Month: January 2012

WHY CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATES FROM PROFESSIONALS APPEAR HIGH.

Construction cost estimates done by professionals appear high to the layman when compared to cost estimates done by local fundis for the same.
The reason this happens is because the local fundis do not categorise the construction cost in terms of low, middle or high cost materials.
They also do not include all the details and accessories that come with the main product.
These details tend to be easily overlooked form a layman point of view in estimating the total cost of construction.

EXAMPLE: ESTIMATING COST OF A DOOR.

A flush door costs approximately KES 2,000 in any given hardware shop in Kenya. When estimating the cost of a door, the fundi will advice the house owner that the doors will cost him/her KES 2,000. The house owner will then budget the cost as KES 2,000 multiplied by the number of doors in the house.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.

A professional will advice the house owner that the flush door costs KES 2,000. Also, the flush door comes with a door lock costing KES 1,500 which can be 2 or 3 lever depending on the security level required. In addition to the door and door lock, there will be the cost of door hinges which costs approximately KES 200. A door stopper costing KES 200 will also be required. The door will also require a door frame costing KES 1,500 depending on the design ,wood type and thickness of the door frame required. This door will also require an additional 10% to 20% of the cost as labour plus transport costs.
The same door that a fundi advises the house owner to cost KES 2,000 will now be estimated by the professional to cost KES 6,000.
This is the least it would cost to fix the door. The Fundi gives the cost of a door at the hardware shop while the professional gives the cost of a door from purchasing it from the shop until fixing it in the house.

VARIANCE.

This variance of over 200% in cost estimate is what the fundi fails to advice the house owner. The consequences are as follows;
1. If the money the house owner is using to construct was borrowed from a bank, the house will not be complete due to cost overruns.
2. The house owner would have liked to know the possible options for materials in term of costs available in the market so that they can make an informed decision.
3. In severe cases, total building construction quality is compromised due to poor planning hence building collapse.

REASONS WHY THE COST ESTIMATES VARY.

The reason why the cost estimates vary so much is because of the fundis are generally well-versed with the actual construction techniques as opposed to cost estimation. They do not have the necessary tools and skills required to fore see construction costs hence estimate the end product costings.
On the other hand, professionals will also not be able to advice on techniques e.g how best to fit the door and door frame. It might sound easy but this requires years of training so as to know how to adjust the door to fit in within the door frame, the correct position to fit the door lock, where to place the door stopper, how to fix the door lock e.t.c.
This mis-match in skill-set can cost the house owner huge losses.

CONCLUSION.

The correct use of particular skill-sets in the construction industry is very important in ensuring the house owner gets value for their money.
To avoid mis-match, an easy method is to use google search for advice or contact Government bodies that advice or regulate construction industry such as Architectural Association of Kenya or Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors of Kenya for the right advice.
The new law to regulate contractors in Kenya will go a long way to ensure Kenyans consume the best service from contractors and reduce chances of skill mis-match.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau.
www.a4architect.com

WHY CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATES FROM PROFESSIONALS APPEAR HIGH.
Construction cost estimates done by professionals appear high to the layman when compared to cost estimates done by local fundis for the same.
The reason this happens is because the local fundis do not categorise the construction cost in terms of low, middle or high cost materials.
They also do not include all the details and accessories that come with the main product.
These details tend to be easily overlooked form a layman point of view in estimating the total cost of construction.

EXAMPLE: ESTIMATING COST OF A DOOR.

A flush door costs approximately KES 2,000 in any given hardware shop in Kenya. When estimating the cost of a door, the fundi will advice the house owner that the doors will cost him/her KES 2,000. The house owner will then budget the cost as KES 2,000 multiplied by the number of doors in the house.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.

A professional will advice the house owner that the flush door costs KES 2,000. Also, the flush door comes with a door lock costing KES 1,500 which can be 2 or 3 lever depending on the security level required. In addition to the door and door lock, there will be the cost of door hinges which costs approximately KES 200. A door stopper costing KES 200 will also be required. The door will also require a door frame costing KES 1,500 depending on the design ,wood type and thickness of the door frame required. This door will also require an additional 10% to 20% of the cost as labour plus transport costs.
The same door that a fundi advises the house owner to cost KES 2,000 will now be estimated by the professional to cost KES 6,000.

VARIANCE.

This variance of over 200% in cost estimate is what the fundi fails to advice the house owner. The consequences are as follows;
1. If the money the house owner is using to construct was borrowed from a bank, the house will not be complete due to cost overruns.
2. The house owner would have liked to know the possible options for materials in term of costs available in the market so that they can make an informed decision.
3. In severe cases, total building construction quality is compromised due to poor planning hence building collapse.

REASONS WHY THE COST ESTIMATES VARY.

The reason why the cost estimates vary so much is because of the fundis are generally well-versed with the actual construction techniques as opposed to cost estimation. They do not have the necessary tools and skills required to fore see construction costs hence estimate the end product costings.
On the other hand, professionals will also not be able to advice on techniques e.g how best to fit the door and door frame. It might sound easy but this requires years of training so as to know how to adjust the door to fit in within the door frame, the correct position to fit the door lock, where to place the door stopper, how to fix the door lock e.t.c.
This mis-match in skill-set can cost the house owner huge losses.

CONCLUSION.

The correct use of particular skill-sets in the construction industry is very important in ensuring the house owner gets value for their money.
To avoid mis-match, an easy method is to use google search for advice or contact Government bodies that advice or regulate construction industry such as Architectural Association of Kenya or Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors of Kenya for the right advice.
The recent introduction of a new law to regulate contractors is a good direction by the Government. This will ensure that Kenyans are getting value for their money while consuming services rendered by contractors.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau.
www.a4architect.com

SOLUTION TO PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN KENYA:
Kenya, like many other African countries, faces housing shortages for its people. With the promulgation of the new constitution, it’s now a right for each Kenyan to have adequate housing. There are many solutions to providing affordable housing as laid out below:

TRANSPORT NETWORK.

The Kenya Government can make it easier for Kenyans to access housing by increasing the transport network. The need for high density housing to be located in the peripheries of Nairobi such as Umoja, Ongata Rongai, Kikuyu,Kahawa, Githurai and Kitengela has pushed to demand for land upwards hence very high land prices. Also, this need for high density housing has necessitated for highrise construction which increases the cost of construction as opposed to low –rise bungalow-type construction which is very affordable.
With an intricate railway system, housing can be stretched in far away towns such as Kangundo, Kajiado, Isinya, Ngong, Thika,Mai Mahiu,Naivasha .

In these areas, land is relatively low in cost hence affordable. A railway transport system would make the transport costs affordable such that people can reside in these towns and still work in Nairobi CBD, over 50km away. Railway transport systems are also fast hence transport time will also be reduced. For example, it currently takes a commuter approximately 1 hour to travel from Kitengela town to Nairobi by road. This costs over KES 50. It costs less than KES 50 and less time for the same commuter to travel to Nairobi using the railway system.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
With the onset of the County government system, intricate railway transport systems will interconnect counties such that one can live in one county and commute daily to work in a neighboring county. This will reduce the demand for housing within a particular urban area hence keep land costs low, thereby reducing cost of housing associated with high-rise construction on expensive land as seen around Nairobi.

TECHNOLOGY.

Access to efficient cost saving housing technology in Kenya is very limited. Most houses are built using the old colonial building technology that was imported from Britain in the early 1900s.

New cost –effective efficient technology such as the Diamond House technology http://www.a4architect.com/diamond-house-plan-cost/ makes it affordable to access decent housing.
This technology utilizes architectural and structural design to reduce cost of construction. New methods of laying the foundation, walling and roofing are used here.
HABITABLE UNIT COST-KES 80,000 FOR PHASE 0.25.
The Diamond House design has an initial phase[phase 0.25] that costs KES 80,000 to construct and deliver a decent unit for habitation.

Most Kenyan construction still follows the 1967 building code to the letter. All fundis and contractors have never experienced any other type of building construction technology. With the opening up of the Building code with the promulgation of the new constitution, Kenyan Architects and Engineers will need to assure consumers that these new cost-effective methods of construction are just as good as the old methods. For example, many Kenyans have heard about Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks technology. Not many of them have taken time to find out exactly what this is. The concept of stabilizing soil for construction is relatively new. Thika road construction is based on Stabilized soil for its base. The interlocking Stabilized soil blocks are made after soil is compressed using a manual or diesel operated press into a brick shape. The resultant brick is just as hard and as compact as a stone. The only ingredients used are soil and just a bit of cement hence very cost-effective.
CONCLUSION.
With the intervention of railway transport network and popularization of new methods of construction, the cost of housing for Kenyans will reduce hence more money and resources can be channeled to other uses such as education and health. This will go a long way in improving the living standards of all Kenyans.
Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau
www.a4architect.com
+254721410684.