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Construct on time

PTI | ByRakesh Chawla
Aug 30, 2003 12:04 PM IST

Do you want to avoid delays and cost overruns while constructing your house or building? Then adhere to the principles of Vaastu, says Rakesh Chawla.

In our country, there are many cases of new projects getting delayed due to reasons beyond the control of individuals. Either they exceed their planned time-schedule or there is delay in the arrival of raw materials from suppliers. The breach of the principles of Vaastu, in one way or the other, is the real underlying cause of time overrun and escalation of project cost. Take a few precautions and make sure that you execute your projects on time. Here is how you can do that:

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Any projection in the northwest or southeast directions escalates project cost and delays the schedule. So stay clear of such locations. If there are any projections in these directions, cut off that area by clearly demarcating your boundaries with a wall. Excess land towards the southeast or northwest can be used as a kitchen garden or you may place your generator there. In the process of strengthening your boundaries as per the principles of Vaastu, even if you lose some land, it is worth it in the long run. Real estate builders face two problems - completion is often delayed and marketing becomes a tough exercise.

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If the levels are uneven with the lower levels in the southern and western directions, you should equalise them by raising the two directions with earth dug out from the eastern and northern sides. Expensive as this may sound as a solution, it is the best way out.

Creation of a water-body in the northeast quadrant will hasten your construction. Remove the dug out earth in the northeast quadrant and use it to raise the ground level in the southwest. A small investment in a big water-body in the northeast is a hedge against escalation of costs. A bigger water-body in the northeast can cut project costs.

On the raised ground level, build your temporary site office and go downs in the southwest quadrant, touching the southern and western boundaries. You can build them with mud so that they can easily be demolished after the whole project has been completed. Once the southwest corner is covered, the construction activity will pick up speed and everything will fall in line. Ditches, water bodies or low level areas in the southern or western directions act as powerful pitfalls of nature to upset your time schedules.

Dump your construction material on the western and southern side of the proposed building. If materials like sand, bricks and stones are stacked in the eastern direction, there will be delays from the government office. If the materials are stacked on the northern side, there will be problems from the labour front.

If you build your site office in the northeast, southeast or northwest quadrants, your project is likely to be subjected to indefinite delays. You will get the same results if the site office or godowns are located on the eastern or northern side. For plots with roads on the north, east or both, builders usually to construct the site office in the northeast, northwest or southeast corners for convenience and security. The worst place for the site office is the northeast quadrant.

After constructing the site office in the southwest, work should start in the southwest part of the building. If there is more than one building in the site, the extreme southwest building should be taken up first and completed ahead of other buildings. The northeast building can be taken up towards the very end. Operations like digging, erection of columns, roof laying, construction of walls or plastering should begin from the southwest and the northeast direction should be the last one to be completed. Similarly, while laying roads, commence work from the southern end and finish in the northern end. If the road is running from west to east, begin the road laying from the west and complete it in the east.

Next time you start construction, keep these principles in mind to avoid delays and cost overruns. 

The author is the principal of Institute of Vaastukala and can be contacted at vaastukala@hotmail.comConstruct on time

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