From Concept to Completion: Embracing Turnkey Home Solutions – Khalid Rashid

We all dream of living in our own house – designed to perfection, just as the way we wish it to be. However, realising this dream is not easy, considering a person owns a residential land and wishes to build an independent house over it. The tasks involved in building a house – finalizing building architectural plans; building plan & construction approvals; procurement of materials for building construction; the civil construction phase and then finally, the home interiors designing phase can become a big headache for that person.  Each step of this journey can feel overwhelming as it requires several days for planning, getting mandatory approvals from local authorities, material research and purchase, and the most difficult parts, supervision and quality control. To put it in a nutshell, it is a colossal task and not everyone’s cup of tea to spend so much of their precious time and effort, even though it may be their dream home.

So, what does one do or whom should he or she rely on to see their dream home become a reality!

Turnkey Projects

Fortunately, there is a solution for it – Turnkey Projects. In a turnkey project, an agency or a design-build firm, under a single contract with the house owner initiates and completes all project stages from initial concept to finished living space. This includes design, planning, construction and interiors. Under such a contract, the agency hired for the project is also responsible for material selection and procurement, labour and workers management, in addition to planning approvals. A turnkey project is based on a fixed pricing and a fixed time frame, with complete accountability of the project resting with the agency.

In a turnkey project for building a house, these are the typical stages:

1. Initial Consultation and Concept Development Stage

In the first stage, the house owner and the agency discuss the vision, aesthetic and functional requirements, and the budget for the project. After which, based on the discussion, the initial design concepts are developed – incorporating architectural style, layout preferences and functional needs.

2. Design Development Stage

In the second stage, based on the accepted designs by the house owner, detailed architectural drawings and plans are developed that include floor plans, elevations and 3D visualizations. During this stage, the interiors design concepts are also developed specifying materials, finishes, colours, and furniture selections.

3. Permitting and Approvals Stage

The third stage is where the agency obtains necessary permits and approvals from local authorities for building design and construction work.

In many cases, the agencies offer pre-approved designs and an exhaustive list of pre-specified materials along with their quality and other specifications to their clients. This saves the hassles of the designing stage and approval process, along with that of material selection. In case, the house owner chooses to go for a pre-approved design and agrees upon the materials suggested, then the design development and material selection phases do not have any role in the project.

4. Procurement and Construction Stage

In this stage, based on the finalized designs and secured approvals, building construction work begins. According to the approved plans, site preparation, foundation work and all other construction work takes place. This is the stage, where material procurement begins for construction work, and it is made on need-to-need basis.

5. Interior Finishing and Handover

This stage involves procurement of materials for the interiors. It begins towards the completion of the building construction. From material for flooring, cabinetry, countertops and lighting to plumbing fixtures, everything is procured. The agency’s interior designing team overlooks this part and is responsible for the final furnishing and décor work, and to ensure that the house is ready to move in.

6. Completion and Handover

On completion of the interiors, most agencies conduct a walkthrough for the house owner’s satisfaction and to address any final adjustments or touch-ups needed.

Project Management and Quality Control

Throughout the entire process of construction and interiors work, the agency is responsible for the smooth running of the project, meeting agreed deadlines and ensuring high-standard work. Their responsibility also involves sourcing labours for different jobs, and supervise and inspect their work through quality checks for the entire duration of the project.

However, the house owner is free to visit the site for inspection and do quality check anytime, he or she wishes and also suggest, changes with respect to design or material or any other aspect, within the scope of the agreed contract. Any change beyond the scope of the agreement can lead to price escalation in the project.

 Advantages of Turnkey House Projects:

There are some major advantages for choosing turnkey solution for house projects. These include:

Single Point of Contact

The house owners only have to deal with one entity, rather than a host of people leading to quick and simple communication with hardly any chance for misunderstandings. Also, in terms of accountability, they have to deal with the agency only.

Efficiency

All turnkey providing agencies have a streamlined processes in place, which means faster project completion times.

Coordination and Expertise

These agencies, having worked in the industry for long, are experts at finding the best architects, designers, contractors and subcontractors for the job, ensuring quick and quality of work. In terms of labour management too, they have sufficient proficiency and have the requisite expertise in dealing with them – something that becomes a major pain point for people who opt for non-turnkey solution.

Another advantage of opting for a turnkey offering agency is the expertise these agencies bring to the table in terms of vendor and material selection. They are not just aware of the quality aspects of the materials but also aware of the new-advanced materials in the market.

Cost Management

The agencies because of their clear budgets and well-devised logistical processes help manage costs effectively from the beginning to the end of the project.

However, the biggest advantage one gets on choosing a turnkey solution partner for their house project is the amount of their own time and efforts they save. It can be daunting task for anyone to be able to manage their house construction project single-handedly; hence, hiring services of a reputable turnkey agency can be a great choice, when the aspiration is to build and live in a beautiful dream-like home.

About Author

Khalid Rashid, with an experience of over 35 years, has provided architecture, space planning and interior solutions to many residential and commercial projects (hotels, restaurants, community clubs, malls, etc.) across India. Currently, Mr. Rashid is actively working on different projects in Rourkela, Odisha and other parts of Western and Southern Odisha.