Sulfikkar’s ancestral house at Makkaraparamba in Malappuram, Kerala was more than 40 years old and time had really started taking a toll on the old structure. Though the family dreamed of building a brand new house, financial difficulties posed a challenge. It was Sulfikkar’s nephew architect Sajeer who suggested that the house could be renovated on a low and affordable budget.
Just a few changes were made in the structure to make the exteriors look chic and stylish. The interior spaces were rearranged to make it vast and spacious. The house was built using the hurudees blocks which were partially concrete. This made the renovation quite easier.
The house was demolished only up to the level of the lintel. The foundation was retained and the stones from the demolished parts were reused. Old stones were spread below the structure while new ones were used in the renovated parts. The wall with the brick cladding has been projected to the front of façade to make use of the old stones.
These are the major changes that were made while renovating the house:
• Old slanting roof over sit-out levelled to arrange an open balcony
• Old and decayed rafters replaced with truss work using GI
• Corridors, in the old structure, took merged with other interior spaces
• Formal living area and the hall are rearranged in the open style
• Two bedrooms are added
• An old bedroom merged with dining area, making it spacious
• Kitchen, which was renovated a few years back, has been retained
Among the many factors which helped keep a check on the tab, reusing the stones from the demolished parts played a vital role. The old roofing tiles were washed and used. Old furniture is polished and reused. The hurudees bricks from the demolished parts are used to build the boundary wall.
A sit-out, living and dining areas, three bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen have been rearranged in this beautiful house which has an area of 1600 sq ft. Space has been left vacant near the boundary wall to build the car porch. The family is happy that their house has had a stylish make over well within a budget of Rs 6 lakh. This house proves that renovation is not only about demolishing and adding on features but also of artistically rearranging the spaces. Sulfikkar’s dream abode provides an amazing model for those who wish to give their house a mesmerizing facelift, that too within an affordable budget.
Project Facts
Location – Makkaraparamba, Malappuram
Area – 1600 SFT
Owner – Sulfikkar
Designers – Riyas and Sajeer, Covo Architecture Studio, Malappuram
9946607464, 9656009001
Year of completion – 2019
Budget – Rs 6.5 lakhs
