Low Cost Housing-

Low Cost Housing is considered a concept of reduction in the cost of construction without sacrificing the strength required for the performance of the building.

CONCEPT-

• It is said that it is a misconception that low cost housing is based on inferior specifications, low quality and produces sub standard work.
• It is said that it is a misconception that low cost housing is only for the poor.
• Low cost housing is done by proper management of resources and use of improved building technologies.
• The use of natural materials like straw, bamboo, fibers (jute, coir), earth etc. Is a centuries old practice in India.
• The concept of low cost housing is also useful when it is needed to provide temporary shelter for disaster refugees after natural calamities.

The main objective of low cost housing is to provide shelter for poor people and to accommodate the housing needs of growing population.

Budget houses are usually available within a low budget. For example, while a 2BHK apartment from a high profile builder may cost rs 70 lakh, a budget house from a local builder may cost about rs 45-50 lakh. Hence, it is well within the affordability range of most home buyers.

These houses have huge demand from the middle income group. Moreover, since the demand is high, these properties also have the potential for a good appreciation in a shorter period compared to the high-priced properties.

Most of the budget houses are in the outskirts which lack good connectivity and social infrastructure.These may create problems for many home buyers.Budget houses also usually lack the kind of amenities a big budget builder may provide such as swimming pool, club house or even the quality of house fittings such as door and bathroom fittings among others.

BUILDING COST-

• The building construction cost can be divided into two parts namely:
• Building material cost : 65 to 70 %
• Labour cost : 65 to 70 %
• Now in low cost housing, building material cost is less because we make use of the locally available materials and also the labour cost can be reduced by properly making the time schedule of our work.
• Cost of reduction is achieved by selection of more efficient material or by an improved design.

AREAS FROM WHERE COST CAN BE REDUCED ARE:-

• Reduce plinth area by using thinner wall concept.
• Ex.15 cms thick solid concrete block wall.
• Use locally available material in an innovative form like soil cement blocks in place of burnt brick.
• Use energy efficiency materials which consumes less energy like concrete block in place of burnt brick.
• Use environmentally friendly materials which are substitute for conventional building components like use R.C.C. Door and window frames in place of wooden frames.

MATERIALS USED FOR LOW COST HOUSING-

The materials commonly used for modern low-cost construction are hollow concrete blocks, bamboo, extruded clay bricks, compressed earth bricks, concrete panels, along with non-conventional materials like polymers and recycled composite blocks, as they can reduce construction time by half.

WOOD-

One of the first building materials known to man along with stone and wood, bamboo is used even today in rural areas of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America for building homes.It is a green building material, which is very popular in India due to its low cost, low weight and durability but should be treated with appropriate chemicals to make it termite resistant.

As India produces nearly half of the world’s bamboo, homes in earthquake-prone areas of the country are built with bamboo.The material has better tensile strength than steel and is also fire resistant.

More recently, corrugated sheets of bamboo have been developed, and these are used for roofing as experts consider it to be an ideal substitute for asbestos and galvanised sheets.

CONCRETE BLOCKS-

Concrete blocks are fabricated at factories according to specifications of home builders. Made by mixing Portland cement, water, stone or quartz these blocks can either be solid or hollow and are generally lightweight, durable and fire-resistant.

These are used for the foundation, basement walls and partition walls as their cores can be filled with steel rods for enhancing strength.

As they are made of cement, they are termite resistant, soundproof and provide natural insulation against heat and cold.

COMPRESSED EARTH BLOCKS-

These bricks are developed out of mud and reinforced with a mixture of lime and cement.

Also known as adobe bricks, they are lightweight, non-toxic and fire-resistant.

Compressed earth bricks are dense and generally used for exterior stucco work and are considered one of the cheapest among low-cost building materials.

INTERLOCKING BRICKS-

• These bricks are designed with a projection on one side and a depression on the other so that they align with bricks of a similar type, like a jigsaw puzzle, to make walls.
• Interlocking bricks are made out of laterite stone powder, cement and gravel.
  They are considered green building materials when compared to baked bricks as they dry naturally and are just as sturdy.

AUTOCLAVED AERATED CONCRETE OR AAC-

These bricks are designed with a projection on one side and a depression on the other so that they align with bricks of a similar type, like a jigsaw puzzle, to make walls. Interlocking bricks are made out of laterite stone powder, cement and gravel.

10 Low Cost Housing in India-

1. Aranya Community Housing, Indore, India
2. Incremental Housing, Belapur, Navi Mumbai, India
3. ATIRA Staff Housing, Ahmadabad, India
4. CIDCO Housing, Parsik Hill, Belapur, India

1. LIC Housing, Ahmadabad, India
2. Tara Housing, Delhi, India
3. Chengalchoola Housing, Trivandrum, India
4. Sheikh Sarai Housing Complex, New Delhi
5. HUDCO Courtyard Housing, Jodhpur, India
6. IFFCO Township, Kalol, Gujrat, India

Article by-

Ar.Vaishnavi mayee