Statutory Fees on Your Build: What You Pay Directly and Why

When families sit down with Uniq Builders Mysuru to talk about a new home, one line in the package terms often draws a second look. Government approvals such as plan sanction, khata and licences, and power, water and sewage connections are handled by the company, but statutory fees are paid directly by the client. Homeowners reasonably ask why the builder does the paperwork but does not simply fold the fees into the per square foot rate.

The short answer is transparency. Statutory fees are charges levied by a government body, a local authority or a utility. They belong to you as the property owner, they vary with your plot and your plan, and the receipts should carry your name. This article explains what these fees are, why paying them directly protects you, and how to plan your budget so they never come as a surprise.

What counts as a statutory fee

A statutory fee is any payment that a law, bye-law or official tariff requires you to make to an authority. It is not a service charge and it is not the builder’s margin. On a typical residential or commercial build in Karnataka, the categories usually include:

• Building plan sanction charges paid to the local planning authority or municipal body when your drawings are submitted for approval.
• Khata related charges, such as those for khata transfer, bifurcation or updating records, where your plot needs them.
• Licence and permission fees that may apply to the type of building or its use.
• Electricity connection charges, including deposits and meter related charges levied by the power utility.
• Water supply and sewage connection charges levied by the relevant water or civic body.

The exact list, and the amount for each item, depends on where your plot sits, its built-up area, its use and the rules in force when you apply. Always confirm current figures with the authority concerned, and ask a chartered accountant or an advocate if a charge affects your tax position or title.

Why Uniq Builders keeps these fees separate

Every package at Uniq Builders, from Premium at ₹1,999 per sq ft to Platinum at ₹2,999 per sq ft, includes free assistance for government licensing work. The team prepares and follows up on the applications. What the package rate does not do is absorb the statutory payments themselves.

The receipts are proof of your ownership. A sanction receipt or a connection deposit in the owner’s name is a document you may need later, for a home loan disbursement, a resale, a property tax query or a dispute. Paying directly means the paper trail starts and ends with you.

The amounts are outside anyone’s control. A builder can promise a construction specification. It cannot promise what an authority will charge next quarter. Bundling fees into a fixed rate would force a builder either to overestimate and charge you more, or to underestimate and come back asking for money.

You can check every rupee. When you pay the authority directly, you see the official demand, the challan and the receipt.

You can read the full breakdown of what each tier includes on the construction packages page, where rates are shown as starting rates with terms and conditions applied.

What the company handles and what you handle

Handled by Uniq Builders as part of your package:

1. Preparing the drawings an application needs, including working drawings, 2D and 3D elevations and structural design backed by a soil test.
2. Compiling and filing the plan sanction application.
3. Coordinating khata and licence work.
4. Applying for power, water and sewage connections.

Handled by you as the owner:

1. Providing ownership documents, identity proofs and any authorisations the authority asks for.
2. Paying the statutory fees shown on official demand notes, directly to the authority or through its approved payment channel.
3. Keeping the original receipts safe, and sharing copies with the project team so filings can move ahead.

Because architecture and structure are delivered in-house, your drawings and your applications stay with one team. If you want to understand how the drawings are prepared, the architectural design service explains the process, including your choice of 3D elevations and up to three rounds of revisions on working drawings.

How to budget for statutory fees

Since these charges sit outside the package rate, set aside a separate line in your budget from the first discussion. A few habits make this easier.

• Ask for a fee checklist early. During the free consultation, ask which approvals and connections your plot is likely to need. The list of categories tells you what to expect even before the amounts are known.
• Get official figures, not hearsay. What a neighbour paid years ago is rarely a reliable guide.
• Keep a buffer. Authorities can raise additional demands if a plan is revised or a document needs correction. A contingency protects the construction schedule.
• Separate site conditions too. Rock excavation, extra foundation depth or imported filling earth are quoted separately after the site visit. These are construction costs, not statutory fees, but they are another reason to keep your budget in clear compartments.

If you are comparing builders, ask each one the same question: which fees are inside your rate, and which are paid by me? A clear written answer is a good sign. More guidance on what to ask is collected in our articles about how Uniq Builders works.

The easiest way to get a realistic picture for your own plot is a free site visit. You can book a site visit or consultation by calling or messaging +91 98449 93200, or by writing to hello@uniqbuilders.com, Monday to Saturday between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Uniq Builders package rate include government fees?

No. The package covers the approvals work, including plan sanction, khata and licences and utility connections, and every package includes free assistance for government licensing work. The statutory fees charged by the authorities are paid directly by the client, so the receipts stay in the owner’s name.

Can you tell me the exact statutory fees for my plot before I sign?

The amounts depend on your plot, the approved plan and the rules in force when the application is made. The team can explain which approvals your project is likely to need during the free consultation. For current figures, confirm with the authority concerned, and consult a chartered accountant or advocate where tax or title questions arise.

Do I have to visit government offices myself?

In most cases the filing and follow-up are handled by the company as part of your package. You will need to provide documents, sign where the owner’s signature is required and make the payments. Some authorities may occasionally ask for the owner in person, and the team will tell you if that applies.