THE JOURNAL
Cost Guides
123 articles from the studio on cost guides.
Cost Guides
Annual Maintenance Contracts for a Kolkata Home: What Is Worth Signing
Annual maintenance contracts for a Kolkata home: which AMCs are worth signing, which are not, fair contract clauses, indicative costs and how defect liability differs.
Cost Guides
Material Testing on a Residential Build: Which Tests Are Worth Paying For
Material testing on a Kolkata residential build: which tests are worth paying for, which to skip, indicative costs, and how to write testing into your contractor's scope.
Cost Guides
Site Theft and Material Pilferage: How Kolkata Builds Actually Lose Money
Site theft and material pilferage quietly add 2 to 6 percent to Kolkata build costs. Here is exactly where materials leak and the controls that stop it.
Cost Guides
Daily Labour vs Contract Rate for a Kolkata Build: How the Costs Really Compare
Daily labour vs contract rate for a Kolkata build: how the two labour models really compare on cost, wastage, supervision and site risk, from a New Town studio.
Cost Guides
Studio Contour: How We Price an NKDA Revision Round
Studio Contour breaks down exactly what's included in an NKDA plan sanction fee, what a revision round costs, and why examiner objections and client-driven changes are priced differently.
Cost Guides
Roof Insulation Options for a Kolkata Terrace and What Each Actually Saves
Roof insulation options for a Kolkata terrace compared: china mosaic, XPS board, pedestal decks, cool roof coatings and green roofs, with indicative costs and real savings.
Cost Guides
Cutting Your Summer Electricity Bill Through Design, Not Appliances
Cut your summer electricity bill in Kolkata through design, not appliances. Roof treatment, orientation, shading and ventilation moves that actually reduce cooling load.
Cost Guides
What Slows Down a Home Loan Disbursement on a Self-Build
Why a home loan disbursement stalls on a self-build in Kolkata, from plan mismatches and mutation delays to valuer visits, bills and tranche timing.
Cost Guides
Budgeting for the Costs Nobody Quotes You at the Start
The hidden costs of building a house in Kolkata that no quote includes: approvals, soil, utility deposits, interiors and the settling year, explained by a New Town architect.
Cost Guides
Studio Contour: The Real Cost of Hiring the Wrong NKDA Architect
Studio Contour breaks down what a poorly handled NKDA sanction actually costs New Town plot owners in time, money and stress, and what to check before hiring an architect.
Cost Guides
Studio Contour: How We Structure Our NKDA Architecture Fee
Studio Contour explains how it prices architecture fees for NKDA sanction work in New Town, from what the fee covers to what actually moves the number on your plot.
Cost Guides
Building a Duplex in New Town Kolkata: Plot Sizes, Plans and Costs
A New Town, Kolkata builder's guide to duplex plot sizes, NKDA rules, realistic costs, and timelines, from an architecture studio with 330+ local projects delivered.
Cost Guides
Wardrobe Cost Per Square Foot in New Town: Base, Mid and Premium Rates
What wardrobe costs per square foot actually look like in New Town, from base laminate builds to premium veneer and glass finishes, and why the rate alone won't tell you what you're really paying for.
Cost Guides
Cost of a Peripheral vs Full False Ceiling in a New Town Living Room
Peripheral vs full false ceiling costs for a New Town living room, what drives the price gap, and how beam layout and slab height should decide which one you actually need.
Cost Guides
Guest Bathroom Refresh Cost in a New Town Flat: The Cheapest Meaningful Upgrade
Guest bathroom refresh cost in a New Town flat, broken down honestly: what drives the spend, what's worth skipping, and why the smallest room often delivers the biggest return.
Cost Guides
Debris Disposal Rules and Costs for New Town and Salt Lake Renovations
Debris disposal rules and costs for New Town and Salt Lake renovations, explained plainly: NKDA norms, what drives cost, and how to plan it right.
Cost Guides
What a Rs 15 Lakh Interior Budget Buys in a New Town 3BHK in 2026
What a Rs 15 lakh interior budget actually buys in a New Town 3BHK in 2026, room by room, with New Town-specific cost drivers and a realistic 8-12 week timeline.
Cost Guides
What a Study Room Fit-Out Costs in a Salt Lake Flat
A grounded breakdown of what a study room fit-out actually costs in a Salt Lake flat, from electrical prep to carpentry, lighting, and realistic timelines.
Cost Guides
Budget, Mid and Premium Interior Tiers in Salt Lake: What Separates Them
A Studio Contour breakdown of budget, mid and premium interior tiers in Salt Lake, what materials, lighting and design work actually separate them, and how to choose the right one for your home.
Cost Guides
Cost of a Utility and Washing Area Fit-Out in a New Town Flat
A New Town homeowner's guide to what a utility and washing area fit-out actually costs, what drives the price, and how to plan the work without wasting money.
Cost Guides
How Much of Your New Town Flat Budget Should Go Into Interiors?
How much should you actually spend on interiors for your New Town flat? A room-by-room budget breakdown, sequencing plan, and cost ratios from a New Town studio with 330+ builds delivered.
Cost Guides
Studio Apartment Interior Cost in New Town: A Full Budget Breakdown
A real, New Town-specific budget breakdown for studio apartment interiors, covering per-sq-ft costs, room-wise splits, timelines, and what's worth spending on.
Cost Guides
Which Rooms Deserve the Biggest Share of a New Town Interior Budget
Where should your New Town interior budget actually go? A working allocation guide from Studio Contour, covering kitchens, bathrooms, living spaces and what to trim.
Cost Guides
Minimum Realistic Interior Budget for a 4BHK in New Town
A realistic breakdown of what a 4BHK interior actually costs in New Town, Kolkata, where the money goes, and how to spot a quote that's cutting corners.