KOCHI: Nowadays, there are many ways to build an affordable house. But, how much research is done in terms of a home’s design, construction materials and ergonomic parameters? BuildNext, a Kochi-based tech startup, sees the home as a product that has to be built better.
Founded in 2015 by Gopikrishnan V and Finaz Naha, the duo wanted to change the way homes were built and decided not to compromise on cost and quality. About six years into the field, the startup has already delivered more than 75 houses in Kerala and Hyderabad. Right now, the startup is working on 135-odd projects in Kerala, Hyderabad and Coimbatore.
“The housing industry is currently fragmented and unorganised. Moreover, there are a lot of players, making the process complicated. Nobody has created a structure for these processes where consistency can be attained while building a house unlike in evolved markets like the United States and Japan,” says Gopikrishnan.
“So, we thought it is the right time to create some digitally enabled structures which would be able to capture and customise home designs without losing the quality. We created systems to deliver very consistent product quality,” he adds.
A mobile-based application has been developed which helps in tracking information on the status of the work, the quality process and the materials being used.
Virtual reality is one of the tools used to create better homes. “Before you build a house, these experience centres enable you to ‘test drive your home’. Our app helps you construct homes with particular parameters and explore the design. The customers get the most efficiently constructed home at any price point,” shares Gopikrishnan.
Usually, people have to figure out how much space should be given for a shoe rack or a wardrobe after the house is built. “Often, the customers have to make adjustments to fit in their things. This is because homes are not designed according to customer preference. We, however, design homes considering the customer’s requirements. We connect with labourers and give them training,” shared the duo.
Other core members of the team are Nirmal George, Dileep P G and Gautam Premachandran. The team will soon expand its presence to Bengaluru. It is also working on community homes projects in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.