Both Flats and Independent Homes come with their own set of benefits and drawbacks, and the debate is age-old and also across different generations of people. Although, the population explosion in big cities has forced civilization to build vertical structures (High Rise Apartments) to provide necessary amenities for many families co-living together but, is it the right choice for you in Indore? Let’s explore!
Below we will assess the pros and cons of each based on specific points;
Choice of Dwelling and Amenities and Community living
Flat:
Wide choice of dwellings at various price points and various locations.
Basic amenities plus additional ones like Gyms, Community Centres, Swimming pools.
Security is a big plus.
Community living which helps residents develop lifelong relationships- a definite plus for children and elder people.
Festivals and National holidays are celebrated with much grandeur.
Independent Home:
The availability of plots at prime locations is always restricted.
Additional amenities viz. Gym, swimming pools, community centres are not affordable or available.
Security is always a concern and it is very difficult to lock the house and leave for outstation visits.
The concept of Community living is absent.
Use of Common Amenities & its Maintenance
Flat:
A fixed monthly sum goes towards maintenance charges. Although the amount is less, it might be a burden for someone not using the amenities.
There is no control over the wastage of common resources viz. Water, electricity, etc.
Maintenance of Gym equipment, Swimming pool, Lifts die down gradually.
Independent Home:
Overall maintenance is by the owner hence, the cost is generally this is on the higher side.
Common resources are used by the owner cautiously and much control can be exerted.
The flexibility of having Gardens or keeping Pets
Flat:
One can never think of having a garden or grow fruits and vegetables and has to settle for potted plants.
Keeping pets is dependent on society’s rules and regulations.
Independent Home:
One often use their home terrace as gardens and grow fruits and vegetables as well, no compromises.
One is also at the liberty to keep their pets.
Design of House, Quality of Raw Material used, and Workmanship
Flat:
No or very little Design Alterations after having taken possession of the flat.
One has no control over the material used during construction or workmanship. Residents are completely at the mercy of builders(good or bad).
Expensive Interior Designing works need to be done to uplift the aesthetics of the flat.
Independent Home:
The overall burden of maintenance of the home is on the owner, generally, this is on the higher side.
Common resources are used by owners cautiously and much control can be exerted.
Meticulous planning before construction can help save up on Interior Designing works.
Time of Possession
Flat:
Owners are at the complete mercy of builders for possession of their flats.
Independent Home:
The owner is completely at his/her liberty. One can plan as per their finances and priorities and then construct.
Cost Analysis
Flats are Less costly on paper in comparison to an Independent Home and also offers a wide range of benefits, but there are a lot of fine prints, let’s explore!
Higher Stamp Duty and Registration Costs on Flats
- Stamp Duty and Registration charge is typically ~ 10-12.5% of Total cost of Unit (Flat/Plot)
- For Flats, both land and construction cost add up to make up the total cost of the Unit, thus the Stamp Duty charges come out to be higher when compared to an Independent Home where one only pays Stamp Duty on the cost of the Plot.
- Stamp duty on immovable property is to be paid on the total area.
In a Flat- Total Area= the Total Carpet Area + Pro-rata share of common area + PLC + Other charges, so for example if a person buys a 1000 sqft. Super Built-up area flat, he/she has to pay Stamp Duty on the entire component, whereas if a person buys a plot of 600 sqft. and plans to construct a G+1 building of approx 1000 sqft. he/she will end up paying Stamp Duty on 600 sqft. only which is the size of the plot. - Under-construction Flats attract 1% or 5% GST based on the area and cost of the flat which has to be borne by the customers. But, for Independent Home construction, the purchase of plots does not attract any GST, but the contractor who is working as a Contractor will charge GST at 18%.
- An additional expense of 10%-15% of the unit cost has to be spent on Interior Designing works in a flat since one has very less control of what is made available to them. This cost is considerably less in an Independent Home since planning or provisioning can be done from the start and considerable rework costs can be avoided.
Conclusion
Flats offer various benefits to residents viz. Wide range of choices in terms of Location, Budget, Amenities; Security; Community Living, etc. but they also come with a lot of restrictions viz. Monthly maintenance charges irrespective of usage, No flexibility to have gardens or own pets, and they also come with risks viz. Fixed Internal Design, Quality of construction, Time of possession, etc. So, one has to make a lot of compromises while moving to a flat.
Independent Homes offer a lot of flexibility in terms of Design, Quality of Construction, Time of possession, and these things matter to people who are looking to settle in a place for a long period. Also, the life of an independent home is close to 60 years whereas, for a flat, experts say that it is not more than 30 years. Independent homes also offer the luxury of modifying the construction a few years hence or doing additional construction after necessary funds have been arranged.
Author: Sarbojit Dutta
Civil Constructions, Home Interiors & Renovations!
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