The R E A L T Y Check . What Truly Matters : Square Feet or the Perfect Retreat?

The R E A L T Y Check . What Truly Matters : Square Feet or the Perfect Retreat? Part 2: Choosing the Right Home – Looking Beyond the Brochure. A practical Architect’s guide to choosing a home beyond square feet—covering locality, community, floor plans, light, ventilation, amenities, Vastu, and the details that shape everyday living. Transition from evaluating an entire residential project to choosing a specific apartment requires a complete shift in perspective from macro-amenities to micro-realities. Once you've narrowed down the project, spend some time preparing. Shortlist the flats you're seriously considering and make a list of the furniture you already own—or plan to buy—along with its approximate dimensions. When you visit the site, carry a measuring tape and focus on the actual dimensions of each room to determine whether the space truly supports your family's daily life. After years of evaluating homes as an architect—and while selecting one for my own family—these are the criteria I always come back to. Planning–Does the layout support your family's Lifestyle? Walk through your family’s daily routine from morning to night—from preparing breakfast to unwinding in the evening. Relationship between Spaces A well-balanced layout is built on two key principles: thoughtful room placement and efficient circulation . Spaces that are used together, such as the living room, dining area and kitchen, should connect naturally, while public and private zones remain clearly defined. For example, the common washroom should be conveniently accessible from the living and dining areas without compromising the privacy of the bedrooms. Equally important is the quality of circulation. Movement through the home should feel natural, without long, unnecessary corridors, awkward turns or physical bottlenecks. Furniture should be proportionate to the size of the room, with adequate space to move around it comfortably. Passages should be wide enough for easy movement without wasting valuable floor area, door swings should not obstruct furniture or circulation, and the layout should comfortably support multiple family members carrying out everyday activities at the same time. Room Proportions and Negative spaces. Every square foot you pay for should contribute meaningfully to your everyday life. Regularly shaped rooms allow better furniture placement, easier circulation and greater flexibility as your family's needs evolve. Two rooms with the same carpet area can function very differently—for example, a 10 × 12 ft bedroom is usually far more practical than an 8 × 15 ft bedroom. Negative spaces are the leftover pockets around furniture and in corners that are difficult to use effectively. A well-planned layout minimizes such dead spaces, while a poorly planned one can leave awkward corners and oversized passages consume the carpet area without adding usable space. Finally, evaluate the apartment as a whole. As the number of bedrooms increases, supporting spaces such as the kitchen, dining area, utility and common bathrooms should also grow proportionately. The best floor plans maintain a balanced relationship between all spaces rather than making one room oversized at the expense of another. The Sample Flat Can Be Deceptive A sample flat is designed to help you visualize the space, but remember that it is also a carefully curated marketing tool. Features such as full-height mirrors, undersized furniture, enhanced lighting and even the temporary removal of doors can make rooms appear larger than they actually are. Look beyond the styling, measure the rooms and evaluate whether your own furniture and daily needs will comfortably fit. Everyday Practicality Storage & Utility Planning A home doesn't become cluttered because people own too many things, but because it wasn't designed to efficiently store them. Verify dedicated niches or lofts for large, everyday items (travel bags, seasonal bedding, vacuum cleaners, and ladders) so they don't end up cluttering bedrooms or balconies. Similarly, pay close attention to the utility area. It may never become the highlight of your home, but you'll appreciate a well-planned utility space every single day. Ensure there is adequate space and provision for: Washing machine, Drying clothes, Water purifier, Dishwasher, Cleaning supplies, Inverter, Wi-Fi router and Shoe storage. Kitchen work triangle The kitchen work triangle connects the refrigerator, sink and cooking range—the three most frequently used areas. An efficient layout minimizes unnecessary walking and makes cooking more comfortable. Ideally, each side of the triangle should measure 1.2–2.7 m, with a total perimeter of 4–8 m (13–26 ft). This creates a balanced workflow between activities of cooking, cleaning and storage while preparing meals. Compact apartments may require practical compromises due to space limitations, but the basic principle of an efficient working sequence should still be respected. While planning your kitchen, also provide plumbing and electrical points for future appliances such as a dishwasher even if you don't intend to install them immediately. Providing these services during construction is far easier and significantly less expensive than retrofitting them after you've moved in. Experience - How will it feel to live here? Choosing the Right Floor A 10th-floor apartment next to a busy lift lobby may be less comfortable than a 3rd-floor apartment tucked away at the end of a quiet corridor. Before making your decision, step outside the apartment, walk along the corridor, look out of every window and evaluate its location within the building—not just its floor number. • Ground Floor: Generally offers easier accessibility but may have reduced privacy, less natural light and ventilation, and greater exposure to noise, dust and pedestrian movement. It can be a practical choice for senior citizens and families with young children. • Top Floor: Often provides better privacy, views and fewer disturbances from neighbours above. However, check what lies overhead. Landscaped terraces, swimming pools, water tanks or mechanical equipment may increase the risk of heat gain, maintenance issues, seepage or operational noise if not properly designed and maintained. • Middle Floors: Usually offer a good balance of accessibility, privacy, daylight and thermal comfort, making them the preferred choice for many home buyers. Lift Performance The convenience of a higher floor depends greatly on the lift system. Check whether the number of lifts is adequate for the number of apartments they serve and whether separate service lifts and stretcher lifts are provided. Car lifts should also be proportionate to the number of parking. In case of two way car Ramps width at the turning should be more than 6 Meter or as specified by the local authority. If the mechanical parking facility is provided make sure there are operators for the same. Internal vs. Outward Facing Apartments: There is no universally better choice—the ideal view depends on your lifestyle and priorities. Visit the apartment multiple times as noise levels and activity can vary significantly between weekdays, weekends and evenings. • Inner-Facing Units: Overlook landscaped gardens and internal open spaces, offering greener views and allowing parents to supervise children using common amenities. However, apartments facing clubhouses, swimming pools or play areas may experience increased noise and activity. • Outer/Main Road-Facing Units: Often provide more open views and a greater sense of openness. However, they may also be exposed to higher levels of traffic noise, dust and air pollution, depending on the surrounding roads and neighbourhood. Privacy Matters Privacy is shaped not only by the apartment itself but also by its relationship with neighbouring flats and common areas. Small planning decisions can have a significant impact on your daily comfort. Verify if: • Windows or balconies directly overlook neighbouring apartments or common corridors. • The main entrance faces another apartment, a busy lift lobby or a staircase, resulting in increased foot traffic and reduced privacy. • The apartment is close to lifts, refuse chutes, service shafts or mechanical rooms, which may generate noise, odor or maintenance disturbances. • The apartment is located above or below a clubhouse, gym, banquet hall or other common amenities that may generate noise. Light, Air & Comfort A bright, well-ventilated home is more comfortable, healthier and less dependent on artificial lighting and ventilation. Instead of simply counting windows, assess whether they are appropriately sized, well positioned and suited to the room. One well-designed window often performs better than several small, poorly placed ones. Pay particular attention to the kitchen, where heat, steam and cooking odors are generated every day. Adequate daylight and ventilation help keep it dry, hygienic and comfortable. Bathrooms and toilets should also have windows or well-designed ventilation shafts to prevent moisture, mould and persistent odors. Visiting the apartment at different times of the day can help you understand how much natural light and ventilation it actually receives. Everyday Comfort Even a well-planned apartment can fall short if everyday practicalities are overlooked. Assess these details carefully—they may seem minor during a site visit, but you'll experience them every single day after moving in. Floor-to-Ceiling Height Execution – Quality and Workmanship. Structural Planning & Waterproofing A good structural design works quietly in the background. Stand in each room and check whether columns or deep beams project awkwardly into bedrooms and living spaces, cutting into wardrobe niches or making furniture placement difficult. Inspect external wall-to-slab junctions using a flash light, as poor structural joints often create hairline cracks where monsoon moisture penetrates. Waterproofing defects are among the most expensive issues to fix, so inspect bathroom walls, adjoining rooms, balcony junctions, and ceilings for damp patches, peeling paint, or efflorescence (white salt deposits). Don't forget to check common corridors and staircases—visible seepage here often indicates larger, building-wide drainage problems. Construction Quality & Finishing The true quality of construction is revealed in the finer details. Premium finishes may create a good first impression, but workmanship becomes evident over time through cracked tiles, uneven surfaces, and recurring maintenance issues. Walk through rooms under direct daylight to catch uneven wall plaster, wavy paint application, and unaligned window frames. Tap floor tiles gently to listen for hollow sounds that signal poor mortar bedding beneath. Before accepting possession, inspect these finishes carefully to ensure you aren't inheriting long-term repair work. Finishes & Surface Workmanship (Flooring, Plaster & Paint) While cosmetic finishes shouldn't be your sole reason to buy, poor surface workmanship usually points to rushed construction. Walk through every room and gently tap a few floor tiles with a key to check for hollow sounds, which signal poor adhesion underneath, and ensure tile joints are level without noticeable raised edges (lipping). Next, view the walls under natural daylight at an angle rather than straight on; this easily reveals uneven plaster bulges, hairline cracks near window frames or beam junctions, and patchy paint or roller marks. Drainage Slope Floor slopes direct water naturally toward drains without allowing it to pool. Perform a quick test by pouring a small amount of water in the bathrooms, balconies, and utility areas. Water should flow freely toward the drain without creating stagnant puddles near door thresholds or room corners, which can lead to long-term staining, dampness, and unpleasant odors. Vastu Shastra: Finding the Right Balance For many homebuyers, Vastu is an important consideration when selecting a home. While a detailed assessment is best left to a qualified Vastu consultant, the following principles can serve as a basic reference during the home selection process: Avoid toilets in the North-East or the central portion of the apartment ( Brahmasthan ), as these locations are traditionally considered unfavourable and inauspicious. According to classical Vastu principles, there is no effective remedy once the toilet is located in these positions. Preferred room placements generally include the kitchen in the South-East, the master bedroom in the South-West, children's bedrooms in the North or North-West, and the pooja room in the East or North-East. Do not reject a home solely because of its entrance direction. Traditional Vastu evaluates several factors beyond the orientation of the main door, and all south-facing entrances are not inherently inauspicious. Consider the apartment's orientation from both a Vastu and an environmental perspective. Large west-facing openings can introduce significant afternoon heat, while north- and east-facing windows generally provide softer daylight with lower heat gain. Well-positioned openings improve daylight, thermal comfort and energy efficiency throughout the year. Ultimately, the best home is one that achieves a sensible balance between good planning, environmental comfort and your personal beliefs . The goal is not to find a "perfect" home, but to choose one that offers the best overall balance for your family's needs and long-term well-being. Conclusion The real REALTY Check isn't the brochure, the amenities or even the carpet area. The best homes are rarely defined by a single feature—they are the result of informed decisions made before you sign on the dotted line. I hope this article encourages you to look beyond finishes and square footage, ask better questions and evaluate every home with greater awareness and a broader perspective. A few extra hours spent inspecting a property today can save years of inconvenience, unexpected expenses and costly compromises in the future. In Part 3 of this series we'll move beyond selecting the right home and focus on protecting your investment —covering the critical checks before possession, common mistakes buyers make during handover and interior work, and practical steps to safeguard your home for years to come. Ar. Sukhada Patwardhan Email- patwardhansukhada20@gmail.com

The R E A L T Y Check . What Truly Matters : Square Feet or the Perfect Retreat?

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The R E A L T Y Check . What Truly Matters : Square Feet or the Perfect Retreat?

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