BUYING AN APARTMENT - an architect's perspective on what to keep in mind while selecting one.

A HOME is a space that we as users have personal relationships with; it is thus important that we choose carefully and wisely, and let it be a decision that comes from both the head and the heart.

One look at a property magazine or portal and we realize the countless options that lay in front of us as a home buyer. Each option promises something new, something unique and something extra. The primary filters to apply are location and budget, followed by the reliability of the brands under consideration and their reputation of delivering as promised, narrowing down your search to a handful of apartments, eventually shortlisting your new home. Here’s a checklist that would come in handy when you embark on a quest for your home.

1.    CUSTOMIZATION  

Under construction property: Often, we buy a property and immediately start to dismantle and rearrange it according to our necessities, thereby spending money on what we have already paid for. It is imperative that we save both money and resources, by customizing while the property is still under construction. Many builders offer customization when you sign the deal. These changes range from minor civil or electrical modifications, choice of tiles or even the kitchen design (if included in the deliverables). Others offer handing out a completely raw apartment, if requested by the client. If one is looking at getting the interiors customized, this is a good place to start and save some money. 

Pre-owned apartments: These usually tend to come with a lot of facilities fitted in place. If you find the process of setting up a house with basic necessities to be a tedious job or you are hard-pressed for time, then this should certainly your go-to option, while focusing on the quality of product you are investing in. For example-

·       Quality and design of storage and kitchen (check the hardware, finish and for the presence of termites)

·       Electrical points according to necessity

·       Lighting (both natural and artificial)

·       Flooring material, its condition and suitability according to family’s usage

·       Doors, windows and their hardware

·       Security systems in place

But if you are a house-proud person, then doing up your home is a wonderful extension of your relationship with your personal space. In this case, it’s certainly better to opt for an empty apartment and fill it up your own way.

2.    VIEWS/SITE PLANNING: 

While choosing an apartment, it’s extremely important to look at the site planning of the entire complex and see if the apartment is in harmony with its surroundings.

·       The density of the apartment-towers on the site: This is an aspect that most buyers forget to look at and judge. In condominiums, windows and balconies are the only physical connect to the outside world, and the density defines our views from these points. What we see from there will determine our relationship with the outdoors- from within our homes. For instance, a window or terrace that closely overlooks another neighbouring property would always remain shut due to privacy concerns.

·       Landscape design: If the landscape of the site is planned well, then it makes sense to opt for apartments with controlled, inward-looking views. The views overlooking the internal open spaces stay the same for a long time to come, but views overlooking a flat green patch of land outside your property will get modified the day another project comes up there.

·       Sun path and shadows: Direct sunlight in your house depends on two things- the direction of your window and the height and distance of the building in front of you. Taller/closer towers tend to block out the direct sun. Thus, even a south facing apartment might not get sun if there’s a tower that’s close to it in that direction

·       Pet policy and demarcated pet areas

·       Location of the outdoor recreational facilities: On a model kept in an office, the sporting facilities and play areas looks extremely good and thus apartments near the same get sold easily. But on the real ground, they attract a crowd and it can turn quite noisy. So do make an informed decision.

·       Universal access for senior citizens and the specially-abled, it’s extremely necessary to look at unrestricted wheelchair access inside the complex. All newly developing cities have nuclear families with the elderly and children preferring their own private space. Thus, it’s necessary that the complex takes their independence into account.

3.    DIRECTION:

A lot of people follow principles of Vaastu-shastra and thus, have strict preferences for certain directions as per its principles. What we need to understand is that vaastu broadly deals with the impact that directions have on spaces, which in turn impact the occupant’s mental and physical well-being. The direction of a house determines its ambient temperature. Thus, if the occupant likes a sunny house, south/south-east face is the best direction for them. Someone who wants a cooler home should opt for north-facing apartments. Early risers would love an east-facing house, as the sun starts filtering in very early. West-facing apartments tend to heat up considerably. But for someone with a love of gardening, they can grow their plants in this direction, thus cutting down on the evening radiations.

Buying an apartment in a direction that isn’t suited to your temperature preference will lead to inflated heating/cooling costs to make the space comfortable, which is not desirable.

4.    APARTMENT PLANNING & STORAGE:

One of the most important aspects of choosing one apartment over another is the apartment layout. This includes your entire experience starting from the tower lobby to the main door and then inside. Security screening points and passage width contribute a great deal to the feel of the house as they form a part of our entrance experience.

Our altered new normal has set high levels of hygiene norms to be followed in our homes. A servant or store room at the onset of the apartment can double up as a ‘mud room’ for sanitation purposes. If that’s not possible, then there should be enough space near the entrance to create a sanitation console.

Once inside, it is necessary that the layout responds to your family’s requirement. For instance, an open kitchen works great for families that love to cook themselves. It becomes the heart(h) of the house! The formal dining can also be turned into a family space next to the kitchen, working wonders in bringing everyone together at meal times.

The number of stay-at-home domestic helps also decides on the layout appropriateness in terms of privacy, screening and spaces required.

The second important aspect would be the clear height of the apartment. Less height would mean a considerable heat build-up, thus making you use the air conditioner more than required. Another key point to look out for in a house while buying it- is the storage.

Both the apparent spaces provided and the possibility of weaving in more in the layout. Some apartment layouts tend to give you room sizes without marking out the wardrobe. Those rooms end up a good 20-25 sq ft lesser than imagined. Walk in closets are a great solution. The more the planned storage, the neater it would stay- always. Storage should as a matter of rule, never be too prominent. The sheer volume makes the room look smaller. The user then needs to work out designs where the storage is integrated into the room décor itself. This is one aspect that would benefit greatly from the services of a professional architect or interior designer.

5.    MATERIALS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Unless one gets an opportunity to see the apartments during construction, it’s a little tough to comment on the quality of the civil work. But one can look out for the following:

·       Check if the walls form a precise right angle to each other. (unless specifically designed not to).

·       Check for wall surface undulations in good light. (if there are too many, your wall would need a time consuming coat of putty or plaster of Paris before its good enough for any final finish. Otherwise these undulations show more once the fancy wall lights have been installed.

·       Check/ask about the quality of woodwork and hardware. Doors, storages and the kitchen primarily. Get them customised before you move in if possible.

Most internal doors need a makeover. In terms of design and hardware both.

Kitchens are family sensitive. The preferred cuisine usually has a good impact on the design. It is therefore extremely advisable to invest in and get it done yourself, in consultation with the person who uses the kitchen the most.

·       Flooring: Apartment complexes usually have flooring that has been purchased in bulk. In some cases, this translates into materials of a slightly lower quality. Check the wooden flooring and its joints for sure. Stone flooring has an advantage of being polished afresh or of cutting and inserting contrast flooring materials to achieve a playfulness. So its preferable in most situations except in the kitchen. Tiles are extremely durable, but if not laid properly might have a hollow air pocket under it at some places. Check if there’s a deeper knock on any tile when you walk over them. They would need replacement.

·       Bug mesh: It is very important for a house to be naturally ventilated. So do ask your builder if provision for bug mesh could be made. Alternately, there are companies that deal specifically in bug mesh which can be installed over existing doors and windows.

6.    SERVICES

This is a technical aspect which is slightly tricky for most people to assess. But it is easy if you know what to look for.

·       Security screening levels. Most modern condominiums have a 3-tier security, at the gate, at the tower lobby and at the door. This is necessary on multiple accounts such as ensuring the safety of children and the elderly.

·       Waste disposal: Most modern condominiums have a strict waste segregation policy and a composting area for the wet waste.

·       Cleaning and maintenance: Modern window material profiles allow us to go for much bigger fenestrations on the fa?ade. But this requires professional cleaning. Most apartments have this cost included in their maintenance charges. Do find out the frequency of the process.

·       Fire fighting system: Sprinklers and smoke detectors are mandatory in most buildings nowadays.

·       AC type, ducting, trap doors & outdoor units: If your apartment has one single outdoor unit and a combination of ducts and split units all connected to it, you have what is known as a VRF system. One needs to look at the location of the outdoor unit as its huge and throws a large amount of hot air out, while in operation. The ceiling under the duct would be low and thus one needs to ensure that it’s not taking the height off in prime areas of the house like bedrooms and the drawing room.

·       Layout of all the washrooms are to be checked. This is one aspect that is not advisable to be modified later in terms of the layout as the plumbing of all the houses is connected. Check for plumbing servicing points for ease of access. While some construction have the upper bathroom’s plumbing going through the ceiling of the lower floor, it is not desirable as any blockage in the floor above would be serviced through your bathroom.

·       Check out the Distribution Board location for access when needed and the water meter and the piped LPG meter access for taking monthly readings.

·       Ratio of number of apartments per floor and the number of lifts per lobby.

·       Service balcony is mandatory as no one wants to look at front balconies with clothes being dried out. Ensure that the service balcony comes with a water point for the washing machine, a separate tap for cleaning washcloth & a floor drain.

·       Location of the fire exit staircase from the selected apartment.

7.    CONNECT WITH THE SPACE:

While the above mentioned points would arm you as a buyer to go and check for the technical aspects associated with buying an apartment, the emotional connect is equally important. Sometimes, when we enter an apartment, we know that it’s us. If you can visualize yourself living there and calling it home, then this is certainly the one to go for! Some of the technicalities might be a little mismatched, but if that space connects with you, do make that your choice. An architect or interior designer can help you put together that space of your dreams, but remember that positivity is the best element that one can fill a space with!