[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

1. Has anyone used ikea wash basin? In terms of quality, what does it compare to?
2. A sales guy at a multi brand told store me that, the design like the one shown above, is outdated. (I actually like it because, it also has spaces on the edges to keep things). Any truth to it?
3. If I were to buy jaquar/kohler etc wash basin, I need to hire a carpenter for cabinet work. I don't know if they can match this kind of fit and finish. Do you guys think, making a cabinet is difficult for the local carpenters?

Last one first - your question seems odd. It is a bit like asking "can a mechanic change tyres". No disrespect meant, but, it depends on skill and willingness of the person.

I needed 5 wash basins in my (still) ongoing renovation. 3 were in bathrooms. Felt that water would splash on them if a cabinet was used. So got wall hung ones for ₹ 1.5-2 k each. Larger ones were expensive too, so looked at storage availability alone.

For the dining area, got a big Cera table top model.

In between search for all this, had come across a no brand cabinet wash basin at a local shop. The cabinet is in 14 or 15 mm foam board, has 2 drawers, and comes with a mirror. Along with the tap, (extra) waste coupling (think it was included not sure) and angle cock, total cost was below ₹11,000. This is installed outside a bathroom that is too small that it can't accommodate a wash basin inside.In contrast, a Jaquar wash basin plus tap and all needed fittings was around ₹ 8.5 - 9 k.

For the Cera wash basin, yes, I had to buy a very expensive pillar tap, waste coupling and angle cock. Then got a piece of granite for around ₹13 k to lay on top of the cabinet. Will use only half piece of this slab. It is mounted on a cabinet made of 18 mm 710 bwp grade Marine plywood from greenply. No lamination, no edge banding. Twi pair stainless euro hinges fir the two doors. Mounted on 4 Nos. 10 cm SS legs. Legs + cabinet is 75 cm tall. There are 3 storage partitions inside this cabinet. Now have to do 2K PU coating from MRF.

So much details because I had to decide all this. If my carpenter was a car mechanic, he wouldn't know how to change a wheel. Had to stay with him to mark and draw each piece of cut plywood on the full sheet. 3 man days carpentery. Will need PU paint that costs ₹ 1000 per liter. A liter of 2 k PU paint gives 60 sq ft coverage. The board is 32 sq ft, and whole sheet was used with negligible waste. So one full liter PU paint for 2 coats. Painting labour extra. Granite installation by the concerned whether and and wash basin installation by plumber extra.

Go for it by all means, only if you are willing to spend time laying out the specifications. And invest time ensuring adherence to your specifications. If the worker will just clone a factory produced product, you might as well spend less on buying it.

Coming to IKEA, and their quality, it really depends on what you get. go to the shop and look at the fit, finish and feel before paying the premium.

If you are looking for "fashionable", be prepared to change the fittings in accordance with latest trends. I prefer utility and durability.

With contractors, the experience so far has been just

[d.w.w.]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

I don't know if they can match this kind of fit and finish. Do you guys think, making a cabinet is difficult for the local carpenters?

From my experience local carpenters can build cabinets but you never get the fit and finish. In my case, I designed the modular kitchen for my home and shared the design with the local carpenters (who did a very good job with doors and windows). They claimed to have experience in doing modular kitchens, but when it came to the implementation, their work sucked bigtime. The gaps between the cabinets were irregular; some were narrow and some were wide, some were not perpendicular to the floor, the soft closing Hettich slides were not fixed properly(it was not doing soft close at all), there were chip offs from the front side of the laminated ply (coming from the improper circular saw blade they used) to name a few. The labor also came more than I expected since they had to play around to fix the entire cabinet.

If you have time and knowledge, you can hire local carpenters and baby sit to get the desired output. Else it is better to leave it to pros if you want the perfect fit and finish.

[adithya.kp]

Thanks a lot BaCkSeAtDrIVeR and d.w.w for a very useful info.

@BaCkSeAtDrIVeR. I understand that. But the problem is, I don't know if my carpenter is competent enough.
Btw I too am looking for a kitchen wash basin. Do you mind sharing a photo of your wash basin ?
I have already seen the ikea wash basin in person (Bangalore store). It looks very good. But I can't make out the quality. ( In fact, even in the well known brands, if you remove the logo, they all will look more or less the same.). You are right that the design gets outdated very quickly. But I didn't want to buy something which is already considered outdated.

You seem to have a lot of patience. Mine is also renovation work. But I am tired of the selecting different items. There are way too many options in every category.

One last question If I may. Any recommendation on the modular switches?. I am not convinced with the stuff my contractor buys. I wanted to go for good quality switches. He claims legrand etc should be avoided because, service/replacement etc will be difficult. He is pushing Anchor roma plus, GM casa viva etc.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

One last question If I may. Any recommendation on the modular switches?. I am not convinced with the stuff my contractor buys. I wanted to go for good quality switches. He claims legrand etc should be avoided because, service/replacement etc will be difficult. He is pushing Anchor roma plus, GM casa viva etc.

Do not touch the Anchor roma. the quality is awful. It will be fine until you need to take a faceplate off, then it will start falling to bits. OK, our electrician can do it, but then Ican do MK without that every-day experience.

Don't know about GM.

MK is ok, although not the same quality as international.

Replacement parts should not be problem. (actually, you shouldn't need any: this stuff should last a life time, but hey, it doesn't). And you will see what is available from your local places easily.

Go for the better brands. You have to live with it, your man doesn't!

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

I don't know if my carpenter is competent enough.

Will post a pic of the part-finished cabinet if it's is it is not too ugly. Will go there only on Sunday.

From February, have been visiting at least two brand shops weekly, and before starting off each time, I swear that this will be the last "look". So best of luck with that "fed up" thing. All major brands will have "display centers" showcasing their products. Take time to visit the places. ask these places or dealers for soft copies of price lists. Not glossy catalogues. Ask for indicative discounts on MRP up front. Browse through the items and prices. Go to YouTube and websites for usage recommendations. Then fine-tune the bill of materials. This, and only this gives you an idea of the proper costs involved.

Legrand has five ranges of switches. Siemens, Honeywell (they took over L&T domestic switches), Tata (smart switches, ultra-premium), V guard, Polycab... pick your brand; but everybody has two or more price points. And with each range, whites cost less; colour switches cost 30-45% more. Colour plates cost around 3-5 X more.

Philips has just launched a switch range, the dealer says stock is yet to come to them. When you decide on a "range", you are selecting the plate design. Note that switches are NOT compatible between the plates. But from the same range, you can pick and choose/mix and match switches and plates of different colours. (For example, think of pink plates, white switches for lights, grey for fans, etc). While deciding the range, pay attention to fan regulators in the range. Decide if you'll use fans with regulators or one with remotes. Some switch ranges have ordinary, touch type and 2 M switches in the lineup. To use these, you need bigger boxes (thankfully, the boxes are standard and take any type of plate, I got stainless steel, no-brand boxes). Got V guard wires because that is what the dealer had, and because they have 200-meter rolls for some sizes. These are significantly cheaper at per-meter rates.

I ended up comparing Legrand Myrius, Myrius Nextgen, Siemens and Honeywell Horizon switches. Myrius colour switches were more expensive than Myrius nextgen white. There are two more ranges below these two and one above these.

Have you made provision for the wiring of home theatre speakers? CCTV? Home network? If yes, not all modular ranges offer all kinds of accessories. I wanted to install a point for charging, and Qi / wireless charging modules in a couple of rooms. But the electrician goofed it up with inadequate space in the boxes.

Originally Posted by d.w.w.

In my case, I designed the modular kitchen for my Home and shared the design with the local carpenters (who did a very good job with doors and windows). They claimed to have experience in doing modular kitchens, but when it came to the implementation, their work sucked bigtime.

Yes, a "good" carpenter might not realise how these slides and hinges work and how to adjust them. There are screws that rotate and move the panels left <> right by a few mm. 3-4 mm maximum. 3D adjustment, if available, allows for front <> back movement of the panel. Check YouTube for these features.

While it is possible to use templates for drilling for hinges, people won't spend those ₹ 200-300 to buy the templates. Instead, they use the hinge itself to mark the hole. A good indicator of knowledge b is, listening to whether these people measure work in inches and feet, or measure in mm and cm. If their dimensions in their minds are in inches, they are unlikely to have worked on proper modular kitchens and fittings. They might have built kitchens, but not exactly "modular" ones.

The term "modular" comes from the "system 32" standard and its brand-specific variants and c derivatives.

I use Ebco "Pro-motion" (tandem) drawers and their Euro hinges. You need to know the difference between overlay, half overlay and insert v cabinet doors, where to use them, and get the appropriate hinge. You need to know how much it opens because hinges open 90-95⁰, some open 125⁰, and others are 165⁰. Some are for 28 mm or thicker boards. Some hinges are for 18 mm or thinner boards.

Those who have been following my posts might recall that I was planning to use stainless steel frames for kitchen counters. I was after the fabricator from November 2022 to March of this year to start his work. Finally called a carpenter, who quoted a labour rate much more than what shops like liv-space quote, just for finished things, including material. So fixed the cabinetry with an aluminium fabricator. His quote, including the material and ACP sheets, was less than the cost of plywood and lamination, 710 BWP plywood was used. He turned out to be ignorant of the concept of modularity. He has made shelves on which people mount granite slabs, but that certainly was not what I wanted. So asked him to stop the work and took a 50k loss. The channels are lying there.

Next, pre-fabricated 50 cm slabs and installed them on 20 cm thick masonry legs 2 metres apart. That should keep the kitchen counter safe and sturdy even if the fabricator/carpenter goofs up. The reinforcement bars, sand and 25 mm ballast were lying around, so we got only the cement bricks and cement. 8 mm rods 10 cm centre to centre forms the reinforcement.

I'm making a G-shaped open kitchen, and the room is 4.5 x 3.5 m. I needed 12 drawers, including 4 for the Larder. Basic economics says any storage below the waistline is best with pull-out drawers. Tavern drawers are space efficient because the space between the runners and vertical cabinetry legs is minimal compared to stainless steel "modular baskets". Some people were kind enough to be honest with me - "saar, nobody makes that many pullouts, 3 baskets are enough; for rest, please do shelves". Some are, "Saar, we will leave 2 inch space below doors so that doors do not hit your toes". That is certainly considerate. But the egg shelf is 8 cm x 8 cm so your feet go below the cabinet. Else - you end up leaning forward - even with an 8 cm projection of the granite slab. 8 cm tow kick plus 8 cm granite. Overhang means 11 cm total, and your waist can lean on the slab while facing it.

"But saar, nobody does it" is a sure indicator of ignorance of ergonomics. That "but" is an indicator of obstinacy. A good craftsman will figure it how to create that 8 x 8 cm toe kick space for you. Pay him a premium wage. After the with us completed.

[HTC]

Just sharing my experience purchasing plumbing, bathroom and kitchen fixtures.

Got to know about Krishna hardware (mallathalli, bengaluru) from my brother. Since I needed to purchase in bulk and didn't wan to spend a lot on each bathroom, decoded to check this place. It's a pretty big and established hardware shop. They have 3 shops next to each other. Lot of employees. Many types of fixtures displayed . You can check out what works for you and ask the sales people for price. They scan and tell you the price.bor ask them to show items in your process range. After giving list of all the items you need, they will generate a quote. You will get only the final price but not individual costs. If you decide to go ahead and purchase, ypunwil get the discounted prices in the bill.

What I found convenient is

• competitive prices without bargain
• lots of options to choose from in your price range.
• Almost all house construction hardware at one place.

There is no harm in checking out this place if you are constructing house on Bangalore. Attaching few pics,

*I am not related to this business in any way.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Had promised some work-in-progress photos of the kitchen. Obviously, the place is not very clean. For the plywood cabinet, a granite slab needs to be installed and wood has to be painted before the wash basin is installed. The inner supports have been screwed in, but I wanted the two planks seen inside to be removable. What I told was to install them between stainless steel "L" clamps, so that removing them for maintenance is easy. Now need to rework that part.




Image below gives the larger picture. The "kitchen bar" is made of 18 mm cement board is seen in foreground, the plywood cabinet shown in the first two pics above is at the left end. The concrete slabs are in the back ground.

[akhil_007]

Looking for some advice and inputs

1. Planning to mix waterproof liquid while doing outside plastering for the entire building. This is to ensure that there are no seepages during rainy season. Is there a better idea/precautionary way of doing this? I m thinking of using Dr.Fixit or Foscroc. Suggestions are welcome

2. For bathroom fixtures, I m thinking of opting Essco by Jaquar. I have heard these are economical and reliable as well. Any firsthand experience?

3. For Windows, I m planning to go for UPVC(wooden finish only). While Fenesta is super expensive, I m looking for cheaper options. But I'm unwilling to compromise on the look/finish. Suggestions please

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by akhil_007

1. Planning to mix waterproof liquid while doing outside plastering for the entire building. This is to ensure that there are no seepages during rainy season. Is there a better idea/precautionary way of doing this?

2. For bathroom fixtures, I m thinking of opting Essco by Jaquar.

3. For Windows, I m planning to go for UPVC(wooden finish only).

1. If you want to mix something in cement mortal for plastering, buy something that's meant to be used for mixing in cement mortar. The names you mention are brands. Like Yamaha, who makes two wheelers, speakers, home theater systems and music instruments. Both these brands have a wide line up of cement and concrete additives +and other products) that are meant for various uses. Some are for applying on top of ceiling. Some in bathroom walls and floors (before fixing tiles). Some are for water proof coating - and most are applied like paint. Then there are heat repelling coats. Mixtures that reduce water consumption in concrete (plasticisers). And, those used for mixing in mortar. These two are entirely different from what are listed out above. Workers, contractors, and often dealers are frequently ignorant of the difference. So be clear about what you buy. Brands Make no difference. These comply with same BIS standards - different standards for plasticisers, water proof paint, and water proofing cement mixtures. And more. As long as you buy the right product, but the brand available at a store convenient to you. You'll always end up buying that last small pack for the last unforeseen work.

2. Jaquar is a good brand. I got all shower fittings from them. Taps were a mix of brands, whatever was available at the shop was purchased based on looks and ensuring that everything inside is brass. Essco seems to be owned by Jaquar. But they're "experience center" or brand showroom does not show the products by default.

A good advice that I got from here was to buy quarter turn taps. Very useful.

If you have not done plumbing, try putting separate lines for hot water (to the heaters, if any) from the overhead tank. And insulate them. You can add a centralised solar water heater later on. Flush tank floats can get damages from high pressure, so use a separate line for these. (avoid connecting flush tanks to the pressure booster pump, use narrower pipes throughout to keep pressure low).

3. Saint Gobain has a range of upvc products. Contact them - they might help you locate customisers. Another option is, Tata pravesh which is a division of tata steel that makes custom doors and windows and all sorts of things. Customised down to the last detail - precisely the way a carpenter does. Their finishes include wood. They take up to 2 months due deliveries, if you need a finish or Size the local dealer does not have in stock - or if you want things in your size and finish. Prices are inclusive of installation, and installation happens after flooring and painting. So ensure the openings are within one or two mm of specified dimensions.

[akhil_007]

I will assume you did not mean to patronize and respond

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

1. If you want to mix something in cement mortal for plastering, buy something that's meant to be used for mixing in cement mortar. The names you mention are brands. Like Yamaha, who makes two wheelers, speakers, home theater systems and music instruments.

Reply Product name is LW+ from Fixit and Brushcrete from Fosroc. Have you used any additive for exterior plastering? If so, what is your feedback?



2. Jaquar is a good brand. I got all shower fittings from them. Taps were a mix of brands, whatever was available at the shop was purchased based on looks and ensuring that everything inside is brass. Essco seems to be owned by Jaquar. But they're "experience center" or brand showroom does not show the products by default.

Reply Products can be found here. Frankly, I m bored of Jaquar, having used it in my other home. I want same kind of reliability without having to spend a bomb.

A good advice that I got from here was to buy quarter turn taps. Very useful.

Reply Noted. Thank you


3. Saint Gobain has a range of upvc products. Contact them - they might help you locate customisers. Another option is, Tata pravesh which is a division of tata steel that makes custom doors and windows and all sorts of things.

Reply Saint Gobain is even more expensive than Fenesta.
Tata Pravesh does not have any UPVC products. Only steel and Aluminium

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by akhil_007

I will assume you did not mean to patronize and respond

Lol no. Just providing as much info as I can recall. We used only concrete water proofing additive. Nothing was added in wall plaster because there is a 10-15 cm projection of the roof slab outside the walls and parapet, so the vertical walls not take much rain. Yes, they get wet in the rain. The paint is now upgraded. Using the Dulux equivalent of Apex ultima. This is a ground floor only house, so no issues there.

There are so many variables involved in choosing components that go into construction. Hence, user feed back is never complete without knowing why a person choose a particular product. For example, a RCC foundation in a water logging prone area should contain water proofing compound to prevent the capillary effect dampness in walls. Mine is a granite stone foundation. But me extension uses RCC beam foundation. Hence insisted on using water proofing additive in the concrete mix itself. A simple issue, but often overlooked.

About the water proofing brand name thing - I checked the product the contractor brought first time around - and found that it is meant to be painted on. Got it returned and made him buy a concrete additive at my expense. His resistance to this put me in alert. That episode compelled me to pay more attention to every small detail.

[DhruvBhardwaj]

Hey team , our RCC slab terrace/roof in now literally leaking water to the floor below and causing heavy problem . Contractor had used some cheap waterproofing agent at time of lanter and it's slope isn't correct so water is stagnant at some places in small quantities . Currently he is just putting raw cement along with little water to make the slope but you would be able to get the idea that it is not at all effective as the site is in a hilly region with heavy rains . I am feeling that Dr fixit and likes would be too high in cost as the construction there has already burned a big hole in the pocket.

Can you suggest some practical and cost effective chemical agent for leaking rcc lanter (600 sq ft) in a region with heavy rains.

[NomadSK]

Originally Posted by DhruvBhardwaj

Hey team , our RCC slab terrace/roof in now literally leaking water to the floor below and causing heavy problem . Contractor had used some cheap waterproofing agent at time of lanter and it's slope isn't correct so water is stagnant at some places in small quantities .

Since the issue is with slope, the 2 methods for waterproofing you can go ahead are;

1) Brick bat coba waterproofing

2) IPS waterproofing.

In both the methods slope correction can be carried out. Both are Very effective with final layer of China Mosaic Chips and Only drawback is that it will increase the dead load on your RCC slab/structure.

Generally contractors give warranty of 5/10 years for doing this type of job.

And if the RCC slab itself is leaking due to poor quality of concrete, then it is advisable to go with pressure grouting before carrying out any other remedies to the RCC slab.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by DhruvBhardwaj

Hey team , our RCC slab terrace/roof in now literally leaking water to the floor below and causing heavy problem . Contractor had used some cheap waterproofing agent at time of lanter and it's slope isn't correct so water is stagnant at some places in small quantities . Currently he is just putting raw cement along with little water to make the slope but you would be able to get the idea that it is not at all effective as the site is in a hilly region with heavy rains . I am feeling that Dr fixit and likes would be too high in cost as the construction there has already burned a big hole in the pocket.

Can you suggest some practical and cost effective chemical agent for leaking rcc lanter (600 sq ft) in a region with heavy rains.

Only chemical will not do. I suggest that you

. If there is brick/tile covering on the terrace, rip it up to expose the concrete.
. Use concrete (cement, sand and stone chips with waterproofing compound meant for concrete) to lay a layer of around 75mm at the highest point, tapering to 25mm at the end. That will give you a slope of 50/3000 or 1:60 enough to drain the most persistent rainfall.
. After the concrete is cured (20 days), put a layer oif tarred felt. That has to be heated till the tar on the felt is very soft. Make sure to take the felt at least 100mm on the side walls. Roll the felt while it is hot. This will not only get rid of the air gaps, but stick the felt firmy to the concrete.
. Cover the felt with bricks/tiles. Roll them to ensure uniform bond.
. The drain pipe at the end of the slope should be at least 100mm diameter for heavy rain areas.

Check the surfaces at each step for smooth top without and local dips.

This is the only sure shot method of wterproofing the terrace that leaks. Do not be swayed by cheper options. They will let you down after a couple of years.

[balenoed_]

Query regarding uPVC/Wood Windows and Doors

Contemplating on what material to choose for the windows and doors for a G+1.5 Villa house. Currently at a stage to decide that. Any quick pros and cons? Wanted to keep the budget low but need some elegant looks. Is uPVC significantly cheaper than going for Wood all over? Is the major advantage of wood, the long lastingness? Any other alternates other than these two?

In case if someone has some insights on this, kindly share. Quite a lot of information available on the internet, but looking for some first hand guidance.