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Recent launches
Some newly-proposed low-rise buildings have independent floors covering a minimum of 180sqyd to a maximum of 300sqyd plots. Such independent floors can now be fully registered and may or may not be a part of group housing projects. Some of the developers, such as Unitech, Vatika, Assotech and BPTP Ltd have got favourable responses for their low-rise launches.
In fact, low-density housing amid sprawling green spaces are being pitched as niche projects by builders. “Senior executives employed with multinational corporations prefer exclusive low-rise buildings rather than suburban mass housing complexes,” says Anurag Mathur, MD, Cushman & Wakefield.
Some of the premium projects in this segment include Vatika Group’s recently launched low-rise apartments within Vatika City called Iris Rows and Laurus Apartments comprising 300 units. Also Delhi-based Raheja Developers is coming up with a plotted development in Sohna (Gurgaon), while BPTP Ltd recently launched Park Elite Floors at Parklands, Faridabad.
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The question, though, is whether low-rise apartments would continue to grow in popularity in comparison to high-rise buildings. Rohit Malhotra, CEO of Realtech Developers, cites a survey of 40 new residential projects in Delhi NCR: “In mid-size housing, the concept seems to have taken off well with 28% of the projects being in the form of low-rise apartments.” However, the efficacy and long-term popularity of such projects is still debatable.
Pros and cons
Consumers prefer low-rise construction owing to their cost-effective advantage, as additional costs for lifts, greater common areas and maintenance equipment are saved.
However, this trend cannot be attributed to the cost factor alone – as customers also prefer the privacy and space that independent floors offer, besides the benefit of adequate space, which may be a constraint in high-rise apartments.
From the site planning perspective, low-rise housing implies the spread of population in a larger area as compared to high-rise buildings and results in smaller and more compact communities.
As Vivek Dahiya, founder and CEO, GenReal Property Advisers Private Limited says, “For the buyer, the primary advantage lies in the fact that the developer will usually pass on the cost advantages to the consumer – which can be anywhere between 15%-20% lower than in a high-rise building. Also, low-rise buildings tend to be safer, less claustrophobic and involve lower maintenance costs.”
For builders, there’s an advantage of lower cost of construction as a number of services can be done away with. For instance, fire norms are easier to follow, separate parking space does not need to be created within the structure, there’s no need to maintain a basement, and elevators are not required. Such a building also requires a less robust foundation due to lower dead load.
On the other hand, there have been concerns on the quality of construction for low-rise structures as well as the lack of water and power in some such buildings. Also, they are unlikely to be implemented as a gated community concept which provides common amenities such as clubhouse, etc.
Raj Dang, an architect from Delhi, points out certain drawbacks, “In comparison to low-rise buildings with apartments, high-rise and gated communities remain more secure in environments where law and order is a problem. Additionally, the lack of a housing society creates building maintenance problems in the long run.”
Property advisors caution that consumers need to verify the basics of such buildings such as background of the developer, quality/type of construction, and also whether the project offers easy accessibility and connectivity.
Moreover, experts feel that the popularity of low-rise construction may not be sustainable in the long run due to low profit margins for the developers – especially in the affordable and premium segment compared with that of a high-rise construction.
Also, the government housing policy insists on a particular density for every acre of developed land that makes construction of blocks of flats more viable. Another factor is the increasing land prices, especially in areas closer to the city centre where any developer would like to maximise the available area by building a high-rise project.
What is apparent is that both the high-rise and low-rise building concepts are valid in their own right and represent two very separate construction concepts that cater to different users and locations. But if ample space and a private dwelling are uppermost in the client’s mind, there are enough options.
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