Blog
07/27/23
How to Build an Affordable House?
Owning a home is out of reach for many people because of the high cost of building and the scarcity of land. For example, in Kenya, an ideal house for a family is roughly three bedrooms and is priced at around 5 million Kenyan shillings. With the high price of homeownership, not many people can construct, let alone buy a house. However, there are excellent construction ideas that enable the construction of affordable housing.
1. Choose affordable house designs
Complex house designs require more money to construct. Generally speaking, sticking to a box or rectangle makes the building and design affordable. It is much easier to build up than a sprawling one-story building. Most people worry that box-style homes will not be attractive, but they can make the exterior attractive by considering landscaping, lighting, and other décor options that keep the costs low.
Another part of the house design that needs to be considered is roofing. Believe it or not, there are many roofing designs, and they can affect the price of the home. Essentially, simple roofing designs mean less money will be required to build a house.
2. Engage professionals
It is essential to hire skilled professionals to do the work. You do not need cheap labour that will ultimately require repairs and add more to the construction cost. A lot of people have lost money as a result of poor workmanship. While it seems cheaper to avoid professionals in the building process, it is ultimately very costly in the long run when you have to either fix or do repairs. Essentially, unskilled labor can make a homebuilder lose about 50% of the total cost. Yet, construction firms like Yattiyr Investments Limited only charge a small professional fee.
3. Approved Designs
Waiting and redesigning a home can cost a lot. For instance, if a home builder does not get the required permits on time, they spend a lot of time and money to get the necessary licenses.
Furthermore, any additional changes to the original design can drastically increase the construction cost. It is advisable to get the designs right and approved before any construction process begins. In Kenya, for example, if a homebuilder starts the construction process before approval by the relevant agencies, they risk paying hefty fines and sometimes having to redo some of the work.
4. Low-cost location.
Location is significant in that it can influence the design of the house and the construction cost. Although constructing a place with beautiful views will cost a homebuilder more, many affordable sites can also come with additional charges. For example: – breaking hard rocks, clearing bushes, or even requiring extensive drainage. Consider all these factors before choosing one of the low-cost locations.
5. Avoid constructing a home during rainy seasons.
Many roads in the upcountry are not paved like in urban centers. Therefore, it becomes difficult to transport materials to the site during the rainy season as the roads become impassable. Besides making access to the construction site a problem, the rain may wash away building materials during wet seasons and delay construction as workers cannot work in the rain. The delay can have the potential to increase the construction cost.
Final Thoughts
Building a house is not a complicated process as many folks may think. If anything, a homebuilder needs only to develop a plan and ensure that they stick to the plan and the budget. Needless to say, if you think you will live in a house for a long time, like over 25 years think of the materials to use and the appropriateness of the plan. Several choices are available to those looking to build affordable houses. You can reach out to [email protected] for the construction of affordable housing.
17/7/23
SUSTAINABILITY IN CONSTRUCTION
Construction is a big business all over the world. As people are looking for solutions to housing problems that are persisting in the world, there are concerted efforts by environmentalists to conserve the environment. In Kenya, the construction industry in 2019 employed 220,000 people and contributed about 5.6% to the GDP with the economic growth showing a 5% growth per annum in the past ten years, more and more people are finding it ideal to invest in properties or homes. Construction, by definition, consumes a large number of natural resources. However, with growing concerns about climate change and the depleting nature of the resources used in construction, builders and construction experts are focusing on causing as little disruption to the environment as possible.
What is sustainable construction?
Sustainable construction is the use of renewable construction materials when building a new building and reducing energy waste. One of the greater objectives of sustainability in construction is minimizing footprints in environmental disturbance. Prof. Charles J. Kibert says that sustainable construction practices should follow six principles which are: – to conserve, reuse, recycle, protect the environment, fewer toxins, and have high quality. It is important to point out that many industries are embracing sustainability in many ways. However, it is the construction industry that can produce the greatest impact because of the large quantities of energy and materials used.
Reasons why sustainable construction is important
One clear thing is that sustainable construction is not only beneficial to the environment but can also promote the quality of life. Numerous studies point to the fact that sustainable construction is well correlated to the quality of well-being. The following are some of the benefits that are worth noting:
Encourages healthy living
The surrounding environment greatly affects the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of the occupants of a building. Therefore, over time, builders and designers are developing an architecture that to some extent affects the occupants of the building. It is reported that workers in green buildings report better decision-making and achieve their goals.
Boosting the economy
Sustainable construction can provide many job opportunities to a population. As the effects of climate change become more apparent, efforts to mitigate them are increasing. This has resulted in an increase in sustainable buildings and the increase in construction jobs.
Waste reduction
With the effects of global warming continuing to be felt worldwide, the natural resources are getting finished quickly. To counter this, contractors and building professionals are looking at ways to use renewable sources of building materials in ways that are beneficial to the environment.
Reduces the cost of materials
Sustainable buildings use environmentally friendly materials that are good in terms of durability and remaining structurally sound. For green buildings, efficiency in energy use is a number one priority. Buildings that use less and renewable sources of energy are the priority in construction and design.
Ways of making construction sustainable
There are several ways of making a construction project more sustainable. They include the following: –
A. Using renewable energy
Materials used in the construction of these buildings are by far the greatest in achieving sustainable buildings. Technological advancements are such that, it is easier to come up with materials that are light, durably, easy to come by, and do not destroy the environment. The following are some materials that are worth considering.
B. Using sustainable materials
1. Wood is an important material in construction. Wood can be renewable if the forests are properly managed, not only for the supply of wood to construction companies but also for providing a habitat for wildlife.
2. Use of sustainable concrete. Substituting concrete with plastic and recyclables can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than half.
3. The use of alternative brick materials, such as heated mud or maybe even cigarette buts, to make bricks.
C. Plastic
One of the greatest drawbacks of plastic is that they do not degrade. The drawback is also its greatest strength because one of the goals of sustainability is ensuring the materials used are durable. Plastic by very nature is durable and therefore won’t need to be replaced now and then. This is a great way to build sustainable buildings.
Challenges in sustainable construction.
Implementing sustainable construction techniques is a time-consuming process with numerous challenges to overcome, the most notable of which is cost. Construction firms will always be under pressure to cut costs wherever possible, but there are still concerns that using sustainable construction methods will cost them more. According to the World Green Building Trends 2018 Smart Market Report, nearly 40% of businesses reported that the most difficult challenge posed by adopting sustainable construction practices was affordability.
Almost half of the companies said they expected green buildings to be more expensive at first. Furthermore, some firms report client demand for greener buildings, indicating that many construction firms are concerned about being caught in the middle of demand and high costs. Yattiyr Investments Limited is a company that helps clients live in sustainable buildings. Our company has technologies in place that reduce costs and ensure sustainability. Contact us at [email protected] or visit our website https://demo.yattiyrinvestments.co.ke for more information.
09/14/23
Guide on choosing the appropriate roofing style in Kenya
Courtesy
In Kenya, a lot is happening in terms of roofing from traditional grass-thatched styles to modern roofing styles. Today, there are different materials that homeowners use in roofing and many other roofing styles. This article will explore the variety of options for homeowners to choose from when deciding which style to choose. Before we continue, it’s important to note that, there are factors that are important in influencing the choice of roofing choice. Weather and climatic conditions are factors that play an important role in roof choices. Extreme weather conditions do not allow for longevity of a roof which may lead to leakages and general weakening of the roof structure. The second aspect to consider is the interiors and whether or not your house has sufficient ventilation. Lack of good ventilation can cause moist air to rise which may lead to mold build-up and thereby weaken the entire roof structure. The final aspect to consider is workmanship. Ensure that you have the best professionals installing the roof. Even though you may use the best roofing materials, the lack of professionals doing the installation may affect the durability of the roof. With that, the following are the most common roofing styles in Kenya:
Gable Roofing
A gable roof is a kind that is triangular and is common in many houses in Kenya. These kinds of roofs are cheap and easy to build their shape is not that complex. Furthermore, many other roofing styles borrow their concepts from the gable roof styles. One advantage of this roofing style is that it can utilize any materials including but not limited to clay or concrete tiles, iron sheets, asphalt shingles, and many other roofing materials. In addition, the gable roofing style is suitable for cold places because it allows for easy shedding of water during the rainy season. On the downside, gable roofs are not suitable during the windy season because they can prove to be unstable if the roofing structure is not strong. Gable roof has other variations like box gable, front gable, cross gable, and Dutch gable.
Hipped Roof
Hipped roofs have four slopes and a ridge at the center. The hip roof is a better option than the gable because of the stability brought by the four slopes merging at the Centre. Furthermore, it can provide additional living space in the form of a room called a dormer. Most of the hip roofs in Kenya are built to protect mud walls in areas that receive heavy rains or to protect unplastered walls. Installing a hip roof is very expensive because of the complexities that come with installing
this kind of roof. Furthermore, the supporting structure of the roof can affect its durability if not installed properly. There are other variations of hip roofing style including simple hip, cross-
hipped, and half-hipped.
Flat Roofing
Flat roofs are becoming common in architectural advancement designs in Kenya. In addition, flat roofs are suitable for building large buildings that have many columns. In most cases, flat
roofs are constructed with a slight pitch that allows for the shedding of water with a minimum slope of 1:2. The structure of the roof is composed of supporting beams insulation, decking, and
a waterproof surface. The roof comprises timber, chipboard, asbestos cement decking unit, or concrete slabs. The advantage of flat roofs for townhouses is that they provide extra space for limited playgrounds and are often affordable to construct. However, these types of roofs are prone to leakages and may require constant repairs. These roofs are effective today with the emergence of green roofs. This is where homeowners can plant flowers or any plants on the roofs.
Shed Or Skillion Roof
Shed roofs are sloped roofs that can be supported by one taller wall or can act as an alternative to a flat roof for a standalone structure. In most cases, skillion roofs are best for add-on structures to the main building or they can be good when constructing garages and porches. This is the cheapest roof to install and particularly the best for mountainous regions or a region that experiences heavy rainfall. It’s good for shedding excessive water. When selecting roofing materials, Kenyans have a lot to choose from. They can choose either iron sheets, concrete tiles, wooden tiles, and shingles. Man-made materials have become more popular as the natural ones are depleted and expensive to maintain.