Journal
Notes on designing, approving and building in Odisha
Written for the questions people ask before they call an architect — what a plot permits, what approval takes, why a bill of quantities matters, what the coast does to materials.
Do you need an architect for your house?
Do you need an architect for your house? What an architect does at each stage, how architects' fees work in India, and what to ask before you sign.
ReadNext in the journal
Written, reviewed and scheduled. Each one appears here on its date.
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How to keep your house cool without AC
How to keep your house cool without AC in Bhubaneswar's hot-humid climate: roof first, shade by orientation, cross-ventilation and the right materials.
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How much can you build on your plot in Odisha?
How much can you build on your plot in Odisha? FAR, setbacks and ground coverage under the 2020 ODA rules, with a worked example for a 40x60 plot.
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East or north facing house: which is best?
East, north, west or south facing house? How the sun moves over Odisha, why the west is the hard side, and how to plan rooms for any facing.
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AAC blocks vs red bricks vs fly ash bricks
AAC blocks vs red bricks vs fly ash bricks: weight, heat, strength, cracks and cost compared with IS codes, so you can choose the right wall for Odisha.
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30x40 house plan: planning 1,200 sq ft well
Planning a 30x40 house on a 1,200 sq ft plot: what Odisha's rules allow, 2BHK and 3BHK zoning, the car, the stair and how to bring light into …
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Modular kitchen design for Indian cooking
Modular kitchen design for Indian cooking: counter height, depth, aisles, L, U, parallel and island layouts, chimney, gas safety and storage, measured.
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Building near the coast in Odisha: humidity, monsoon and salt air
Coastal Odisha is unkind to ordinary specification. What fails, why it fails, and what to specify instead — for anyone building in Puri, along the coast, …
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Building plan approval in Bhubaneswar: how the process actually works
Plan approval is the part of a project clients understand least and worry about most. Here is the shape of it: who approves, what they look …
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What a bill of quantities is, and why you should insist on one
A per-square-foot rate is a guess with a decimal point in it. A bill of quantities is a measurement. The difference is where most construction cost …
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Buying land
What to check before you buy a plot in Bhubaneswar
A plot is the one decision in a building project you cannot design your way out of. Here is what to establish before you pay for …
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Why houses go over budget, and what one contract changes
Very few home-building projects fail for one big reason. They fail from accumulation, and the common thread is that nobody is accountable for the whole. The …
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Building a house in Bhubaneswar that costs less to run
Running cost is decided at design stage and paid for over thirty years. The decisions that matter most in this climate cost little or nothing when …
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Seeing your house before it is built: what AR and VR actually change
Walkthroughs are usually sold as a presentation feature. Their real value is cheaper mistakes: a change made on a screen costs a conversation, and the same …
Have a question these do not answer?
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