Author: A4KENYA

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.

Futuristic designs.
Judging from the design change in phones and computers, building designs should also take cue .
The Android phone has overtaken Symbian operating system due to its vast capabilities of change due to the numerous Apps.
Android apps are now close to 1 million in number.
The recent slowdown in Nokia sales can be attributed to their use of the more rigid Symbian operating system that does not give uses the much needed adaptability.
Content management systems such as wordpress also are last growing compared to their competitors e.g. drupal due to their large app/plug in depository.
Therefore, judging from this trend, the more apps/plugin there are, the more customers there will be.

Architecture.

Current building construction technology is quite rigid. Once a house is built, its not easy to change the room sizes, door sizes, window sizes, roof shape etc.
Over the years, architects will have to design buildings that give the users more options.

Door/Windows.

With the smart glass technology, it’s now possible for users to change the opaque/transparentness of glass just by the tough of a button. This option can be included in smart house design.

Roof.

Roof angle can be designed such that at the touch of a button, the roof can change to flat roof, ensuring and creating a roof top balcony.
Such retractable surfaces can also be used to cover swimming pools so that the swimming pool surface can be used as solid ground at the touch of a button.

Rooms.

Two rooms can be easily joined together/separated by the touch of a button whereby the separating wall turns and folds into wall cabinets.
Balconies can be designed to easily change into solid wall facades if the house users require this, all by the touch of a button.

http://www.houzz.com/retractable-walls

Furniture can also be retractable into walls at the touch of a button.

Building facades.

Building facades can be designed to be easily changed just as mobile phone faces. This can be at the touch of a button. Textures that are respondent to change of color at the touch of a button can be used for the external surfaces. Currently, we have luxury range of cars that can easily change exterior color.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/9176679/Peugeot-paint-changes-colour-with-your-mood.html

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-06/magnetochromatic-material-changes-color-command

Conclusion.

The more adaptability features the future smart house will have, the more will be its demand. Entrepreneurs will innovate custom made adaptability features e.g. exterior paints, swimming pools, glass, roofs and furniture so as to meet demand.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau, Architect.
0721410684

Hidden Secret Rooms within Houses and Offices.

Hidden secret rooms within residential houses and offices are important in aiding for the security of the occupants. These are also useful as security during unfavorable weather e.g. hurricanes, tornadoes or security in case of fire outbreak.
Offices.
Spaces can be created within the office and camouflaged by a book shelf or office cabinet
This can be a useful place to keep private belongings such as guns, cash and other sensitive documents. Also, in case of an intruder, it can also be a safe haven for the occupant. In the recent situation regarding Nairobi Governor, if his office had such a secret room, this would have saved him from having to deal with issues as they panned out.
Redidential Houses.
Hidden secret rooms can be strategically located in most rooms within the house. If cost is an issue, the rooms can be located in a select few rooms.
These rooms can be used as children playing rooms or safes.
Fire proofing.
Secret rooms need to be fire proofed in case the house catches fire. Locating such rooms with direct access to external natural ventilation and encased in fireproof material is necessary.
The door can be similar to the bank vault doors which give at least 4 hours of fire safety.
The fire resistant doors should also restrict passage of smoke into the secret rooms.
Normal doors can be converted into 20/30 min fire resistant doors through addition of fireskins stuck on the door. The fireskins can be stuck on one or both sides.
Locating secret rooms underground, in the basement, safely assures protection from fire/heat.
Poisonous gas.
The secret rooms should also be naturally ventilated in case of poisonous gas fumes from fire or any other source. Use of a camouflaged chimney incorporated into the design can assist in allowing natural light and ventilation especially for underground secret rooms.
Gazebos.
Underground secret rooms can also be designed to exit outside into a Gazebo through a tunnel.
Smart Houses.
With this era of smart buildings, IT features can be incorporated into these secret rooms to aid occupants in opening entry/exit doors, communicating, setting alarm on/off and video/audio viewing/recording of activities within the house.
Insecurity can no longer be a reason for people not to live in certain places if such design interventions can be put in place.
Many a family has been traumatized by thugs hours on end in insecure neighborhoods. With use of early warning alarm systems, occupants can have a relaxed living knowing that they are safe.
Francis Gichuhi Kamau, Architect.

Google map url here
https://maps.google.co.ke/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=City+Square,+Nairobi&hl=en&sll=-1.258375,36.696315&sspn=0.012164,0.021136&geocode=FbjL7P8dAPQvAg%3BFSdf7P8dBe0xAinbJd_OJxEvGDHQ2to-Zo8FMA&oq=city&t=h&gl=ke&mra=ls&z=13

Lead paints.
According to research done by Cecilia Nganga here http://ipen.org/iccm3/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lead-in-Kenyan-Household-Paint.pdf
Kenyan paint contains Lead 165 times higher than acceptable standards by the USA health department.
In USA, Lead is banned to be used in paint. This is because of the health hazards it posses to humans.

Kenyan Law.
In Kenya, there is no law regulating use of Lead in paint. Kenya Bureau of Standards does not enforece any standards regarding Lead use in paint. This leaves Kenyans susseptible to Lead poisoning.

Architectural solution.
Architects can specify non Lead based paints or use natural textures instead of paint eg dressed stone.

Need for law to regulate use of Lead in Paint.
Kenyan parliament needs a law to regulate and criminalise use of Lead in paint, similar to the USA. USA passed such laws in 1978.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau,Architect.

REAL ESTATE COMMISSION AGREEMENT
Parties
a. (“Landlord”).
b. Real estate brokerage company, (“Broker”),
represented in this transaction by , himself/herself a licensed agent.
Commission
Based upon 3% of Total land sale price.
Payment Date
Landlord shall pay Broker the first one-half (1/2) of the Commission Ten (10) calendar days
following the Lease Commencement Date
Landlord shall pay Broker the second one-half (1/2) of the Commission Ten (10) calendar days
following the date that Tenant has:
a) Paid the remaining amount of land purchase cost.
b) Not breached the Lease.
Date of Agreement; Signatures
This Agreement is made in Nairobi, and is dated as of ……… and is signed by
Landlord and Broker as follows:
ACCEPTED AND AGREED BY:
Landlord:
Broker:

Witness.