Earthbag Houses in Kenya. Same cost as Mabati houses, same quality as Stone Houses.
Earthbag houses in Kenya have the same cost of construction as mabati houses but offer same indoor quality of living as masonry stone houses.
Mabati houses have a problem in regulation of indoor temperatures, too cold at night and too hot during the day. Mabati houses are also not secure since the walls are easily broken into . Earthbag houses offer very high quality indoor temperatures since the walls are thick and with good insulation qualities from the soil. Earthbag houses are also very secure from break ins since the walls are rigid and strong, same as stone houses.
With a fraction of the cost of stone housing, one can construct an earthbag house and enjoy the benefits of the superior cost cutting features within.
Earthbag houses also offer good insulation from noise compared to mabati and prefab houses which have thinner walls hence lower sound insulation.
See cost comparison of a 1 meter by 1 meter wall surface of mabati, earthbag and stone below.
Mabati house. 1meter by 1meter wall surface area.
Cost of gauge 30 mabati per 1m kes 500
Cost of 2×2 cypres timber and nails kes 200
Cost of labour kes 160
TOTAL KES 860 PER M2
Earthbag house . 1meter by 1 meter wall surface area
Cost of bags kes 464
Cost of labour kes 70
Cost of soil kes 30
Cost of plaster both sides kes 300
TOTAL KES 864
Stone House. 1meter by 1meter wall surface area
Cost of stones kes 750
Cost of joining cement mortar kes 200
Cost of labour kes 75
One side plaster kes 150
TOTAL COST KES 1,175
From the above, the cost of a mabati house will be approximately equal to the cost of an earthbag house while the earthbag house offers lots of advantages.
Mabati house.
Earthbag house
Stone house
Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau
0721410684
info@a4architect.com