5 mistakes to avoid when building a farmhouse on your land
From orientation to water planning — the lessons our panel architects repeat to every new owner before the first brick.
A farmhouse can turn a good plot into a place you never want to leave — or into a maintenance headache you dread visiting. Most of the difference comes down to a handful of early decisions. Here are the five we see people regret.
1. Building before you know the land
Live with the plot through one monsoon before you pour concrete. Where does water pool? Where does the evening light fall? The best farmhouse spot is rarely the first one you'd guess.
2. Fighting the climate
The Konkan gets around 3,000 mm of rain. Sloped roofs, deep verandahs, laterite and breathable materials work with that; flat slabs and glass boxes fight it, and lose.
3. Ignoring upkeep
A house you visit on weekends needs someone to look after it on weekdays. Plan for caretaking and simple, robust finishes from day one — not as an afterthought.
4. Over-building
The land is the luxury. A modest, well-placed structure that frames the orchard and the valley beats a large house that ignores both.
5. Skipping the boring infrastructure
Water storage, drainage, power backup and a proper approach road are what make a farmhouse actually usable. Get them right first — the pretty parts are easy after that.
