All you need to know before starting to build commercial spaces in Kenya – A complete builder’s guide from start to finish.
The Big Idea
Construction/Building. What comes to your mind when you hear this? Now, it’s 2023 there’s high inflation in the country. Fewer people want to have conversations surrounding this topic but consider my argument, when done right, one is guaranteed a good ROI. These are my two cents on the background information you need to get into construction today, specifically commercial. Why commercial construction? Because, in these harsh economic times, you need your money working for you. Profit generation.
However, one needs the proper foundation to ensure maximum capital gain and not another failure statistic; a commercial block/property with unoccupied spaces or that cannot withstand the test of time. Isn’t that a waste? So what do we need to know?
Before we get technical, primarily to design and build a successful commercial project, a developer needs a capable team and the ability to respond to their targeted user needs.
In your design team, the architect is the lead. They will take you through the process of design, county approvals and finally construction.
With the help of a professional team, you can subsequently consider the following factors :
Let’s delve deeper so as not to underwhelm you with the information above. When we discuss Resources, before embarking on any development, you need to be ready for the capital you will inject into the project. Nothing is free. Financing comes in different forms, bank/Sacco loans, personal money, Joint project ventures, etc. Regardless of the route you take, you need your house in order financially. Most of the time, the project always costs more than you anticipate. Therefore contracting a quantity surveyor will ensure that you have an almost accurate budget and are not in a financial crisis in the course of a project.
Legal works; This is a part of preliminary engagements. We are talking about a legal team to validate your title deeds and oversee the contracts you are signing. Land grabbing is not a foreign concept in Kenya, hence a no ‘brainer’ that corruption runs deep in our soil. No one, not even I, wants a construction process to be halted on account of stolen land by an injunction. Much worse, later on, your building is demolished for the same or other legal reasons. Thus, a land search is pivotal. Do not attempt to construct on land that has no verified title deed.
You will also need a design team to oversee the construction process from inception to completion, a step that many developers tend to overlook before or during construction on account of saving money. Listen, cheap is expensive. Consult the owners of the roughly 87 buildings that have collapsed over the past five years (Standard Media Group, 2022). Try not to misinterpret me, I’m not saying that the only reason why buildings are collapsing at an alarming rate in Kenya is the absence of professionals during construction. Before I digress too much when engaging with the necessary professionals, you are obliged to do so in a contractual manner that protects all parties involved, which again requires legal expertise. I can not, therefore, overemphasize the importance of this process
Location; Location, Location, can I repeat once more? Location. Judging by the number of times I’m repeating this, one can’t overlook it for the success of their commercial project. What’s important about it? Given that you want a return on investment, a suitable locale is detrimental to attracting the desired tenancy traffic. Where you purchase land is vital in providing a desirable location for a commercial building. Thus factors such as market trends, feasibility studies, availability of amenities, etc. are at play. Subsequently, you must realize that other lucrative business locations will emerge. A good case study in Nairobi is the migration of businesses from the CBD due to congestion, emerging insecurity, etc. to other newly re-zoned business districts such as Kilimani/Lavington. Hence, to be pertinent, one must consider place-making for a commercial building. Essentially put, the character and
spirit of the building (genius loci). Design an unforgettable user (targeted clientele) experience in your building.
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Building regulations and practices in Kenya; the building code regulates construction in any town/city in Kenya. However, not to instill fear in you, your Architect will give in-depth advice on this matter. Adhering to the building code will ensure that you will not put up your building in the riparian wayleaves. We comprehend that the river cannot move though the building will when the Law catches up; I shudder at the thought.
The Architecture; now I am more at home when I review the design process. Fundamentally speaking, you cannot put up a mundane building and not envisage a negative user response, a rebuff will occur. Case in point, we know of commercial buildings within the Upper Hill area of Nairobi that constantly remain unoccupied due to poor design, the details are a story for another day. Consequently, design is king for the triumph of your building. It is not only aesthetics but functionality. Aesthetics are exhibited in the interplay of different factors in interior and facade design; materiality, contextual-ism, sustainability, principles such as contrast, hierarchy, unity, proportion et al.
I additionally consider functionality to be a response to human factors. Create a design that will ensure user comfort through the mitigation of aspects such as parking (a critical provision in commercial development), thermal & acoustical comfort, spatial organization for experiential spaces, building automation & control systems ( HVAC, lighting, security, fire suppression systems), etc. The building should be smart and responsive to the commercial needs of today. These considerations will render it to be innovative and in tandem with emerging construction trends such as prefabrication, modular construction, and automated design & construction processes (BIM, AI, robotics, etc.) to ensure a finished product with high returns.
Building Management and Maintenance; this is a quintessential step to consider before construction. A management team will oversee the building’s operation and maintenance. The good news is there are architecture firms that consummate design-build and management services. After splurging your millions, you want to ensure that things are not falling apart for any reason. Such a situation will most definitely affect your desired clientele attraction. Prime property, high-end clients, high ROI, isn’t it a sweet deal?
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