DOORS ANDSHUTTERS Dear friends,
Today my posting is about doors and their shutters. Ifwe give construction work of a new home to a contractor, he would specify inthe contract many items; oneamong them is the doors and shutters. Most contractors in Tamilnadu agree forconstruction work on the condition theywould be provides all items for construction. It is because they get more profit in materials thanin other items. If we are constructing a home in Kerala similar is thecondition if work is carried out by a contractor. Very few agree for labour andsupervision only. The specifications can be altered for better qualityof an item by the owner but the contractor has to be paid more for the quality.For simple changes and additions contractor may not quote extra. In Tamilnadu all contractors specify teakwood door in the entranceand quality special wood forpooja room. Backdoors will be provided with country wood, frame with bottom step and fittingof grill doors in additionto all doors to outside. For fixing the main door frame an auspicious day andtime is selected in Kerala. The maindoor frame is decorated. It is placed in the plinth/basement in the correct position. This position will not be altered at anycost. Lamp is lighted. The eldest of the family is invited by thecontractor/builder to touch the frame placed on the plinth. It will be held inposition by temporary fixtures chief mason and carpenter conduct pooja before starting the brick works. In Chennai it is for the carpenter, mason andcontractor to fix the main door. The owner has to present, give gold/silver toplace beneath the frame, give flowers for decoration, they conduct the pooja. Owner has to remain compulsorily outside and isinvited to enter inside after theirpooja is completed by them. One day salary has to be given tocarpenter and mason as Dakshina for fixing the main door. I thought to day my posting can be about doors anddoor shutters. The door frames are fitted in such a manner that the doorshutter open towards inside. Sincerely, Gopalakrishnan 14-1-2022. 1. Teakwooddoor In Chennai the main door is made of teak wood nowadayseither in homes or in flats. It would be specified in the contract. If one hasto increase thickness of frame or shutter, the contractor would be quoting extra. Nowadays front side artworkdone single shutter is provided for the doors. Hinges, bolts and handle made in brass will beprovided. Very good quality lock is fitted (inside shutter) in the middle of itand locked into the frame. In the frame cuttings are made to enter the latch ofthe lock. 2. Single panelwindow attached to main door This attached single panel teakwood window is grillwork inserted to frame and is installed if asked by the owner .After the worksare completed, a glass panel shutter with artwork on frame is permanentlyfitted to it. Other than using magic eye, or partly opening the door, anyperson calling from outside can be seenthrough this glass panel. 3. Front doorartwork. The art work in the frame and shutter are prepared inthe mechanical lathes, and pasted to doors. Most contractors give specificationof door frame and shutter in lathe, readymade door is delivered by the lathe. Only work of the carpenter employed bythe contractor is fixing the shutter, bolts and lock. I surfed the cost ofbrass lock- Minimum price is about 14000-00 rupees. 4. Pooja roomdoor and shutter Second special specification is about the frame workand doors of the pooja room. Quality wood like Bhatak is used and the shutters are provided withcuttings where small bells in brass are fitted. On opening of the doors bells would make noise.Normally bolts or locksare not provided inside. These opening in the doors will avoid anysuffocation during burning of camphor to the person inside if he has closed thedoor. Many families it is women in charge of pooja room. In some families poojais done by senior male member. 5 Door frame Present day door frame work is placed in position andthe side frames are inserted in to the bottom concrete work. No frame workcalled step is provided in bottom of door frames except in the front and backdoors. This facilitates easy entrance into rooms. Clamps are fitted to outsideof vertical frames about 4 feet from bottom and brick work is done over itgiving strength to door. If one wants two clamps in a frame from a side, itwill be provided at extra cost. Present daycarpenters use mechanical drill and fit clamps in minutes. For screw tighteningalso mechanical tighter is used. These frames are installed during brick work. 6. Inner doors. The frame work is made with quality wood. Doors can besingle panel or two panels. Plywood shutters were provided at one time. Now processed wood doors single panel shuttersare provided in Tamilnadu. If two panel shutters are desired, it is locallyline in the lathe. About 6.5 feet height is given to door frames. Magneticholders are now provided to keep the opened shutter without closing by windetc. 7. Doorsopening to outside of the home For these doors frame and shutter are made of goodwood, mostly assembled and brought from Lathe. Local carpenter fits the shutterusing hinges, fit bolt and padlocks as required. Either stainless steel orbrass padlocks are provided. Here too ordinary lock is fitted to shutter andlocking is done to the cutting in the frame. In most homes grill door is locked,if going out of station, padlock is also locked. Otherwise simply inserted andbolt is raised for locking 8. Painting andpolishing The contractor specifies type of paint and polish. Onecan change company for these items. Normally best quality paint and polish areused. Polishing is given to teak wood door and pooja room door. Otherdoors are painted mostly in light yellow or chocolate colour. 9 Door betweenkitchen and dining hall. Normally the contractor may not give provision inagreement. If one requires, we have to alter the provision of doors and pay. 10. Doorbetween kitchen and work area. For easy access to work area only brick work frame wouldbe provided. If we require door, we have to specify and pay 11. Vasthuprinciples All builders in Chennai follow vasthu principles.Doors are fixed as per vasthu 12. General The above told is in general doors and door shuttersin Tamilnadu for middle class homes and flats spending lakhs for constructionof home. The affluent who may spend crores for homes, contractor givesspecification accordingly for doors and shutters. Some affluent may use onlyteak wood for door frames and shutters. They may require many additions indoors. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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