Home renovation & extensions · OMR, Chennai
Home renovation and extensions in OMR
Most homes along OMR are younger than in central Chennai, but families have grown into them fast: a home office, a room for parents, a bigger kitchen. MKOVR by Madras Makeovers extends and renovates independent houses and villas along OMR with one team, from the structural check and any association or approval rules to the finished rooms.
Houses in OMR
Old Mahabalipuram Road (Rajiv Gandhi Salai) runs south through Perungudi, Thoraipakkam, Karapakkam, Sholinganallur and Navalur. Most of its housing has been built since the 2000s: independent houses, row houses and villas in gated communities, alongside apartments.
Many of these houses were built quickly, and many families who bought a 2- or 3-bedroom villa now need more space. Adding a terrace room or a floor is often the simplest way to get it without moving.
What we often find in OMR homes
- Terrace leaks and cracks: Quick construction shows up as leaking terraces and cracks where block walls meet the concrete frame. Proper waterproofing and crack treatment fix the cause, not just the stain.
- Waterlogging: Some low-lying stretches, especially near the Pallikaranai marsh, hold water after heavy rain. Raised floor levels, better drainage around the house and water-resistant ground-floor finishes help.
- Not enough rooms: A home office, a room for visiting parents, a study for children. A terrace room or a new floor adds a whole room without taking space from the house below.
- Community and approval rules: Gated communities often have rules on changing the outside of a villa, and plots further south may fall under a different local body. We check both before designing anything.
What we do, and what it costs
- Full renovation: new floors, wiring, plumbing, kitchen and bathrooms, about ₹1,000–₹1,800 per sq ft; a kitchen alone ₹2–6 lakh, a bathroom ₹1.5–3.5 lakh. Home renovation in Chennai →
- A new floor: about ₹2,200–₹3,200 per sq ft in RCC or ₹2,000–₹3,000 in light gauge steel, plus any strengthening. Adding a floor →
- A terrace room: about ₹1,700–₹2,800 per sq ft, insulated to stay cool. Terrace rooms →
These are typical ranges; the free site visit and structural check give you an early figure for your house. See all costs per sq ft.
Approvals
Which body approves your plans depends on where the plot is: stretches of OMR within the Greater Chennai Corporation, or a local body further south. In a gated community the association's rules also apply. We confirm both at the start, then prepare the plan and structural design. Internal renovation does not need a building permit.
How it works
- Free site visit: we look at the house, check the structure and levels, and listen to what you need.
- Early cost range and options, before you spend anything on design.
- Design and approvals: architecture, structural design and the permit where one is needed.
- Build: one team on site, with regular updates, through to handover.
We also work across nearby Perungudi, Thoraipakkam, Karapakkam, Sholinganallur, Navalur, Palavakkam and Thiruvanmiyur.
Questions people ask
Can we add a room to a villa in a gated community?
Often, yes, but check the community’s rules on external changes first; some require the association’s consent or a matching design. We read the rules with you and design within them, along with the approval the plot needs.
Can a newer house on OMR take a terrace room?
Usually, because a single room is light. We still check the slab and columns, and an insulated steel room adds very little load.
What can be done about water collecting around the house?
Raising the floor level where possible, regrading the compound, improving drains and sealing the base of walls. We look at the levels and the street at the site visit and tell you what will make a real difference.
Planning work on your OMR house?
Free site visit and structural check, and an early cost range before you spend anything on design.