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Building costs vs 6 months ago
siafu33
#1 Posted : Friday, April 15, 2011 8:01:06 PM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 3/19/2011
Posts: 19
Location: Nairobi
Dear Wazuans,

6 months ago I did much research and found quotes varied from 37k-45k per sq. m. for highest end contractors...am looking to build shortly.

Since then, I have been abroad a lot, Egypt, Bahrain, Lybia has occurred, oil prices up etc..

Are contractors staying competitive or have they used these occurrences to justify major increases?

Am curious if anyone has the latest figures, so I can compare with my contractors.

Thanks!


S

Vj
#2 Posted : Friday, April 15, 2011 9:12:36 PM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 9/6/2010
Posts: 97
Location: nairobi, kenya
Depends on what you are building and where. I'm a property developer and the contract prices for my current projects are as follows, the unit costs include external works like parking, swimming pool etc:

Luxury apartments and duplexes:48,450 (contract awarded march 2010)
Standard finish apartments:32,700 (contract awarded june 2010)
Standard finish apartments:32,000 (contract awarded march 2011)

It also depends on who the contractor is, for my latest project I got a mid-sized contractor and negotiated a better price than what i got last year from a bigger contractor.

I have an office block which is currently under tendering, so will know the price range for office blocks in around a week, though i paid around 35000 for an office block in 2008.
Before you can be be old and wise, you must first be young and stupid.
siafu33
#3 Posted : Saturday, April 16, 2011 1:08:31 PM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 3/19/2011
Posts: 19
Location: Nairobi
Vj hello,

Thanks a lot for your comprehensive feedback. Very illuminating - if you would post the latest figures for your office block tender v the 35k it cost back in '08 I'd be very grateful.
earthvoice
#4 Posted : Saturday, April 16, 2011 3:06:41 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/29/2011
Posts: 257
Also looking to build in the near future, and it would be quite useful to know some of these contractors you refer to, if you don't mind, so we can shop around and get quotes too!
"All intelligent investing is value investing -- acquiring more than you are paying for. You must value the business in order to value the stock." - Charlie Munger.
MatataMingi
#5 Posted : Saturday, April 16, 2011 4:02:46 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 11/17/2009
Posts: 399
Location: Where everyone knows you
@ vj. Thanks for the info.

I am thinking of a standalone 3 bedroom bunglow. 2 floors plus a rooftop area. Are costs similar to apartments.

Further is it different depending on location. e.g Nairobi Vs Mombasa North coast .

Regards
SAC Cohen
#6 Posted : Monday, April 18, 2011 4:03:49 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/3/2011
Posts: 129
Location: Nairobi
Vj wrote:
Depends on what you are building and where. I'm a property developer and the contract prices for my current projects are as follows, the unit costs include external works like parking, swimming pool etc:

Luxury apartments and duplexes:48,450 (contract awarded march 2010)
Standard finish apartments:32,700 (contract awarded june 2010)
Standard finish apartments:32,000 (contract awarded march 2011)

It also depends on who the contractor is, for my latest project I got a mid-sized contractor and negotiated a better price than what i got last year from a bigger contractor.

I have an office block which is currently under tendering, so will know the price range for office blocks in around a week, though i paid around 35000 for an office block in 2008.


@Vj,
could give more infor. especially on the luxury apts... the reason i ask for more is that 48,450/- per sqm may mean different things in a 5mX5mroom, for example are all the rooms ensuite? and how many rooms? this i believe will give a clear est as opposded to a 5mX5m room with no extras e.g Bath but with high end finishing...
Pablo
#7 Posted : Monday, April 18, 2011 5:09:42 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 3/17/2008
Posts: 567
Location: Nairobi
Ati 35k ati 45k.
Just completing my 430SqM house in outskirts of Nairobi. Total building cost will not go beyond 15k per sqM. Finishings are moderate high. Wood block floors, MDF kitchen cabinets, normal polished tiles in 4 bathrooms.

See http://www.wazua.co.ke/f...aspx?g=posts&t=6075 where this this was discussed at length. U can inboxx me at pnganga at yahoo dot com.

SAC Cohen
#8 Posted : Monday, April 18, 2011 5:21:49 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/3/2011
Posts: 129
Location: Nairobi
Pablo wrote:
Ati 35k ati 45k.
Just completing my 430SqM house in outskirts of Nairobi. Total building cost will not go beyond 15k per sqM. Finishings are moderate high. Wood block floors, MDF kitchen cabinets, normal polished tiles in 4 bathrooms.

See http://www.wazua.co.ke/f...aspx?g=posts&t=6075 where this this was discussed at length. U can inboxx me at pnganga at yahoo dot com.


@Pablo,
If you were to cost your man hours, i.e. in the way of opportunity cost, how would you cost it?
Pablo
#9 Posted : Monday, April 18, 2011 5:44:36 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 3/17/2008
Posts: 567
Location: Nairobi
Being at the Site every saturday for the last 18 months. Say that is 72 - 80 days. say I estimate my time at even 20,000 per day thats only 1,600,000. Add that to the building cost @15k per SqM = 8.05M.
This still works out to 18,700/- per SqM. Where guys get 35k - 48k per SqM. I really dont know.

PS
Are you guys saying that a small 2Br hse of 90SqM will cost 3.5M - 4.5M to build???
SAC Cohen
#10 Posted : Monday, April 18, 2011 6:05:23 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/3/2011
Posts: 129
Location: Nairobi
Pablo wrote:
Being at the Site every saturday for the last 18 months. Say that is 72 - 80 days. say I estimate my time at even 20,000 per day thats only 1,600,000. Add that to the building cost @15k per SqM = 8.05M.
This still works out to 18,700/- per SqM. Where guys get 35k - 48k per SqM. I really dont know.

PS
Are you guys saying that a small 2Br hse of 90SqM will cost 3.5M - 4.5M to build???


Completed 8 3Br bungalows (110Sqm) at 21,543,180.20. Additional costs such as more driveway, professional costs and common areas were higher. This was self-build but the man hours obviously were much more. Initially had tendered but lowest bid came at 26.5m.

Something seriously wrong with our contracting system in Kenya.

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