Life in high-rise building

For the first time in history more than half the world’s population resides in cities. As overwhelming as it may sound, there is no denying the fact that when it comes to accommodating this large population, flats or apartments, especially high-rise buildings rule the roost.

Today, owning or renting an apartment is financially more convenient than owning a house in big cities. The total cost for buying an apartment is much less than the cost invested in the construction of an independent house. Here in the city too, the cost of a single apartment unit when compared to a single house of the same dimension is much less due to obvious difference in property and construction costs.

Owing to such reasons the number of high-rise residential projects as well as the strength of apartment owners in the city has continued to grow.

The sunny side

Cost aside, there are numerous other advantages of living in flats. The central location is one major advantage for occupants as they no longer have to worry about long commutes. This is a major incentive for people who often have to put in extra hours at the office.

According to Colonel Gopalakrishnan, secretary of residents’ association at SFS Grande , all the necessary services such as plumbing, electricity, and laundry are available on request at the door steps, reducing the hassle of maintaining the living space.

Facilities such as power and water backup, piped cooking gas, combined security of the premises and individual flats are some of the benefits of apartment living. Club facilities will provide you access to gym, sports, swimming pool and other recreational spaces, he says.

Cheriyan Varghese, association secretary at Pattom Square is of the opinion that the real advantage of high-rise living is that one can easily relax and withdraw into solitude at those heights, but also get down to the common areas and meet the neighbours as and when they like it. So, in a way they get to experience the best of both worlds.

If you are only looking for a place to live for a short period of time, an apartment is usually the best choice. You can negotiate a lease that fits the amount of time you plan to live in the apartment complex in advance, or you may be able to get a month-to-month lease if you are only looking for an apartment for a few months, he says.

All is not sunshine

When living in an apartment, the possibility of extension doesn’t exist. The space you have now is all the space you’ll ever get and you have to work with what you have. This means you often have to be creative when decorating a tiny bathroom or a small kitchen.

There are a few changes you can make such as making the balcony a part of the living space by removing the wall between them but that’s about it.

Sound seepage between the wall of the adjoining apartments or voice from lower or higher floor could irritate you, especially if you have a nocturnal neighbour.

Living in the apartment especially with little children demand extra caution. Safety is sometimes a concern when your balcony is ten storeys high.

Getting the priorities right

Here are some priorities to keep in mind while buying a flat, in case you are losing sleep over it.

Before you invest in a flat, enquire about the litigation of the land. The land should be free from any legal issues and all necessary approvals from the authorities must be double checked. More importantly the land should come under the ‘build-able’ category in the official government documents. Clearances from the electricity board, water board, the local registration body, and in case of high-rises, special clearances are required to ensure that construction standards are met.

The actual surface area of the flat will be slightly lesser than the quoted figure. This is called the carpet area, which is the actual floor area of the flat. The carpet area usually makes up 80 per cent of the super area. The super area includes common spaces such as staircase, lobby, elevator space, shafts, and even the thickness of the outer walls of your house. Generally, builder charges on the basis of super area and consumer must understand the calculation before entering into the agreement or contract.

Every builder/developer gives a host of features and specifications to lure buyers. The important part in this regard is to understand which features and specifications are of real use and which are cosmetic. You should be well aware about the number of facilities provided in the flat. Also if there is a membership fee on any of the services, you should enquire further details and negotiate with the builder.

Ensure that you are well aware about the current market prices and the rate offered to you should match the carpet area, built up area and the super built up area. Don’t let go your dream home for a 5-10 per cent difference between budget and actual cost.