@4eva Eva you're the one that doesn't get it, when you stay in one place and consider all factors apply allover. Maybe you'll get it when I answer @hardwood. My uncle a teacher did a house just as hardwood said. This is how he did it. Alipiga matofali 10k, he had plenty Large trees he cut akapasua mbao na remnants akachomea matofali. This over a period of about 6-8 months. He also accumulated several stones. During construction, it was raining and he harvested a lot water, he used many of his nephews as labourers with him present. Employed Fundi and 1 labourer. He used about 900k during construction.Just plastered , no ceiling, just undercoat paint, no tiles, no further external finishes.He entered the house and has been doing one thing at a time monthly up to now.
In short rural fellows accumulate materials over long periods of time. They enter the house soon after super structure is finished. Finishes are done slowly with time thus they don't feel the cost at once. Note that am talking of most areas in rurals; central, western, rift valley. Two areas ukambani and coast interiors materials are soo cheap that its not ideal to use them as basis for other areas.
If these teachers are to buy all materials and employ all labourers and finish the house at once then my rate applies, but by using the means above of accumulation over time and finishing in bits while in, the actual cost is not felt but totally it comes to that

Haha, all vague and hearsay. Let me school you a bit. In engineering we only deal with working drawings,boqs and work methodologies.

Sawa Sawa le quack

Sounds a lot like my folks(both teachers).Cost 4M....took 4yrs to build.

You will never build if you listen to professionals and the figures they quote eg 40k per sqm. Their figures are for the complete house, plus landscaping, like those sold on mortgage. But if you are the one doing the construction, once you have your plan ready and approved mwaga mawe and sand and get a nice fundi to start you off, whatever amount of money you have and see how far it takes you. The most difficult thing in construction is to start. And the good thing with construction is that after you do a certain stage, eg foundation, walling etc, its done and you will never go back there. You can finish at your own pace depending on availability funds. The super structure takes about 50% of construction costs. Hiyo ingine e.g granite tops, mdfs, bathtubs, poggenpohl and grohe taps, etc utamaliza pole pole. And a bangalow doesn't have to be boring. We have nice designs nowadays, hata huko kitengela and shags.