@architect
I have acquired a property that i want to take up to either 4/5 floors (bed sitters). Problem is, the foundation was done with Y12 steel and part of it is already complete with 1 no two bedrom ground floor house.

How do i strengthen it before going up? Someone mensioned "Masonry Pillars" Which are as good as the Y16s

@A4Arch your website is having some malicious software

@bkismat, which antivirus r u using? sometimes kaspersky shows false positives from my site.

@muheani, Eng. Kalatta will easily sort your issues out.

@bkismat, it must be one of the many false positives from kaspersky. I will ask them to remove it from their servers.

@fakemoney, construction, like any other business, thrives on efficiency. There are building contractors who have invested heavily in knowledge,skill set, transport and machinery so as to be efficient to sell the construction service. If you are looking at the most efficent way to construct, careful selection of a building contractor for either labour based or full contract gives the best savings.

The pick up investment will be a step forward for you but for a seasoned contractor, he moved forward from the pickup step years ago into other factors for efficiency eg concrete mixers, formwork, skilled labour etc.

Using a hardware shop that already offers transport should be a better alternative for you.

Laxmanbhai contractors, for example, is the most efficient buildings contractor in kenya. He started out as a simple mason and built the Lenana School chapel in the late 1940s.

He continued to increase his efficiency till the current level where he is the best.

http://voicesofkenya.com...i-group-chairman-laxcon

If a developer is interested in maximum efficiency, this is the go to person. From this maximum efficiency, it comes down till the most inexperienced contractor so you can choose in between depending on your budget, expectations etc.
For small construction projects, you can look for super efficient fundis/foremen/labour contractors. Unfortunately, these super efficent foremen/fundis usually rise very fast into the next laxmanbhais so you need to get them before they rise.

Unless someone possesses super legendary management talents, its not possible to achieve any much savings/efficiency in construction if construction is not your every day activity.

@fakemoney, for small construction projects, the same efficiency concept applies. An experienced fundi/foreman will save you alot of money. An old car has overhead costs eg hiring a driver, huge repair costs, high fuel cost etc. The 200k cost will not pay back unless the car is used for several other projects.

I suggest you identify a good hardware shop that has already invested in a pickup/van/lorry if you want to save on transport cost. With such, you can negotiate to pay subsidised transport costs which will be equal to the cost you incur in buying the pickup, paying a driver and maintaining the car.

If you want to save more money, the experienced fundi/foreman will help you alot.

inbox me info@a4architect.com

Hi bwana @architect et al,

Whats the estimated/indicative cost of building 10 single rooms around Nairobi using reject Ndarugo machine cut stones?

Asante

Anyplace where off-plans available in Kenya, are listed? #goodmbiacharaidea

mimi si architect, but as we await @4architect response I can throw a few observations, I am in the process of finishing an underground water storage and a septic and coincidentally the hard solid rock at my site was from around 3 feet to around 15, it had to be chipped slowly till they were through with it.

I would advice you to plaster since your neighbors rock structure might be different, you might have a crack and plastering latter after the septic is in use will be a herculean task.

In my thinking if your fundi has done your house and it is still standing, I think it wouldn't be hard trusting him with the septic tank - but bado sijasikia septic iko na y16 or propped up by columns, I usually see guys huko shags holding slab ya choo with poles and those things last for a very long time, unless you plan to weka some heavy tanks on top of the septic I would just go with your fundi, but I might be wrong.