“Take a look at our sample model flat – your dream home awaits you,” reads a beautiful hoarding outside a popular tech park in Chennai. Aspiring homebuyers are, often, tempted to visit these sample flats that look nothing less than a set straight out of Yash Chopra’s timeless romantic classics.
The model flat is used as the most potent marketing tool by developers as it gives you an idea how the property would look once completed.
However, there are certain things one should check and keep in mind while visiting a model flat. Let us explain.
Size matters!
The first and foremost thing to check in a model flat is the size of each room. Make a note of the dimensions of the units you are interested in and then compare it with the sample flat.
Also, check the size of kitchen, bathrooms, and balconies to see if everything suits your needs. A model flat will also help you visualise each room considering the furniture you are likely to place there.
Don’t get blinded by furnishing!
The model flat is, often, designed by the interior designers with all the furniture in place. Now, this is an excellent thing as it will give you a fair idea of free space in the rooms after everything is placed. However, as a marketing gimmick, the interiors are done in a way to make the room look spacious. Beware of things like mirrors as it makes the room look visually bigger.
Also, the furniture used in a sample flat is usually smaller so that the room looks bigger. That’s not all! Even the lighting used in the sample flats is suggested by interior designers, who are experts in creating illusions. Thus, look beyond the furnishing!
Interiors and fittings
By interiors, we mean wall-finishes of the rooms to the kitchen sink, from windows to the doorknobs to the faucets. Here’s a ready checklist that you can also print and take with you when you go house hunting!
Flooring: Check for the type of flooring in all the rooms, including the living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and balcony. Are they made of marble, vitrified tiles, wooden, or other material?
Size of the tiles: Are the tiles used small or big? Bigger tiles increase the cost of a unit by at least 5-10%.
Windows and doors: What wood is used for doors and windows and are they big enough? How many windows are there in each room? Is there enough ventilation and sunlight?
Kitchen: Check for the faucets and fittings in the kitchen and utility space. What brand fittings is the builder providing? Besides fittings, check for gas pipe connection provision.
Bathrooms: Are the bathrooms big enough? What is the quality/brand of sanitary fixtures? Is there a provision for water heater in the bathroom?
Switchboards: Are the switchboards and switches of a well-known brand? Are there sufficient switches in all the rooms?
Others: In a sample flat, the walls are much thinner compared to the real flat. Thus, make a note of width of the walls in the apartment. Also, check for the quality of paint.
Great Article. I like the way you kept your article up to the point. and mentioned the reasons in short and simple points one can remember.Thanks for posting !! Thanks for sharing this amazing post.
Absolutely right, check the size of the kitchen, bathrooms, and balconies to see if everything suits your needs.