Set plans before you construct a house

Choosing materials
The other issue is where to get construction materials. You may be forced to use expensive materials which are readily available instead of using that which is cheaper but got from far. Trying to procure such materials would slow down the work.You will need human resource in terms of casual labour and technical people like engineers. Sourcing them will also have an impact on the cost.

Finish phase
The finishing will also depend on the purpose of the building. The finishing of the hotel varies from that of an office. A hotel has to have a calm atmosphere, attractive to people in their resting periods, whereas an office does not need finishing that glitters a lot. One will need professional painters and designers to do a great job.

Costs involved
If an architect says making a plan costs Shs400,000; taking it for approval is Shs600,000. It takes about Shs1m for you to be allowed to start building. It is very disturbing, because you are spending money on things that are not part of the house. Mark had already bought the land on which he built the house. I bought land at Seguku when it was still cheap, but now it is expensive. At that time it was Shs12m. It is about 30 Decimals.

Challenges encountered
Mark faced many challenges in the planning process. Financing was one of them. “The good thing is that I had already gathered sand and stones. The sand is used for constructing; the stones for the foundation and also the slab. You also give him (the contractor) cement,” he says.

For the amount of cement he used, Mark could not give a definite figure. “In the beginning, I gave him about 13 bags. Then I kept adding onto that. I used to go to a hardware store, buy about 10 bags and keep them at home,” Mark explains.

There may also be changes in the design. He says when building there has to be a lot of breaking as well. A wall may turn out crooked and has to be broken. Sometimes the architect’s drawing may not reflect the client’s tastes, so they have to change it by breaking.

So, even before going out to buy land, a person must consider the purpose for which they want the land for first. Then from then on it is careful planning all the way. Otherwise, rushing out to buy the cheapest piece of land available without a plan in mind may turn out to be counter productive.