All these arguments above are all towards building, however what should be the considerations in making the decision:

1. should age be a consideration e.g if you are in your early to mid twenties and dont yet have a family ,then your dream house might not be MRS' dream house or 15 years down the line you will want to build a modern Dream house/retirement home.

2. consideration if you will later sell the house.: if you will be later selling/leasing the house, it would be hard to lease on the outskirts of rongai/kitengela/kiserian/Syokimau (my view)
3. Time available

if you are busy at work during the day then later attend evening classes. will you get adequate time to oversee the construction of a house.

You can save a great deal of money building as opposed to buying. But what you must remember is this:

1. Building a home is a full time job... well, at least a solid part time one. You will have to really MANAGE the construction- keep track of costs, inspect the work DAILY, inspect the building materials, clean up the worksite when workers leave it a mess, and secure the worksite. And most importantly, you will have to keep and ensure the schedule.

2. The schedule. It is extremely important. You have to take your time. Remember, you will NOT be able to comfortably live in the house while it is under ANY type of construction. Wait to move in until it is completely done. The schedule- your costs can double because the concrete guys can't work because they are waiting on the footings to be complete, or the inspector can't inspect because this isn't done, that's not done...the toilets aren't in because the plumbing isn't done... etc. etc. Crews can't wait around without pay. And delays costs money. Make sure you give yourself ample planning and buffer time, and when someone doesn't show up, FIRE THEM and understand that you may have to reschedule everyone else.

3. Contractors (the workers, the crew)- they might as well be ex-convicts, because they are almost always out to CON, steal, cheat, and "misrepresent" the facts and the work. You have to manage them like you are the warden and they are the prisoner. Be fair, be respectful, but be firm, make eye contact, and don't look away until they do. Be tough and speak loudly. Get a signed contract. Don't smile around them. Be extremely clear and to the point about what you want from them, and how you expect it to be done. Tell them: "You will not be paid for shoddy work, but for great work, you will be paid well!" Have a watchman watch the construction materials day and night, then have another watchman watching the watchman. Inventory your materials. Have other work for them to do (cleaning or landscaping, etc.) in case for some reason they show up, but can't work because you didn't properly manage the schedule.

4. Hire an architect and a structural engineer. They are your best friends. And before you give them that first visit, decide on EXACTLY what you want, how you want it, and then DO NOT EVER CHANGE THE PLAN that they create for you. I mean nothing. Not one bit. Don't add or subtract one nail, one block, one inch once the plans are drawn up properly. And remember, you may not want to live in this house forever, so, while you might think it nice to have a roof that slopes up steeply, then back down shallow, in the shape of your initials, remember, build something very nice but very generic, that all can enjoy, in case you ever need to sell it. Besides, it's location, then quality finishes, then size that sells. Custom junk, including electronics, custom paintings, overdone landscaping, super-duper toilets, etc., no matter how much you "invest" in them, loose money at sales time.

5. Get to know your city inspectors and what they expect. Get to know someone who has built a home in your area prior. Take them to a nice dinner. Ask tons of questions. They are your consultants. Treat them well, and they will reward you with money-and-headache-saving wisdom. Wisdom #1- make absolutely sure that you have an official title to the plot, and that there are no liens, claims, squatters, planned highways, easements, or right-of-ways that could interfere with your home in the future. Do indeed have the green card. Get an attorney to help you with this.

6. Have extra cash.. just in case something goes wrong, or there is an unforeseen problem or expense. If you take out a mortgage to build, make absolutely sure that you are very clear on when the bank is planning to disburse funds, and how much at a time, and what they require of the house, inspection-wise, to consider it CLOSED. ALWAYS have the money to pay people, and to buy materials ON TIME and CONSISTENTLY. Don't play games with paying people.

7. Understand that your house isn't on paper, or in a world unto it's own. Utility connections, driveway lengths, angles, and access, security issues such as trees, brush, gates, etc., set-back planning, types of soil, water and rainfall runoff, pests, bad neighbors, baruti damage from a quarry, railroad or plane noise, bad smells from a nearby godown, mobile phone signal strength, which way the house faces, matatu access if your car breaks down, proximity to a police station, traffic, etc. etc... you must consider ALL of these factors before building. Don't just build on a plot because you own it, or because it's cheap. Research all of these things and anything else you can think of before one shovel-full of dirt is moved. Camp out on the plot (if you own it, or with permission before you buy it) before hand... know what it is that you are getting into. Talk to people in the area.

8. Read a book. Make sure you understand the residential construction process before you begin. You will gain a lot of respect from the workers, and save yourself a lot of pain and heartache, and, oh yes... MONEY, if you know what you are doing, or at least know what you are looking at.

Best and good luck!

Hill

@sihingwa thanks for the comment. I don't mind if someone does take that little article and puts it out there in a paper or blog under their own name if it helps us build homes in EA.

I believe in good game being free. The game is to be told, not sold.

Best,

Hill

Anyone wanting to build their dream house but does not have to time to supervise, can contract me to do the job for them on a turn key basis.
I can deliver at KES 29,000 per square meter.
yeke1234@yahoo.com

If you would want to see a sample ongoing construction site to help you make the decisoon to outsource, then pls contact me and i will take you to the site.

Yekeyeke,
not sound like dampening any of your abilities, but when you say 29,000 per sq metre, it is only fair to state in this forum what you mean. does this figure mean house only?, common areas?, what if i want a swimming pool, can u deliver at 29,000 per sq meter?

Does 29,000 per sq mt allow me to choose spanish floor tiles or ROCA sanitaryware? before guys send you an email i think you should clarify what finishing you are willing to do at that 29k per sq mt.
moreso what grade of Kitchen are you offering...
this is my dream house we are speaking about...

just a thought

I did. well, still building ....was told mwako nduthiraga!?". I had labour contract with the main fundi who comes with fundis he trusts. we agree on what we shall do, I pay him and he pays his guys. never had a problem as his budgets are spot on.

@Cohen

the fittings are hot high end, but good standard fiitings that you woudl find in a normal home. What o would advice is for you to see the sample and judge for yourself.

@TD My reply in CAPS
When you talk of 29k per sqm of plinth area, does it include you doing things like the septic and general paving of the driveway? Ama ni nyumba peke yake. ALL AREAS.

Secondly, it may help if you gave general fittings info.
eg. Roofing - clay tiles/ cement tiles/ decra / mabati. THIS IS FOR MABATI THAT LOOKS LIKE TILES. EG. http://www.kaluworks.com/karm/tower_metcoppo.htm

Ceiling - ? STANDARD CEILING USING GYPSUM BOARD
Kitchen - granite/marble/tiles/concrete etc and max dimensions. THE COSTING IS FOR TILES AND COST WILL DEPEND ON PLINTH AREA.
wardrobes - max width of... THE COST WILL BE WITHIN THE 29k BUT YOU WILL DO THE SELECTION OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE IN THE HOUSE.

Good comments by SAC and Jason.
However I dont know if what Jason says is practical in terms of dont change a single detail. We are human beings and change is one constant that will be there. About the 29k per sqM. Wont say anything. Yani a 400SqM house would cost 11M to build? Interesting.

Ksh29,000! Yekeyeke-your plan trying to discourage guys from using contractors has worked perfectly.