[quote=Rahatupu@Wa_ithaka, black cotton is tricky, though depends on depth to the rock or murram. if its not too deep (<5 feet) you may factor in cost of excavation, maybe 100k-120K per 100 by 50 plot. Else if its deep beyound 6 feet consider suspending the house. This will reduce the cost of back-filling once the foundation is ongoing.

For red soil there is no excavation cost as you can dig trenches right to the rocky bottom. [/quote]


@rahatupu, very useful information here...thanx. Btw i was considering buying an old lorry to help save $$$ on excavation costs. Where does that soil go? and what do soil dumpsites charge? any idea?

Rahatupu-do u know Ngong Muthaiga?

@jkwaititu

That old lorry will finish your budget for building. Managing an old truck is not for the feint hearted. Not that I am suggesting you are

please advise us about your progress and completion when you are done... this thread is unbelievable... 14k per square meter???

why did i bother to school coz i think i am the fool here? if i am not then majority of contributors of the last 10 posts are fools (pardon me, fool means 'one who is yet to gain experience')..

what are we going to be doing next... calcining/making cement at the backs of our houses... making roofing tiles out of mud and plumbing using bamboo sticks... with this kind of technology who needs plumbing any way?

Question to everyone..
When constructing in an area that has black cotton soil, why do we dig up the whole area and then fill it up again with murram/red soil? Why not create an underground parking or garage? would that make the building weaker??
I remember paying for tonnes and tonnes of murram to fill up a 6-7 feet deep hole and now in hindsight i wonder if it wouldnt have been cheaper to put a slab and an under ground garage..or even storage space.