Category: A4architect

THE MOST EXPENSIVE LAND IN KENYA –RESIDENTIAL USE

http://www.a4architect.com/land4sale/

The most expensive land in Kenya for residential use is to be found in Nairobi in areas such as Runda, Ridgeways, Muthaiga and Karen. In these zones, features such as many trees, greenery and strict zoning controls for only 1 house per minimum ½ acre plot are common.
RESIDENTS ASSOCIATIONS
Another feature common with these areas is a very strong and active Residents Association .These strong residents associations makes sure that the zoning regulations are not broken and that resources for infrastructure and security are made available.

MUTHAIGA

Muthaiga is the most prime area for residential purposes. Here, the Nairobi City council has zoned the area for only 1 single family dwelling per half an acre. In other words, land subdivision is approved by the City council for a minimum area of half an acre.
Here, there is the prestigious Muthaiga Golf Club.
Muthaiga is home to several Embassies and Ambassadorial residences.
Land for purchase is very scarce here in the Old Muthaiga and when it’s available, prices are very high.
Land is available in the new Muthaiga known as Muthaiga North .

RIDGEWAYS

Land in Ridgeways is currently in the tune of KES 15 to 20 Million per acre, up from a low of KES 10 to 12 m per acre in the year 2009.
A few parcels are available for sale.
Kigwa estate in Ridgeways is a notable major land owner. Suraya Developers have recently worked on a residential project for sale within the expansive Kigwa estate.
Windsor Golf and Country club is also a major land owner in Ridgeways. And have recently come up with a housing estate for sale neighboring the Golf Club.
In this region, the housing estate developments are in smaller pieces of land than ½ acre minimum size. This could be due to the fact that the area is under Kiambu Council as opposed to Nairobi City council who are known to execute zoning regulations with zeal.

RUNDA

Land in Runda has continued to astronomically increase in value. In 2004, an acre of prime land in Runda was going for KES 3m. Currently, the same acre is going for between KES 20 to 25m.
Land along the main Ruaka Drive near the US Embassy and UN Headquarters has already hit the KES 30m mark per acre.
Land is still available for sale in Runda since it’s extending towards Kiambu and Ruaka towns.
The expansive Paradise Lost camping site located at the edge of Runda on the Kiambu side is up for sale hence forming an extension of Runda. See www.a4architect.com/landforsale for land prices in Runda.

KAREN

From the time when Karen Blixen landed in Kenya and settled in Karen, the area has continued to be a leading prime residential area in Nairobi.
The area is home to many people of British origin. The Catholic Church is also a very major land owner in Karen. Karen radiates from Karen Shopping centre and spreads along the Karinde road till near Dagoretti Slaughter house/Resurrection Garden, from Karen shopping centre to Lenana School along Ngong road, from Karen shopping centre to Kerarapon/Bulbul / Shade Hotel along Ngong road, from Karen shopping centre to Bomas of Kenya along Langata road.
The most prime part of Karen is the area near the Karen Golf club.
Notable large land owners are Catholic institutions such as Catholic University, Resurrection Garden and Marist centre.
In 2004, land price per acre opposite the Karen Golf club [The late Appolo Njonjo’s land] was going for KES 4m per acre.
The current price for an acre of prime land in Karen is KES 23m. Other areas such as Karen near Kuwinda [large slum in the heart of Karen], the price is KES 15m per acre. Newer extensions to Karen towards Shade Hotel Ngong [Kerarapon], land is slightly cheaper.

To view available land for sale around Nairobi visit www.a4architect.com/landfor sale.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau
Architect.
info@a4architect.com
www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

THE MOST EXPENSIVE LAND IN KENYA-COMMERCIAL USE

http://www.a4architect.com/land4sale/

The most expensive land in Kenya is in two categories
1. Commercial
2. Residential

Commercial.
The most expensive available land in Kenya for commercial purposes is located in the CBD.
This is the land where the former Nakumatt Downtown branch that caught fire is.
The land is ¼ acres in size and the owners are asking for KES 300,000,000 for the ¼ acre plot. This is a whooping KES 1.2 Billion per acre.

The average price of an acre of land in CBD and Upper Hill stands at KES 200,000,000 per acre. Each individual land owner here has the liberty to fix the amount he/she feels is best.

COMMUNITY AREA

There is a 2 acre plot of land near the Israeli Embassy along 2nd Ngong Avenue at the point where the Israeli Embassy has put up a vehicle check point.
The asking price per acre is way above the KES 200,000,000 per acre rates.

DAR ES SALAAM

The current land price per acre in Dar es Salaam is in the range of KES 300,000,000. This means that the Kenyan land prices will continue to rise till this level.

CHINA

The current land price per acre in China CBD is in the range of KES 400,000,000 per acre.
This means that in several years as Kenya continues to industrialize, this will be the average land price per acre.

LAND ALONG THE EQUATOR

Since Nairobi is positioned at the equator, it enjoys the best weather worldwide compared to other regions found in the tropics.
This fact makes Nairobi land price appreciate since the main demand drivers are international clientele who want to set up office and residence in an area where there is 365 days of sun and favorable weather.
This is why Nairobi and Dar es Salaam have such high CBD land prices as compared to other industrialized African countries such as South Africa and Egypt even though they have inferior infrastructure.

CONCLUSION
Land is a scarce resource. Therefore, this resource should be utilized very keenly to enjoy maximum output.
In the year 2009, land price per acre in Upper Hill was KES 100,000,000. By Mid 2010, the price had shot up to KES 150,000,000. Currently [Feb 2011], the prices are in the range of KES 200,000,000. This upward trend will keep increasing till the price is in tandem with the Developed world CBD prices of KES 400,000,000 an acre. The time is now for developers to make the decision to invest in land here.
To see various land prices around Nairobi, visit www.a4architect.com/landforsale.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau
Architect.
info@a4architect.com
www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

OFFICE BUILDINGS AROUND NAIROBI

Office space around Nairobi CBD and its environs has become very scarce due to high demand.
Currently, Nairobi CBD is experiencing 99% occupancy rates.
CBD environs such as Westlands and Upper Hill are also experiencing the same 99% occupancy.
New buildings are coming up mainly in the Westlands region.
Along Woodvale grove in Westlands there are 5 new office buildings coming up.
Near State House, there is also a huge office building coming up.
Westlands is rapidly growing along the Waiyaki way.

Deloitte office block near Nairobi School is a good example of this. Safaricom offices pioneered in this move towards developing along Waiyaki way on the way to Kangemi.
Currently, we have several acres of land fronting Waiyaki way for sale suitable for office buildings.

See www.a4architect.com/landforsale for available land here.

Land in this area is slightly cheaper than land n Upper Hill. An acre in upper hill is going for KES 200,000,000 while an acre in Westlands is going for KES 150,000,000.

The rents are more or less the same for both areas at an average of KES 100 per square foot.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

The current cost of construction for high-rise office buildings in Nairobi is KES 60,000 per square meter.
Assuming a land of 1 acre and 50% built up area, this totals to 20,000m2 floor area for 10 storeys.

The construction cost will therefore be KES 60,000 x 20,000m2 = 1.2 Billion.
Land cost will be KES 150,000,000[WESTLANDS] or KES 200,000,000[Upper Hill].

This totals to KES 1.35Billion for Westlands and KES 1.4 Billion for Upper Hill.

If the offices are for sale, the average price per square meter is KES 120,000. This totals to KES 120,000 x 20,000m2 =KES 2.4 Billion.
This is a 100% Return on Investment with profits in the tune of KES 1.2 Billion.

Since the overall cost is close to the same, most developers will therefore find Westlands a better deal since land is cheaper and more readily available than Upper Hill and the rental income is the same.
For the end-users, Upper Hill is a definite advantage due to its proximity to Nairobi CBD.

See www.a4architect.com/landforsale for land on sale in Upper Hill.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau
Architect.
info@a4architect.com
www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING DESIGN-THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR

The competitive edge in terms of gaining better occupancy rates and sales is design.
The design of such a building should be unique and should serve its occupants well in terms of space needs.

Buildings around Upper Hill and Westlands that enjoy high rates all have one thing in common-the architectural design is well-thought-out. This helps in making the building a status-symbol and at the same time the building becomes a land-mark that people can identify with.

Very few buildings in Westlands can fall in this category of unique. Such buildings are mainly found in Upper Hill such as Geminia Insurance building, Coca Cola Headquarters, Old Mutual and Oxford University press building.

These are buildings that leave a lasting impression in that they do not look like any other buildings anywhere else in the world.

WORLDWIDE TRENDS

In Countries such as South Africa and Australia where Architectural design is given the weight and importance it deserves, most high rise buildings are works of art to be admired.

In these countries, architectural designs are usually awarded through competition whereby all architects are invited to give in their design proposals then the best designs are awarded the full design works.
In Kenya, most of the private sector architectural design contracts are awarded through pre-qualification methods where the most important criteria is the previous works done/experience and other legal paper work such as bank statements.

CREATIVITY

Architectural creativity is not given the weight it deserves yet this is the single most important element in ensuring the project developers get the highest returns in terms of occupancy rates.
In other developed countries, such projects usually have 2 sets of architects:
1. Design architects
2. 2. Construction supervision architects.
This ensures that even if the winning design is from an architectural firm with less experience, the construction supervision architects will bring in their experience to ensure that the project is completed within the timelines.

This way, creativity is harnessed while at the same time, experience is also taken into consideration. Creativity is not something that can be easily improved like construction supervision experience. A fresh architectural graduate could come up with very creative designs which even an architect with over 50 years experience will not be able to come up with.

Conclusion.

To achieve design master pieces such as Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Kenyans should embrace creativity in terms of encouraging architectural design competitions. The Architectural Association of Kenya should also spearhead in this by popularizing architectural design competition frameworks in the hope that all developers from individual residential house developers to corporate and Government agencies will find it more profitable to use competition as the main method of hiring architects.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau

Architect.
info@a4architect.com
www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

TYPES OF HOUSE STYLES DESIGNED BY WWW.A4ARCHITECT.COM

To ensure client’s tastes are fully met before the onset of construction, A4architect designs 3 different unit types to choose from. This will ensure that the project will fulfill a wide range of tastes.
Clients are allowed to customize their houses to suit their needs.

The 3 main house styles are as follows:

1. Rustic/African house style.

From Tourist Hotel

From Meru Mount Kenya base house

The overall design theme will comprise of use of natural finishes on all surfaces.
Wall finishes will include hand-dressed masonry comprising various textures such as zero-joint and bush-dressing.
Roofs will be characterized by use of natural clay tiles.
Floors will be finished with natural materials such as cut/polished mazeras stone, hard-wood parquet, marble and granite.
Windows and doors will include hard-wood framing. External doors will be hand-curved Lamu style doors.

2. Modern house style.

From karen

From Kitengela Chuna House

The overall design theme will utilize modern materials such glass walling, decorated iron-mongery, and ‘deconstruction’. Deconstruction is a design style whereby planes such as walls, roofs, and ceilings are slightly tilted off the normal vertical and horizontal angle to create an interesting theme.
Roofs will be characterized by use of modern roofing materials such as Stone –coated steel roofing tiles.
Walls will be characterized by use of finishes such as ‘wall-master’, colored textured paint, glass facades and tiles.
Floors will be finished with modern materials such as wood laminate, concrete floor tiles, patterned ceramics and granite tiling.

3. Arabic Architecture style.

From Dakar, Senegal House

From Dakar, Senegal House

This overall theme will incorporate Arabic design features such as flat roofs with pigeon holes along the parapet walls, arched windows and door openings, external rendered painted textured surfaces with embedded motifs.
Roofs will be flat concrete roofs with parapet walling,
Floors will be marble, granite, and ceramic tiling.
External walls will be finished with textured cement plaster.

In a gated community estate design, this variety of design will create a community of diverse designs hence an avoidance of monotony. Overall community theme will be enhanced by the fact that these house types will all have the same shape.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau
Architect.
info@a4architect.com
www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

PRISM DESIGNS AFRICA
www.a4architect.com
Phone: +254 721 410684
prismafrica@yahoo.com
info@a4architect.com

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is made the ……. day of …………….. the year Two Thousand and Eleven between ………………………………………….. of P.O.BOX………………………………. (hereinafter called the CLIENT) on the one part and PRISM DESIGNS AFRICA of P O Box 224 – 00208 Ngong, Kenya (hereinafter called the CONSULTING ARCHITECT and PROJECT MANAGER of the other part).

WHEREAS

A.

B.

The Client intends to have the design, documentation and supervision of PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL UNITS,……….. (hereinafter called the PROJECT) by the consultant.
The Consulting Architect agrees to undertake the design, documentation and supervision of the proposed project at 6% of total contract sum. The Architect shall provide all Architectural drawings inclusive of detailed specifications. Estimated contract sum for purposes of fee calculations is Ksh …………….. per square meters x ………..square meters………………………….

NOW THESE PRESENTS WITNESS and it is hereby agreed and declared by and between the parties hereto as follows:

(i) The Client hereby appoints the Consultant as Consulting Architect and Project Manager in respect of the project and the consultant agrees to provide professional services subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of engagement as set out in Cap 525 of the Laws of Kenya and schedule A and B appended hereto.
(ii)

iii)

C)

D) That the Consulting Architect shall provide Architectural, drawings together with detailed specifications for the proposed development .

TERM – This Agreement is effective for 24 months (the “term”), beginning ……………………., 2011 and ending ……………….. , 20…, or the lapse of the defects liability period whichever is earlier.

ARCHITECT’S DUTY OF CARE
The Architect further agrees to;
a) Maintain the highest ethical standards in the performance of this agreement;
b) Perform the services and related services in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations;
c) Hold in strict confidence and to use only for purposes of this Agreement and not to print, publicize, or otherwise disclose to any third party, confidential information of the owner, including, but not limited to, information in tangible or intangible form relating to and /or including the services, the project, the owner or its officers, financial information, business, marketing or pricing policies or practices, whether deliberately or otherwise disclosed to the Architect; and
d) Practice due diligence so as to increase the value of the owner’s investment and to maximize the owner’s profits.

DISPUTES
All disputes shall be decided by arbitration with a panel composed of two arbitrators comprising Owner’s representative and Architect’s representative.

Signed by the Client (Representative)
Date

In the presence of

Name
Address

Signed by the Consulting Architect
Date

In the presence of:
Name
Address

SCHEDULE A

SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE CONSULTING ARCHITECT

1. Normal Services

The Consultant shall provide the following services:

a) Inception

Advising the Client upon the services of an Architect and the need for other consultants.
b) Outline Proposal

Developing the brief and preparing outline proposals incorporating a detailed presentation of the Clients requirements and an approximation of the costs.

c) Scheme Design

Preparing in collaboration with other consultants scheme designs consisting of small scale working drawings that shall indicate the spatial arrangement and appearance and submitting copies of the drawings to the local authority in future for town planning consent and approval under the Building By-laws.

d) Detailed Design and Production Drawings

For completing detailed design incorporating design work done by other consultants and preparing production drawings and information necessary for Bills and Quantities.

e) Tender Action to Completion

For obtaining and advising on tenders and for preparing and advising on the contract and the appointment of the contractor, supervision of works in progress, issuing of interim certificates, counter checking on contractor’s claims and preparing practical completion certificates and inspection of defects and final handover to client.

2. Additional Services

All other additional services not included in the normal services shall be charged on a time charge basis to be agreed upon by the Consulting Architect and the Client.

SCHEDULE B

PROFESSIONAL FEES

Fee shall be paid in installments at every stage of drawings and as work progresses on site. 50% of total fee shall be payable before commencement of works on site and 50% after site operations have started.

The normal service is divided into stages that mark the progress of the Architect’s work. On completion of each stage an installment of the fees payable will be as under:

A. Part 1 schedule of payments before site operations (50% of total fee)
ESTIMATED COST OF CONSTRUCTION = ………………………

Stage Percentage of Total Fee
1. Outline proposals 10%
2. Scheme design
• Presentation to Client 5%
• Presentation to Design Team 10%
3. Production drawings and specifications 25 %
Total 50%

B. Part II Schedule of Payments after site operations (50% of fee)

Stage Percentage of Total Fee
1. Excavations to ground slab 10%
2. Walling to ring beam 10%
3. Roofing 10%
4. Door frames, windows and plastering 5%
5. Completion of interior finishes 5%
6. Completion of external finishes 5%
7. Defects liability period 2.5%
8. Completion certificate and handover 2.5%
Total 50%

C. Disbursements

Out of pocket expenses for transport, ploting, printing, photocopying, laminating, payments to Local Authority etc shall all be reimbursed at cost plus 10% administrative costs.

D. Payment of Fees

All fee notes shall be payable to the Architect within 14 days of being raised.

COST OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FEES EAST AFRICA-HOTEL PROJECT

Architectural design fees are regulated by CAP 525 of the Laws of Kenya.
The minimum amount of fees a Registered Architect should charge is 6 % of the total cost of the construction project.
The cost of the construction project is estimated by a Quantity Surveyor based on the average cost of construction per meter squared currently.
The actual cost of construction is the total tendered sum that a contractor has agreed as per contract to build the building.

FEES BREAKDOWN

1. Outline proposals 1% of total construction cost
2. Scheme design 1.5 % of total construction cost
3. Detailed design and Production drawings 2 % of total construction cost
4 From Tender Action to Completion [supervision] 1.5 % of construction cost
TOTAL-6% of construction cost

5 STAR HOTEL
http://www.tamarindhotelzanzibar.com/images/large/gallery-img20.jpg
Assuming a 5 star hotel project with
100 rooms-25m2 per room x 100=2500 m2,
2 restaurants-200m2 per restaurant x2=400m2,
dining area-200m2,
kitchen 300m2,
gym 500m2,
sauna 200m2,
spa-200m2,
2 swimming pools- 400m2,
tennis court 400m2,
conference hall -500m2and
staff quarters 600m2,
TOTAL BUILT UP AREA=6,200m2

CONSTRUCTION COST

Construction costs are KES 50,000[USD 625] per m2[East Africa] or KES 80,000 [USD 1,000]per m2[Dubai].
Estimated construction costs will be KES 50,000[USD 625] X 6,200m2 = KES 310,000,000[USD 3,875,000].

ESTIMATED INCOME

The current single room rates for Hotels in Zanzibar are as follows
1. The Zanzibar Serena 347 Euro per night
2. The Z Hotel- I62 USD per night
3. Blue Oyster Hotel 65 USD per night
4. Tamarind Hotel-75 USD per night –low season
5. Breezes Hotel 80 USD per night

Assuming a rate of 70 USD per night for 100 rooms on 50 % occupancy rate, this will be 70 USD x 100 rooms =7000 USD x 50% =3,500 USD per night [KES 280,000]
Assuming a profit of 20 USD per person o food, sauna, swimming pool, this will be 20 USD x 50 people = 1000USD [KES 80,000] per night.
TOTAL income per day is 3,500 USD + 1,000 USD = 4,500 USD.
Total income per month =4,500 USD X 30 = 135,000 USD [KES 10,800,000]
Total income per year = 4,500 USD x 256 days = 1,642,500 USD [KES 131,000,000]

At an estimated construction cost of KES 310,000,000 [USD 3,875,000], this project will return its initial investment in roughly 3,875,000 USD divide by 1,642,500 USD =2.3 Years****.[detailed feasibility study conducted by www.a4architect.com required].

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Therefore, this project is viable and will return its initial investment within a period of 2.3 years.
As a rule of thumb, any project that returns its initial investment in a period of less than 10 years is a good deal.

FEES

The fees will be as follows:
Cost of construction = KES 310,000,000[USD 3,875,000].

Total Architectural fees= 6% x KES 310,000,000[USD 3,875,000]. =KES 18,600,000[USD 232,500].
Interior design fees: =3% of total construction cost=USD 116,250

Other consultation fees include:

Structural Engineering fees 3%
Quantity surveying fees 3%
Electrical Engineering [Building Services e.g. lifts, electrical wiring]] fees 2%
Mechanical Engineering [Building Services e.g. air conditioning, lifts, kitchen] fees 2%

COMPLETION TIME

A project of this magnitude will take approximately 18 months to complete.
Fees are paid as the work progresses whereby the Architectural services are rendered for a particular stage then the invoice is raised to be paid by the Client on completion of the stage through out the construction period.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau

Architect.
info@a4architect.com

www.a4architect.com

+254721410684

HOW TO OWN YOUR HOUSE IN KENYA. 3 EASY STEPS.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T11zCMvZsWg?rel=0&w=480&h=360]

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From DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF

The process of owning your house in Kenya is relatively easy.
We have arranged it into 3 easy steps.
STEP 1
Buy your land. Land is available in Kenya depending on the budget.
In Nairobi and its environs, you can acquire a 1/8th acre of land for as low as KES 80,000 off Kangundo road along the Greater Eastern Bypass. Click here for more land for sale
http://www.a4architect.com/land4sale/

The price rises to highs of KES 3.5 million per 1/8th acre in Ruaka, 2 m in Syokimau near Mombasa Road, 3m in Kitengela near EPZ area.
For 1 acre plots, we have an acre going for KES 600,000 along the Greater Eastern Bypass off Kangundo road. 1 acre plots in Runda and Karen go for KES 20,000,000.
Therefore, there is a wide range of land available in the Nairobi neighborhoods depending on one’s budget.
STEP 2
Chose a house design that suits your taste and budget here below:
The construction costs range from as low as KES 989,000.
SYOKIMAU HOUSE

From SYOKIMAU HOUSE

Plinth Area: 120 m2.
Construction cost:KES 3, 600,000
Design cost:Without changes/customization[as shown in the images above]: KES 54,000
Design cost including changes and customization: KES 108,000
Construction project Management cost: KES 108,000

Features.
Sunken Living room
Separate Dining room
3 Bedrooms
Master Bedroom Ensuite

KIAMBU HOUSE

From KIAMBU HOUSE

Plinth Area:Ground Floor-265m2
First floor:115 m2
Total plinth area:380m2
Construction cost:13,300,000
Design cost: Without changes/customization[as shown in the images above]: KES 199,500
Design cost including changes and customization: KES 399,000
Construction project Management cost: KES 399,000
Features.
Living room with Alfresco
Second Living Room that can be easily converted to a Guest wing complete with kitchen and bedroom
5 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms self-contained.
S/Q and Garage.
Office
Double volume living room

THE DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDbb2ivWmh0?rel=0&w=480&h=390]

From A4ARCHITECT DIAMOND HOUSE

From A4ARCHITECT DIAMOND HOUSE

From A4ARCHITECT DIAMOND HOUSE

Floor Area: 45m2 .
Construction cost :KES 989,000.00
Design Cost: Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 29,670.00.
Supervision and Project Management cost:To be arranged depending on distance from Nairobi.

Space:
Bedrooms:2
Bathroom cum Toilet sharing.
Living room
Kitchen

Finishes.
Interior walls: paint on cement plaster
Floors: ceramic tiles

Services:
Septic tank.[maximum 15 meters away from house]
Electrical wiring

Waranty period.
6 months.

Thika House Large version

From Thika house large

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 240m2 . Construction cost :KES 7,200,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 216,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 108,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 216,000
Bedrooms:5-all self-contained.

Thika House small version

From Meru Mount Kenya base house

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 180m2 Construction cost :KES 5,400,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 162,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 81,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 162,000
Bedrooms: 5. 2 bedrooms self contained.

Nkoroi House Large version

From House at Nkoroi

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 240m2 . Construction cost :KES 7,200,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 216,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 108,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 216,000
Bedrooms:4- 2 bedrooms self-contained.

Nkoroi House small version

From residential house, nkoroi,kenya

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 140m2 . Construction cost :KES 4,200,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 126,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 63,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 126,000
Bedrooms:4- 1 bedrooms self-contained.

Kirinyaga House

From Kirinyaga

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 160m2 . Construction cost :KES 4,800,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 144,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 72,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 144,000
Bedrooms:5- 2 bedrooms self-contained.

Kitengela 2 in 1

From Kitengela Rental House-2 units in 1

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 160m2 . Construction cost :KES 4,800,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 144,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 72,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 144,000
Bedrooms:4-
2 Bedroomed unit on Ground floor and 2 Bedroomed unit on 1st floor.

Kitengela Yukos

From Kitengela yukos

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 120m2 . Construction cost :KES 3,600,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 108,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 54,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 108,000
Bedrooms:4-
1 Bedroom on Ground floor with external and internal access. 3 bedrooms on 1st floor. Master bedroom ensuite.

3 Bedroomed Ongata Rongai House

From 3 Bedroomed House, Ongata Rongai

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 100m2 . Construction cost :KES 3,000,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 90,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 45,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 90,000
Bedrooms:3- Master bedroom ensuite.

Senegal House

From Dakar, Senegal House

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf
Floor Area: 240m2 . Construction cost :KES 7,200,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 216,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 108,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 216,000
Bedrooms:4- 2 bedrooms self-contained.

Kitengela Chuna House

From Kitengela Chuna House

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 306m2 . Construction cost :KES 9,180,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 275,400.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 137,700. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 275,400
Bedrooms:5- 2 bedrooms self-contained.

Kahawa Sukari House

From kahawa sukari house

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 130m2 . Construction cost :KES 3,900,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 117,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 58,500. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 117,000
Bedrooms:4- 1 bedroom self-contained.

Uganda Resort

From guest house, entebbe, uganda

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Imara Daima House

From Imara Daima House

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 170m2 . Construction cost :KES 5,100,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 153,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 76,500. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 153,000
Bedrooms:4- 1 bedroom self-contained.

2 Bedroomed House

From 2 Bedroomed House

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 82m2 . Construction cost :KES 2,460,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 73,800.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 36,900. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 73,800
Bedrooms:2- 1 bedroom self-contained.

3 Bedroomed Utawala

From 3 Bedroomed House,Utawala

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 100m2 . Construction cost :KES 3,000,000 Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 90,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 45,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 90,000
Bedrooms:3- Master bedroom ensuite.

Greenville Maisonette Design

From GREENVILLE MAISONETTES

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 100m2 per unit. Construction cost :KES 3,000,000 per unit Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 90,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 45,000. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 90,000
Bedrooms:3- Master bedroom ensuite.

Mlolongo Estate Design

From Housing Estate, Mlolongo, Mombasa Road

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Floor Area: 130m2 per unit . Construction cost :KES 3,900,000 per unit Design Cost:With Changes and Customisation-KES 117,000.Design Cost without changes and customisation[as shown in the images above]:KES 58,500. Supervision and Project Management cost:KES 117,000
Bedrooms:4- 2 bedrooms self-contained.
STEP 3.
Financing.
We prepare the documentation required by Banks to give construction loans on behalf of our clients.
The documentation include
1. Approved plans
2. Bills of Quantities
3. Feasibility study/Business plan

Basically, construction loans are designed to be long-term so that the monthly repayments are in small quantities which are equivalent to the rent. This way, the house owner is saved from having to raise the large amount of capital needed to put up a house hence a win-win situation between the house owner and the Bank.

Conclusion.

With these 3 easy steps, acquiring your dream house can never be easier.
www.a4architect.com takes you from the initial process of looking for suitable land [STEP 1] to choosing your house plans and designs [STEP 2] to applying for construction financing [STEP 3].

Francis Gichuhi Kamau

Architect
info@a4architect.com
www.a4architect.com

INTERIOR DESIGN: OFFICES , RESTAURANTS, HOTELS AND RESIDENTIALS
****Happy Valentines Day***
How an interior space is designed in the interior communicates strongly to the customers.
Each particular space should be designed to communicate about the products or services that they are selling. This in turn results to better profits at the end of the day.
COFFEE HOUSES
For example, a coffee shop should be designed in such a manner that makes the customers feel relaxed. Warm dark colors and textures should be used. Direct brightly colored lights should be avoided. Careful choice of wall, floor and ceiling finished should be done. The finishes should be preferably natural such as natural stone flooring, Jerusalem stone cladding and rustic uncut wooden members tied together with sisal ropes.
Shiny materials such as glazed ceramic tiles should be avoided. Glass should be used only where necessary to create the ‘large space’ appearance.
Research has proven that dark matt colors and textures when used in restaurants tend to make people stay longer hence an increase in sales. Likewise, shiny bright colors make customers uncomfortable hence shorter stays leading to less profit.
A clear practical example of this is the Java coffee house off Koinange Street. The interior design has used dark matt colors resulting to a very ‘comfortable’ feel. The result is that the restaurant is mostly full throughout the day and enjoys a large number of customers even in the off-peak hours.
Near the Java coffee house, there is a coffee house which has not fully utilized interior design factors. This coffee shop is usually quite empty in the off-peak hours.
This clearly proves the power of interior design In attracting customers for restaurants.
SHOPS
Interior design can transform even the dingiest of places into works of art.
A good example is the Safaricom shops dotted all around the country.
Some Safaricom shops are located in dilapidated buildings in dusty downs. Once the shop is designed and constructed, it clearly changes the ‘aura’ of the place and makes the place look classy.
The interior and shop façade of the once dilapidated building is transformed into a gem.
In these shops, a theme usually is followed on walls, floors, ceilings, displays and furniture.
The current Safaricom theme has rounded edges. The use of rounded edges makes the customers feel relaxed.
A similar rounded-edges theme is also very common in European phone-shops.
These themes keep changing over time to avoid monotony.
For Safaricom to keep a large lead in the Kenyan telephony sector, they invest heavily in creative architects and interior designers. Their opponents will have a long way before they catch up until a time when they realize that the impact of well-designed interiors has a great effect on the net profit of their businesses.
OFFICES
Interior design for office spaces such as banks and insurance companies also help to create a sense of stability and efficiency.
Most banks in Kenya invest heavily in interior design for this purpose.
Older banks such as Barclays and Standard know the importance of good, creative interior design more than newer banks.
If you enter into any banking hall of some banks such as Barclays, Diamond Trust, Shelter Afrique , Stanbic,I&M, NIC, Fina or Standard, you will see that nothing is left for chance in the interior design. All floor tiles and patterns are carefully chosen, no color clashing, all the bank’s logos are carefully placed and careful choice of materials has been done. Each banking hall is a masterpiece by itself.
This is because the banks place architecture and interior design highly and value the fact that interior design alone is a very important factor in making sure that the bank gets good profits.
Their selection of architects and interior designers is therefore carefully done on the basis of how creative the architects are.
Some other banks do not have creative interior design. This is very evident in that if you enter such banking halls, you will see some levels of poor workmanship, logos placed haphazardly, floor tiles with patterns not following any sequence, un-creative design of the counters and many more ‘small’ flaws here and there.
The net effect is that they make less profit compared to their counterparts who have invested in creative interior design.

CONCLUSION
Its time the Kenyan private sector employed competition in procuring architecture and interior design services.
This way, creative genius is able to be unlocked which in turn will result to greater profits.
In Countries such as South Africa and Australia where most design jobs are awarded through competition, it’s very evident since no two buildings look like each other and most buildings are a work of art by themselves.
Even small residential 1 bed roomed houses are very creatively designed. The net effect is a country that looks organized and appealing to look at. This creativity is only unlocked through design competition whereby several architects are invited to design a particular space, then the best design is selected.
Francis Gichuhi

Architect.
info@a4architect.com
www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN UPPER HILL, NAIROBI

Land value is approximately KES 200,000,000 per acre=KES 50,000 per square meter.
Assuming 50% ground coverage on construction for 10 floors, this will be approximately 2000m2 x 10 floors =20,000 m2.
The fraction of the cost of land within the built up area will therefore be KES 200,000,000 divide by 20,000m2 =KES 10,000 per m2.

Cost of construction.

The average cost of construction for a high-rise building in Nairobi is KES 60,000 per square meter.
Estimated cost of construction for 10 storey building will be KES 60,000 X 20,000m2 =KES 1.2 Billion.

The total cost of construction will be cost of land plus cost of construction = 60,000 plus 10,000 =KES 70,000 per square meter.
Total cost of the project will be KES 1.2 Billion plus KES 200,000,000[Land] =KES 1.4 Billion.

Return on Investment.

Office sale value is approximately KES 13,000 per square foot=KES 130,000 per square meter.
Total sales from 10 storey building will be KES 130,000 per square meter x 20,000 square meters = KES 2.6 Billion.
The profit margin is KES 130,000 minus KES 70,000 =KES 60,000.
Profit will be KES 2.6 Billion – KES 1.4 Billion =KES 1.2 Billion

This represents an 85% Return on Investment hence a very viable option to develop offices for sale.

NEXT TO NIC BANK HOUSE, UPPER HILL

From Upper Hill

This building has a front façade clad in natural stone.

From Upper Hill

The interior floor is finished with Granite tiles.

From Upper Hill

The windows are made of UPVC.

From Upper Hill

Available space: 3rd floor-3800 sq. ft.

Ground Floor-1400 square feet.

Rent: KES 120 per square foot sharing kitchen and toilets.
KES 140 per square foot with own kitchen and toilet.

Parking available.

GEMINIA INSURANCE BUILDING, UPPER HILL
This building is located opposite the Embassy of Japan and Coca Cola Africa Headquarters.

From Upper Hill

Available space-2,500 sq. ft.
Rent: KES 100 per square feet.
The building is arguably one of the best designed in Nairobi.

From Upper Hill

The architects used a school of thought popularly known as ‘deconstruction’ in architecture circles.
See more about deconstruction on Wikipedia here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deconstructivism

Deconstruction is a modern style whereby the building is designed to avoid the usual and normal vertical and horizontal planes that we are used to seeing. The walls, ceilings and all other surfaces are tilted slightly off the usual plane.
In Geminia Insurance building, this theme has been used on the exterior and interior partitioning.

From Upper Hill

The floors are finished with granite tiles.

From Upper Hill

Walls around the lift lobby are finished with glazed tiles

From Upper Hill

There are beautiful vista views from the building towards the surrounding Upper Hill architecture.

From Upper Hill

The neighbors include the Coca Cola Africa headquarters.

From Upper Hill

From Upper Hill

From Upper Hill

From Upper Hill

Francis Gichuhi Kamau

Architect.

info@a4architect.com

www.a4architect.com

+254721410684