How long does it take to build a house? Six months? A year? Now you can have one in ten weeks flat! Instant houses are the latest entrants to Bangalore. Instaccom, which means "instant accommodation", is the logo name of instant structures that are installed by Carewell Technologies and Products, the company which has brought these unique non-concrete houses to the city. These houses can withstand earthquakes as well, says Instaccom General Manager, S K Nigam.

Nigam is an expert in "Pre-fabricated" house building technology since 28 years. Such instant houses are common in countries like Japan, the countries of the Middle East, Hong Kong and Thailand. The company's office itself in R T Nagar is an instaccom. The instant house is made up of very light and robust materials and can resist any natural force like water, wind, fire. It is also capable of withstanding disasters like earthquakes.

Instaccom houses are pre-fabricated, ready to assemble accommodation, which can be put up instantly. All you need to do is place an order with the company and occupy it within 10-12 weeks. You are saved the trouble of finding a mason, carpenter, painter or even an engineer. These houses are adaptable to any terrain and are extremely user friendly.

The Structure of Instaccom: Fibre, glass, particleboard and polyurethane foam are used. Instaccom walls are fabricated in double layers (walls outside and inside the home) Steel also has been used in the structure. Between the walls of the instant house, water pipes, telephone, cable wires or other service lines have been incorporated like in any concrete structure, says Nigam. Teak doors are fitted in the house. When asked about the security he says, "It is as safe as any conventional house."

Instaccom can withstand earthquakes: Instaccom is designed in such a way as to withstand an earthquake of even high intensity. "These houses may shake but will not collapse. In case it does fall down, the inmates will survive since the light weight roof is unlikely to cause any kind of major harm," says Nigam. According to him, his company has taken up a 300-unit instant house project in Bhuj area in Gujarat for the recent earthquake victims. He said that a single bed-room Instaccom house can cost at least Rs 60,000 and weighs four to five tonnes. And if the house size is larger and extra luxuries are fitted, the cost will rise to some lakhs, he added. The 300 instant house project by Carewell Technologies and Products in Gujarat involves public utility amenities like post office, hospital, police station, transport office etc.

One more advantage of Instaccom house is that it can be transported from one place to another. A single bedroom house can be transported in a truck.

Where can Instaccom be used? It can be used to utilise the vacant backyard of your house, your unused terrace, in your vacant land or in your factory premises too. Its versatility makes its users innumerable. You can use Instaccom to have additional rooms, outhouses, farmhouses, terrace rooms/offices, guest houses, control rooms, vacation houses, storage rooms, party rooms, sit outs. But multi-storied buildings cannot be built in Instaccom method, though the method can be adapted to build walls on concrete pillars of multi-storied structures, Nigam says.

Maintenance: According to Nigam, for about 40 years, the instant house needs no maintenance. "After 40 or 50 years, it needs maintenance and its durability is very long," Nigam added.

Clients: Resorts, beach houses, farmhouses, and the wealthy people of the city are Instaccom's clients. Nigam says that he has built such instant houses for many individuals, including many politicians and film stars in North India. Oil and Gas Corporation, Indian Oil Corporation are among the corporate clients of Carewell Technologies and Products. An instant outhouse has been built for the Maharaja of Jaipur in his 'Shikarwadi Garden'.

In Bangalore, the company has taken up a project on Mysore Road for a farmhouse, which is going to be completed within 10 weeks. Instant homes are just what a burgeoning city like Bangalore would be interested in. So, can we say the city's housing headaches will soon be cured? Let's wait and see.

|