Today MACJ – A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections will take you through the Process of a Complete Electrical Inspection at a High End Property. So be with us to learn how an Electrical Inspection is done using Thermal Imaging Technology. MACJ’s Professional Home Inspectors uses State of the Art Tools & Equipments to Conduct a Home / Electrical / Damp, Seepage & Leakage Inspection. Equipments like Moisture Meter, IR Camera, Multimeter, Megger Tester, etc, are used.
UP-RERA to propose stress fund to complete pending realty projects
Noida
In the first step towards providing some relief to homebuyers, the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP-Rera) is set to propose the creation of a stress fund to complete pending real estate projects.
After tabling the proposal at its board meeting in Lucknow, the regulator will open it for suggestions and discussion, after which it is likely to send it to the UP government.
Homebuyers who invested in several projects have been demanding a stress fund to help cash-strapped builders with initial liquidity.
However, their demand has so far not received any response from the state or central government.
UP-Rera members told TOI that given the abysmal financial state of some of the projects in Noida and Greater Noida, it could be difficult for any agency to come on board to help complete construction without financial backing from the government.
“We have created a proposal. However, it will be weighed unanimously by the entire board in Lucknow. While the law takes its course to deal with the injustice by the builders towards the buyers, we, as a real estate regulator, will take a balanced and poised stance. Our objective is to help buyers get their flats. Wherever we can, we will mediate to help completion,” UP-Rera member Balwinder Kumar told TOI.
“Given the huge count of flats that are pending here where builders are in a financial mess, we now want to see if a financial package for completing these flats can be created,” he added. Kumar, however, did not divulge the fine print of the proposal.
Homebuyers cannot start making payments and banks do not offer loans in projects which are in a stalled condition, some have argued.
“The builders have to show at least some sign of construction before buyers can start paying their pending dues on projects, which have come to an absolute standstill. Whichever agency comes forth for the task of completion would need seeding liquidity which the government ought to provide through a stress fund,” Abhishek Kumar, president of the Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (Nefowa) and also a member of the UP-Rera Conciliatory Committee, said.
In June, the Forum For People’s Collective Efforts, an apex body of homebuyers, had urged the state government to set up a Rs 10,000-crore stress fund for completing pending projects in the next five years. The forum had suggested that the government should strip off personal and company assets of promoters of delayed projects to recover the amount spent for completing the works using this fund.
Upgrade to CPVC supply pipes for longevity
Detect Issues
Worn out GI pipe noted for supply line.
Describe Issues
Service life of current GI pipe is expired.
Unlike CPVC pipes, GI pipe is not corrosion resistant & compitable to hot or cold water and have more chances of bacterial growth. Hence, it gets worn out or deteriorated easily.
Direct Solutions
We recommend upgrading to CPVC pipes.
9 Essential Tips for Plumbing Maintenance
- Fix leaky faucets & showerhead
- Unclog slow drains
- Check all exposed pipes for water leaks
- Be careful what you flush or pour down the drain
- Check the water pressure
- Fix leaking toilets
- Clean Cistern tank
- Cleaning of Plumbing trap
- Clean Faucet Aerator
What do you do when you have your bathroom/ kitchen faucet leaking or rusted pipes? Wouldn’t you prefer to avoid these plumbing problems? Understanding the problems and performing preventative maintenance can help you avoid plumbing problems and its dangerous repercussions on the health of your home.
Plumbing1 systems can develop issues in all sorts of ways, most of which are quite difficult to detect. By the time a plumbing problem does advance far enough to start causing some obvious symptoms, it is probably already done considerable damage. You obviously don’t want that to happen, so what do you do?
Taking care of your home’s plumbing is essential to keeping the clean water flowing in and flushing your home’s waste out. Most people don’t think about their plumbing until a problem arises. By then, however, they are left with a huge mess and, ultimately a high repair cost and water damage to your home. It is important to have periodical maintenance of your plumbing system.
Plumbing maintenance is something you should do regularly to catch small problems that can turn into large, expensive problems later. Maintenance also helps you conserve water and save you from further problems.
Here, are 9 essential maintenance tips for your maintaining your plumbing system:
1. Fix leaky faucets & showerhead
Leaky faucets can waste a lot of water. And if you don’t fix a dripping faucet or showerhead, the drip can get worse over time. They aren’t just a nuisance – they could be costing you more money on your bills. Those problems can cause water damage. To prevent problems, check your faucets regularly for leaks and make repairs as needed.
2. Unclog slow drains
When the water is slow to drain there may be a problem. If water takes a long time to drain, there could be a build-up of debris in your pipes. Dirt, dust & other debris — all of this nasty stuff can cause blockage in your drain. Before it gets out of hand, unclog any debris. You can read the blog by Wiki how to know how to unclog the drain2. This preventative maintenance tip can be done every few months and will get the drain flowing again.
3. Check all exposed pipes for water leaks
You can visually check exposed pipes for leakage at some intervals of time. Also Watch for visible signs of a leak such as water stains on walls and ceilings, or puddles of water. If there is any cracked or broken pipe, then get it repaired to avoid further problem.
4. Be careful what you flush or pour down the drain
The problem with drains and toilets is that so many things can get flushed down them. The easiest way to prevent problems with your pipes is to be careful what you flush or pour down them. Don’t flush anything other than toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. Don’t pour anything that can create problem down the drain.
Flour or other related food stuff – these are just some of the things people pour down their sink. The problem is, items like these will block your drains and cause problems with your water supply. Instead, put these items in a waste bin.
5. Check the water pressure
Water pressure is how much force with which it is coming out of your faucets and shower heads. When water pressure is on a higher side, then there are chances of water leakage. If water is splashing too much due to pressure, you can regulate the flow of water with the help of main valve of the area (like bathroom).
6. Fix leaking toilets
If your toilet is leaking, then it is very important to check the cause of the leakage. This can happen due to absence of gasket or improper installation of WC etc. In case of leakage, get it checked or repaired by a skilled plumber.
7. Clean Cistern tank
Cistern tanks need periodic cleaning to prevent unwanted odour and the build up of bacteria.Cisterns can develop leaks which are caused by blockages. So it is important to clean them depending on the type of cistern. If it is a general type cistern, then it can be cleaned easily. To know about it, you can read blog by Wiki How3. But if it is a concealed cistern, then servicing to be done by the authorized vendor.
8. Cleaning of Plumbing trap
Plumbing trap is a part of the drainage system. It is developed or designed in such a way that it retains a small quantity of waste water from the discharge, of fitting to which, it is attached, as a barrier to prevent foul gases or air entering in the building. This includes cleaning of floor trap at outlet, bottle trap at sink, etc. So cleaning them is required for proper maintenance of plumbing.
9. Clean Faucet Aerator
Faucet aerators4 are small, but they actually serve a pretty significant purpose. They break up your faucets’ water streams into a bunch of smaller streams, and by doing so, greatly reduce the amount of water that pours out of spouts — all without sacrificing the water pressure.
Aerators are designed in such a way to act as filters as well as water savers. This means faucet aerators catch a lot of the silt, minerals, and other debris that flow through your tap water. Over time, debris builds up and can cause the flow from your faucet to decrease in strength. It is important to clean faucet aerators and screens to remove any debris from them.
Conclusion
Don’t let poorly maintained home plumbing prevent you from getting the best water available!
Performing preventative maintenance for plumbing system of your home, can help you avoid a major plumbing problem and can save your money. Sometimes you may need a repair after checking issues to keep them maintained. Although some repairs can be do-it-yourself, others may require more expertise. If you feel any point of time, to have an inspection of your plumbing system, you can contact professional home inspection services.
Centre plans to set up common online platform for RERA of all states, UTs
NEW DELHI
The Centre has planned to set up a common online platform for the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) of all states and UTs, a move which will provide an opportunity to home-buyers, builders and authorities to exchange views. Announcing the government’s plan here, Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said that with this platform, the real estate law will become “more strong”.
Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, all states are mandated to constitute their respective real estate regulator RERA which provides proper protection to home buyers.
“We are working to introduce a common platform where RERA of all states and Union Territories (UTs) can exchange their views. With this, RERA will be more strong,” he said.
According to the ministry, as per the norms of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), home-buyers will not be able to avail Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) under the mission if real estate project is not registered under RERA.
Under PMAY (U), home-buyers can avail an interest subsidy of upto 2.67 lakh.
Later, Mishra told reporters that on the online platform, any state RERA can study an order of other states in a particular matter. Also, home-buyers and builders can give their views on this issue.
Giving details about real estate projects on the fourth anniversary of PMAY (U), AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission, the secretary said that till now, over 42,000 projects have been registered under RERA while more than 32,000 real estate agents have been registered.
On his part, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that wherever the central real estate law has been implemented, it has made a “very big difference”.
RERA is a real estate regulator and it gives an opportunity to home-buyers to register their complaint against builders, Puri also said.
Mishra said that 30 states and UTs have notified RERA, but West Bengal has notified its own real estate regulator – Housing and Industrial Regulation Act, 2017 (HIRA).
In July last year, the ministry had sought the opinion of the Law Ministry over West Bengal notifying its own real estate law instead of implementing the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act enacted by Parliament.
Protect your wooden door panel in rainy season
Detect Issues
Wooden door panel is rubbing and hitting the frame.
Describe Issues
No gap left/ made in between panel & frame after closing. This issue has happened as wood has a feature of seasonal expansion which can lead to door panel not getting closed in some cases or getting closed with pressure in others. This can create problems in rainy season.
Direct Solutions
We recommend maintaining uniform 3 mm gap all around with carpentry jack plane.
Home Inspection: A New Lucrative Career in India
Although the concept of home inspection is new in India, the demand for the service has been on a steady rise. A large number of Indians, as well as NRI homebuyers, are opting for home inspection before investing in a property, new or resale. And interestingly, it is not the homebuyers only who are getting benefitted from it; all the stakeholders in the real estate space including sellers, resellers, builders and developers, and interior designers are reaping benefits from home inspection. It is turning out to be a win-win proposition for all. This remarkable end-user response is drawing support from the government as well. Recently introduced RERA also encourages quality check of the real estate property purchased by an individual. So, clearly, home inspection as a service has a bright future, which means, one can consider it as a lucrative field to build a successful career.
The job of a home inspector
To know if you have a career in home inspection, you must first try to understand what all the job of a home inspector covers:
- Studying the property details:
- Whether a property is under construction, newly built and ready to move-in, new but second hand, or old; an apartment in a housing society or a standalone house, etc.
- Construction and repair history
- Location details: Proximity to a water body, low-lying area, elevated area, the climatic condition of the place, etc.
- Visiting the site
- Inspecting each and every component of the property – exterior as well as the interior: walls, ceilings, floors, doors and windows, plumbing system, electrical wiring system, furniture, appliance outlets, driveway, roofs etc. Learning how to use advance scanning devices.
- Documenting the observations made.
- Producing a report combining text and images.
- Advising the best possible solutions to the damages detected.
Who can be a home inspector?
To become a Home Inspector, the requirement and qualification are not too difficult. Even a graduate, the diploma holder, retired professional, educated housewives or non-technical people can become home inspectors. They need to be smart & intelligent enough to run & manage their business. They have to do a home inspection certification course along with related practical training. They can enrol in an online or offline home inspection certificate course1 and learn the nitty-gritty of the job.
This is also a good career option for engineers and interior designers. Home inspector is a new career option for them. For the core job, people from streams like civil, mechanical, electrical are better suited.
What are the skills needed to become a successful home inspector?
More than a degree it is the following skills that are needed to become a successful home inspector:
- Observing skills – the person must have an eye for detail.
- Well conversant with the construction processes and materials used.
- Highly diligent, non-tiring
- Analytical
- Moderate risk-taking ability
A basic sense of aesthetics is a must if you want to join this profession because without that you may not be able to read some subtle signs of damage in a home.
Career prospects in home inspection: An outlook
The sky is the limit for students qualified in home inspection. There are huge, untapped skill development and business opportunity waiting there for them to explore. They must go for it before the competition rises and the field becomes saturated just like the way it has happened in many other sectors. Instead of waiting for a conventional job or landing a not-so-satisfactory job after completing graduation / post-graduation, they must educate themselves in a new subject like a home inspection. After completing the home inspection course2, they can kick-start their career by interning with one of the premier home inspection companies like MACJ – A Buyers Choice in India and then choose to go for a full-time job. The median annual salary for inspectors in 2019 is around Rupees 3 to 4 lakhs. The projected growth rate for home inspectors in India is almost similar to the average of all the emerging occupations in India.
However, there is nothing like starting your own venture in home inspection. You can be your own boss from Day 1 and start earning around Rupees 50,000 or much more per month!
Here’s how you do it:
Franchise opportunity in home inspection
The concept of franchising in home inspection is gaining popularity in India. Entrepreneurs who once used to run their own standalone businesses are now considering a shift to the franchise model for growing their business. The reasons are pretty simple. Buying a franchise reduces the risk of going through the entire process business set-up to a large extent. The franchisor provides a franchisee with an already established business model, all the necessary guidance on an ongoing basis, and assistance in terms of systems and instruments (in some cases), inspection/marketing, etc – everything in return for a fee that can be one-time or periodic in nature. Other general advantages of buying a franchise3 are:
- Independence of doing business supported by an already established brand
- You don’t need any prior business experience. You are trained by your franchisor.
- Higher rate of success than any start-up business
- Pre-established processes & systems in place.
- Securing finance is easier in a franchise business
- You can build on the brand’s reputation, brand image, and proven work tactics
Entrepreneurs with prior experience in construction and home remodelling or interior design may find this business model suitable as they already have a working knowledge of the same. With a perfect team of professionals, a couple of licenses, training, and a proper business plan they can start earning handsomely from it from the first year itself.
Viability of the franchise model in this sunshine industry in India
Home inspection is still largely an unorganized sector in India with only a few big names like e-Ghar, MACJ – A Buyer’s Choice, HomeInspektor, measurement, check prop, Nemmadi, etc making an impact. The industry is a sunrise sector with little competition at this stage, leaves good scope for promising entrepreneurs to make headway and succeed. Before the socio-economic scenario changes and the sector reorients itself, these entrepreneurs must take the plunge and leverage the success of these brands by becoming their franchisee or start on their own.
If you see yourself as one of these entrepreneurs here are the three reasons why you must not delay any longer:
- The sector is new, which means there is a lot of potential in it
- The sector serves the heart of the Indian economy – Real Estate
- Over 100% ROI potential on an annualized basis
To learn more about this winning business model, click here.
India’s startup scene4 is looking brighter than ever. The ecosystem, which is the world’s 2nd largest, is estimated to grow at the rate of 10-12% year-over-year. In H1 20195 alone, Indian startups raised US$4.88 billion, an increase of 8.7% YoY. You must cash on this buoyancy. Ride the wave and build a successful career in home inspection.
Reference links used:
1. https://www.nachi.org/recommended-home-inspector-courses.htm
2. https://icaschool.com/
3. https://www.indiafilings.com/learn/franchising-advantages-and-disadvantages/
4. https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/international/go-to-market-guide/indian-startup-ecosystem.html
5. https://yourstory.com/2019/07/india-startup-funding-report-wework-ipo
Ceiling’s Damp/Leakage/Seepage Mystery Solved by MACJ – ABCHI!
Classic Case of Mystery Water Seepage from False Ceiling of a High End Residence. The Flat was facing Severe Seepage Problem. The Owner had major waterproofing done on the above floor last year only, spending Lacs of rupees on the repairing, but it did not solve the issue. Witness how Team MACJ reached to the root cause of the leakage and solve the Mystery.
The Team uses Specialised Tools, Equipments & Gadgets like Moisture Meter, Thermal Imaging Cameras and Infrared Technology to detect the Source of the Moisture. And provides a Comprehensive Report to its Client in which all the issues are explained and are backed up by Colour images for reference. Not only that the report also explains the relevant solution to stop the leakage / Seepage that how it can be resolved in the most cost effective manner and provides a long term solution.
Builders must provide financial plans of projects to Tamil Nadu RERA
CHENNAI
Builders of large housing projects in the state will soon have to convince the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) that they have the money to complete them and not leave home-buyers in the lurch midway.
“The basic idea is they should have a financial plan for completing the housing project,” TNRERA chairman K Gnanadesikan told TOI. The real estate regulator has already asked a couple of developers in the city to furnish these details before registering the projects. Developers of projects with 100 units and more must compulsorily present their financial contingency plan to TNRERA.
The TNRERA move comes against the background of several housing projects across the country being abandoned midway due to lack of funds with developers, leaving homebuyers in the lurch. According to the Tamil Nadu Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017, all ongoing housing projects above eight units or more than 5000 square feet should be registered with the TNRERA. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, states that 70 per cent of the amount realised from buyers must be deposited in a separate escrow account, which would be released by the banks after completion of each stage of the construction.
TNRERA sources said that some projects come to a standstill at different stages largely due to insufficient funds. This leaves customers in trouble. The financial contingency plans will help to protect buyers’ interests as they will have roadmaps to raise funds through tie-ups with financial institutions.
According to data with ANAROCK property consultants, 8,650 apartment units worth Rs. 5,620 crore launched before 2013 are yet to be handed over to buyers in Chennai.
The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI) has welcomed the move. Its Chennai chapter president W S Habib said, “After the implementation of the real estate Act, fly-by-night developers have almost disappeared. The new development will be an extra cover for protecting homebuyers investments,” he added.