Iron sheet housing costs in Kenya.
Assuming the cost per m2 for iron sheet housing is kes 6,000 per m2, a 50 x 100 ft plot construction will cost as below.
Design type.
2 rooms with outside sharing toilet and bathrooms.
Each room is 12m2.
Total area for 2 rooms =24m2.
Number of rooms in the 50 x 100 ft plot=14
Total floor area =14 rooms x 24m2=336m2.
Cost per house with 2 rooms=kes 6,000 x 24m2=kes 144,000
Cost per unit .
Walling iron sheets=70m2
cost per m2 of walling iron sheets including timber frame and labour=kes600
Cost of walling=kes 600 x 70m2=kes 42,000
Cost of roof.
Area of roof =30m2
cost of roofinng sheet inclisive of timber framing and labour=kes600 per m2.
Roof cost =kes 600 x 30m2=kes 18000
Cost of floor slab and foundation.
Assuming kes 3,000 per m2
=30m2 x 2000=kes 60,000
Cost of 2 windows= kes 15,000
Cost of 2 doors inclusive frame=kes 10,000
Total cost =kes 145,000
Cost per m2=145,000/24=kes 6,000
Total cost of 14 units= 14 units x kes 144,000=kes 2,016,000.
Return on Investment.
Average rent = kes 3,000 per house.
Monthly rent for 14 houses=kes 42,000
Yearly rent=kes 504, 000
R.O.I= 4 YEARS.
Within 4 years, the cost of construction will have paid back.
Disadvantages.
Maintenance cost is high.
Risk of parts of the building iron sheets being stolen.
High tenant move out due to poor insulation . Too cold at night and too hot during the day.
Poor sound proofing from one house to the other.
Advantages.
Takes short time to construct.
Takes low capital to complete.
Francis Gichuhi Kamau, Architect.
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