In this article, I will discuss some tips on building a house cheaply in Kenya.
Building a house is not easy, so many of us depend on the skills and expertise of professionals and builders. However, this article is for you if you want to save money and build your own home.
Let’s get Started
How much does it cost to build a house in Kenya?
The following factors are some of those that may affect the cost of building a house in Kenya:
- Materials
- Land typography
- The size of a house
- House design
- External factors of the economy, politics, and legal aspects
However, minimizing the volume of cash that goes into a building is still possible. I will show you how in the following section.
How to Build a House Cheaply in Kenya
Here is how to build a cheap house in Kenya:
1. Buy a readily surveyed land with a clear title
The first tip on building a house cheaply in Kenya is to buy land that has been cleared and surveyed by the relevant authorities.
This step will help reduce the cost of buying land and the hassle of getting a title for the land you purchased.
You will save a lot when you buy land ready for construction. Such land has already been surveyed and cleared of all previous structures they may have built.
2. Choose a more straightforward Plan.
The second tip on building a cheap house in Kenya is to choose an easy-to-build plan and budget accordingly.
The primary objective should be valued when building your own home instead of rocking something overly complicated or luxurious.
Overly complex designs are usually costlier than simple ones because they require additional skills and materials.
Choose a design that is cost-effective and matches your budget.
3. Buy the building material from the local market.
Another great way to minimize costs is to buy the necessary building materials from the local market instead of importing them abroad. While some specialized companies import quality building materials, they are also expensive.
What’s more, building materials imported from abroad may not necessarily be of the right quality and may even compromise the safety of your home.
Compare prices between local and foreign markets before buying anything for your project.
4. Use cheap building materials.
While quality is the most important consideration, it’s also good to save some cash by using cheaper alternatives.
Make sure that whatever you purchase for your project is approved and safe for construction purposes.
For example, use flexible tiles instead of expensive concrete ones, and enjoy an equally good look.
You can also choose to do your house construction (do it yourself) instead of hiring professional builders. This step will significantly cut costs since most building contractors charge twice as much for labor than the materials they use in a project.
5. Adjust the house size to fit your budget
You will also save a lot of money when you build a house of the correct size. The best way to determine what this is is by doing some calculations.
Bigger houses are more expensive to build than small ones, and large families are more costly to maintain than small ones.
For example, building a slightly big house for your family and having extra bedrooms could make maintaining it very high due to energy consumption and other bills.
6. Get a good architect.
This tip is one of the tips that will not necessarily reduce costs but make your building project better in quality.
A good architect can help you avoid incurring additional expenses by designing a safe and structurally sound home for you. They will also suggest cost-saving alternatives to existing materials.
While some architects are expensive, you can find cheap and perfect ones.
7. Buy materials for yourself.
When it comes to building a house cheaply in Kenya, you can reduce the cost of construction by buying building materials for yourself instead of hiring people to get them for you.
This way, you’ll be able to check and compare prices and sort out your needs without someone else’s hand. You will also avoid unnecessary costs by hiring someone to do the job for you.
8. Create a budget and stick to it strictly.
This tip on how to cheaply build a house in Kenya is not necessarily about saving cash but organizing yourself well enough to spend within your means.
Set aside a fixed amount of money for the expenditure of your project.
In addition to sticking to this budget, you should also plan well for the future to avoid incurring losses in the long run.
9. Supervise the construction process
Although this tip may not precisely be about building the house on a low budget, you must keep everything in check when working with building contractors.
Monitor your project regularly and ask the contractors to provide explanations if necessary.
This way, you will be able to get what you bargained for without paying extra money for the contractor’s errors.
10. Always check for quality.
It’s also vital that you regularly inspect the quality of materials and construction to ensure that you are getting what you paid for. This way, you will be able to keep away from fraud and save money by being able to identify problems as soon as they occur.
Summary: How to Build a House Cheaply in Kenya
I hope this article has helped provide tips on building a house cheaply. Before you buy anything or commit to any project contract, always ensure you know all the contact details. If anything is unclear, do not hesitate to ask questions to be 100% clear about what you are getting into.
