Construction and Real Estate in Kenya in the wake of Corona Virus Disease.

Construction and Real Estate in Kenya in the wake of Corona Virus Disease.

During the Corona virus situation in Kenya, several aspects will be affected.

Rental income.

Majority of urban dwellers in Kenyan Cities rent their houses. With the lockdown and subsequent downtime of the economy due to the corona virus pandemic, many renters will not be able to pay rent. Landlords should anticipate for reduced rental incomes. Landlords can opt to reduce their rent amounts or offer moratoriums to their tenants.

Renegotiated Mortgages.

Landlords can also ask their banks to come up with better more favourable loan repayment options if the took bank loans to construct their buildings.

Airbnb

Landlords can also opt to use airbnb for short term stays on their unrented properties to bridge in the gap.

Construction costs.

With the current rules regulating public health such as the number of people in a Matatu, transport costs will increase, leading to higher labour charges. Also, the shakedown of the supply chain with quarries closing, food sources closing, this will lead to scarcity of building materials resulting into higher construction costs. Just before the Corona outbreak, steel prices in Kenya had already started rising, so with the Corona pandemic here with us, building materials especially imported ones will rise in price as they become scarce.

Sanitisation through UV rays from the sun.

Architectural designs where large openins are placed to bring in sunlight will help in sanitising the corona virus indoors.

Copper Door Handles.

Use of better materials in places that are frequently touched such as door handles and handrails is recommended. Copper has the lease amount of time that the virus can survive on compared to plastic and steel, so use of copper door handles and handrails in building finishes will go a long way in reducing the chances of infections going forward.

After the current corona curve is flattened , there will be other outbreaks over time so replacement of current finishes with new ones that are less likely to support corona growth is recommended.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau.

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