The last few weeks have witnessed a series of buildings collapsing in NCR. While a five-story under-construction building collapsed in Ghaziabad on July 22, a six-story under-construction building collapsed in Shah Beri village of Bisrakh area in Greater Noida on July 18.
In fact, just-in reports state that another three-story building has collapsed in Greater Noida’s Mubarakpur area. And the primary reasons for such collapses remain the same- poor construction quality and a weak foundation.
Although builders and contractors need to be answerable to such fatal mishaps, some of the onus comes on homebuyers as well. Those who paid and purchased flats in such buildings were simply motivated by the lower prices, which was almost half of what the legally approved structures were being sold for.
While homebuyers tend to make a beeline to projects selling at cheap rates usually next to prime projects, they often tend to oversee the structural flaws that come with fatal risks. While interiors of such buildings seem fine, rust on steel reinforcement and water logging near the building’s base are often ignored.
Beware of structurally-flawed buildings. Here are ten basic checks every home buyer should do before signing on the dotted line:
- Water-Logging:
It is very important to see if there is water logging near a building’s base. Always ensure that the level of the house is at least 1 feet above the level of the connecting road.
- Pillars and Beams:
Since NCR lies in earthquake zone 4, it is important to know the basics of your home- pillars, and beams. While the minimum size of the pillar should be at least one foot and the minimum size of the beam should be 1 inch per foot length, Dr. Abhay Gupta, structural engineer and owner of Skeleton Consultants Pvt Ltd, told Money Control.
- Concrete Quality:
Try to get a quality test done by a third party on the concrete being used for construction.
- Foundation:
Foundation of the building should be at least 10 feet deep if there is chances of water logging in the area. If there is a basement, the foundation should go way below the basement.
- Engineered Construction:
Always choose an engineered construction, In case a non-engineered construction suits your budget, do not forget to ask for the structural design.
- Blueprint:
Ask for the blueprint of the building from the developer. If he denies or make excuses, go for other options as such a building will tend to have flaws later.
- Steel Reinforcement:
While on the site visit, look for signs of rust. Look for small dark brown patches or cracks along the building. The rust volume increases when steel gets corroded.
- Cracks:
While househunting, keep your eyes open for telltale signs like signs of cracks on concrete on pillars, especially in buildings with open stilt parking.
- Sewage System:
Ideally, the sewage system of the building should be linked to a government approved drainage system. Check if this is the case with the building where you are buying a flat or not.
- Legal Documents:
To double check the legality of a building, homebuyers should ask for the title document, check the nature of the land where the building is being constructed, the building layout plan and completion certificate. Also, homebuyers must always ask for plans sanctioned by the concerned authority.