Quick Building Cost Estimator for Any Project

Preparing financially for your upcoming construction project becomes more manageable with a preliminary grasp on the expected costs of your new house.

Quite often, the easiest way to estimate building costs is by using tools like a building cost estimator, also known as a house construction cost calculator.

However, this guide will help you calculate and plan for the expenses associated with your construction project, even without a building estimation calculator.

Here is how to estimate your building costs.

1. Count the square footage

Look at new houses that are similar to the ones you envision. Get the price of the house, subtract the price of the land, and divide that amount by the square footage of the home.

If the house is worth Sh50m and the land costs Sh25m, then the construction cost is Sh25m. If the home is 450 square metres, then the cost per square metre is about Sh55,500.

2. Consider the finishes

Note that high-quality finishes significantly increase building costs. A modest house in Nairobi goes for about Sh30,000 to Sh45,000 per square metre – with a high-end one going for about Sh50,000 to Sh80,000 per square metre.

RELATED: The Average Cost of Building a House in Kenya

3. Interior features

The internal and external features of a house are key determinants of building costs.

Reducing the size and number of windows, for example, can lower your building costs while using vaulted ceilings and high roof pitches can greatly increase your costs.

4.) Size of the home

The size of a house is also an important consideration since the building cost per square metre is often higher for a smaller home compared to a larger home.

This is because, when putting up a bigger house, the cost of pricey items such as a bathroom or kitchen is distributed over more square footage.

5.) Geographical location

The geographical location of a plot determines the overall cost of construction.

For example, the cost of building a 3-bedroom house in rural Kenya is about Sh1.7 million – depending on the quality of finishes – compared to about Sh4.4 million in Nairobi.

This is due to relatively cheaper costs of labour in rural areas as well as the availability of cheap locally available materials such as stones and sand.

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Construction cost estimate formula

A step-by-step method to calculate how much it will cost to build your house in Kenya.

Total cost = Buildup area x Approximate cost per sq. ft.

Example: 1,000 x Sh4,500 = Sh20.25m

Amount of cement required = Buildup area x 0.4

Example: 1,000 x 0.4 = 400 bags of cement

Amount of sand required = Buildup area x 0.816

Example: 1,000 x 0.816 = 816 tonnes of sand

Amount of aggregate required = Buildup area x 0.608

Example: 1,000 x 0.608 = 608 tonnes of aggregate

Amount of steel required = Buildup area x 4

Example: 1,000 x 4 = 4,000 kilos of steel

Amount of paint required = Buildup area x 0.18

Example: 1,000 x 0.18 = 180 litres of paint

Number of bricks required = Buildup area x 8

Example: 1,000 x 8 = 8,000 pieces of bricks

Editor’s Note: Consult a quantity surveyor for accurate budget estimates in the pre-contract stage, and for cost control and planning during construction.

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