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Cost of architectural plans in Kenya
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limanika
#11 Posted : Monday, February 20, 2012 2:14:56 PM
Rank: Veteran

Joined: 9/21/2011
Posts: 2,032
Do not yet understand why people do not value the input of professionals in the construction industry. A house plan is the most important element in a building, yet among the cheapest. Those who are doing houses for the first time should talk to those who have been there before. Ignore professional advice and later on pay an arm and a leg to correct mistakes, or you live with a poorly designed house for ever. Why would you pay someone for supplying sand but have no interest in paying the Architect? This means people do not value professional work. Maybe our professional bodies have also not done a good job lobbying the government to tighten the standards. @A4architect.. what can you guys do to sort this mess for posterity?
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shygal
#12 Posted : Wednesday, February 22, 2012 9:39:34 AM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 12/31/2011
Posts: 90
Ok, thanx for the advice you've all given me. Anyone who knows where i can get a draughts-man?
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Eddy
#13 Posted : Wednesday, February 22, 2012 4:39:39 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 7/20/2006
Posts: 277
shygal wrote:
Ok, thanx for the advice you've all given me. Anyone who knows where i can get a draughts-man?

haha......haha.... i love this, who said draughtsmen are not professionals? i need one as well....Applause smile
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josiah33
#14 Posted : Wednesday, February 22, 2012 4:44:55 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 1/27/2011
Posts: 1,777
Is it true that those guys at the council's planning department can draw house plans for you?
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Eddy
#15 Posted : Wednesday, February 22, 2012 10:09:43 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 7/20/2006
Posts: 277
josiah33 wrote:
Is it true that those guys at the council's planning department can draw house plans for you?

This guys are professional architects/QS/Engineers and just like all other professionals moonlight why not them......with the added benefit that the approvals are made a bit faster.
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a4architect.com
#16 Posted : Thursday, February 23, 2012 7:40:39 AM
Rank: Veteran

Joined: 1/4/2010
Posts: 1,668
Location: nairobi
The service they will give you i.e outline proposal is worth 1% of the total estimated cost http://www.a4architect.c...bout-us/fees-breakdown/
Its therefore a psychological assumption that the design is cheaper using them since if you approach any independent architect and demand for the same level of service, they will give it to you at the same price or even cheaper.
The same council guys will still look for the independent registered architect for his signature which they pay so with the independent architect, he can offer the service at this outline proposal level at a lesser cost since he does not need to pay any other third party for signatures.
Assuming a house costs 2m to construct, 1% of this is 20k.The council guy will charge you this plus another say 10 k on top for the architect's signature while the architect will charge you only the 20k for the same level of service.
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bigbossman
#17 Posted : Thursday, February 23, 2012 9:34:24 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/14/2012
Posts: 201
Location: nairobi
a4architect.com wrote:
The service they will give you i.e outline proposal is worth 1% of the total estimated cost http://www.a4architect.c...bout-us/fees-breakdown/
Its therefore a psychological assumption that the design is cheaper using them since if you approach any independent architect and demand for the same level of service, they will give it to you at the same price or even cheaper.
The same council guys will still look for the independent registered architect for his signature which they pay so with the independent architect, he can offer the service at this outline proposal level at a lesser cost since he does not need to pay any other third party for signatures.
Assuming a house costs 2m to construct, 1% of this is 20k.The council guy will charge you this plus another say 10 k on top for the architect's signature while the architect will charge you only the 20k for the same level of service.

What's an outline proposal? From your link it doesn't seem to include the actual drawings and going by that it means the council guys will not produce the drawings for you. Some of us are on a tight budget and plan to build our houses in phases and we only want a proper architectural house plan and approval. The actual building of the simple house can be done by a local fundi. Say i was planning to build a 3 bedroomed house that's between 1500 and 2000 square feets, how much would the drawing cost? If you could also give me a rough estimate of what i would be expected to cough up as cost of approval for the 1500-2000 fts.sq simple house i'd be very much delighted.
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  | | Edit by user: Thursday, February 23, 2012 9:36 AM | Reason: Not specified
Crown Berger
#18 Posted : Thursday, February 23, 2012 12:33:38 PM

Rank: Bona-fide

Joined: 2/1/2012
Posts: 24
bigbossman wrote:
a4architect.com wrote:
The service they will give you i.e outline proposal is worth 1% of the total estimated cost http://www.a4architect.c...bout-us/fees-breakdown/
Its therefore a psychological assumption that the design is cheaper using them since if you approach any independent architect and demand for the same level of service, they will give it to you at the same price or even cheaper.
The same council guys will still look for the independent registered architect for his signature which they pay so with the independent architect, he can offer the service at this outline proposal level at a lesser cost since he does not need to pay any other third party for signatures.
Assuming a house costs 2m to construct, 1% of this is 20k.The council guy will charge you this plus another say 10 k on top for the architect's signature while the architect will charge you only the 20k for the same level of service.

What's an outline proposal? From your link it doesn't seem to include the actual drawings and going by that it means the council guys will not produce the drawings for you. Some of us are on a tight budget and plan to build our houses in phases and we only want a proper architectural house plan and approval. The actual building of the simple house can be done by a local fundi. Say i was planning to build a 3 bedroomed house that's between 1500 and 2000 square feets, how much would the drawing cost? If you could also give me a rough estimate of what i would be expected to cough up as cost of approval for the 1500-2000 fts.sq simple house i'd be very much delighted.


A lot of residential houses in Kenya are built by local fundis. Some do a great job but others just get it wrong. I am familiar with houses that start developing cracks on the walls less than a year after completion. Big projects are supervised by architects but maybe there should be an association of fundis that can set standards and accredit good reputable fundis. This can give the kawaida mawananchi on a tight budget who is looking to build his house confidence and peace of mind
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josiah33
#19 Posted : Thursday, February 23, 2012 12:39:22 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 1/27/2011
Posts: 1,777
Crown Berger wrote:


A lot of residential houses in Kenya are built by local fundis. Some do a great job but others just get it wrong. I am familiar with houses that start developing cracks on the walls less than a year after completion. Big projects are supervised by architects but maybe there should be an association of fundis that can set standards and accredit good reputable fundis. This can give the kawaida mawananchi on a tight budget who is looking to build his house confidence and peace of mind

That's a great idea.
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Mtublack
#20 Posted : Thursday, February 23, 2012 12:46:54 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 11/18/2009
Posts: 175
josiah33 wrote:
Is it true that those guys at the council's planning department can draw house plans for you?

Most of those guys you meet in approval sections in most councils are planners not architect or engineers whose training has nothing to do with designing of a house but physical resources utilization and allocation. but mostly they will get you somebodys plans

thats why the operate in such a rigid manner
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