Quality Matters in Reality

Developers have realised that ensuring quality is the best means to boost sales, says Deepika Mital

Recession or no recession, home buyers today have become increasingly quality conscious and are ready to scout around endlessly till they find the projects which measure up to their expectations. Every consumer today is extremely aware that what goes into the construction in terms of materials and processes will reflect in the finish and longevity of the product. Mumbai's developers are doing their bit to differentiate and improve their product as they realise that ensuring quality is the best selling proposition and any compromise on this count is fool-hardy.

Architect Bobby Mukherjee says, "Wherever I have taken a stand and enforced quality in design and construction, such projects have reaped big rewards." He goes on to recount, "We did a project for a big developer in Thane, which became the most sought after complex in the area, it had really good design and quality club facilities, lighting, landscaping. When these are provided it is greatly appreciated by the end user and it helps in selling the product much faster. It was priced over the market rate by a few thousands, but still went on to sell very fast. Better pricing in the end product can be achieved thanks to better R&D and better sourcing of materials of better quality from across the world. This matters even more when it is a medium range of project, in terms of lighting fixtures, and other materials used in a planned manner which can achieve cost efficiencies."

Mayur Shah of Akruti City says, "The ISO certification basically indicates that whatever we promise, we deliver. Quality checks are conducted at all our sites. R&D is conducted at the head office, but in terms of cost - bringing down the construction costs without compromising on quality. We test different materials to check if the price points can be reduced by using cheaper materials, thus reducing overall costs. We don't have too much of choice in terms of the materials - those are the same for everybody. Quality also lies in the simple things like a perfect slab, good drainage slopes - after all the building cannot be re done at any point after it is made. We also have our own institute where we send our engineers and workers for regular updation for two or three-day programmes.

Explains Bobby Mukherjee, the stress should be laid at the planning stage itself when all the specialised consultants like the architect, interior designer, landscape architect and lighting and service consultant should work together. Only if they are brought on board at an early stage can one realise international standards of design. It is the mind set and knowledge of the subject that is very important to fulfil the quality criteria and achieving good sales. The savings via this can translate into a better sale price, especially in this market. For instance, in the project Kalpataru Horizon, the professionalism with which the project was executed to the last detail helped in getting it very good prices and making it the most sought after address in South Mumbai.

In ordinary middle income projects one needs to focus on the quality of the compound wall, flooring, paving of the driveway with tiles rather than cement and concrete, lighting, greenery, a sophisticated entrance lobby, good elevators, doors, bathroom fittings. Cheap fittings are counter productive. It is better to reduce specifications rather than to compromise on quality.

Speaking to Kaizad Hateria, GM, sales, marketing and customer relations of Keystone Group is an eye opener. He says, "We have a system of conducting spot checks through our mobile vans which can be seen at one or other of our construction sites. We employ 12 to 14 'concrete boys' on each site, whose only job is to check the quality of the concrete, which is vital to the construction. We also have a quality manual for customers, which explains the 300+ quality checks that our projects undergo. Internally to keep up with trends and best practices, our managers, architects and engineers are updated through exposure to foreign exhibitions, manuals and seminars. Our monthly review meetings are specifically meant to address any lapses that might occur at the initial stages as this business is an ongoing process.”

Surendra Hiranandani, MD, Hiranandani Constructions says, "Quality assurance is fundamental to our business. We were the first to introduce voluntary quality checks and better materials. We introduced the concept of copper plumbing in 1992, much before it was required. We also introduced recycling of water in the late 80's and the use of fly ash and high performance concrete in residential and commercial buildings, much before the BIS laid it down in 2000.

“More than 50% of the management's time and effort is directed toward training and R&D, it has always been a focus area for Hiranandani Group."

Answering queries on whether this pushes up the costs for the end user, he says, "Cost is always an issue, we would like to balance out the costs and call it value for money. Lifecycle costs and a low maintenance regime balance out this whole expenditure, which is a definite advantage to the end user. We have always focused on design, materials, planning and construction - all the crucial stages in the sector."

Having worked on projects across the country, architect Bobby Mukherjee says, "Quality in Mumbai is given a special emphasis and effort. Interestingly, second and third generation developers are more quality conscious than those who are first generation - this also I have experienced across the country. R & D mainly needs to be done to improve the quality of the product, be it commercial, retail, residential or hospitality. Good product, good quality design, once both these parameters are satisfied you have the recipe for success. Whether it is Thane or the heart of Mumbai city, these will be the hottest properties."