PropChk, India's fastest-growing tech-enabled home inspection startup, has forged a first-of-a-kind collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee to establish industry benchmarks for verifying home inspections in the country. This groundbreaking partnership seeks to fill the gap in standardized guidelines within the Indian real estate industry, guaranteeing properties' safety and quality through comprehensive protocols.
Unlike in western countries, where industry standards for contractors, developers, builders, and end consumers are well-established, the lack of such norms in India has created a grey area in verifying the safety and adherence to construction norms of properties. For example, let's compare the United States and India. While the US, with a population one-fourth that of India's, has an impressive number of over 5,000 home inspection companies and more than 30,000 licensed home inspectors, the home inspection industry in India is still in its early stages and lacks certified standards. Recognizing this pressing gap, PropChk and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (known for their expertise in Civil Engineering and Architecture) aim to address this by developing a robust foundation for evaluating the construction quality of properties.
Sharing his views on the partnership, Saurabh Tyagi, the CEO & Co-Founder of PropChk said, “Our partnership with IIT Roorkee represents an unprecedented achievement in the real estate sector. We aimed to join forces with the top academic institution, and IIT Roorkee's esteemed Civil Engineering department was the obvious choice for this innovative venture. As the first-of-its-kind collaboration, this partnership showcases our unwavering commitment to excellence and our determination to establish standardized protocols in the field of home inspection. These protocols will serve as a reliable benchmark for all stakeholders, guaranteeing the safety and quality of properties across India. This milestone marks a significant stride towards enhancing the standards of home interiors throughout the country, aligning with our leadership and constant drive for improvement in the home inspection industry. Our ultimate goal is to revolutionize the Indian construction sector, ensuring we remain at the forefront of innovation and thought leadership."
“The involvement and contribution of Prof. Bhupinder Singh and Dr. Dixit have been instrumental in shaping this initiative. Their wealth of experience in Civil Engineering, particularly in the structural aspects, has added immense value to developing our checklist and protocols. Their expertise, combined with the industry feedback provided to them, has resulted in comprehensive guidelines that builders and contractors widely accept.” he added.
A noteworthy achievement of this partnership was the workshop at IIT Roorkee, overseen by Prof. Bhupinder Singh and Dr. Dixit from the Civil Engineering Department. Its primary objective was to collect valuable input from industry stakeholders regarding the Property Inspection Checklist and Protocols developed by PropChk. This feedback played a crucial role in adjusting the acceptable limits for different components of the inspection checklist, ensuring a harmonious blend of practicality and desired results.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Bhupinder Singh of IIT Roorkee said, “The initiative taken by PropChk serves the best interest of the construction industry of India. IIT Roorkee being the pioneer academic institute for Civil Engineering and Architecture in the country, felt obliged to support PropChk in this great endeavour. We are doing whatever we can in our capacity to standardise the property inspection process for the Indian Construction Industry. Such partnerships between the industry and academia are bound to deliver great results.”
The Property Inspection Checklist and Protocols, created in collaboration with IIT Roorkee, have been specifically customized to address the distinct factors and difficulties present in the Indian Built Environment. Through the synchronization of standards with India's construction methods, PropChk and IIT Roorkee are leading the way in bringing about a beneficial change in the real estate sector. Their efforts aim to establish a future in which standardized protocols are widely embraced and followed throughout the country.
Speaking on the partnership with PropChk, Dr. Anjaneya Dixit of IIT Roorkee said, “We are glad to associate with PropChk in this great initiative. Saurabh also happens to be an alumnus of IITR and when he approached us with this concept, we felt it is our responsibility towards the nation to contribute to this endeavour with our knowledge and expertise. The checklists and processes that we are developing are well-deliberated. We are consciously keeping it an inclusive process where feedback of all industry stakeholders is being collected and appropriately processed. I wish PropChk all the very best and believe that they can make a meaningful contribution towards a more organised construction sector in India. .”
As a part of the partnership, PropChk and IIT Roorkee would actively work to benefit the real estate industry and all stakeholders involved in property inspections. By defining tolerance limits for various elements, the initiative aims to establish benchmarks that can be submitted to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for incorporation as industry standards. This groundbreaking move sets a precedent for the quality of interiors in the Indian real estate ecosystem, bolstering consumer confidence and enhancing safety across the sector.
