SELECTING ROOFING MATERIAL FOR YOUR HOUSE IN KENYA

SELECTING ROOFING MATERIAL FOR YOUR HOUSE IN KENYA

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There are various factors that determine which kind of roof to use for your house.

CLIMATE

In hot desert-like climates where rainfall is low, flat roofs are very common. Areas such as North-Africa have alot of these roofs.
A flat roof is not eactly’flat’. It usually slopes at an angle of 5 to 10 degrees.
This angle can not be noticed easily and helps to drain water during cleaning or after rainy weather.
In traditional African societies, communities living in Arid areas of Kenya such as Maasai, Samburu had their shelters made of flat roofs. This is because rain is not common in thses areas.

From africa

In rainy climates, the roof becomes steep. In snowy regions such as Northern Europe, the roof is very steep[over 45 degrees] so as to drain away snow.

From africa

In traditional African societies which live in rainy regions such as Kisii,Mount Kenya and Coast, the thatch roof is very steep[over 60 degrees] so as to increase the surface runnoff of rain water.

COST

Roofing materials vary depending on the budget.
In Kenya, thatch roof is the cheapest at KES 180 per square meter.

It is followed by Iron sheets. The thinnest grade in the market at the moment is Gauge 32 which costs about KES 210 per square meter.
Gauge 30 costs about KES 240 per square meter and Gauge 28 pre-painted costs approximately kes 500 per square meter.
Concrete roofng tiles cost around KES 400 per square meter.

From africa

Clay roofing tiles cost around KES 630 per square meter at Mombasa. These have the advantage of being light-weight and since they are made of natural clay with no added paint, their rain-watter runnoff can be consumed without any health issues as compared to the others wheich have paint .

From africa

Paint contains Lead which is harmful to the human body.
Stone coated steel roofing tiles such as Harvey, Decra are in the range of the most expensive and cost approximately KES 1500 per square meter.These are usually gauge 26 in thickness and hence give a lifetime guarantee.

From africa

Their light weight also gives savings to the timber supporting trusses which will be less than when supporting heavier concrete tiles.

THEME DESIGN AND SHAPE OF THE ROOF
Curved and cylindrical roofs require special types of materials such as copper and bituminous felts. These felts can take the shape of the roof easily.
Copper felt is expensive. This is usually copper in colour when new and turns greenish as it ages.

From africa

Hipped roofs are best laid using tiles since with tiles, there will be less cutting and hence less wastage.
Some steel roofing suppliers in Kenya can supply curved roofs.

Gable roofs can be done using any type of roofing products.
Some buildings such as Highlands restaurant at Afya Centre, Nairobi have glass roofs. These give nice views but are expensive to put up. A square meter of 10mm structural glass costs approximately kes 2,800.

The steepness of the roof can also be used to control cost. The more steep the roof, the more the surface area and hence the more the cost. Some roofing tiles such as Mangalore design require steep roofs to make sure that the rain water surface runnoff is fast and hence no leakages.
Recreational facilities such as tourist lodges which require rustic natural finishes will opt for the thatch roofs which can be patterned to various designs. Also, hardwood plank roofs are also common for these kind of recreational buildings. An example is the KWS Headquarters along Langata Road.

From Tourist Hotel

Use of a4architect.com Diamond House methodology effectively reduces the costs by 58%.
http://www.a4architect.com/the-diamond-house-plan-costs-breakdown/

Frank Gichuhi
Architect.
http://www.a4architect.com

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION: AFRICA:THE SLEEPING GIANT IN THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WORLD

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION:
AFRICA:THE SLEEPING GIANT IN THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WORLD

As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

Now that Globalisation is here with us, Africans will need to up their game in construction methodology to meet the current demand.
Issues such as population explosion,urbanisation, limited supply of materials, cost of labour e.t.c should be addressed.
During the early times, labour was not a major hindrance since peolple could use slaves to build structures such as Fort Jesus. Currently, in the process of designing structures, the cost of labour has to be incorporated so as to enable the project to be viable.

STANDARDISATION
Africans should embrace new methods fo construction used elsewhere in the world. The Building Code in Kenya should be open to enable other standards such as American standards which are highly developed when it comes to the use of Pre-Engineered Steel buildings. Its also high time someone came up with the African Standard no matter how far-fetched this may sound. Once research is done on African construction methods such as Adobe,timber structures, a standard can originate which will assist the rest of the world in making thir choices.

ADOBE WALLING

From Drop Box

Home grown solutions to construction that have been used here in Kenya for centuries can be revived to ease shortage of housing.
Adobe has been used in Kenya for centuries .Research should be done to commercialise the use of Adobe in contruction. Currently, the Indian and Chinese are exporting cement-fibre boards for use as wall panels. If the Adobe technology is researched further, am sure someone enterprising enough will soon come up with a version similar to the cement-fibre boards and ease the cost of construction .
World-leading International multinationals in cement such as La Farge also started from the first step so its never too late.

CERAMICS

From Drop Box

China and India are making good business exporting ceramic tiles to Kenya. Ceramic tiles are basically constructed from clay soil which we have in plenty here in Kenya.
Our ancestors have been making clay pots for several centuries now using Clay. Production of ceramic tiles is similar to the traditional method of baking clay pots. Therefore, if an enterprising Kenyan can come up with a method of commercial production of ceramics, we will not need to import this “Asian Soil” to Kenya.
THATCH ROOF

From Drop Box

The most expensive roofing product in the market is the stone-coated steel tile-thatch roof-profile. This is sold in Kenya by companies such as Soth African Harvey Roofing Products, Australian Decra Space and Style, and Dura Roofing Tiles.
Ths roofing tile imitates thatch roof which we have been using for centuries here in Kenya. This is because thatch roof has the best aesthetic look and insulation. This is also another avenue that Africans can work on to improve on the supply of construction materials.

TEXTURED PAINT
The most expensve paint in the market at the moment is the Rough textured paint such as ‘Crown Ruff n Tuff’ . Again this paint is expensive because it tries to capture the good looks of Adobe mud wall and also the superior insulation qualities of the Adobe mud walls .
The Adobe mud walls have been in use in Africa for Centuries. If we can work on improving this and manufacturing it for the Global market, then we will save alot of foreign exchange and create employment.
Some factories in South Africa are manufacturing plastic imitations of thatch which is exported to the rst of the world. If we can put in some reserch, we can surely come up with a solution that is beter than the existing imitations.

HARDWOOD DOORS & FURNITURE

From Drop Box

The most expensive doors in the market at the moment are hand-curved hardwood doors . In Kenya, we have the magnificent Swahili doors. Again, it these are manufactured for export to the global market, then this will result in creation of jobs and revenues here in Africa.
In Kenya, we have very creative stick and wooden furniture that is traditional. This can be manufactured commercially for export. A good example is the Bamboo furniture sold at Ramboo, Mombasa Road,manufactured in South Africa and exported to Kenya.

FLOOR TILES

From Drop Box

Imported slate-stone counter tops and floor tiles are very expensve. In Kenya we have Mazeras stone floor finishes which if well cut and polished, can be a major export for the Country.
Therefore, its important to note that Africa has the potential to supply the world with unique construction material. All we need to do is to think outside the box and supply the world with unique construction products at a low cost.
This is a sleeping giant waiting to be awoken in this sector. Lets hope that the new constitution will awaken this giant.

Architect Frank Gichuhi

http://www.a4architect.com

FORT JESUS, MOMBASA,KENYA: A CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY ANALYSIS

FORT JESUS, MOMBASA,KENYA: A CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY ANALYSIS

The Fort was built in the year 1593 A.D by the Portuguesse.

From fort jesus

At the main entrance, you will notice the use of arcs at the wall openings[doors]. These were used to give structural support to the walls above.

From fort jesus

Suspended floors were supported using steel I-Section beams.

From fort jesus

The doors were made of hardwood and curved to a particular pattern. The doors were also decorated using iron.
The walls were made of coral stone . For structural stability, the walls were 600mm thick on the top and over 1 m thick on the bottom.This resulted to a tappering shape which aided in increased stabilty. The 600mm thick walls are also very stable due to the sheer thickness.
This thickness could enable them to open up small arched windows on the side facing the Indian Ocean where the cannons were fitted. The thickness also provided the required safety form invaders.
The average tradidional African wall was 1/8 times smaller since the Africans did not face similar security threats as faced by the Poertuguese. The wall was for privacy and insulation purposes only of which it fullfilled its purpose.

The fort was captured by the Omani Arabs in 1698.
This resulted in Islamic architecture elements addition such as pigeon holes at the top of the walls, and the house in the picture.

From fort jesus

ARAB ARCHITECTURE
The Omani Arabs came in with new construction methods.
Their walls were much narrower and their suspended floors were supported using hardwood sections .These were spaced 300mm apart and coral stones placed on top.This was then plastered using clay to form the flat suspended floor surface.

From fort jesus

For the door openings, hardwood planks were placed above.
The Portuguese had mastered the art of using the masonry arcs to form structural support as shown below.

From fort jesus

LESSONS THAT CAN BE LEARNT.
Currently, to build a concrete suspended floor, we use concrete reinforced with steel bars. The Kenyan Bulding Code is to the British Standards. Once the conrete is poured into the formwork support, it hardens and the steel bars hold it together.
The Arabs used hardwood planks for the support and placed the stones on top with clay plaster in between.

A similarity with traditional indigenous African way of construction can be seen in the clay infill. The traditional Africans made their walls using Adobe clay infill similar to the one that the Arabs used for the suspended floor.
Since traditional Africans did not require to build vertically upwards[there was alot of land to build laterally], they did not develop this technology further.
Also, the traditional Africans did not have sophisticated enemies such as the Portuguese and Arabs hence they did not need to develop forts and other high-rise structures. Apart from the occasional raids by other tribes using bows, arrows and spears, there were no other enemies who would have nessesitated the change of construction methods to more secure structures.

Frank Gichuhi
Architect.
http://www.a4architect.com

PREFABRICATED HOUSES AND REDUCTION OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COST REDUCTION IN KENYA

PREFABRICATED HOUSES IN KENYA AND REDUCTION OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COST REDUCTION

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* why is the use of pre-fab panels rising in kenya?

This is because with the onset of the internet and other faster methods of transmitting informtion, Kenyans can easily access information on new technologies faster.
This way, Kenyans who are budget-sensitive and need a faster method of construction can have their needs met.

Construction methods such as DIAMOND HOUSE technology that can reduce costs by 32% come in handy in solving housing issues in Kenya.

* what are the common ingridients to make these panels available locally?

There are several types of Panels:

1.
Steel Structural Insulated Panels [SIP]. These arew imported from China.
See more detailed info on this here
http://www.a4architect.com/2010/02/04/structural-insulated-panel-houses-save-50-of-construction-costs/

2.
Wooden Panels: These are manufactured by this company in Kenya
http://www.ehgkenya.com/

3.
Cement fibre panels Structural Insulated Panels. These are made from a cloth-like board coated with cement plaster. This company manufactures them in Kenya

http://afrohomes.biz/projects_news.php

4.
Reinforced concrete Panel. These were being manufactured by Ecohomes kenya
http://www.nation.co.ke/magazines/money/-/435440/485160/-/view/printVersion/-/yeqi43z/-/index.html

* could this be the soution to houising problems in kenya?

COST
This is definitely a solution to the housing crisis. I have tried for several years to introduce Prefabricated Housing solutions to Kenya mainly through Steel SIP Panels.

The major problem is that the Steel SIP Panels are cheap to buy in China.
A 60m2 2 bedroomed house costs kes 600,000 to buy in China. Add 150,000 freight to Mombasa. From Mombasa is where the costs rise up tremendously.
There is import duty of 10% plus 16 % VAT plus 25% KEBS plus the transport from Mombasa to Nairobi by rail or road is expensive[KES 80,000 APPROX].

By the time the house reaches Nairobi, it costs approx. KES 1 million. A similar stone house will cost KES 1.1 Million using the average Nairobi rates of construction.

The savings is too minimal to deserve all this hustle hence people choose the traditional methods of construction.

For the locally manufactured panels[Wood and Cement board] the ingredients[wood and cement are already expensive here in Kenya].

This makes the total cost to be similar or slightly higher than using stones to build. The last time i inquired prices for the wooden and cement board prices [last year] the price was slightly higher than constructing using the normal traditional stone methods.

Solution:

The government can zero-rate import duty and VAT and revive the Railway line.

PERCEIVED SECURITY

Another drawback i have encountered in my attempts to introduce these is the fact that the security situation in the country is very bad. Potential customers fel psychologically unsafe in a house made of panels.
People want to live in stone houses with steel doors and windows.

As long as the security situation remains the same, people will shun panelized housing unless its situated in a gated community.

You can imagine building a panelized house in a suburb such as Kitengela. If things in Kenya penetrate steel windows, you can imagine how they can have a field day in panelized housing.

In Western countries where the security from violent robbery/break-ins is guaranteed, panelized housing s very common.

* on average,by what percentage does the use of these material lower the cost of construction?

Panelized housing can be compared to a low-to-middle class house. These are the kinds of houses found in Ruai, Juja e.t.c with no-frills-attached type of construction. These houses cost an average of KES 18000 per square meter to construct i.e an average 90m2 3 bedroomed house will cost KES 18000 X 90m2 floor area= KES 1.6 million.

The average panelized housing of such quality will cost approx. KES 1.4 Million using imported steel SIP panels and slightly higher[approx. 1.7 million} using wood or cement fibre board panels.

If transport [railway] is sorted out and VAT and import duty exempted, then we can look at a 50% reduction on the cost of construction using Steel SIP Panels.

For cement board panels, the main manufacturers of cement in Kenya-Bamburi, East African Portland and Athi River mining have one factor on common-La Farge -a French multinational as part of the shareholders.

The current global FOB price per ton of cement is around USD 70 [KES5600] per ton [Source: http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/cement-price-ton.html%5D .

A 50 kg bag will cost KES 280 in China. Add freight and import duty e.t.c .This will bring the cost to approximately KES 560 to get to Nairobi if the Government lowers import duty and revamps the railway system.

Currently, the average cement price per 50kg bag in Nairobi is KES 750.

Therefore, if the Government reduces import duty on cement and improves on the railway transport system, we can see cement prices dropping to international ranges of KES 500 per 50kg bag.

Once this is possible, the cement fibre board panelized housing prices should drop by the same margin of 30% from KES 1.7 Million to KES 1.1 Million for a 90m2 floor area sized 3 bed-roomed house..

* are there any quality issues rising from the use panels?

Steel SIP Panel manufacturers usually give an average of 10 years guarantee depending on the thickness of the steel panel and the location. Steel panels near the salty seas will rust faster hence lower longevity.

A stone house has a lifespan of 50 years if well-constructed and maintained and planning regulations remain the same.As the population increases, Local Authority planning regulations take effect and on average, after 50 years, there will be a need to re-plan the area again and re-build as appropriate hence the 50 year average.

Such is seen in areas such as Lavington and Hurlingham whereby the old colonial stone houses have been demolished to pave way for high-rise structures.

Structurally, the prefabricated buildings are designed to withstand the climatic conditions of their locations. In areas where the weather is severe such as the Southern part of U.S.A where there are hurricanes, the structural design is more reinforced to withstand this as specified and certified by the Local Authority during application for approval to construct.

* comparing to other countries, do you forsee a time when use of panels would surpass the use of the conventional stones and cement etc

Once issues such as transport[railway] ,Statutory fees[import Duty, VAT] and security are addressed, definitely the Prefabricated houses will be cheaper and safer to live in than the traditional stone houses.

Frank Gichuhi B.Arch. U.o.N M.A.A.K[A] Registered Architect.

INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE.

INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE.
Real Estate is one of the best ways to invest your hard-earned funds since land is a limited resource and as long as the world’s population keeps rising, land will continue to appreciate in value.

A few years ago[2003-2005] an acre of land in Karen was sellng at KES 3.5 million. Currently [2010] the same land goes goes for KES 18 to 20 million.
An acre in Runda was selling at KES 4.5 Million in 2003. Currently the same acre now sells at around KES 20 million.

Real Estate investment is also flexible in that it accomodates every size of budget.
The ammount of money that you can raise will play a big role in determining the scope of investment.
You can start on a very small scale and continue up the ladder.
For small scale investors, ideas such as buying a small piece of land far away from the main city and holding it for a while which can be anything from several months to a few years can assist in this.

PROFIT THROUGH SPECULATION

One of the quickest ways to gain profit in Real Estate is through speculation.
Land away from major towns is usually lower priced. For example, Land in areas such as Kamulu, Nakuru outskirts , Lamu can cost at approxmately KES 300,000 per acre.
This land will definately cost far much more as time goes by and development catches up.
Once you carry out intensive research on low-value land and get inside information on new developments, this is the right time to buy whle the price is still low.

For example, there are future plans to develop Lamu as a port. Peolple who buy now while the land value is low will reap great benefits yearsa later.
There are also plans to develop the commuter train between Athi River and Nairobi. This will also lead to a high increase in land price in the surrounding areas such as Kitengela once the project is complete.
The by-pass along Ruai ,Juja and Ruiru will also lead to an increase in the current land prices there.
Within Nairobi CBD, Muthurwa area will develop greatly once the South East Commercial Park is fully developed.
Along Mombasa road, plans are underway to develop the ICT city at Malili ranch.
All these create great opportunities for buying and later on offloading to the market once the developments are complete.

PROFIT THROUGH SCHEME DEVELOPING

Another method of making profit in Real Estate development is in buying a piece of Land , subdividing it into smaller plots then developing infrastructure such as electricity, roads and water.
Once infrastructure is developed, the plots are then offloaded into the market at a profit.
Areas such as Syokimau, Kiambu, Ongata Rongai are ripe for this kind of developing.
Areas such as Kahawa Sukari were developed through this kind of Method. Development control is then enforced through setting up of a community company to approve new developments to a specifi standard .This prevents shoddy buildings that reduce the land vsalue from being developed.

PROFIT THROUGH CONSTRUCTION.

In areas where large peces of land are not available such as South C, Langata, South East Commercial park[Muthurwa], Westlands e.tc, a good way of making profit is through construction of buildings. Since land is not available abundantly laterally, the buildings are stacked high onto each other for several storeys as can be approved by the Local Authority.
Use of creative architectural designs will assist in unlocking the full value of the investment through designs that fully and optimumly utilise the land and are also attractive to potential buyers hence creating competition.
The buildings are either sold as individual units or rented out.

CONCLUSION

Its common knowledge that the three rules to fruitful investment in real estate are
1.Location
2.Location
3.Location
You therefore need to put alot of resources in finding the best location that has a value that has not been fully tapped.
The inside knowledge that in future there are plans to develop infrastructure such as a by pass, university, hosital, city extenson e.t.c become very critical in determining your investment.
For example,the early white settlers had prior knowledge that the Imperial British East Africa company will make Nairobi the captal city and zone areas such as Hurlingham and Westlands as high class commercial centres.By then an acre of land there was very low. Currently, many years later, an acre of land in Westlands can retail at KES 180 million so the initial investors who took the gamble are laughing all the way to the bank.
Its your time now to also get down to seek such lands. Good luck.

Frank Gichuhi

http://www.a4architect.com