Our Kachra house
We like to call our house ‘Kachra Mane’, which means ‘Kachra house’ in Kannada. Kachra of course means discarded, as in waste thrown into a dustbin. Most of our house is built of kachra stuff.
We (that’s my family – my wife, my daughter and I) designed our house to be light, both physically and on the pocket. We had 3 basic rules in mind in the design:
1. The Green mantra of 3R – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
2. Invite the weather in, because Bangalore has pleasant weather most of the year. Most houses are designed to keep the weather out.
3. Rethink the old methods of construction.
Reduce – to buy less and use less.
Reuse – use elements of a discarded item again.
Recycle – use energy to change the physical properties of the material, to make something new.
Our house has massive amounts of Reduce and Reuse, no Recycle. We have also used massive amounts of a fourth R – Rethink.
The benefits
1. A house that cost us 50 % of what it would otherwise have cost, if we had built it the traditional way.
2. Use of cement, steel, sand reduced by 80 %.
3. A nice, warm feeling that we live in a low-carbon house.
Our home was inspired by these people
R. Vishwamurthy, whose beautiful house in RT Nagar is built mostly of reused construction material. It was built in 1975. Here’s an article about it.
Anjali Chandavarkar, a friend. We got the idea of making furniture out of reused pine wood from her, and then extended the idea to making our whole house out of the same wood.
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Me
Who am I ?
Mechanical engineer, foodie, environment nut, animal lover, live in Bangalore.
Identifying features : Bald head, sexy legs caused by cycling, paunch (that keeps going up and down based on its mood, but is one friend I can depend upon to be with me till the day I die).
My vehicle is a bicycle, and I also use public transport - buses and autos.
Living a low-carbon life 
is it earth architecture????
No. Cement, but reduced to a bare minimum.
sounds great.. but seeing is believing.. so can you put up pics of the house and if its there already can you pass on the link. would love to see how this Kachara house looks
There’re a whole lot of pics. in the page ‘Reduce, reuse, rethink’ page. Did you see these, or do you mean these are inadequate ?
Yes would have loved to see more pics. btwn have emailed you on your official id. could you pls check and get back
Thanks for the feedback. Will add some kind of an album with lots more (and bigger) pictures.
Thank you Das for giving me credit which I deserve not!
Your passion for the 3 R’s is awesome! So proud to be your friend!
I would like to see a photograph of the house.
hi, im workin as sub-editor of a home n interior magazine in kerala..cud u pls giv ur contact no??
Hi. . We are planning to construct a house near yelahanka .. Can we come and see your house . .Please share your number . . Shivanand (9845919756)
Sure. Just call me. Will email you my number.
Hello,
I read about your home in the Housedelic blog. You have done an amazing job with your home. As an Upcycling freak, this is just what excites me. My in-laws’ house, which was built in the early nineties has doors and windows which were sourced from junkyards. In fact, mMy Father- in-law joined two individual long decorated planks of wood to make one big entrance door! Now, as we are making plans to renovate this house, your home serves as the perfect inspiration. I would love to visit your home sometime. Can you please share your email address or contact number with me?
Hi Sowparnika.
Thanks for the nice words. I’ve emailed you my phone number.
Hi Das, It is inspiring to see someone go an extra mile to do something he believes in. I am going to renovate a portion of my house and I want it to be sustainable. I got to know about your house when I was doing my research and I feel in love with it. This is exactly how I want to build my house as well. But I have a few questions to clarify on the methods used. How durable is the bamboo ceiling? Does the bamboo ceiling keep the house cool during summer? What kind of precautions & maintenance should be taken while using pinewood? It would be great if I can talk to you about it. And by the way I live in Coimbatore.
Thanks,
Abbhi
Hi Abbhi.
I’ll email you my contact details.
Das
Dear Mr Dasarathi,
I recently came across a video on Facebook regarding the work you’ve done on your house and was very inspired. I would love to follow the same and need some advice. Would you be able to share your contact details with me.
Thanks in advance.
Best regards,
Shirin
Hi.
Have emailed you my contact details.
Hi Das!
Im a friend of Anjali Chandavarkar. I was very inspired by your use of crate wood in your house and have used the same for my entire kitchen and also the doors of my built-in wardrobes. Would like to share some photos with you. Please do let me know your email id.
Regards
Anu Elisha
Anu,
Great ! Will email you my contact details. Maybe I can pick up some ideas from what you’ve done.
Dear Mr.Dasarathi, I’m a primary years teacher…I find your ideas very inspiring and there’s so much we can share in the classroom! I would love to visit your house – if that is ok, will you please share your contact number? Thanks very much 🙂 – Alagu
Mr.Dasarathi, I’m a primary years teacher – I find your ideas inspiring and there is so much we can share in the classroom. I would love to visit your house – if that is ok, will you please share your contact number? Thanks very much 🙂 Alagu
Hi Alagu.
Sorry about replying so late – missed seeing your email. Sure, please do come over some time. I’ll send you my contact details.
Das
Dear Mr. Das,
Great to see your ideas and your methods. I am planning to build a house near Yelahanka soon. I am sort of trying to cut down on funds. Your ideas will be wonderful for me, as well as contributing to a better environment. Would love to meet up sometime. Please mail me when possible.
With kind regards,
Dean Gregory.
Hello Dean.
You’re welcome to drop in and take a look at the house. Have emailed you my phone number.
Das
Dear Mr. Das.
I am sorry for the late reply. Thank you for your quick response. I will surely drop in and make sure i call before i do so. Meanwhile, i have an opinion on the name you have chosen: Kachra Mane. Of course, you have a valid reason to call it so, but also sir, one person’s garbage is another person’s treasure. So your house’s name should actually be “Treasure House”, and not “Kachra”! Look at it from another view: You are using materials taken from earth. The earth is a treasure. Nothing is waste. So still, your home is a treasure! Also, your home is contributing to a greener environment, so there you go Mr. “Treasure” Das, that is the name that suits you and your home!
Thank you for your time in reading this little thought of mine!
Kind regards,
Dean.
Hi.
Thanks for the nice suggestion. You’re right, Kachra IS Treasure.
‘Kachra Mane’ is supposed to convey the message that you can actually build a home using material that is regarded as kachra.
People get intrigued by the name, ask for the reason, and I get a chance to explain this.
Das
Hi!
I’m a student of architecture at BMS School of Architecture. For my thesis I’m a designing a building with some of the sustainable features that you have described here. I would love to come look at your house sometime. Please email me your contact details.
Thank you
Sumodhini
Hi.
Have emailed you my contact details.
Dear Mr Das,
I’m very impressed! I have always been a fan of reduce reuse recycle 🙂
Very often, people associate it with being cheap, but that’s their problem not ours. And who says it needs to be expensive?
I was interested to know more about your kitchen cabinets. You did mention using reclaimed pinewood packing, but who did the work for you? Let me know any details you can share.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Ferdi
Sorry, saw your post just today – some technical problem in the blog. Sadly, I don’t have the contact details of the carpenter who did the kitchen cabinets.
Dear Mr. Das,
Very inspiring to read about your innovative methods. I have been struggling to find ways to cut down on usage of wood while building my home. Your usage of reclaimed pine wood is very intriguing. Would want to understand that better, could you please share your contact details?
Thanks,
~Maitreya
Hi.
Sorry, read your comment just now – some malfunction in the blog’s comment area.
My email ID is dasarathigv@gmail.com.
Sir,
I am planning to construct a mud/clay ( eco friendly) house in Hyderabad. I need some guidence in this regard. Request you to forward me your contact no/mail id.
Hello sir
I just came to know about your ‘kachra house’. Really inspiring!
We are planning to build a house in Ambala, haryana. Plan to make this house in approx. 300 sq. m. Covered area. Total land is 700 sq.m.
Is it possible to contruct big house in sustainable way?
Can you help in design and construction?
My number… 9896030754…Sanjeev Gupta
Will be really grateful for your help.
Would it be possible to “solicit” your guidance and support in designing such beautiful, “eco- and budget” friendly dwellings ….
Namaskaaram.
I would like to visit your house to see your great work so please give me ur addresses
Hi Mr Das,
Very inspired by your work,
I have a plot at Kanakpura road, I was wondering how I could afford to construct house considering the budget,
After reading about your concept, have regained the faith of affordable home,
Can We ( Family) come and see your house
Pl. Share your no..
My no. 9986301112
Hello sir,
I am an architecture student presently in my 4th year studying at Gogte Institute of Technology, Belgaum but a resident of bangalore. For my current semester we have to do a thesis of our choice and i have fondly chosen the topic as “cost-effective architecture”. i have been reading too much about your house and would like to visit and study it closely as part of my case study for my project but ofcourse with your consent. could you please mail me your contact details or email id to contact you better?
Thank you for sharing all of the above information about your house.
Sir please share your details with me…my house is half way through… needed similar house. At least now I can use this concept.
Hello Mr Das,
I read about the house and how the sustainable material is used on internet and really wish to see it in real.
I tried to find your contact details on net but could not find anything, May I know if me and my friend can pay a visit to see your beautiful creativity. It would be great if you can help me with contact details as well.
Thanks
Hi.
You’re welcome to visit my home.
I’ve emailed you my phone number.
Das
Thank You for your response sir,
Can you please send me the details on my Yahoo id.
itrik.singh@yahoo.co.in
Hi sir,
My name is Vishnu, I am from Madurai,TN. I saw a post about your house in Facebook. I also showed my parents about it, they were inspired and are interested in building a house through similar methods. We would like to see your house in person and would like to take some help from you with this regards. Kindly share your details Thanks in advance…
Hi.
Have emailed you my contact details.
Very inspiring story of your kachare mane. Can i pl have your contact details . Thanks
Dr Veena
Namaskara
my name is venkatesh SH i am form Mathikere Bangalore i want do extension of My House ,
so i request you to please share your No and Address to visit your place and get some idea
my e mail id is bargurvenk@gmail.com
thanking you
Sir, Need to visit your place and understand details of where you get the pine wood from, how do you turn it useful, and how much does it cost. Thanks
Sir, My name is Kiran, Nice reading your post, your concern about environment is awesome. pls send me your contact details. I would like to meet you more than visiting your home.
Hello Sir, may I please have your contact number? I have a few queries regarding the materials used and their lifespan.
Hello Sir,
I am planning to build a house in a different city using your approach; however I am finding it very difficult to convince the builder to execute in this style. Any guidance would be helpful.
Dear Sir,
I am a social science teacher. I want to bting our students to show your house. Kindly give me the address and contact number. I will get back to you once I speak to the management.
Thanking you,
Priya P. S
18-10-2018
Sir
I live in Hyderabad and I have an open plot of 1200 sft and we are 4 members in my family.
I wanted to know is it possible for you to guide us in constructing a house based on your kachara concept. I wish to start the construction after 1 year with my retirement corpus.
Regards,
Ajay.
Sure, will give you any ideas that I can think of.
Will email you my phone number.
Regards,
Das
Hello sir,
I read about your house on the internet,about how the sustainable material is used. Could we pay a visit on this weekend if it is possible for you.
I tried to find your contact details on net but could not find anything. It would be great if you can help me with contact details as well.
Thanks
Shashank Ajjar
Sure, you can visit some weekend.
Will email you my phone number.
Regards,
Das
Hi Sir
We want to build the house similar concept like yours..
Can you help us…
Sure Divya.
Will email you my phone number.
Regards,
Das
Sir, big fan of your house.
Love to build Kachre Mane in my hometown.
Can I have your permission and house plan.
Hi. I’ll email you my home plan.
Regards,
Das
Sir, I also want to construct such house can you share your contact number my WP number is 9418165849 Please guide me on WP. as I use email rarely.
.
Dear brother Dasarathi Ji,
I am proud of your wisdom and enthusiasm to become an example. I wish to connect to you to seek your guidance in the construction of a Meditation Center which will help many people from all walks of life to come and learn meditation. We wish to build it like yours. Can I please contact you and have a word with you. Looking forward to your generous support from you. Thanks in Advance, Sincerely grateful, Shantanu( A green volunteer in Brahma Kumaris)
. My email id is shantanumandalwork@gmail.com
Hi.
I’ll email email you my phone number.
Regards,
Das
Please share contact number and exact address of such kachra home so that sushilojha0@gmail.com may be able to experience it during 19 to 25 august stay in iim banglore campus
Sushil Ojha aged 72 from Dehradun
Voice call number 7906596475
Whatsapp number 9897131042
Hi.
Will email you my phone number.
Regards,
Das
Hi where did you buy used material from?
Hi.
One of the pages in the blog has sources for all the material.
Regards,
Das
Thank you for your reply. Is it possible for us to visit your house. my contact number is 9611639569