@wazuans, what would be ideal size of water tank to put for a 3bedroomed house i.e the one you put above the ceiling

Thanks alot.wil go for the 2k litre

@Tito44..
Any hardware will do. An 8th will require approx. 1 bottle costing btn 2k to 3k.assuming construction foundation will be 20% of the 1/8th acre surface.
They also come with the mix ratio on the label.

Here's my advice from my experience putting up a 250m2, 5bdrm house in Nairobi:

1. Get a good architect and discuss with him your ideas. I noticed that there are many technicians who have access to CAD software and masquerade as architects. Make sure you visit the architects office and see some of his works. I'd recommend you see more than one and assess the quality of their work and also their costs. I noticed that some charge double what others do. However, don't settle for the cheapest but go for quality since the architects fee is just a small % of the total construction costs and you don't want to be stuck forever with a house you don't like just because you wanted to save a few thousands. The architect can also recommend an engineer for your project.

2. Get council approvals. This is a must otherwise your fundis will be building under fear of kanjo. Your architect/engineer may also refuse to visit the site coz he/she may be arrested for working on an illegal building. In some areas your neighbours may demand to see your plan and approve it since they wouldn't want you to put up a funny structure next to their homes.

3. Get a good foreman to oversee the construction work. Make sure you see some of competed projects they have worked on. Also get reviews/recommendations from home owners/neighbours who have finished building. A good foreman should be well versed with all aspects of construction e.g. foundations, concrete ratios, chumas, quality of materials such as sand, stones etc, finishing, fittings etc. The foreman should source the labour (fundis, casuals) for your project.

4. Keep track of your materials to prevent wastage/theft. It's a good idea that you source one fundi yourself who you know and trust and is loyal to you since the foreman and other fundis will not try anything fishy when you are not there. The foreman may be abit uncomfortable, but this fundi will be your eye on the construction site.

5. When sourcing for materials (e.g. sand, stones, timber, tiles), get at least 3 quotations. Whereas the foreman may give recommendations on suppliers, its good to review different options, since he may he working in cohorts with the suppliers to fleece you. I noticed that foremen normally get a commission from the suppliers (even the ones you source) as part of PR for future business.

6. Don't compromise on the quality of building materials. If the engineer says you use Y12 steel bars, get the Y12. Cement/sand ratios etc should be as recommended. The overall savings while using cheap and substandard materials are really not much and you will never have peace of mind regarding the structural integrity of your building. It could even collapse and cost you more.

7. If funds allow let the construction proceed uninterrupted so as to save on time and money. I noticed that the cost of material is always going up and therefore the less time you take the better. Also maximise on labour so that you save costs e.g. its better to have 1 foreman and 6 fundis and 12 casuals to complete a task in 3 days than having 1 foreman, 3 fundis and 6 casuals taking 6 days to compete the same task, since you save on the 3 extra days you will pay the foreman to complete the same task while using less labour.

8. Construction costs: You will spend about Ksh. 25,000 per square meter for a standard house (2011 rates). Putting up the structure costs about 50% of the total cost while finishing/fittings take up the rest. So don't get overly excited when you see that the building is up and you have only spent 3m (while your neighbour tells you he/she spent 6m before he/she could move in). The other 3m will be swallowed in a flash during the finishing/fittings. I also noticed that labour is very expensive taking up about 20-30% of the construction cost. It's easy to underestimate the labour cost while budgeting and end up wondering where all the money is going.

9. Buy your plot in the best neighbourhood that you can afford. It's better to take long to finish your construction in an area you like, than buying a cheap plot in an area you don't really like, quickly finishing your house, and then later regretting about the neighbourhood once you move in. The construction costs in both areas will be nearly the same so its better to sacrifice and spend slightly more for a plot in a relatively better area. In my case the plot cost nearly as much as putting up the house but I was ready to pay that coz I liked the neighbourhood and the services therein (gated community, roads, water, power, security, accessibility, schools etc).

It'll be better to do two tanks of 1000 each as opposed to 1 of 2000 coz it means you spread the weight. The more storage you got outside the better. Personally I decided I need like 20k litres, 10k plasit tank and 10k undergraound tank. with this stock even if the water supply is cut for a whole month, I'll be set.

There is enough info in this thread to enable you come up with estimated costing using spreadsheets. With dimensions for your house, you can estimate the total construction cost using info in this thread. You can also determine how much you require for walling, slab etc. For finishes, use a4architects material price index. Ask for what hasn't been posted and am sure you will get someone to help

Gladiator is one if not the most common brand..its good..has been in use for ages..

Thanks for the advise. I bought gladiator.

On the same note. I'm just wondering about quarry stones vs machine cuts. I'm torn between. I know quarry stones are very strong and can withstand the weight of a slab especially if you are not using columns on your maisonette, they are cheaper but I have to get guys to chonga them. Any advice people?

@Kamundu, quarry stones are best for foundation or perimeter fencing whereas, machine cut blocks are best for regular walling. However, why do you want to avoid columns if you are doing a slab??? Please consult a structural engineer on this before commencing.