Buyer Guide What to Buy? High-rise vs. Low-rise

Growing population and limited land as a resource have paved the way for vertical expansion in Indian real estate. As a result, residential buildings in many parts of the country are constructed as high as 100 floors, conveniently qualifying as skyscrapers. While the idea of living at higher floors may sound enticing to many, it may not appeal to those who prefer living closer to the ground. As per the Indian Building Code norms for fire safety, all buildings up to the height of 15 m from the first access point for a fire engine, are considered low-rise constructions.     

 While high rises can accommodate plenty of housing units across floors, low-rise buildings generally offer four floors or less. In low-rise builder floor units, a single dwelling is provided on every floor.

 While buying an apartment, you may often face the dilemma of whether to buy a unit on a lower or a higher floor. Many a times, this decision may also depend on the city in question. For instance, in Delhi NCR, living on lower floors could be preferable for the ease of access to amenities; however, in Mumbai, higher floors could be preferred for the views they offer. Both the choices have their pros and cons, and therefore, you must weigh all the factors before finalising the purchase.

Low-rise apartments

Pros

The independence offered by a low-rise builder floor is unparalleled. These tend to cater to high-end customers who prefer to enjoy better amenities and privacy at a higher cost. Some advantages of low-rise buildings are:

Lower floors do away with the need to install or use elevators.

Maintenance and energy costs of low-rise buildings are comparatively lower than the high-rise buildings.

Fire safety norms are easier to comply with in low-rise structures. Evacuation in times of emergency is also easier in such buildings.

Offering a higher degree of opulence, low-rise structures hold a higher resale value than high-rise buildings

With limited floors, there is easier access to the street and thus, the facilities such as market place, parks and ATMs.

Being closer to the ground, the owner would be able to utilise the benefits of the garden area better.

 

Cons

Some drawbacks of opting for a low-rise apartment are:

Ground or first floor dwellings provide multiple points of access for intruders, thereby, compromising on the security of the residents.

A low-rise apartment is prone to damage in case of floods.

Lower floors offer limited access to a good view, which is not a concern in the high-rise structures.

High-rise apartments

 

High-rise apartments are especially popular among young homebuyers who are looking to purchase an affordable unit on the upper floors. With an influx of people into metros in search of better livelihood and employment prospects, urban planners are also equipping themselves with the option to accommodate maximum number of families, in a time of rampant scarcity of space.

Pros

Some perks that come with owning a home in a high-rise apartment complex are:

High altitude dwellings offer a noise-free environment along with cleaner air, better ventilation and scenic views. The units also offer ample natural light.

There is immense privacy on the upper floors, which is often missing at the lower ones.

High-rise buildings often come with well-planned security systems in comparison to ground-level developments. Moreover, intruders have limited access to higher-level floors.

Climbing stairs up to 5+ floors can make anyone cringe. However, all high-rises offer elevators, making it convenient to reach the higher floors.

The number of housing units in high-rise structures are usually more than low-rise buildings, leaving homebuyers spoilt for choices.

Cons

The drawbacks of a high-rise apartment are:

 The higher the floor, the difficult it is to evacuate in an emergency such as a fire. It is even more challenging if there are members with disability in the family.   

The average construction cost per sq ft, for a high-rise building, is 20-25 percent higher than a low-rise building, making them an expensive proposition in comparison to the latter.

Cleaning and maintenance of the exteriors of a high-rise building can be very costly and dangerous.

Taller buildings have a high chance of damage during earthquakes.