After completing more than 150 projects across Dhaka, we've seen the same avoidable mistakes come up repeatedly. Some are aesthetic regrets. Others cost hundreds of thousands of taka to fix.
1. Undersizing the Exhaust Fan
Dhaka kitchens generate enormous amounts of cooking fumes. We see 6-inch exhaust fans installed in 150 sqft kitchens. The rule of thumb: your exhaust fan CFM (cubic feet per minute) should be at least 15× the kitchen's cubic volume. Most installs are a third of what's needed. The result? Permanent odour in soft furnishings, stained ceilings, and a yellowed kitchen within two years.
2. Polished Floors in Bathrooms
We've covered this in our tiles article, but it bears repeating: polished or semi-polished floor tiles in bathrooms are a slip hazard. Every year we receive calls from clients who want their bathroom re-tiled after a family member slipped. Always specify R10 minimum for bathroom floors.
3. Skipping the False Ceiling AC Provision
Installing split AC units is inevitable in Dhaka. Yet many clients forego concealed ductwork and false ceilings to save money, then regret the visible pipes and indoor units on every wall 3 years later. If you're doing a fit-out, do it once, do it right — install the provision even if you don't fit the AC immediately.
4. Buying Furniture Before Moving In
The sofa that looks perfect in the showroom will be wrong for your actual room proportions, traffic flow, and light conditions. Always move into the space, live in it for 2–4 weeks, and then buy large furniture pieces. The clarity you gain from living in the space saves far more than the "good deal" you got by buying early.
5. Under-budgeting Storage
Bangladeshi households tend to accumulate possessions rapidly. We've found that most clients need 40% more storage than they initially estimate. Build-in more storage than you think you need — it will be used within a year.
6. Ignoring the Sun Path
Dhaka is close to the equator. West-facing windows receive brutal afternoon sun from March to October. Before finalising room layouts, check which way your windows face and plan window treatments accordingly. West-facing glass without external shading can increase AC load by 30%.
7. Choosing Paint Colour From a Tiny Sample Chip
Colour behaves completely differently at large scale than on a 2×2cm chip. Always paint a 1m² test patch on the actual wall — in daylight AND under your installed artificial lighting. Colours that look warm in the showroom can look grey or green in different light. Never commit to a full room before seeing a large sample in-situ.