Questions to Ask Before Starting Building A House in Kenya

Last Updated on 12/07/2022 by Steve Wanjie

Before building a house in Kenya, the questions you need to answer are here.

We’ve compiled a list of questions to ask yourself before you dive into your house construction project.

The following questions might help you build your perfect house:

  1. What kind of neighborhood do I want?
  2. What size of a house do I need?
  3. What kind of features are most important to me?
  4. How much am I willing to spend on my home?
  5. Do I have any specific requests for my new home (i.e., number of bedrooms)?
  6. Do you have a duly issued Land ownership title deed?
  7. Do you have the funds to complete building a house?
  8. Do you have your house building design approvals?
  9. Have you acquired the local government building permits?
  10. Have you acquired a construction insurance cover?
  11. Who will undertake the construction, you or a hired contract?
  12. If you have hired a contractor, do you have a legally binding contract?
  13. Do you understand your house building contract with the contractor you hired?
A Kenyan designed house plan

Why build your own house?

Building your own house is a dream for many people.

It is an excellent investment, and it can also be a gratifying experience.

Several advantages come with building your own house.

The first one is the satisfaction of being able to design the home exactly how you want it.

Then, you can make sure that everything is perfect how you want it to be, without any compromises.

Another advantage of building your own home is that you will not have to deal with any landlord.

The third advantage of building your own house is that it will not cost as much money as buying one from a developer or an estate agent.

The Importance of Planning Ahead

Planning is one of the most important things you can do to avoid problems.


We cannot predict every possible thing that might happen in our lives, but we can plan and prepare for the future.

For example, if you plan on buying a home, it’s best to start saving money now and have a down payment ready, so you don’t have to worry about it later.


You must carefully plan well with all the critical aspects of house building.

The finished product will reflect on the care you took during the planning stage and show if you were attentive.

How Should a House Building Project be Organized?

The organizational systems of building projects vary from one project to the next.

However, the most common organizational systems are linear and nonlinear systems.

Linear system:

 The linear system is the sequence of activities needed for a building project.

 The linear system is also called the sequential, serial, or step-by-step method.

Nonlinear system: 

The nonlinear system is similar to activities needed for a building project to be completed.

How to structure your house building project:

The following is a list of the essential components that you should include in a building project:

  • A brief introduction to the project, including its location and date of construction.
  • An overview of the design and construction process.
  • A list of all structures to build.
  • A list of all contractors involved in the project and their respective roles.
  • A list of any notable features or restrictions on the site.
  • organizational systems for construction projects

How to organize your house construction systems:

Construction projects are often challenging to manage, especially when the organization is lacking.

Although you should make sure that the project goes smoothly, it is necessary to have an organizational system in place.

One type of organizational system for construction projects is the Critical Path Method (CPM).

CPM divides the project into smaller tasks and ensures that these tasks get completed on time.

This way, you can avoid delays or disruptions in the construction process.

Questions to Ask Before Starting Building A House

Before you build a house, you’ll want to consider the following questions carefully.

This guide will help you determine the most important things to consider when building your new home.

1. What kind of neighborhood do I want?

A good neighborhood is an essential factor when deciding on building a house.

Therefore, you need to construct your home in an area that matches your status.

You can’t build a house in an area without water, electricity, a hospital, a shopping center, a school, good roads, or gas.

So the first thing you need to do is to find out if these utilities are available in the area.

Then, if available, acquire the land for house construction.

House to choose a good neighborhood?

Choosing a good neighborhood is not easy. It all starts with understanding the factors that can affect your decision.

Neighborhood factors to consider:

  • Is the neighborhood close enough to your work?
  • What are the commute times like?
  • How much time do you want to spend in traffic every day?
  • What are the schools in the area like?
  • How much are homes in this area typically priced?

2. What size of a house do I need?

This question is by people looking to build, buy or rent a home.
The number of rooms determines the size of a house.

And the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and the size of each room.
How many people live in your house?
What are their ages?
Do you have any pets?
Do you need any extra space for hobbies or work?
Do you have a big family or a small family?
Do you want to live in an apartment with other families, or do you prefer to live alone in your own home?


Therefore, the size of your house depends on the number of people living in it.

For example, if you have a family of four, you’ll need a larger home with at least three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

3. What kind of features are most important to me?

Knowing what features you care about the most in a house is essential.

For example, do you want to live near a park? Or do you want your home to be close to a highway?

Therefore, it is best to spend some time thinking about what features are most important to you.

Location, size, and style are the three most important features to consider when building a house.

Location: 

The first thing to consider is the location. If you want your house to be close to a city, but not in it, you will need a lot of lands.

Size:

The next thing to consider is your house’s size. It would be best to consider how many people will live there and their needs.

You might want a bigger home with more bedrooms and bathrooms if you have many children.

Style:

Finally, think about the type of house that you want. Do you want an old-fashioned kind or something more modern?

It’s up to you!

4. How much am I willing to spend on my home?

The cost of building a house can vary depending on the size, location, and materials used.


There are many factors to consider when deciding how much you are willing to spend on building a house.

The cost of building a home can vary depending on the size, location, and materials used.


It is important to remember that many hidden costs aren’t in the initial estimate for your home.

For example, if you want to build a one-story house with an extra bedroom, it will be more expensive than if you tried to create a two-story home with three bedrooms.


In the end, it depends on your financial strength. What can you afford to spend on building your house?

5. Do I have any specific requests for my new home?

  • I am looking for a home that has four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
  • I also want to live in a house with a pool and a large kitchen.
  • It would be great if the kitchen was open to the living room and had an island.
  • I also want ample storage space so that I can organize my stuff.

6. Do you have a duly issued Land ownership title deed?

You need to have a Land ownership title deed to build a house.

If you don’t have a title deed, you won’t be able to build on the land.

If you do elect, you will bring it down in the future by force when the law catches up with you.


Hence make sure you have a genuine Kenyan title deed.

Unfortunately, there are many fake title deeds in Kenya, so be careful while purchasing land.

7. Do you have the funds to complete building a house?

Building a house can be an expensive venture.

However, if you have the funds to complete electing your home, there are a few things that you need to consider before you start construction.


Building a house is not just about buying the land and constructing it.

Other things need to be taken care of, such as the cost of construction, labor, permits, and licenses.


The funds for building a house can come from different sources like savings, loans from family or friends, mortgages, or even grants available through state agencies.

What are the costs of building loans?
The cost of building a house is not only the price of the land, but it also includes the cost of materials, labor, and other expenses.


The average costs for a house construction financing can vary depending on many factors.

  • The size and type of home you want to build will determine the cost.
  • Building costs are typically higher in more expensive areas such as Nairobi City or Kisumu city.
  • The quality of materials you choose can also affect your total building costs.

8. Do you have your house building design approvals?

The building approvals process is a set of guidelines that helps to ensure the safety and sustainability of a building.


Building approvals are not just necessary for new buildings, and they are also required for renovations and extensions to existing buildings.


The process typically begins with an application to the local council, which will then assess the application against the relevant guidelines to make a decision.


So what is the key to obtaining building approvals?

The key to obtaining building approvals is to work with an architect who understands the complexities of the approval process.

Architects are qualified and experienced professionals with a deep understanding of how to get approvals from different authorities.


Architects deeply understand the complexities of the approval process, which is why they are qualified and experienced professionals.

In addition, they know what it takes to get approvals from different authorities because they have experience in this area.


The critical requirements for obtaining building approvals are:
– A building permit application
– A development consent
– A council approval
– An occupancy permit

9. Have you acquired the local government building permits?

It would be best if you had permission from the local authorities to build a permanent structure.

Building permits are a requirement for all construction projects in Kenya.

The Department of Building Safety issues them.


A building permit is a document that authorizes a person or company to undertake construction work and sets out the requirements for carrying out that work.

The building permit is issued by an authorized municipal officer or other person designated by the local jurisdiction, such as the building department.


In some jurisdictions, a permit may be required to alter an existing structure or to move it from one location to another.

10. Have you acquired a construction insurance cover?

Construction insurance is a type of insurance that covers the construction site, the materials and equipment on site, and any workers on site.


Construction insurance can be broken down into three different types of coverage.

These are:
1) Contractual liability coverage
2) General liability coverage
3) Property damage coverage

11. Who will undertake the construction, you or a hired contractor?

Construction is a complicated process that takes time and money.

People who are not well-versed in construction may find it challenging to undertake the work on their own.


Hiring a contractor to do the work for you will often be more expensive than doing it yourself, but it can save you time and ensure quality work.

12. If you have hired a contractor, do you have a legally binding contract?

A legally binding contract is a document that outlines the terms and conditions of an agreement between two parties.

You can use it for many different purposes, such as hiring a builder or contractor to work on your home.

In summary:
What is a legally binding construction contract?


A legally binding construction contract is a document that outlines the terms and conditions of a project.

It is usually signed by the owner, the contractor, and the architect.


A construction contract should outline all of the following:

  • The scope of work
  • The estimated completion date
  • The budget
  • Payment terms
  • Project management responsibilities

13. Do you understand your house building contract with the contractor you hired?

The contract should include:
– the start date and end date of the project
– price
– payment schedule
– deadlines for when work must be completed by
– what happens if the contractor does not complete their duties by those deadlines
– details about what materials are being supplied by you and what materials are being supplied by the contractor.
– Details about what happens if there is an issue with completing the work within the agreed-upon timeframe
– Details about what happens if there is an issue with completing the work within the agreed-upon timeframe

Conclusion: Questions to Ask Before Starting Building A House 

Before you start building your dream house, there are some questions you need to ask yourself.

That way, you can better understand what the construction process entails and plan accordingly.

This article has included a list of questions before starting construction on your new home.

I hope you have found these questions and the accompanying details useful.

Thanks for your time.

How to build a house in Kenya

General Building Contractor. All that you need to know about builders is covered here.

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By Steve Wanjie

Steve Wanjie is a digital marketing specialist, SEO Expert, expert article writer, blogger, sex educationist, and businessman. He is the founder of Dijito Marketing and Laikipo.com. He works and lives in Nairobi Kenya.

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