Kuuliza tu! Ni syokimau hapa mavoko ama ile ya Londokwe?

got this from the just concluded homes expo. These guys were saying they can put up your house in 45 days and they can start with....the garage and add on the rest mpaka you have that 4 bedroom dream house....wanatumia steel!!

http://space-frame.co.uk/introduction.htm

I bought a copy of the current issue of Homes Kenya Magazine. There is a story there that Mabati Rolling Mills (NRM) are to start selling prefabricated houses. Specifically, it says a ready-made steel house will retail at 80k for a two and 160k for four-room homes respectively.

I will do a followup on this and post my findings right here.

Most likely the above cost might not be including the foundation.

@ User

Thanks for the email. I have emailed you some stuff. Hope it will help

@user, can you share this info with me here mrhdradio at gmail, I might be your neighbor. I have always entertained the idea of building a mwananchi house at the corner and move in. Later, I can build the house of my dreams in the remaining space.

msijali wananchi .I will edit any personal information and post the guideline here for all to benefit.

tutakukumbusha ukisahau

Steps to buiding a mwananchi house:

Site: Select a good location with a good soil type. Murram and red soil types good but black cotton terrible. This will determine how much you will spend on the foundation costs ( excavations and filling in with hard-core)
Design the house type. This will depend on you taste and budget. Once you have a design you like, discuss it with a good professional and then he can translate it to a plan for approvals where necessary. Lucky for me I live in a place where no approvals are needed!

Come up with a budget. If you build in phases, make sure that phase 1 is able to secure something you can move into as you build. Mine(na sio ya 'user') is a maissonette and this is what I did,

Phase 1: Excavation/ground slab/Walling and shutter.
Phase 2: Windows and doors
Phase 3: Fittings and plastering and moved in
Phase 4: Finishing first floor and moved in after some years

When you build in phase, you are able to continue with other things as you build rather that putting on hold all other things because of the construction.

Lessons learnt

Materials: Don’t trust the Fundis. Once you have the BOQ, source for the best prices for quality items. Too cheap may be a sign of fake. Don’t pay for materials and leave the fundi’s or hardware owner to deliver. They collude and deliver less and share the loot.

Door and windows: If you have electricity on site, buy chumas and get a fundi to do it at site. It saves costs and you get what you need.

Plumbing and fittings: Here cheap is expensive. Buy good quality items and have a good fitter to do the work. If short on budget, better wait that keep replacing items.

Water harvesting: Harvest water from the roof. It’s clean and come at minimal cost as the roof is done and simple guttering will do.

Energy savings: Solar water heating is a good idea. When plumbing, have the hot water system installed. Later, you can install the solar system.

Wiring: Go for genuine items from reputable shops. Most fake items are sold as genuine!

With 420k it is doable. Best of luck

By gathige

Let me add that when buying a plot, be careful as what might appear to be a good plot will be a 'lake' during the rainy season...

- Fundi @800/day KYM @400/day
- Roofing: Try Lifestile by NRM [570x2000mm] @Ksh1,650/= it is stone coated
- timber cypress 4x2@43/=,3x2@33/=, 2x2@22/=