1

TECHNICAL PAPER ON ESTIMATED PLINTH AREA RATES OF BUILDINGS IN

TRIVANDRUM FOR THE YEAR 1960 TO 2012 ,
(Presented By L.S.Kylas,Chartered Engineer and Registered Valuer)
The Plinth area rates of buildings relating to different years are necessary for different types of
valuation.The rates are very much necessary for the valuation for Capital Gain,
while selling a property.It is also necessary for the valuation of building under construction,
settling the disputes between builder and clients. It was felt that if a ready reckoner of plinth
area rates from 1960-to 2012 is worked out it will be useful for all valuers. In this exercise the
plinth area rates of Trivandrum have been worked out.For this a set of estimates of residential
buildings in and around Trivandrum have been evaluated and the average rate per sq m was
worked out.Also the PWD rates prevailing during these periods were also considered with
necessary escalations since the PWD rates are less than the market rates Where the estimate
for a particular year is not available the rates as per the estimates in the near by years are taken
and interpolated to arrive at the rates for a year where the actual rates are not directly
available. Alternatively the rates of main building materials for years 1960- to 2012 was
collected from builders ,persons who have constructed their own house during these periods
and some hard ware merchants. In Trivandrum.The base year is taken as 1960.The rates of
main building materials have been collected and cost Index in the year 1960 is taken as
100.Then the rates of building materials in each year from 1961 to 2012 was worked out.
From this the cost index for each year 1960 to 2012 was arrived at.The plinth area rate of
buildings in the year 1960 was taken as base rate.with base index 100.The base rate of 1960
was multiplied by the Cost Index for the particular year and the plinth area rate for each year
has been worked out. When comparing the rates arrived by actual estimate and rates arrived by
computation by cost index method there seems to be a variation of 5 % to 12 %.This is due to
the methods followed and arriving at the rates of materials for the back years up to 1960.The
rates are not readily available for the back years hence some approximations have been made
in certain rates.But this plinth area rates so worked out give a general picture of the plinth area
rates from the year 1960 to 2012.The valuer may use his technical knowledge and discretions
in cases where the difference is more This is only an attempt to formulate a ready to use table
for valuation.

The accompanying table gives the Plinth area rates from the year 1960-to 2012.

ESTIMATED PLINTH AREA RATES FROM 1960 TO 2012 FOR TRIVANDRUM

SPECIFICATION
Independent Residential Building Single Storied with foundation random rubble
masonry in cement mortar 1: 8 ,superstructure with brick work in cement mortar 1:8 plastering
inside with cement mortar 1:5 ,12 m thick and plastering out side with cement mortar 1:4 12 m
thick ,doors and windows with country wood, painting walls cement paint and doors and
windows ordinary type enamel paint , ,flooring with ordinary mosaic, , roofing with RCC
,electrification average type,water supply and sanitary installation average type.
Superior specification like superior painting ,flooring etc necessary additions may be made by
the valuer.
PLINTH AREA RATE PER SQ M

Year

Plinth area rate

per sq m Rs

Year

Plinth area rates

per sq m Rs

1960

125

1973

510

1961

140

1974

550

1962

165

1975

600

1963

178

1976

690

1964

198

1977

720

1965

216

1978

810

1966

240

1979

920

1967

266

1980

1100

1968

300

1981

1240

1969

320

1982

1320

1970

378

1983

1468

1971

400

1984

1686

1972

455

1985

1806

1986

2085

2001

7300

1987

2209

2002

7520

1988

2463

2003

7725

1989

2572

2004

7895

1990

3047

2005

8210

1991

3360

2006

8415

1992

3716

2007

8810

1993

4140

2008

9100

1994

4623

2009

10,200

1995

5040

2010

11,400

1996

5476

2011

11,836

1997

6100

2012

12,915

1998

6550

1999

6740

2000

7100

An illustrative example of arriving the Plinth area rates with cost index for the year
The accompanying Calculation table shows the other method adopted to find out the Plinth
Area rates in the year 1961 and 1981 with the rates of 1960 and 1976 as base rate and
multiplying with the Cost Index for the year 1961 and 1981

CONSTRUCTION COST INDEX CALCULATION EFFECTIVE FROM

1-4-1961
Cost Index of Place X based on Plinth Area Rate as on 01.04.1960
Place

S.no. Description
1
2

3
4

Bricks
Sand
Coarse sand 66.67%
Fine sand 33.33%
Cement OPC
Aggregate
20mm size 50%
10mm size 50%
Timber
II Class Teak wood 25%
Country hard wood 75%
Steel
8-10mm Tor Steel 50%
12-16mm Tor Steel 50%
Mason
I Class Mason 50%
II Class Mason 50%
Carpenter
I Class Carpenter 50%
II Class Carpenter 50%
Mazdoor
Male labour 50%
Female labour 50%

TRIVANDRUM
1-4-1960

New Date

Weightage

1/4/1961

New Index

Rate as
on New
Date

Cost
Index as
on New
Date

111.51

Unit

Rate as
on 1.4.60

1000
no
Cum

150.00
5.00

16.00
4.00

155.00
6.00

16.53
4.80

14.82
4.30

Qtl
Cum

11.00
12.00

19.00
4.50

12.00
13.00

20.72
4.87

18.58
4.37

Cum

425.00

9.50

450.00

10.05

9.0

Qtl

150.00

23.50

170.00

26.63

23.88

Each

5.00

8.00

5.6

8.96

8.04

Each

5.00

3.50

5.6

3.95

3.54

Each

3.0

12.00

3.75

15.0

13.45

100.00

Total

111.51

Note: New date & its rates are arbitrary, Valuer may put his own rates.

The Plinth area rate in 1960 = Rs 125

Hence plinth area rate in 1961= Rs 125 111.51 = Rs 125 x1.1151 = Rs 139/
100

100.00

CONSTRUCTION COST INDEX CALCULATION EFFECTIVE

FROM 1-4-1981

Cost Index of Trivandrum based on Plinth Area Rate as on 1.04.1976

Rate as
on
01.4.76

Cost
Rate as
on New Index as
Date on New % Contri
Weighbutio
Date
1-4-1981
tage
n
16.00
17.60
550.00
9.67

S.no.

Description

Unit

Bricks

1000 no

Bricks 67%
Stone 33% (0.8976 Cum)
2
Sand
Coarse sand 67%
Fine sand 33%
3
Cement
4
Aggregate
20mm size 50%
40mm size 50%
5
Timber
11 Class Teak wood 25%
Country hard wood 75%
6
Mild Steel
8-10mm Tor Steel 50%
12-16mm Tor Steel 50%
7
Mason
1 Class Mason 50%
11 Class Mason 50%
8
Carpenter
1 Class Carpenter 50%
11 Class Carpenter 50%
9
Labour
Male labour 50%
Female labour 50%

670 no
0.8976
Cum

20.00

5.00

27.00

6.75

3.71

QtI
Cum

24.00
40.00

21.00
6.50

61.00
59.00

29.31
5.26

Cum

3000.00

18.00

3580.00

53.37
53.37 9.58
w4r3z:.14.
53.37
52.5052..5
21.48
0

7.32

20.13

500.00

QtI

300.00

10.00

400.00

Each

20.00

8.5

36.00

Each

20.00

4.0

40.00

13.33
13.33
10.92
15.30
15.30
15.3015.3
8.00
04

Each

9.00

11

30.00

36.66

100.00

Total

11.80

8.40
4.40

182.07 100.00

The Plinth area rate in 1976 = Rs 690

Hence plinth area rate in 1961= Rs 125 182.07 = Rs 690 x1.8207 = Rs 1256/
100
The above article is prepared with sincere efforts verifying more than 12 estimates of works in
each year both from PWD and private works ,actual bills of construction materials purchased
in each year.consultation with more than ten senior valuers and retired PWD Engineers in
Trivandrum .Hope this tabulation will at least help the up coming valuers to have an idea of the
rates in the year 1960-2012.
L.S.Kylas