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Features Habitat

Six ways to save

Lakshmi Krupa

uilding a home on a shoestring? Here are some small ideas that make big sense, says Lakshmi Krupa

1. Filler slab roofing

Instead of building a full concrete roof, you can use filler slabs that could reduce up to 40 per cent of the overall cost

your roof. You use far lesser concrete and steel when you use filler material such as bricks, tiles, mud blocks, or broke

cement blocks on the roof. Filler slabs also reduce the weight on load-bearing walls and foundation. AnupamaMohanram of Green Evolution Architectural Consultancy says, Terracotta pots, coconut shells and Mangalore tilescan be used as fillers. With a little bit of planning, its quite easy to execute.

2. The rat trap bond

You can save about 25 per cent of costs on bricks with this simple method. The Rat Trap Bond is a masonry techniquthat creates a hollow cavity between bricks while keeping the thickness of the wall intact. It reduces the amount of

bricks and cement used, while also reducing the overall load of the structure, leading to cost-cutting in other areas.The hollow space in the walls also thermal-proofs the home.

Use only expert masons who are aware of precautions such as keeping the wall edge around doors and below lintels insolid brick.

3. A light foundationWith a light structure, the foundation can be kept lightweight too, saving 10 per cent on the buildings overall cost. some cases, a plain stone foundation may be most economical, says Sumitra Vasudevan, associate, Aprobuild

Architects. Packed stone, gravel, broken concrete blocks stone as foundation has been around for centuries. A stonfoundation can even be extended above the plinth level to create seating.

4. Go local

Using locally available and traditional material thats best suited to both the climate and budget is a great way to cucosts. Says Vasudevan, Source local tiles for your roofs and look for repurposed old doors and windows. They not onlook good but come at a much lower cost. We reduce 40-50 per cent of flooring costs by using Athangudi tiles, saysMohanram. Vitrified tiles cost more than the handmade Athangudi tiles, which come in beautiful colours andpatterns. We place our orders in Chennai at the M.Rm.Rm Foundation, which works with artisans. They also help

Special ArrangementBrick arch support and stone foundation

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bring labourers from Athangudi to lay the tiles, she adds.

5. Exposed bricks

The cost of painting is quite a huge part of the overall budget, as it involves plastering, adding putty and then addingcolour. However, if you have an excellent team of brick layers, you could actually consider leaving the brickworkexposed, without any paint work. It adds a warm and simple touch and can cut costs down by 10-15 per cent.Exposed bricks are aesthetically very appealing. On the outside wall, especially, paint serves no purpose, saysMohanram. The idea works for inside walls as well, where you can mix it up with just one accent wall in a standoutcolour. But remember, exposed walls cannot hide pipes or wires, so you must either pick walls free of these or find

overhead options for your wiring.6. Brick arch support

Arches are an economical and aesthetic means of spanning gaps. Brick arches and load bearing walls can be used tosupport the roof, says Vasudevan.

It significantly brings down the quantity of steel used, thus bringing down overall costs. Decide upon the structural

system for your house based on location and building footprint. If you can opt for load-bearing walls instead of anRCC frame, it can cut your budget by close to 20 per cent.

Did you know?

1. E-waste such as keyboards and monitors can be added to broken stone, hollow blocks and filler slabs, afterremoving wiring, lead, glass etc.

2. Lean concrete has enough cement to set but is not rock-hard. It can be used for lighter work such as light gardenwalls, paving stones, pump room, etc.

3. Adding flyash to cement for mortar and plaster work is green and can reduce cement usage by up to 20 per cent.

Check out

Organisations that work with cost-effective building material and technology:

Central Building Research Institute (CBRI)

Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC)

Centre of Application of Science and Technology to Rural Areas (Castra)

Regional Research Laboratories (RRL)

National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri)

Keywords: new home ideas, cost cutting, cost-effective building material

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