A Kenyan YouTuber based in the Western part of the country has taken to his YouTube channel to share how Kenyan aspiring homeowners can build a 2-bedroom ensuite house with Sh1 million.
Isaac, who is also a homeowner, notes that building can be cheap or expensive depending on materials, preferences, and the owner’s plan.
He notes that most homeowners face the expensive bit of constructing a house at the final stage, noting that a lot of money may be spent on finishing, especially when one opts for expensive materials like paint.
”Generally, the cost of finishing depends on the type of material that you go for,’’ he explains, adding that classic finishing is more expensive.
He goes ahead to give a breakdown of constructing a Sh1 million two-bedroom house that features a dining room, two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a toilet.
Here is the breakdown:
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Bricks/stones/cement
He notes that if one opts for bricks, they will need about 8,000 pieces. With each piece costing Sh10, this means one will need Sh80,000 for bricks alone.
A 2-bedroom brick house is estimated to consume 90 bags of cement with each bag retailing at Sh900. This means that one will need Sh81,000 for cement and a total of Sh161,000 for both bricks and cement.
According to Isaac, stone users will, on the other hand, require between 1,800 and 2,000 pieces. He notes that a piece of 6 by 9 first-grade stone costs around Sh80, meaning 2,000 stones will cost Sh160,000.
In addition, the house will require 80 bags of cement, meaning anyone who opts to construct using stones will need a total of Sh232,000 for both stones and cement.
Sand/Ballast
Isaac notes that the amount of sand needed for this size of house is approximately 42 tonnes, whether bricks or stones are used. He explains that 42 tonnes costs around Sh50,000.
In addition, 28 tonnes of ballast will be needed, with its cost estimated to be Sh25,000.
”If you come from the rural area, you can get cheaper ballast at around Sh20,000 for the machine cut, and Sh18,000 for the normal one,’’ Isaac explains.
Hardcore/DPM
”For the entire project, you will need around three lorries of hardcore, which will cost you around Sh20,000,’’ he says.
Three rolls of Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) will also be needed, and each roll costs Sh3,500. Thus, the total cost of DPM is Sh10,500.
Others are:
3 rolls of Wall pass =Sh9,600
28 tonnes Murram- Sh16,800
35 pieces D10 steel- Sh35,000
20 pieces D8 steel- Sh15,000
20 kg Ordinary nails-Sh4,000
Isaac notes that other things needed to get the house to the wall plate are Timber, anti-termite treatment chemical, and 10kg of Binding wire.
He explains that with approximately Sh800,000, one can successfully construct a standard two-bedroom house from foundation to roofing.