Owning a house was THE goal after kids’ education and wedding for our parents’ generation.
That is slowly changing now with most of us getting an apartment in early 20s.
Signing on the dotted line in the agreement should bring happiness.
Ads show images of folks like us sitting on the balcony/lawn sipping tea leisurely flipping through the pages of newspaper.
Often, they are flanked by manicured lawns, a blooming garden and children playing carefree on wide roads.
How far from reality!
Making the decision took us months after an exhausting house hunt. And when we made the decision, we had butterflies in our stomach and months of sleepless nights over loan and interiors. We had no clue what we had signed up for. And I’m sure there are hundreds of you out there on the same journey.
A house is a big fat elephant. Things were not so complicated 12 years back when we bought our first apartment. There were no fancy interior design firms. We just hired a carpenter, got the wardrobes and kitchen done. It was all over in a month, and we lived happily ever after until we renovated for new paint colors and furniture a few years later. Easy peasy.
And there was no child back then. But, this villa was another story altogether that started off on a wrong foot. Way too much research, information overload, pressure of hiring an interior designer as we understood that was the only way to go. It meant two lost years where weekends were spent running from one showroom to the other. And the end output is just a minimalist one.No one would even believe if we told them how many weekends we have gone without lunch or packed sandwiches we have had amidst dust here. But, we are HOME now. Have been for a few months. These are my takeaways:
- It is physically, mentally, and financially draining to build a home. But, only if you let it be. We were well-planned budget wise and were conscious about no overdoing it. Stick to the budget.
- Know what you want, and how your lifestyle is and design the house accordingly. Too much wood work and artifacts that collect dust would also mean you hire someone (and an outflow) every month for that. Are you prepared? Build a functional home.
- Unless you know a carpenter/interior firm well, do not hire without references. Despite the initial fiasco with the interior firm, the next carpenter came as a blessing who finished the whole job in record six weeks time.
- There are ready-made options: go for it. It’s pretty much like the Pepperfry ad. Your floor will be protected and so will time and effort. They are more professional and you get a factory finish.
- I personally don’t see any value in getting furniture made. Unless it is a custom size, explore ready made options.I like to call our home an online home because a lot of stuff is from different sites and it has been an happy experience.
- Don’t get carried away by how much your neighbor is spending. This is true especially for new projects. You know the strength of your balance sheet well. The charm of aesthetics is only for the first few weeks and it quickly fades away.
- Most firms do not do a turnkey project which implies the job of electrical fittings, accessories, civil work rests with you. And coordinating deliveries and visiting the stores is what takes time, especially considering Bangalore’s traffic. Firms charge a hetfy sum for turnkey projects. So, it’s a delicate balance.
We spent many weekends just running from one store to another for kitchens and appliances despite doing most of the research online.
This is a quick reckoner of all the vendors we have interacted with. I truly believe this will be a blessing for someone in the process of getting interiors done. Feel free to ask questions, or leave a note if you want detailed review of any particular vendor and I will put up a post.
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I just have one thing to ask of you: please spread the word if you felt it was helpful. It would make me immensely happy if the list comes in handy to someone and saves them hours of going around town. Thank you!
13 Comments
Laksh,
Thanks a ton for that awesome post…….it’s very useful for us right now…..
Also, can you do a quick review of all the interior design firms you considered and why you landed up rejected them???
I’m happy you are finding it useful. It’s the last leg after wood work is done that is time consuming – electrical and paintng.
Is there any specific model number for dishwasher & oven . I am planning to get those install in coming weeks .
Thanks
Faber I’m using this model: http://www.faberindia.com/products/built-in-ovens/129/fbio-65l-8f
Siemens: http://www.siemens-home.com/in/productlist/dishwashers/full-size-dishwashers/SN25L882EU?breadcrumb=fullsizefreestandingdishwashers
I love how this is written!
It’s like having the map that guides you through the minefield surrounding a new house.
Every time I say “Never Again…” but we do it again , anyway. Thanks again for sharing your journey!
Any reason you don’t recommend texture painting …?
Also Did you choose Kaff burners? how are they ?
Amrita, no reason in particular. You can go for it. They last long. The ones I had from Asian Paints lasted more than 5 years. You get bored of it after a while, but that’s true for any finish.
Kaff, no showrooms and was not easy to see or purchase. I did not like Elica either as I was looking for a three burner hob. I bought Faber brass burner hob (the microdecor one, not glass top).
Hi Need one help, where have you got the Enox trouser racks etc, any store you can direct me to?
Also same for redo shower closets – any store they have? I couldn’t find in their website
Hi Amrita, I bought it online from myhomesol. Reedo – not shower if they have an online site.
Hi, Finally – which interior designer did you chose ? Or u did the work on your own ? Right now, we are in the process of short-list/ finalizing one — could you please let us know.
The designer was Bangalore based who fleeced us, so we fired her midway. We then designed ourselves and got it executed through a wonderful carpenter. On-time delivery, good quality and very transparent. For kitchen, we went with CapriCoast. All the best.
Hi Laksh, Thanks for the reply. Would you be able to share the carpenter details ? We are in the process of designing our home and looking for a reliable carpenter who can execute. Thanks again :-)
I have recently purchased an apartment and while googling about some quick tips on home interiors I landed upon your blog. Trust me – I have become a big fan of your writings.
Although am still in a confused state of mind, trying to decide whether I should choose an interior designer or do it all by myself, flipping through your blog is giving me a lot of new ideas.
All your articles are so crisp and concise yet they deliver so much information. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and experiences.