Rs. 40 per Sq.ft. to Rs. 180 per Sq.ft. for doing Concept Design. 

Mumbai Architect Designed Hosue Planning and Architecture - 2017 Pricing from HomePlansIndia.com

We at HomePlansIndia.com (RSDM Architects) have been providing online architectural design consultancy for last 5 years and now we are purely focusing on providing our clients with efficient design consultancy for custom house plans and design. Our Consultancy fee is divided into two sections:

Section A - Conceptual Architectural Design

Fee - starting at Rs. 1,25,000/- inclusive of taxes.

No of Drawings - 15 No.

Delivered Drawings include - Floor Plans (2 No), Sections, Elevations, External 3D View of the House along with Area Statement

Time Frame - 20 to 30 Days

Revisions - Four Revisions to floor plan designs and any other modifications. Additional drawings are charged seperately

Sample Drawings - Check the Sample Drawings Page on our Website to see the quality of drawings that you can expect at the end of the process.

Drawings included:

1. Area Statement

2. Site Layout Drawing

3. Floor Plans - Ground Floor, First Floor, etc

4. Roof Plan

5. Sections - 1 No.

6. External Elevations - 4 No.

7. 3D Views of House - 2 No

8. Basic Specification for the House

Section B - Detailed Architectural Design

Fee - starting at Rs. 1,85,000/- inclusive of taxes.

No of Drawings - 50 No. (approx.)

Delivered Drawings include - Detailed Floor Plans, Sections, Elevations, Detailed Wall Sections, External 3D View of the House, Water Tank detail, Door detail, Window detail, Railing details, Schedule of finishes, etc.

Time Frame - 50 to 60 Days

Revisions - No revisions are done to these drawings and these are only started once the Coneptual Architectural Design is finished or finalised.

Section C - Structural Design & Detailing

Fee - starting at Rs. 1,25,000/- inclusive of taxes.

No of Drawings - 20 No.

Delivered Drawings include - Footing Drawings, Slab Drawings and Schedule, Coloumn & Beam Drawings and Schedule, Water Tank Drawings, Compound Wall drawings, etc.

Time Frame - Worked out within the same time period as detailed architectural drawings.

Revisions - This work is done in conjunction with detailed architectural design.

Section D - Basic Electrical and Plumbing Drawings

Fee - starting at Rs. 75,000/- inclusive of taxes.

No of Drawings - 10 No. (approx)

Delivered Drawings include - Electrical and Plumbing Drawings for all floor plans along with Schedule of Fixtures and Specs.

Time Frame - Worked out within the same time period as detailed architectural drawings.

Revisions - This work is done in conjunction with detailed architectural design.

Section E - Cost Estimation for Concept Design

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Fee - starting at Rs. 40,000/- inclusive of taxes.

No of Sheets in the Document - 5 No.

Time Frame - 10 to 15 Days

Revisions - Each revision is charged separately

Section F - Bill of Quantities for Final Detailed Drawings and Documents

Fee - starting at Rs. 65,000/- inclusive of taxes.

No of Sheets in the Document - 45 No.

Time Frame - 14 to 20 Days

Revisions - No revisions are done.

Section G - Overseeing project during Execution Phase

Section H - Site Visits by Architect / Structural Engineer or Meeting with Client

Section I - Printed Set of Drawings

Importance of Passive Design for House Design and Construction in India

Passive design is inspired by climate, framed by the environment and built for comfort. In an ecologically diverse environment such as India, there is no one size fits all approach to passive design in both residential and commercial properties. Depending on your location in India, your passive design needs will be influenced by hot dry conditions, wet and humid conditions and cold and damp conditions.

Architectural forefathers understood the challenges of adapting home to climate in India. For warmer climates in India, a traditional way of cooling was with stepped wells, a pond dug into the ground or surrounded by walls above ground allowing the air to be-cooled by evaporating water in an enclosed, shaded zone. This innovative technique stood the test of time, providing cooling techniques in larger homes in India for generations. 

At Homes Plan India, we continue this innovative legacy with the same goal: to design buildings that place paramount importance to its occupants’ comfort. Our approach to passive design with wide-range of experience in designing houses across India, gives us the confidence to customise a home to your standards and provides you with the reassurance that environmental elements will be factored into any house plan design.

For plot owners across India, the importance of passive cooling for their home and climate controlled house design cannot be understated. Without taking climate into account and the requisite cooling and heating systems, homeowners can encounter a range of problems including mould, water damage and compromises to structural integrity. We understand these risks and have a full suite of solutions for all plot sizes, locations and topography.  

However, before considering a passive designed cooling or climate controlled system for your plot, it is good to understand the process and the immediate goals. Firstly, we recommend the best options to achieve passive cooling in a building. This is achieved by identifying the unnecessary thermal loads that might enter your future home. In our experience, there are typically two types of thermal loads homeowners need to be aware of - exterior loads due to the climate and internal loads due to domestic factors such as people, appliances, cooking spaces, hygiene and lighting.  

Once the aforementioned factors have been thoroughly analysed, we provide a recommendation on a customised passive cooling system. The ambition of any system is consistent across India: to transfer heat from the home to natural energy sinks such as air, water or the earth. 

Despite the environmental aspects of the passive-cooling systems, it is equally important to consider the efficiency benefits. In our experience, implementation of a passive cooling system on a plot reduces the energy needed for cooling. This not only cuts down on electricity bills but also gives the house a green feel in terms of emissions.  

The advantages are also cosmic. For example, passive cooling techniques can moderate the peak cooling load in homes, thereby reducing the size of the air conditioning equipment and the period for which it is generally required.  

In terms of some of the newer breakthroughs in passive cooling, solar techniques are playing more prevalent role in India. In particular, driven by both climate and economic factors, solar shading has been an effect climate control solution in many new homes.  

Particularly for more open plots, solar shading with locally available-materials like terracotta tiles, hay, inverted-earthen pots can reduce the temperature significantly. In addition, well-designed sun control plus the shading devices, can have parts of a building /separately placed from building facade, can play a major role in the reduction of heat gain, enhance cooling requirements and improving the natural-lighting quality of building-interiors. Furthermore, the design of effective-shading devices can depend on the solar orientation of a particular-building facade, which is key consideration depending on what part of India your land is located. 

Solar chimneys are other solution we are seeing in increasing numbers of passive designs. Acting as a natural ventilation, solar chimneys provide further homeowner comfort during the day if combined with an evaporation-cooling device.

Of course many other passive design and cooling techniques exist in an ecosystem as diverse as India. If you do own a plot and are looking to construct, it is essential that you understand the elements and design accordingly. With the amount of options available in India, we are available to advise, consult and design a home that works with, not against, the climate. Write with your queries to homeplansind@gmail.com and we will be glad to work along with you.

Why Outdoor living spaces are as crucial as the interior spaces when designing a new house plan

House planning is about creating an overall design that successfully uses the entire plot. When designing a new house it is absolutely vital that the outdoor space is considered in co-relation to the interior spaces of the house. Internal space planning is certainly important, but the outdoor space should not be compromised. They should complement each other and the outdoor space should be designed so as it feels just like stepping out into another room and is an extension to the interior space. Outdoor living spaces provide breathing room for the plot and frame it with which the rest of the design can sit. Critically, they are the key entertainment and living spaces and should be designed to fit the requirements of the rest of the building. 

Thinking about the design of the outdoor living space should take place at the same time as the rest of the house is designed - at the beginning. If it is designed as an afterthought then it is likely that it will not fit with the rest of the design, and may feel like a foreign space within the plot. It is important to ask the same questions that are asked in relation to the interior living spaces. What will you be using the space for? How much room is required? Are certain features necessary to be considered while designing the outdoor space? How often will the space be used? What time of day will it be used? Who will be using it and to what extent? If these questions are asked and then answered in the early stages, as part of the process of the overall design stage, then the result will be far superior and can be accommodated well with the overall design. 

The outdoor living space of a building is a minimal space between the house itself and the broader landscape in which it sits. A well-designed building will look 'natural' within its environment and broader landscape. A poor design will look out of place and context. The outdoor space is therefore a vital part of providing a bridge and a connection between the built and the 'natural' environment. Designers can give the outdoor living space key features that complement with each other and will be far more enjoyable and engaging. 

It is very important that the space should feel comfortable and work as an entertaining space. A client may feel that they want a larger living area but cannot compromise on kitchen space. This is where an integrated approach to outdoors and indoor design comes in. The designer could look at the overall space and use the outdoor space as an extension of the indoor living space. For larger parties, therefore, both the exterior and interior spaces could be used as a single area in which to entertain with, for example, some large French windows connecting the two areas can be used. Similarly, the outdoors space could be used to generate a different kind of experience to that created in the indoor living spaces. For example, the client may want a 'hideaway' area, which could be designed within the outdoors space, without compromising the indoor areas, which could be more of an open plan.

To achieve a good quality design, a client should not have to compromise on the outdoors space. Indeed, a good quality outdoors space will complement the indoor space and add to the overall positive feel of the house. It is important that it is budgeted for in the early stages of the design process and the aims and objectives are made clear. If this is achieved, the final space will be vastly more liveable and a more enjoyable space to experience. A custom house plan is the best way to achieve good overall design.

Smart move in 2016 – Buy house plans on-line ​or get quality architect design on-line from anywhere in India.

Are you tired of renting an apartment and you're thinking of owning your own house? Do you want to do some renovations in your house? Do you have your own plot on which you're planning to build your own house? However, you may ask, "How am I going to start?" "Whom should I ask?" "Should I just do this on my own without consulting a professional?" “Will it be wise to hire a professional architect for the job or they will be expensive?” These are some of the questions that you may consider when you start thinking about building your own house. Further reading will help you understand the right steps that you need to take in this matter.

Are you considering to just buy any house plan for your desired home? Or you are thinking about consulting an Architect? Now, anyone can design a house with today's technology. However, a decent house plan isn't enough. There are a lot of factors to consider. A simple construction is much more than just house floor plans for ground floor and first floor. You might want to consider the following:

1. SOIL

The type of soil your lot have can greatly affect the design you want for your house. If it's a soft soil, then, a strong foundation is needed to it which will work well but it may sacrifice some of the desired design layout that you want. If the soil and the surface strata is hard enough then maybe you don’t need to go for a deep foundation, which practically reduces your house construction cost (overall expense).

2. LOCATION

The location is also a factor how your house should be designed. The directions where the sun rises or the sun sets, if your plot is located in a mountainous region, planes or in the city - this kind of things can only be accommodated if you consult someone who has the expertise in this field. As a professional architect designs beyond wall, windows and doors and takes a larger vision for the house so that it can be well lived through for next 50 to 75 Years or more. When you invest your hard earned money for building a multi-generational home you intend to relish it yourself and the future generations rather than leaving a structurally unstable structure which needs constant repairs and maintenance. As such you want to leave an asset for future not burden for the next generation.

3. AREA OF THE PLOT

This is a factor where the area of your desired house is going to be applied. You won't be able to design a large house if your lot wouldn't be able to accommodate it. So any selected or house plan cannot be constructed on your plot, so a thorough study of the plot, its location, size, access from road has to be studied to develop the best possible building footprint on ground floor has to be developed so that the upper floors and the overall design of the house can be developed.

4. LIGHT AND VENTILATION

In different areas, light and ventilation is applied differently. It differs from place to place, as in India we have 6 different types of climatic conditions which caters to our everyday living style and fashion.  Our norther parts of the country get enough hot and cold season, whereas on the west we have heavy monsoon seasons. While on the east of our south of our country we do experience quite hot seasons with varied amounts of humidity playing a crucial role in the design of our buildings or clothes.

5. BUDGET

Now, if all the costing is all done by yourself, like cement, paint, nails, labour and other factors that needs to be considered looks fine from a layman’s perspective, but there are enough hidden costs which only a professional has an experience off. How much ever you equate your total expenses, this will be your first venture into construction of your house, but for a professional architect this is one such other job and they have learnt from there experience of working on many house constructions about the costs that any client will actually have to incur, rather than on first hand assumptions. Are you confident enough that you're being efficient with your time and money? Isn’t it better that you focus on your primary activity and allow a professional to save your time and money to build something which is more appropriate than a child’s first drawing.

6. TIME

Consulting an Architect could save you time. Since they have the expertise in this field, they will be able to give you estimated amount of time about the duration of the project.
There are also other things that you might want to add in your house such as solar panels which can make you save energy and eventually money.

So all these above mentioned points can only be accommodated if you're going to ask for assistance from a professional in this field.

Now that you know that there are more to consider in building a house, the main question is, "Where should I find good Architects?"

You may find an Architect near to your place or you might want to do research. Where? There's no better place than doing it on-line! Now with the advent of Year 2016 we can make better choices, as we have become so confident with the use of Internet for almost every information and query of our need, it’s time to change to new formats for getting professional work done from best of the best who are available on-line.

There are a lot of websites that offer architectural consultancy related services. However, the website we have been working upon has lots to offer with a wide variety of services and has already worked with a lot of clients. Kindly check this http://www.homeplansindia.com/

We  would love to work and assist you with your needs and your desired design for your house. Aside from that, we also offer products for your house such as furniture, lampshades, bookshelf and side tables. This is very great since you can do things at once. We have plenty of other services to offer you, whether it’s about consultation, cost estimation, rendering, interior 3D View and CAD drafting. We could also make a design for your desired interior. Even if your house isn't built yet, you can already grasp your desired dream home by working along with us. Do drop a line of your interest at homeplansind@gmail.com.

ADVANTAGES OF ONE-FLOOR HOUSE PLAN OVER MULTI-FLOOR HOUSE PLAN

Many house developers have been in dilemma over the choice between one-floor house plans and multiple-floor house plans. It always seems like a good idea to have two or three floor house plan for a family as there are extra rooms which in case of guests and children can work as Guest Bedroom, Study, Kids Play Area, Puja room, etc. But a very common observation has been there that a more area and space is always welcome at the beginning of house construction, but over the years when the family starts living and using the space that there are lots to maintain and deal with, which in turn is waste of initial capital investment. Rather conserve funds for the overall maintenance of the house over period of time.

With this article we would like to raise few reasons which we feel can explain why it is preferable to choose one-floor house plans.

1.Accesibility
Home owners who are elderly favours one-floor housing plans because these plans have no stairs inside the house. This means that they can easily access all parts of their house without any much struggle. The way these house plans are designed it ensures that the elderly home owners obtain maximum utility from it.


2. The Ease of Renovation and Maintenance
The everywhere-accessibility of one-floor house plans also implies that it is easier to renovate and carry out maintenance works. The easier the renovation and maintenance, the lower the cost.


3. Efficient use of Energy
One-floor house plans require much less energy to heat the rooms than Multiple-floor house plans. This is because Multiple-House plans require more complex heating and cooling systems.


4. Affordability
Multiple-Floor housing plans requires a lot of planning and structural design analysis as compared to one-floor plans. These services are not offered for free but at a premium cost. These costs are included in the overall house constructions costs and therefore increases the cost hence making unaffordable to many. 


5. Ease of Extension
As opposed to Multiple-Floor house plans, one-floor house plans can be easily extended for more spacious rooms for example to get expansive living rooms, bedrooms, etc. Multiple-floor plans will require a lot of planning and structural analysis before expansion is done. This also implies higher costs of expansion and time.


6. Regulations 
In some areas, the government has placed restrictions on the height regulations and those who contravene these regulations are heavily fined and even their homes brought down. To avoid these fines and losses as a result of bringing down the already built houses the home owners can choose to have one-floor plan.


7. Safety
One-floor house plans are more safe in the event of earth tremors, earthquakes or fires, simply because of the ability to easily evacuate from the house. The absence of stairs also means that there are reduced accidents experienced in the house, stairs are known to cause fatal accidents and at times even taking life of the house occupants.


8. Use of natural light
Under one-floor house plan, home owners can use glass in some part of the wall and this will enable occupants use sufficient amount of natural light during the day hence saving on energy costs. This is not likely to be possible under Multiple-Floor house plan because the walls need to be strong so as to support other rooms on the upstairs.


9. Efficient use of space 
Under Multiple-floor house plans, stairs and elevators consumes so much space but one-floor house plan utilises each and every space therefore all the space available is utilised.


10. Easier connection to outdoor living spaces
One-floor housing plan can be connected together to expansive outdoor spaces such as verandas and beautiful gardens surrounding the house, that is by eliminating barriers between the indoor living room and outdoor living space. By use of transparent glass in between the indoor living space and beautifully managed gardens. This brings an exceptional beauty into life.

So if you have a beautiful plot where you want to build your families dream home and have the luxury of having one floor house plan then do write to us at homeplansind@gmail.com and we will be glad to work along with you to develop your house plan and design. 

How to get your house designed while keeping the budget in check.

In current times, it has become increasingly difficult for people to build their house, particularly for people on a tight budget. Based on our experience in building homes, this dilemma is not necessarily due to the ever increasing price of raw materials and labour, but may arise from something as simple as not having a proper house planning from the get-go.

There is certainly no infallible method of making a house on a budget. Most methods are probably good ones, as millions of people have built millions of homes, based on their own idiosyncrasies. But since it is the most important buy for the family, the construction of a house must always be preceded with reflection of the most serious magnitude. Decisions should be carried out on a bedrock of information gathering that paints a complete and concrete picture of your new home. Remember, there is no turning back once the plan has been handed over to the contractor. 

Before finding a cost effective plan for your home, it is important to consult your family first. This is a joint decision, as many times, house plans are but the expressions of what every member of that family imagine their dream home to be. You can simply opt for a ready-made house plan, which is meant for plot owners with an adventurous heart, or get a custom plan diligently and professionally designed for you by our staff of in-house designers at a fraction of the cost.

Before laying down the first brick of your new home, consider having a robust house plan and budgeting so that you and your family can relate to. All construction endeavours will revolve around this one schematic and with a good budgetary house plan designed by professionals, you simply cannot go wrong. You will be thankful for years to come.