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Building an apartment complex. Too good to be true?
VituVingiSana
#11 Posted : Thursday, March 12, 2020 9:15:02 AM
Rank: Chief

Joined: 1/3/2007
Posts: 18,371
Location: Nairobi
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
Can you get an occupancy certificate while construction is ongoing?

Vituvingisana,
This is Kenya. Whether you follow the rules or not. NCA and the County will always come for their pound of flesh. I am sure you have seen so many half finished apartment buildings fully occupied all over Kenya. At least I am going for all approvals. Others do not even bother.
Be careful. These guys can come down hard.
Greedy when others are fearful. Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase Warren Buffett
amorphous
#12 Posted : Thursday, March 12, 2020 10:26:35 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 5/15/2019
Posts: 687
Location: planet earth
VituVingiSana wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
Can you get an occupancy certificate while construction is ongoing?

Vituvingisana,
This is Kenya. Whether you follow the rules or not. NCA and the County will always come for their pound of flesh. I am sure you have seen so many half finished apartment buildings fully occupied all over Kenya. At least I am going for all approvals. Others do not even bother.
Be careful. These guys can come down hard.


Yes bro. Hawa watu ni majambazi. Last time I complied kapsaa with every jot and tittle in the law thinking niko safe. Wapi? First the County guys came and carted off my fundis saying reflectors were not proper size na kadhalika. Then NCA guys drove in at top speed and shut the site down a few months later saying foremen was not on a properly balanced scaffold and was thus endangering his life and the life of others as well. You simply cannot win against jambazis, as you know. If they come and say the keying on your wall is not 100% straight huwezi jibu kitu. You already know what they want na hawatoki mpaka ulipe ushuru ndio wajitegemee.
In the final analysis, it all boils down to sheer plain old hard work and dogged persistence. Nothing more, nothing less!!
webish
#13 Posted : Thursday, March 12, 2020 10:53:18 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 10/19/2009
Posts: 671
Location: Nairobi
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
Can you get an occupancy certificate while construction is ongoing?

Vituvingisana,
This is Kenya. Whether you follow the rules or not. NCA and the County will always come for their pound of flesh. I am sure you have seen so many half finished apartment buildings fully occupied all over Kenya. At least I am going for all approvals. Others do not even bother.
Be careful. These guys can come down hard.


Yes bro. Hawa watu ni majambazi. Last time I complied kapsaa with every jot and tittle in the law thinking niko safe. Wapi? First the County guys came and carted off my fundis saying reflectors were not proper size na kadhalika. Then NCA guys drove in at top speed and shut the site down a few months later saying foremen was not on a properly balanced scaffold and was thus endangering his life and the life of others as well. You simply cannot win against jambazis, as you know. If they come and say the keying on your wall is not 100% straight huwezi jibu kitu. You already know what they want na hawatoki mpaka ulipe ushuru ndio wajitegemee.


Woow!!
d'oh! d'oh! d'oh!

Life is joy, death is peace, but the transition is very difficult.
newfarer
#14 Posted : Thursday, March 12, 2020 1:24:31 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 3/19/2010
Posts: 3,505
Location: Uganda
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
Can you get an occupancy certificate while construction is ongoing?

Vituvingisana,
This is Kenya. Whether you follow the rules or not. NCA and the County will always come for their pound of flesh. I am sure you have seen so many half finished apartment buildings fully occupied all over Kenya. At least I am going for all approvals. Others do not even bother.
Be careful. These guys can come down hard.


Yes bro. Hawa watu ni majambazi. Last time I complied kapsaa with every jot and tittle in the law thinking niko safe. Wapi? First the County guys came and carted off my fundis saying reflectors were not proper size na kadhalika. Then NCA guys drove in at top speed and shut the site down a few months later saying foremen was not on a properly balanced scaffold and was thus endangering his life and the life of others as well. You simply cannot win against jambazis, as you know. If they come and say the keying on your wall is not 100% straight huwezi jibu kitu. You already know what they want na hawatoki mpaka ulipe ushuru ndio wajitegemee.

Sithole manenos
punda amecheka
Taurrus
#15 Posted : Thursday, March 12, 2020 6:28:12 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 8/25/2015
Posts: 839
Location: Kite
newfarer wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
Can you get an occupancy certificate while construction is ongoing?

Vituvingisana,
This is Kenya. Whether you follow the rules or not. NCA and the County will always come for their pound of flesh. I am sure you have seen so many half finished apartment buildings fully occupied all over Kenya. At least I am going for all approvals. Others do not even bother.
Be careful. These guys can come down hard.


Yes bro. Hawa watu ni majambazi. Last time I complied kapsaa with every jot and tittle in the law thinking niko safe. Wapi? First the County guys came and carted off my fundis saying reflectors were not proper size na kadhalika. Then NCA guys drove in at top speed and shut the site down a few months later saying foremen was not on a properly balanced scaffold and was thus endangering his life and the life of others as well. You simply cannot win against jambazis, as you know. If they come and say the keying on your wall is not 100% straight huwezi jibu kitu. You already know what they want na hawatoki mpaka ulipe ushuru ndio wajitegemee.

Sithole manenos

Such things don't happen where citizens are licensed to carry big Guns!
NewMoney
#16 Posted : Thursday, March 12, 2020 9:54:18 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 3/1/2019
Posts: 170
Location: Nairobi
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
Can you get an occupancy certificate while construction is ongoing?

Vituvingisana,
This is Kenya. Whether you follow the rules or not. NCA and the County will always come for their pound of flesh. I am sure you have seen so many half finished apartment buildings fully occupied all over Kenya. At least I am going for all approvals. Others do not even bother.
Be careful. These guys can come down hard.


Yes bro. Hawa watu ni majambazi. Last time I complied kapsaa with every jot and tittle in the law thinking niko safe. Wapi? First the County guys came and carted off my fundis saying reflectors were not proper size na kadhalika. Then NCA guys drove in at top speed and shut the site down a few months later saying foremen was not on a properly balanced scaffold and was thus endangering his life and the life of others as well. You simply cannot win against jambazis, as you know. If they come and say the keying on your wall is not 100% straight huwezi jibu kitu. You already know what they want na hawatoki mpaka ulipe ushuru ndio wajitegemee.


And this is why I will never get into real estate development... happy to pay the premium and get completed units and live my life peacefully... without having to engage in monkey business
amorphous
#17 Posted : Friday, March 13, 2020 12:26:50 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 5/15/2019
Posts: 687
Location: planet earth
NewMoney wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
amorphous wrote:
VituVingiSana wrote:
Can you get an occupancy certificate while construction is ongoing?

Vituvingisana,
This is Kenya. Whether you follow the rules or not. NCA and the County will always come for their pound of flesh. I am sure you have seen so many half finished apartment buildings fully occupied all over Kenya. At least I am going for all approvals. Others do not even bother.
Be careful. These guys can come down hard.


Yes bro. Hawa watu ni majambazi. Last time I complied kapsaa with every jot and tittle in the law thinking niko safe. Wapi? First the County guys came and carted off my fundis saying reflectors were not proper size na kadhalika. Then NCA guys drove in at top speed and shut the site down a few months later saying foremen was not on a properly balanced scaffold and was thus endangering his life and the life of others as well. You simply cannot win against jambazis, as you know. If they come and say the keying on your wall is not 100% straight huwezi jibu kitu. You already know what they want na hawatoki mpaka ulipe ushuru ndio wajitegemee.


And this is why I will never get into real estate development... happy to pay the premium and get completed units and live my life peacefully... without having to engage in monkey business


True but you will be paying double cost. My mistake was to refuse to pay the "upfront taxes" at the time of approvals as recommended by architect. Thats why they landed on me like a ton of bricks. Its like being stopped by a cop for no reason on the road. Will you stick to your super high moral principles and risk weekend ndani being munched by lice among beady eyed mahabusu or pay your due taxes and continue with your safari? This is Kenya, most people just want to avoid the inconvenience.
In the final analysis, it all boils down to sheer plain old hard work and dogged persistence. Nothing more, nothing less!!
FRM2011
#18 Posted : Friday, March 13, 2020 1:57:07 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 11/5/2010
Posts: 2,459
amorphous wrote:
Just got a quote from a contractor as follows:

Plot size necessary for apartments : 1/8th
Total plinth approx 1300 sqm
16 units of 2br @ 70 sqm each
construction period: 50 weeks
Total cost 15,600,000 meaning 12k per sqm!
Sad Sad Sad
Is this possible or am I dealing with a con company
The final design (wish I could upload) looks very nice!
In fact if this is true I want to get started immediately.


Our in-house architect @A4architect had covered this topic of costs exhaustively a while back.
His lower figure was 15K/sqm for basic finishes.
It is possible your guys aren't wrong.
amorphous
#19 Posted : Friday, March 13, 2020 5:14:09 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 5/15/2019
Posts: 687
Location: planet earth
FRM2011 wrote:
amorphous wrote:
Just got a quote from a contractor as follows:

Plot size necessary for apartments : 1/8th
Total plinth approx 1300 sqm
16 units of 2br @ 70 sqm each
construction period: 50 weeks
Total cost 15,600,000 meaning 12k per sqm!
Sad Sad Sad
Is this possible or am I dealing with a con company
The final design (wish I could upload) looks very nice!
In fact if this is true I want to get started immediately.


Our in-house architect @A4architect had covered this topic of costs exhaustively a while back.
His lower figure was 15K/sqm for basic finishes.
It is possible your guys aren't wrong.


15k and up per sqm makes more sense for extremely bare bones finishes. I was looking at medium level finishes thats why 12k per sqm is a ridiculous figure.
In the final analysis, it all boils down to sheer plain old hard work and dogged persistence. Nothing more, nothing less!!
amorphous
#20 Posted : Tuesday, March 24, 2020 7:04:52 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 5/15/2019
Posts: 687
Location: planet earth


A small question. How do these owners of multiple flats dispose their waste given sewer line is a myth in much of the suburbs of Nairobi? Ordinary septic? I would imagine that would need an exhauster almost every week ama? I hope they do not dump their waste on the streets or nearby rivers!
In the final analysis, it all boils down to sheer plain old hard work and dogged persistence. Nothing more, nothing less!!
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