Costs & fees · 3 min read
How much do architects charge in India? How fees work and what to ask
Architects in India charge a percentage of cost, a rate per sq ft or a fixed fee. How each works, what it should cover, and how to compare two quotes.
Designing homes, holiday homes and offices
Practical answers to the questions people ask before they build, drawn from the projects we have designed at Red Brick Studio in Pune.
Holiday homes · 3 min read
What does it cost to build a farmhouse or weekend home near Pune?
Pune build rates are only part of a weekend home's budget. What drives cost on a hill or lake plot, what per sq ft figures leave out, and what to check.
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Climate & comfort · 3 min read
How to keep your house cool in an Indian summer without relying on AC
Shade, orientation, ventilation and materials: how design keeps Indian homes cooler, and what you can still do to an existing house.
Briefing your architect · 3 min read
Designing a home around Vastu preferences: how to brief your architect
If Vastu matters to your family, how to say so, which points to fix and which to leave flexible, and where it meets the realities of your plot.
Process · 3 min read
How long does it take to build a custom home in India? Stage by stage
A custom home is rarely quick. The stages from brief to handover, what slows each one, and why hill and lake plots need extra time for the monsoon.
Holiday homes · 4 min read
Building a weekend home near Pune: what to decide before you build
Planning a weekend home near Pune, Lavasa or Panshet? What to check on the land and how to brief your architect, with examples from our lake homes.
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Hiring guide · 2 min read
Architect or interior designer: who do you hire first for a new villa?
Building a villa in India? Why the architect usually comes first, when an interior designer alone is enough, and the case for one studio doing both.
Earth & natural building · 2 min read
Is a mud house practical in a city? An honest guide to modern earth building
Modern earth building is not a traditional mud hut. What it is, where it works, its limits, and what the Urban Mud House in Hyderabad set out to show.
Holiday homes · 2 min read
Designing a holiday home that stays healthy while you are away
Holiday homes sit empty for weeks. How design choices around water, air and materials help a house cope with the monsoon and long absences.
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Offices · 2 min read
Office design brief: 8 questions to answer before you hire an architect
Planning a new office in Pune or elsewhere in India? Eight questions to settle before design starts, so your brief saves time and money later.
Hiring guide · 2 min read
How to choose an architect for your home in India: 8 questions to ask
Choosing an architect for a house or holiday home? Eight practical questions, from registration to site visits, that show who will design it well.