5 STEPS TO ACQUIRING YOUR DREAM HOUSE IN KENYA

5 STEPS TO ACQUIRING YOUR DREAM HOUSE IN KENYA

1. Acquire your land

You can check online for available land in your areas of choice anywhere in Kenya here. Common plot sizes in Kenya are 33 feet by 66 feet, 50 feet by 100 feet[1/8th acre], 100 feet by 100 feet[1/4 acre], half acre and 1 acre sizes.
In some areas the local Authorities have zoned them for only one residential unit per plot. Such areas around Nairobi are Karen, Muthaiga, Runda, Kahawa Sukari, Syokimau along Katani Road and Kitengela Chuna Housing estate.

2. Choose a House that you like on www.a4architect.com

Each person has a particular taste and liking for a particular design.
When choosing a house, select a design that you honestly like. This helps to give the necessary morale, drive and boost through the tedious process of acquiring a house.

Budget is also very important in selecting the house design. Most Construction finance banks in Kenya,namely Shelter Afrique Bank, KCB SnL, Housing Finance, Coop Bank and Consolidated Bank give between 70% to 90 % of the total cost of construction. You will require to fund the remaining 10 % to 20% of the cost of construction. They usually require you to fund the small bit so as to get you commited and involved in the project so as to ensure that the project commences and moves on smoothly to completion without the house owner loosing interest.

3. Finance:Construction Loan

Once you have selected a house design and have secured land, we arrange construction loan documentation[Approved Plans,Land Ownership Document, Personal or Company details, Bills of Quantities, Feasibility study and Business Plan] and introduce you to Construction finance banks of your choice : K.C.B SnL, Housing Finance, Coop Bank or Consolidated bank for financing. If your project value is larger than KES 80 million, we introduce you to Shelter Afrique Bank.

Shelter Afrique bank has introduced a new product into the market whereby they work on a Joint Venture agreement with the developer/land owner to come up with a housing estate for sale then they share the profits or losses. The project value must be higher than KES 80 million.
We will arrange for all Local Authority approvals for Architectural design, Structural design and for large housing schemes, infrastructure design[roads, storm water drainage, sewer and water reticulation, street lighting& telecommunication].

We will also arrange for Bills of Quantities prepared by Registered Quantity Surveyors.

We also do a feasibility study and Business Plan to establish Project Viability. This is also a requirement for financing by Banks.
Once we compile all documentation required by Banks for financing, we arrange and facilitate for a meeting between the customer and the bank .

4. Employ a Building Contractor.

Peruse the Construction Contract here

https://www.a4architect.com/2010/04/15/standard-tender-document-for-procurement-of-works-building-and-associated-civil-engineering-worksconstruction-contract/

and The Construction Contract Agreement here

https://www.a4architect.com/2009/11/12/sample-construction-contract-agreement/

and sign.

We furnish the potential house owners with construction contracts to be signed between them and the selected contractors.
Throughout the construction process, we facilitate and chair construction site meetings bi-monthly or monthly between the house owner , various consultants and contractor as we track the project step by step. This ensures that all parties involved, namely the house owner and contractor are able to have issues addressed timely and problems amicably arbitrated throughout the construction process using Best Practices.

5. Construction process supervision to completion.

Once Bank finances the project, supervision of the works commence untill satisfactory completion. Satisfactory completion of a construction project is determined once the house owner is satisfied with the works carried out by the contractor and reported as such in the site meeting chaired by www.a4architect.com. www.a4architect.com then releases a Completion certificate to the contractor marking the end of the construction to the satisfaction of the house owner. This document is also forwarded to the Local Authority for application of an occupation certificate to show that the house is complete and ready for human habitation as described in the Kenyan Laws[Building Code].

Francis Gichuhi
Architect.
www.a4architect.com