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Cost of Building in Kenya

Estimates of the average cost of building a house in Kenya.

Updated on

January 19, 2024

The interiors of a house greatly influence building costs. PHOTO | FILE

The cost of building a house in Kenya varies depending on many factors such as the typography of land, size of the building and specification of materials among other basics.

However, it is possible to get an estimate of the amount needed for your house project by considering the square footage of your house, the type of the house, and the quality of finishes.

That being said, it is important to understand that the above aspects are quite general and can only give you a rough estimate of the total costs.

You will need to hire a quantity surveyor for accurate budget estimates. You can check with the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya for a list of quantity surveyors in the country.

Meanwhile, here’s how to obtain the average cost of building a house in Kenya.

1. Square Footage

Examine a newly constructed house that is similar to the one that you envision. Get the price of the house, subtract the cost of land and divide the amount by the size of the home.

For example, if the house is valued at Sh75 million and the land costs Sh45 million, then the construction cost is Sh30 million. If the home is 450 square metres, then the cost per square metre is around Sh66,700.

2. Quality of Finishes

The quality of finishes greatly determines the cost of building a house in Kenya. High-quality finishes significantly increase construction costs.

As of 2023, the average cost of construction in Kenya is about Sh41,600 per square metre for a modest dwelling in the city, while a high-end home costs Sh100,800 per square metre.

3. House 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 House

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.

Costs handbook

The Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya has developed a construction costs handbook for major urban centres based on recently completed projects in the respective areas. The costs, which are on a “per square metre” basis, can give you a more accurate estimate.

However, you will require the services of a quantity surveyor for budget estimates in the pre-contract stage as well as cost control and planning during construction.