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Elsek Construction
Kabird
#1 Posted : Friday, July 15, 2011 1:03:57 AM
Rank: New-farer


Joined: 2/6/2011
Posts: 60
Hello fellow wazuan..Have anyone seen units built or been on a construction site of this light steel construction company? They seem to be building houses of the future in Kenya.
mycool
#2 Posted : Friday, July 15, 2011 9:09:40 AM
Rank: Member


Joined: 4/30/2007
Posts: 92
Would also wish to know.I requested them for a quote and 2 weeks down the line,no reply.
lovely2010
#3 Posted : Friday, July 15, 2011 9:12:51 AM
Rank: Member


Joined: 10/25/2010
Posts: 519
Location: nairobi
Where r they located?
eco
#4 Posted : Friday, July 15, 2011 1:07:34 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 6/17/2011
Posts: 229
lovely2010 wrote:
Where r they located?


Have seen their house at Karen. Though it saves construction time, I didn't like the final product. With their prices, you can put up a better house with common materials http://www.elsekconstruction.com/contacts.htm
Sakangu
#5 Posted : Friday, July 15, 2011 4:08:41 PM
Rank: New-farer


Joined: 12/1/2010
Posts: 36
Location: Nairobi
Prefabs have tried to penetrate the Kenyan market for quite sometime, with little sucess, I attribute this to a couple of reasons

a.)The final product that lucks appeal, They may use crazy colors like light green, pink, yellow etc, but this worsens the look, they end up looking like doll houses. Some of the panels give an impression it is a wooden house, who wants to pay that much and live in a wooden house? I wouldn’t feel I really paid for what I got.
b.) Lack of designs (What Kenyans like if you look around). Kenyans love some flashy designs especially with the roofing. I have not seen any in their catalogue
c.)Security: Major concern, as much as they say they are fire proof, I don’t think its burglar proof. Consciously I wouldn’t want to live in a house that I don’t feel save, Brick and Mortar is most preferred

There are other types of houses, the Pre-cast, e.g. Superior homes Mombassa road, unfortunately they are very expensive, coz they use concrete and steel which guarantee security and the final products is okay, however they still luck the multiple designs, and they are limited to bungalows. Actually superior homes their maisonettes are constructed conventionally; Brick and Mortar

To Elsek and co, it good to introduce a new product, but it adds much value to align the product with the “locals” needs and taste. Lets not use lack of affordable housing as a reason, I can build a 3Br Mabati house within a week with less than 500K, including a nice floor, plywood in the inside and a nice paint Job.

For affordable housing all we need is goverment to help reduce the cost of contruction materials e.g. remove VAT on cement, steel etc.

eco
#6 Posted : Friday, July 15, 2011 5:39:53 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 6/17/2011
Posts: 229
@Sakangu I agree with you about the Prefabs. Those are Turkish designs, and though they may appeal to some, most people in Kenya have a different taste. Anything looking woodish for a wall, no thanks. Wood interiors, yes, all the time but can I have a whole quarry for my walls.

The concept of Satellite towns (Live, Work, Shop and Play) is catching up fast in Kenya [e.g. Superior Homes Msa Rd, Suraya's Fourways Junction Kiambu Rd among others]. Chiefly because of Security concerns, there is more appeal to such gated communities, yet with breathing space as each house is on a own piece of land.

The advice is, if you identify a reputable developer, jump in when they are selling such properties off-plan. When the concept is up and everybody is Waaao! Don't, you are too late. The dilemna lies in that, some of these developers are new in the country when they launch, and thus we have no back fall to dig out their histories. That is why buying concept on paper (and bushes on the site) is a huge risky undertaking, putting your 10% on the dotten line.

For-example, Superior Homes Msa Rd was selling at 3.2m and 3.8m in 2003 when they started for a 3 and 4 Bedroom respectively. This rose to 4.2m and 5m in 2007 respectively. If you want a house there today be ready to pay cool over 12m for a 3 bed bungalow. Reason, not because of rising steel and cement costs, but the concept now selling itself http://tinyurl.com/6fjca47 By the time they put up their 600th house, I wonder what will be the price.

So, risk big, jump in early for higher capital gains. Cheers.
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