[aargee]

Originally Posted by lokii_83

Apparently I got a promising option to buy a Builders floor flat (Built in 40*60, total 4 flats)

I'm assuming this is duplex style living.

Anyway from our bad to best experience of villa, flat & individual house, hands down any day, individual house is THE BEST. You buy a house & you're your own boss, no pooling money, no sharing the space, no seeking permission, no sharing resources, no ratification, no meeting, no voting, no common problem.

Yes, there's going to be problems even with individual house, older the house, higher the maintenance cost. Water pump broke, electricity leakage, fix water heater, fix a fan, clean AC...search for a plumber electrician in middle of night or become a electrician cum plumber cum mason cum carpenter cum (anyway we're all semi-mechanics) your main profession, basically DIY

But whatever is the problem, it's yours, you need to fix, no need to ask anyone, no need committee's approval, no need to work on restricted hours. Want to paint? Choose your own timing, choose your own method; want to change tiles, no complaints from neighbor whatsoever. If it's a flat, you had it & after that, you become a bad guy in your neighbors book for working on something inside your house.

It's like the advice on buying the car given in this forum; if your budget is X Lakh, extend it more & buy that X+Y Lakh car that doesn't get outdated in next 4-5 years. Same formula goes here as well, stick with individual house that costs more.

[lokii_83]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

You can have some problems with shared resources if any, like a water connection or even sewage in case anything goes bad. I will prefer an individual smaller home or a flat.

Thank you Turbanator for inputs!

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

You get to observe human pettiness and stupidity at its absolute worst. And the one who caves in is the one who is the most decent. Just my observations. Hope this helps.

Thank you V.Narayan for sharing the live experience, very helpful. Yes with 4 different families and quite a spacious flat would definitely encounter more problems.

Originally Posted by Gansan

What is that? Some owner of independent house trying to sell his first floor? If yes, don't go anywhere near it.

Yes, this is builder own land, he built 4 flats, topmost is duplex where he stays, rest three he will sell. I believe its individual registration per flat.

Originally Posted by aargee

It's like the advice on buying the car given in this forum; if your budget is X Lakh, extend it more & buy that X+Y Lakh car that doesn't get outdated in next 4-5 years. Same formula goes here as well, stick with individual house that costs more.

Thank you aargee!
Well said, this makes me think ahead stay away.

Purchasing now as an investment angle and then try to find a new buyer down the line a risky move too.

I will continue to stay in rented and eye for a reputed flat or a good buy of a individual house, towards south of Bangalore.

It's great to see everyonecs response to my query and valuable inputs. Absolute power of this beloved forum!

[KPR]

I'm currently in the same dilemma. After searching for plot, old individual houses zeroed on two locations for constructing my dream individual villa / altering old house. Then upon discussion at home our decision went like this:

Owning a home gives an immense satisfaction but considering safety we have to do away with our dream of villa or individual house. Burglary is common in our area. We tend to go on long tours. If we have to keep our house shut for say 10 nights then it is impossible to imagine an individual house. We also do short two three days trips every month. Even for that we need to find a caretaker for nights in case of an individual house.
OTOH we already live in a flat wherein we had gone on many long vacations locking our home with no such incidents or worries. As safety is paramount I've to settle down with a flat in prime road location than an individual house. I know I'm losing out on my garage. But our life is beyond cars too.

[poloman]

Originally Posted by KPR

I'm currently in the same dilemma. After searching for plot, old individual houses zeroed on two locations for constructing my dream individual villa / altering old house. Then upon discussion at home our decision went like this:

Owning a home gives an immense satisfaction but considering safety we have to do away with our dream of villa or individual house. Burglary is common in our area. We tend to go on long tours. If we have to keep our house shut for say 10 nights then it is impossible to imagine an individual house. We also do short two three days trips every month. Even for that we need to find a caretaker for nights in case of an individual house.
OTOH we already live in a flat wherein we had gone on many long vacations locking our home with no such incidents or worries. As safety is paramount I've to settle down with a flat in prime road location than an individual house. I know I'm losing out on my garage. But our life is beyond cars too.

If you are middle aged please reconsider the decision. Flats even from good builders are not built to last. You will see huge number of issues and depreciation in the value.

Villa in a gated community can be as safe as a flat. You can use technology to increase your safety and surveillance. If you spend upward of 1 Cr on a flat I feel you will repent your decision down the line.

Originally Posted by lokii_83

Yes, this is builder own land, he built 4 flats, topmost is duplex where he stays, rest three he will sell. I believe its individual registration per flat.

I will run away from this option with dear life, particularly if the plot owner is staying there. This option have the worst of both worlds.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by KPR

. I know I'm losing out on my garage. But our life is beyond cars too.

You can easily find apartments with 2 car parking slots. Most of large complexes have the option to buy 2 car parks. The smaller 10/20 units complexes don't have that option.

[adithya.kp]

Hi Guys,
In a big dilemma, house or apartment?. I have already paid token advance for the house and got the legal clearance. But its a 40 year old house and hence I need to demolish and build the house. Apartment is fairly new and ready to move in. Both are located in the same area. ( I don't want to start the usual house vs apartment discussion. Some may say house is not safe, which I don't quite agree. Some may say apartments don't appreciate which is true but I am not bothered about it. To me the biggest difference is that, there is a sense of ownership in house. And the high maintenance of about 12k per month in apartment is a mental barrier. It will only go up with inflation)
What I am worried about is the hassle in construction, right from plan approval till interior work. (Even after assuming I somehow find a honest contractor). I know this is a one time activity. But a lot of people scaring me saying this is not my cup of tea. (for lazy people like me). Has anyone had any experience constructing the house?. Is it really as difficult as its made out to be?. What would you choose between a demolishable house and a ready to move in apartment?

[deehunk]

I constructed a house eight years ago, then purchased two apartments between 2019 and 2021. My experience says if you have a reliable person to oversee the construction work, then construct a house. There is a scarcity of skilled workers, so expect a delay and drag once the structural work is completed. But you have control over what you want, unlike in an apartment.

If you are buying an apartment, no matter who the builder is, it is built for a cost. Basically, we end up paying almost two times the price for a flat compared to building a house. My statement is only for people who already have a plot or old house.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

And the high maintenance of about 12k per month in apartment is a mental barrier. It will only go up with inflation

This is a reasonable price to pay to live in a "community" that offers security, lung space, like minded neighbours, lot of friends for kids, civic amenities and most importantly some sense of rule of the law.

If lack of appreciation of your investment in an apartment doesn't bother you, I would say go for the apartment in a good society. It's a terrible investment though and should be considered as an expense just like a car, etc.

Demolishing the old house and building a new house can also be done. Just a bit more hassle, patience and budget overrun but very much doable and if you are very sure of a house, you can go for it. Construction hassle is not such a deal breaker. As long as you have a clear title, your contractor can manage all approvals.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

Hi Guys,
In a big dilemma, house or apartment?. I have already paid token advance for the house and got the legal clearance. But its a 40 year old house and hence I need to demolish and build the house. Apartment is fairly new and ready to move in. Both are located in the same area. ( I don't want to start the usual house vs apartment discussion. Some may say house is not safe, which I don't quite agree. Some may say apartments don't appreciate which is true but I am not bothered about it. To me the biggest difference is that, there is a sense of ownership in house. And the high maintenance of about 12k per month in apartment is a mental barrier. It will only go up with inflation)
What I am worried about is the hassle in construction, right from plan approval till interior work. (Even after assuming I somehow find a honest contractor). I know this is a one time activity. But a lot of people scaring me saying this is not my cup of tea. (for lazy people like me). Has anyone had any experience constructing the house?. Is it really as difficult as its made out to be?. What would you choose between a demolishable house and a ready to move in apartment?

I have never built a house of my own - live in Mumbai and so practically there isn't a choice for me honestly . However, many in my extended family have done so across country and including in Mumbai Suburbs. If you have the patience to deal with the construction and are aware of the cost escalations that may come up during the construction, then building your own house is the approach to take. Everyone I know who did this also owns apartments for investment but they always prefer to live in their own house. It is purely an emotional gain, a sense of achievement and ownership. Apartments are fancy and provide a lot more comfort to a nuclear family but otherwise an independent house always wins.

So patience is what will determine your final decision my friend. All paperwork, contractor issues, etc will get sorted out eventually. And there is no point in comparing the two on economic front as it will be an Apple v/s Jellybean comparison honestly.

[Dieseltuned]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

Hi Guys,
In a big dilemma, house or apartment?.

If in your shoes, I would go for a house. Use this as an opportunity to explore the market, haggle with people, get the best of the products and build the house the way you want it right from designs to actually living in it. As my dad puts it "The sense of satisfaction of living on your own piece of land is unparalleled".

This could also be a good opportunity to loose your "laziness" and prove your mettle to the world around you

[condor]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

Has anyone had any experience constructing the house?. Is it really as difficult as its made out to be?. What would you choose between a demolishable house and a ready to move in apartment?

Ask in your circles for someone who has recently constructed a house, and reach out to their contractors. Your contact can also give you an idea of the experience in getting in constructed. Though the effort will be more, the satisfaction and experience of living in your own place is something.

Like @deehunk said, apartments are built to a cost. THe upper floors have a little lesser roof height too. You will need to run around a bit for the part post the structure. Even basic stuff are at a cost - things like poor wood in door frames, doors, etc. Obviously fittings are also going to basic. You wont have the freedom to change layout/space etc. In case of an independent house, you have the freedom of all this. You can get better quality pipes, and fittings - and most times the maintenance issues will not come up soon, but only with age.

An apt will have the social atmosphere especially for kids. In todays world this is less likely with single-kid families living in independent houses.

I know of one engineer in South Bangalore (RR nagar area), if you are in this part of town. You could even ask here for references to engineers.

So, if you can - it's an independent house as first option. You will own the land too, which should appreciate more than an apt will. (remember the recent thread that flat owners in Bangalore dont really own even the shared part of the property that the complex is on ? )

Take your time to plan everything - including source of materials. Plan everything to the last detail, and then start. Be ready for some over-run in budget. But it will be worth it.

[speed79]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

What I am worried about is the hassle in construction, right from plan approval till interior work. (Even after assuming I somehow find a honest contractor). I know this is a one time activity. But a lot of people scaring me saying this is not my cup of tea. (for lazy people like me). Has anyone had any experience constructing the house?. Is it really as difficult as its made out to be?. What would you choose between a demolishable house and a ready to move in apartment?

Coming from a small town, I have always lived in independent houses. Only for a year in 2002, when I came to Bangalore, did I stay in an apartment and I felt apartment life to be too boring as I used to feel that only part of space within the walls belonged to us. Later I got married, and we starting looking for an apartment. Search continued for 5 years and I had almost finalized 1960 sqft apartment in Brigade Metropolis (got legal etc done), but then better sense prevailed and I bought a newly built duplex house in BDA layout in year 2011. 2 years later I bought my adjacent plot for car parking/children play area @ 1.35x the previous plot cost. Then in 2018 I bought an old house as investment in same locality at 2x the first plot cost. Again I am in market to purchase another plot/old house but nothing is available even for 2.5x. For the old house, I had got an estimate of construction cost from a builder friend for 3 Floor + parking along with lift as 90L on a 1200sqft plot. It might give you an idea of appreciation of land cost in previous years and cost of construction.

As I was not able to get anything in my locality, we explored row house/villas in gated community. We liked Prestige Augusta Golf village (PAGV) and were about to buy a row house, but thankfully the seller backed out. We were blinded by the vast open space and Golf Course. But the quality of construction was the worst I have seen in any house/apartment. Even the un-occupied row houses had almost 50% of the fittings on doors/windows fallen, and all around the house on ground floor there was water damage at about 8-12 inches height from the ground. This damage was present in almost all row houses that we had seen. Later I discussed it with my builder friend and he told me that Prestige might have skipped the ground treatment (I forgot the specific term). He also told that Prestige does not use natural wood for doors and windows and uses molded wood, and that I should always avoid Prestige properties.

A house feels personal, while an apartment feels like a shared object. In an apartment, we do not have our own floor or roof or walls as these are shared with other occupants. This is a feeling and can vary from one person to another. Only drawback of an independent house, that I have felt, is that the kids do not get friends to play with. What you get in an independent house is your own floor, walls, roof, car-parking and above all the terrace. You get flexibility to do any alterations and any extension say adding a floor or a room (of course, within legal limits).

For the construction part, you can check with your friends and colleagues, and you might find reference of some builder, and it should not be difficult. You can keep a control on quality of material used, but you would need to spend some time. Later for the finishing part, there will be more involvement needed from your side. It will consume some of your time, but it is doable and you would be satisfied at end of it. You will also feel a difference on how attached you would feel to your house, if you have got it constructed with your involvement. For me an apartment is something shared, and a house is personal.

[am1m]

As someone who has always stayed in an independent house, it looks like the grass is always greener on the other side!

If you are certain that you will be in the residence for over 20 years, if you know for sure you will be raising your children in that place, then certainly the 1 year+ and associated stress spent constructing your own place is worth it. But if you plan to shift in 5 years, don't want to be tied down to one locality/city, renting makes a lot of sense.

As someone who has gone through the construction process- you will be cheated, it will cost more than you expected, and it will take longer than you expected. Neighborhoods change. When we built 20 years ago, it was a peaceful neighborhood that had hardly any traffic. Now it's a mess with honking right outside our windows at all hours.

In the better apartments, you have common facilities like grounds and swimming pools which are not possible or will be far away from your independent house. In my independent house, I have to listen to my neighbor's 2 big dogs bark at all hours of the day and can't do anything about it. Apartment associations while they are a pain in the rear sometimes can at least enforce some rules for the common good. But on the other hand I'm very happy i was not in an apartment building during the covid lockdowns hearing all the idiotic and ridiculous rules apartment associations chose to enforce on residents above the already stupid government restrictions!

Decent quality construction tends to last. But after 15-20 years, maintenance does start to creep up. And in an independent house, it's all your responsibility. Also while we tend to lavish all our money on the house, remember that after 15 years, if you do want to sell, you'll get almost nothing for the building, only the land value.

So just some points to think about.

[rajesh1868]

Originally Posted by adithya.kp

Is it really as difficult as its made out to be?. What would you choose between a demolishable house and a ready to move in apartment?

I have constructed a house in a gated layout in Bangalore, lived there for 10 years, sold it and purchased an apartment in a Tier3 location, and moved there.

I was an outsider, did not know anything with respect to rules and regulations, nor had any experience of constructing a house in native. I just went with my gut feeling.

House construction is not a hassle if you have the right contractor and workers. I found it one of the most exciting times In my life. There will be lots of ideas and many things to look forward to.

I sold it because we took a choice to move out of Bangalore. But buying an apartment has its own benefits like maintenance, electric/plumbing repair works, etc. My apartment has a common set of technicians always available when there is a need. Not sure if that is the case everywhere.
In the independent house, I had to be bothered much about when the water will get pumped (we were not allowed to dig individual borewells). How much do I have till the next pumping? Do I need to order a tanker etc? This used to be a constant pain.
If there are vacant plots around, how painful is it going to be when construction starts over there? Will the sudden loss of views and light affect you? Add noise, dust etc.

Resale of the apartment may not fetch much. Constructed house, at least has the land value associated with it. Also, there is freedom for you to construct an extra floor for anything more that you need.

So, more than whether you can construct, first check what your priorities are with a house. If construction makes sense, then go for it.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

If there are vacant plots around, how painful is it going to be when construction starts over there? Will the sudden loss of views and light affect you? Add noise, dust etc.

This is a good point and exactly what we went through. When we constructed, we were one of the few houses in the area, with empty plots on both sides. When both neighbors constructed, even though they were certainly considerate, we had to endure a lot of dust, cement falling inside, noise. The windows we had planned to let in light and views suddenly faced blank walls. Even if you follow regulations and leave enough space between buildings, don't expect the neighbors to do so. And there is nothing you can do about it. (But we were happy when they constructed their houses because it's safer to have houses adjoining and till then the other neighbors were using the empty plots as garbage dumping grounds!)

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

So, more than whether you can construct, first check what your priorities are with a house. If construction makes sense, then go for it.

Sterling advice! Don't construct out of emotion or because society says you should. (Or for something silly such as "proving yourself") Construct if your family requirement and the economics make sense.