External considerations when building a house

Consider the terrain of the place where you want to build. If it is hilly, will it be easy to access? Photos by Dominic Eric Bukenya

What you need to know:

  • It is often easy to rush into building a home after saving money for a while.
  • However, careful considerations should be made to ensure you make a worthwhile investment.

According to Stephen Kayiwa, an architect, before you start construction, it is important for you to carry out a site analysis.
“A site analysis is crucial for any construction. It helps the contractors get prior knowledge of the geographical setup, climate and history of the place. This is relevant because it helps guide the contractors on what to do,” he says. Kayiwa says other factors to look out for include:

Terrain
Identify whether your land is in a hilly area, a valley or a slope. Knowing your land’s topography is useful because it can guide you on the type of materials to use. “For instance, if you plan to construct on a slope, you need to lay a foundation that will keep your home from flooding,” he advises.
Identifying the terrain also helps you plan in advance on how you will access your house. For example, whether you need steps at the entrance and if so, how many they will be.

Avoid building in swampy areas. Swamps harbour disease-causing insects such as mosquitos

Security
Boniface Wanja, an exterior designer, says it is vital to ascertain the security of where you will construct and the surrounding area. This helps you to determine the type of walls to build and how to enhance other security features.
“If you discover a lack of security, it is advisable to construct a high fence with a rough wall structure and razor wire on top to prevent thieves from breaking into your home,” he says.

Accessibility
Wanja says accessibility is a vital aspect when constructing a new home, noting that a house would not be complete without a defined access point.
“If your land is located in a hard-to-reach area, create an access road to your home,” he says.

Drainage
Kayiwa says when constructing, it is important to fix drains that work well. He advises one to ask a qualified plumber to check the pipes while they are still exposed.

Electricity
Richard Kigozi, an exterior designer, says one should construct in a place that has easy access to the national power grid. He also advises one to consider installing solar panels as a cheaper alternative.