Plan turned out wrong for this Kozhikode house, ‘rebuilt’ years later

When people dream of building houses they imagine them to be a haven of amazing memories too. However, at times, the construction may go haywire and cause severe mental stress, apart from burning a big hole in the owner's pocket. Six years ago, when this house was built on a 3.5 cents plot in Chaliyam, Kozhikode, things didn’t go as planned. And the interiors had to be demolished and then rebuilt to rectify the errors that made it almost uninhabitable.

Even though it was quite challenging to build a house in such a small plot, the structure was built as per the plan. However, the family felt that the interiors lacked space and looked congested than they had imagined. The formal living area was so small that it couldn’t even host three or four guests.

The house, designed in 1800 sqft, has a sit-out, living and dining areas, kitchen with an adjacent work area and a bedroom on the ground floor while the upper floor has two bedrooms and a balcony.

After five years, the family decided to refurbish the interiors to make them more spacious and comfortable. Architect Shafi deserves the credit for redesigning the house to suit the needs of the family members. Redundant interior walls were knocked down to make the interiors open and spacious. The open hall where the living and the dining areas have been arranged underwent drastic changes. The spaces have been rearranged to make them look and feel vast. Now, the living areas can easily accommodate up to ten guests. The furniture pieces have been custom-made to suit the small spaces inside the house.

Minor changes were made in the elevation too. The projected balcony was removed and this area has been converted into a study area. The quaint floating car porch built in metal and polycarbonate finish is quite interesting.

The flooring, electrical and sanitary furnishings in the old structure had to be completely replaced. Wooden flooring has been done in the living area while tiles have been paved on the floor in the rest of the house. The gypsum false ceiling and the LED light fittings add a spectacular ambience to the interiors. Privacy has been ensured even while the spaces are open and vaster.

The staircase designed in the floating style by paving wooden planks on a metal frame is compact.

The kitchen cabinets, meanwhile, are done in Aluminium Composite Panels. The countertop has been paved with granite. An adjacent work area completes the modern kitchen.

The bedrooms are refurnished attractively. The false ceiling and new light fitting add more glamour to the rooms. Besides, extra storage spaces too have been newly added.

After six years, the family finally got the house of their dreams. They had spent Rs 17 lakh to build the house initially. However, now, the refurbishing was completed on a budget of Rs 34 lakh. Even though they had lost a significant amount of money, the family is happy and satisfied that their house looks better. Besides, they share this experience as a lesson to others who do not do adequate homework before starting construction.

Project Facts

Location – Chaliyam, Calicut

Plot – 3.5 cents

Area – 1800 SFT

Owner – Noufal

Designer – Shafi Maliyekkal

Mob – 9847292992

Pictures – Ajeeb Komachi