A Facebook user identified as Mwalimu dot com has shared how Kenyans can build a good residential house at a low cost.

He notes that while the average market price for a “low cost” three-bedroom house, considered to be the ideal size for most families is Sh4.8 million, anyone can get the same structure with as low as Sh1,600 through the use of cheap technology.

”Adopting low-cost housing technology and cheap building materials can enable you to build a nice three-bedroom residential building with as little as Sh1.6 million,’’ he states.

According to him, to achieve this, one needs to:

Choose a simple design

Choosing a house design is the first step when building a home. While the design depends on many factors including the nature of your plot, you should consider simple house designs.

 The more intricate the house plan, the more costly it will be to construct. Keep the number of corners on the exterior walls at a minimum since they are labour intensive and they utilise more materials.

Stick to simple squares and rectangles which can be ornamented with fascinating architectural features such as a balcony or porch.

In addition, keep the roof lines simple and short since complex steep roofs necessitate surplus roofing supplies. Avoid making any changes to the design during construction since they translate to extra costs.

Engage professionals

A lot of people have lost money during construction due to shoddy work. While you might want to avoid hiring a professional in a bid to cut on cost, it will cost you more to fix your mistakes.

The use of unskilled labor has cost some builders up to 40 percent of the total construction cost, yet construction firms charge only a small percentage of the total construction cost.

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Consider new technology

The high cost of conventional building materials (brick and mortar) and the intensive labour that goes into constructing houses made from them are major contributors to the high cost of construction in Kenya.

In a bid to bring down these costs, new housing technologies such as prefabricated panels, which drastically reduce the number of materials (cement, steel rods, and concrete), labor, and time taken before completion, have been introduced in the market.

Another great option is interlocking bricks which require less cement to hold them together and less labour compared to brick structures.

Buy materials yourself

If you can, source for building materials yourself instead of sending the foreman or fundi to do it for you. You will most certainly have the patience to shop for the best bargain in the market without compromising on quality.

Besides, some foremen work in cahoots with suppliers to con their employer by inflating the price of materials and backing the unscrupulous act with falsified receipts.

Others will buy cheaper substandard materials so that they can pocket the difference.

Be wary of cheap bargains

In as much as you want to save some money and are shopping around for the best bargains, watch out for deals that are too good to be true.

If a supplier is offering you materials at a price way below the average market rates exercise caution because more often than not it is a rip-off. The materials might be counterfeit which will end up costing you more.

Recycle materials

Always keep in mind that every shilling counts and everything you buy add on to the budget. Where possible re-use or hire tools and materials such as spades, wheelbarrows, hammers, timber post and wood used as scaffolding or for support during construction.

Do it yourself

While it is important to hire skilled labour in all phases of the project, look out for things you can do to save on labour costs.

Laying tiles, landscaping and painting are some of the things you can do yourself with little or no help from a contractor.

However, do not attempt something you are unsure of since as earlier indicated, rectifying mistakes will cost more than it would have to obligate a professional do the task.

Close supervision

Theft of building materials and laziness by workers are another major avenue for money loss during construction.

Hire a site manager who will be at the site all the time and task him with accounting for how each and every item bought is utilized in construction.