Choose your curtains wisely

Curtains!!!!

Posted By: Designer Mjanja Blog on 5th of December 2012

Never underestimate the power of a new pair of curtains. Not only will they give your home a fresh new look, they’ll also keep it lovely and toasty. But good curtains don’t come cheap so it’s worth doing a bit of research before you hit the shops. Which fabric to choose? Look for good quality, heavyweight fabrics like linen blends or cottons. Over time, cheap material may go shiny. If custom making curtains always be generous with the fabric, nothing looks worse than skimpy curtains. Linings are almost as important as the curtain fabric. A quality lining will give budget materials a longer lease of life. Choose thermal lining to keep out the chill in a draughty room, or interlining which provides an extra layer of padding to make curtains super-thick and cozy. For kids’ bedrooms, blackout lining should hopefully ensure a good night’s sleep for them - and you! Latest looks Current trends are veering away from fussy swags and flounces towards a more tailored approach. Curtains Hung from a pole, eyelet styles produce a sleeker look than traditional pencil pleat curtains and there are no fiddly hooks or clips to worry about. Pelmets are also back in fashion. A flat pelmet covered in silk looks surprisingly contemporary, just the thing for a formal dining room. Long or short? Whether you choose sill length or floor length curtains is really a matter of personal taste, although floor length styles do have a more luxurious feel. Sill-length drapes cost less, and are popular in bathrooms and kitchens. They also make a practical choice above radiators to allow heat to circulate. Plain or patterned? Take a good look at your scheme before deciding on a pattern. Too many different designs can create a busy, distracting effect. For a relaxed ambiance  opt for either patterned curtains with plain walls, or vice-versa. You can always dress up plain curtains with beautiful beaded tie backs or colored glass poles. Other Tips.. When buying a curtain pole, allow for it to extend beyond the window at either side by 10-20cm so that curtains can be drawn right back. Grubby net curtains are never a good look. Update your windows with panels of delicately patterned white voile (sheer). Vertical striped curtains trick the eye into making a ceiling appear taller - perfect for a small room. For more information and insight on interior decor, construction and handymen contacts, please visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

Alternative Technologies part 2

Posted By: Fundi Mfalme on 26th of November 2012

Stabilized Soil Blocks Interlocking Stabilized soil blocks are walling blocks made from compressed soil. They are just as hard and as water-proof as stone. Stone is made when soil is compressed by forces of nature while the Interlocking Stabilized Soil blocks are made when the soil is artificially compressed. Interlocking Stabilized soil blocks are artificially compressed using either a manual or diesel-operated pressing machine to a pressure of between 20 to 40 Kg/cm2. While making compressed soil blocks is labor intensive, they can significantly reduce the costs involved in building a house, outbuildings, fences, garden walls, etc. If soil consisting of clay, caliche & silt is available at the building site, admixtures can be omitted, thus the only cost involved in producing compressed soil blocks is the block press and the time invested by the builder. This might be a disadvantage to most builders interested in say one house as the cost of procuring the machine is high. It therefore comes as an option to hire the machine for production of enough blocks for your project, invest in the machine and hire it out to other builders or buy readymade blocks. Stabilized Soil Block Press Technical Data Typical Compression force 80-100 kN Weight 130 Kg Typical daily production with 4 workers 400-500 blocks Technical Specifications of Stabilized Soil Blocks Weight 5kg Size 290mm x 140mm x 115mm Number of Blocks per bag of cement 100-150 blocks Recommended wet curing period 7 days Minimum dry compressive strength 2.5 N/mm² Maximum wet compressive strength 1.5 N/mm² Maximum water absorption (after 28 days) 15% Blocks are ready for use after 14 days Cement to Soil ratio will vary according to soil type and should be determined by testing the soil for shrinkage. This can be done quickly & easily using a special shrinkage box supplied with the Block Press. Please note that heavily clay soils, where shrinkage exceeds 40mm, the soil may require further stabilization with sand. Shrinkage Less than 12mm 12 – 23mm 24 – 39mm Cement to Soil Ratio 1:18 1:16 1:14 Approximate no of blocks 150 120 100 COST BREAKDOWN. Assuming an average price of KES 750 for a 50kg bag of cement, and KES 350 to 400 for unskilled labour per day, the cost of producing 1 meter squared is as below: CEMENT-KES 7 per brick LABOUR to manufacture brick-KES 4 per brick LABOUR to make wall-assuming 1 fundi and 1 assistant at a total of KES 1,100 per day with a minimum of 500 bricks per day.-KES 0.4 per brick. TOTAL=KES 11.4 per brick. 1 M2 of walling will have an average of 33 bricks. Four workers using a heavy duty manual press can produce 500 rock hard building blocks a day, compacting a soil/cement mixture under high mechanical pressure. The press is adjustable for use with almost any soil type and just 1 bag of cement makes over 100 bricks. Blocks can be sold profitably to build walls at half the cost of the concrete block or stone walls. The blocks will not need mortar during construction as they are inter-locked one to the other in subsequent succession. This will not only guarantee straight and true walls but increase in the speed of construction as well. The downside is that their structural strength will depend hugely on the persons who made them. This therefore does require expert attention during production to guarantee consistency in strength and quality of the blocks. In Nairobi and its environs, since there are large construction projects requiring deep foundation excavations, soil can be delivered to the site for free since the large building owners are required to dump the soil in far away located approved council dumping sites hence more convenient for them to deliver to a nearby site. Stabilized soil blocks eliminate the need for joining cement mortar in between the blocks. It also eliminates the need for plaster. It’s however recommended to paint it externally using water-proof varnish to make it more water –resistant. Specific sections can be painted using contrasting colors to create creative interior wall patterns. The walls though can still be plastered and painted. Advantages of Stabilized Soil Blocks • Soil is available in large quantities in most regions. • Cheap and affordable - in most parts of the world soil is easily accessible to low-income groups. In some locations it is the only material available. • Ease of use - usually no specialized equipment is required. • Suitable as a construction material for most parts of the building. • Fire resistant - non-combustible with excellent fire resistance properties. • Beneficial climatic performance in most regions due to its high thermal capacity, low thermal conductivity and porosity, thus it can moderate extreme outdoor temperatures and maintain a satisfactory internal temperature balance. • Low energy input in processing and handling soil - only about 1% of the energy required to manufacture and process the same volume of cement concrete. This aspect was investigated by the Desert Architecture Unit which has discovered that the energy needed to manufacture and process one cubic metre of soil is about 36 MJ (10 kwh), while that required for the manufacture of the same volume of concrete is about 3000 MJ (833 kwh). Similar findings were also reported by Habitat (UNCHS), Technical Note No. 12 comparing adobe with fired clay bricks. • Environmental appropriateness - the use of this almost unlimited resource in its natural state involves no pollution and negligible energy consumption thus further benefiting the environment by saving biomass fuel. Disadvantages of Stabilized Soil Blocks • Reduced durability - if not regularly maintained and properly protected, particularly in areas affected by medium to high rainfall. • Low tensile strength - poor resistance to bending moments, to be used only in compression e.g. bearing walls, domes and vaults. • Low resistance to abrasion and impact - if not sufficiently reinforced or protected. • Low acceptability amongst most social groups - considered by many to be a second class and generally inferior building material. Source Compressed Stabilized Soil Blocks Source Makiga Engineering Source a4architect For more information on the construction industry, handyman contacts and other insights, please visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

The Kenyan construction paradox

Posted By: Fundi Mjanja on 23rd of November 2012

Njenga is a distinguished accountant, competent in his work, liked by his colleagues and cares for his family. He works in an auditing firm in the city and is a stickler to time and professionalism. He highly esteems professional advice and he will be found consulting with his children’s teachers on a regular basis so as to ensure that the next generation of the Njenga dynasty can have a solid footing on life. Njenga also belongs to several investment clubs where through meticulous planning and consultations with financial experts, he and his buddies have accumulated sizeable tracts of land in upcoming satellite towns of the ever expanding Nairobi metropolis. Why, pray tell, do we find Njenga shouting his lungs hoarse in an unfinished building on one of his plots in the outskirts of the city on this bright sunny Saturday morning? To answer this question perhaps you should allow me to take you back to the genesis of Njenga the building contractor. Njenga always harboured the dream of becoming a real estate magnate in the city and during his early years as an accounts student, when money was less and he was struggling in college, he worked as a casual labourer in a construction site in downtown Nairobi. Within a few weeks, his enthusiasm for work and his book keeping skills earned him the position of the store keeper at the site. With the position he could afford the opportunity to walk around the site with the site foreman and see the different trade’s workmen at work in diverse trades like plumbing, masonry, electrical installation etc. He kept his store keeper position until the project was completed and by then he had managed to secure a position as an intern in a firm, a position that catapulted him to becoming a much sought after accountant. During his training and work at the site, he was neither an apprentice in any of the diverse building trades like carpentry, painting, masonry nor did he ever have any formal training in the more professional aspects of construction like architecture, draughtsmanship, estimation & costing, surveying or project management. The closest he got to construction know how was the few months he spent as a casual labourer and book keeper at the construction site. Within a few years of working as an accountant, Njenga managed to save enough money through a Sacco and qualified for a loan that enabled him acquire his first piece of land. He got further funding from the banks when both he and his wife applied for loans that allowed them to put up a block of flats. Armed with the exposure he got from the construction site, the funds and zeal to get rich, Njenga was now his own building contractor. Actually, not only was he the client but he was also the chief designer of the building having copied the designs from a brochure of a leading real estate company in the city. He only edited the designs to suit his needs. This was fairly easy for him; after all what one needs is a computer and creativity to design a house, or so he thought. This was after he failed to see eye to eye with a young architect he had hired. He felt that professionals in the industry were over paid and too theoretical in their approach to construction. After all everyone knows that actual construction happens in dusty and noisy sites and not in posh upmarket offices where the architects work, right? Njenga being a practical guy, who knows that if you want a job done well, you need to do it yourself, chose to double up as the procurement manager and paid for all the materials used at the site. This ensured that he could control costs at the site as well as ensure that pilferage was minimal. He therefore did the project on his own terms. He got one of his relatives from the village to be his foreman and point man at the site. He refused to engage a building contractor ignoring the advice of the architect. Njenga felt that this was an unnecessary cost that he could avoid. His building plans were not done by an architect and therefore not approved by the local council; he could easily get away with this, after all only large companies with money to splash engage architects and have approved drawings. The local council was after all understaffed and they did not have enough building inspectors to inspect all the construction projects in the area. If the worst came to the worst and being the practical street smart guy that he was, he could pay a small bribe to the building inspectors to look the other way. Njenga figured that the savings from not engaging professionals in his project would herald his entry into the world of real estate. The flip side of all this is that Njenga would dutifully follow the advice of other professionals. If by chance any member of his family fell sick and after consultation with the doctor, the specialist scribbled a few illegible words as prescription, like all good doctors do, he would rush to the nearest chemist and purchase the drugs. He would trust the pharmacist to dispense the right drugs, as well as the instructions concerning the times for taking the drugs. He would neither haggle about the price of the drugs nor would he consult a friend of who had suffered a similar ailment and copy his prescription. He would also not Google the illness and download a prescription from the search results. He would also expect his clients to unquestioningly follow the advice that he would regularly dispense to them as part of his duties as an accountant. He would also expect his children to devotedly complete the assignments given to them by their teachers who are professionals in preparation for exams. The fact is; advice from construction professionals in Kenya is the most disregarded counsel available. Heck, advice from self styled television soccer analysts who show up on the T.V. screen during half time to tell us the obvious and sorcerers treating all manner of maladies; from cancer to winning elections are sadly, taken more seriously. Most collapsed buildings in Kenya have one thing in common. The client is usually the contractor. The typical Kenyan would rather cut corners when constructing his house so as to save some money at the expense of safety of the occupants, durability of the structure and cost of later repairs. And this is the reason as to why we find Njenga the accountant barking orders to his workers at the construction site on this bright and sunny Saturday morning. Any person with inadequate construction training who contracts himself to build his house so as save on cost, has a fool for a client. Till next time, keep well and keep safe. Fundi Mjanja.

Evolution of built environment- who is who.

Posted By: Nyumba Imara on 16th of November 2012

The history of development of housing facilities reveals that man has been moulding his environment throughout the ages for more comfortable living. It all started in caves in pre- historic times and later developed to traditional dwellings such as huts and villages. A lot of evolution has happened since the first simple structures were erected by gradually adopting industrial methods and techniques. Modern dwelling has thus been established. I am going to go deeper and highlight the team that takes part to put up a modern dwelling. This is the building team. Client- He/she is the building owner, the employer and the project financier. He can be an individual, private company, local authority or government. Architect- He/ she is engaged by client and translates the needs into drawings and plans, gives advice and ensures that project is kept within cost and complexity of design, approves workmanship and quality of material used by contractor. Being the leader of design team, he may therefore consult other professionals -Structural/ Electrical/Mechanical engineer, Quantity surveyor depending on nature of project. Quantity surveyor- Engaged in preparing bill of quantities (BQ), checking tenders and preparing interim valuations. He gives preliminary advice, approximate estimate and advises client on expected total expenditure. Structural engineer- Employed by client as a consultant under recommendation of architect... Offers advice to architect to enable selection of most efficient, economic and stable structure to be used in a particular situation. He is responsible for structural stability of the building. Clerk of works- Normally employed on large contract as architect’s representative on site. He checks drawings, BQ and other contract document. He inspects workmanship but has no authority to instruct. Site agent – Employed in large projects and represents engineer on site. Contractor- Responsible with construction work and is engaged by client on advice of architect. He employs supervisor/ foreman, masons, stone dressers, carpenters, steel fixers, plumbers and laborers to do actual construction work. He owns machinery to carry out work efficiently. Sub- contractor- These are suppliers of materials and services or any contractor who is given mandate to do specific work eg. electrical work, under recommendation of client. With changing technology, each member of building team need ) to adapt with time and embrace new techniques which are efficient, effective and economical. Evolution of built environment goes on.

For more insights into the construction industry please visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

Alternative Technologies in construction

Alternative Technologies part 1

Posted By: Fundi Mfalme on 16th of November 2012

This week let’s start with conveying our deepest heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the slain police officers in Samburu. It makes us a laughing stalk as a country to send our defense forces to Somalia and send our police to their untimely deaths. That the government is silent on the issue and the police would not accept responsibility for the mistake is wanting. How can you send 20yr olds into an operation straight from training with absolutely no real life experience? And that each had only 20 bullets in a forest? With no tactical information, no aerial support? If you looking for more than 100 cattle why can’t you deploy a helicopter to spot the rascals and launch an attack? Why would it take 3 days to get the bodies of the police? In as much as we hate the police at times...we need to stand by them at this moment and say someone needs to take responsibility. We cannot cast blame on Politics here. This was a security situation that went horribly wrong because too many assumptions were made. Last week we penned off considering options to cut down the cost of construction. That brought us to the topic of alternative construction technologies. By alternative, it does not mean a replacement of the existing options but having other options that compliments or improves on the short comings of the previous. Africa at large has seen a great adoption of alternative construction technologies over time which has been meant to improve on what we had. From traditional Makuti houses, we went to mud walled houses with thatched roofs. This in essence is very similar structurally to certain technologies we will see. From mud walled houses, we developed to brick walled houses we developing to applying cement/sand plaster to resist the elements. This was then followed with brick walled houses with the joining compound being either cement/sand mortar or clay. Here cost played a crucial determinant role as people then and now still are skeptical spending too much on construction costs. The brick walled houses have been the longest in terms of a single technology with bricks being replaced with concrete blocks, stones depending on the construction costs and size of the project. All this still seem not fail providing certain issues to a construction project. Do not get me wrong, they are great technologies and I will not purport to offer a perfect solution, but people keep on coming up with technologies that meet the shortcomings of the previous ones, though said technologies too will have their own slight shortcomings. First we will start with Light Gauge Steel Construction, a technology for which am well versed and would gladly recommend. This is also one of the latest entrants into the Kenyan markets with only one company offering complete construction. Few other companies will offer trusses or just the structural element of a building. Light gauge steel construction is a technology widely used in the United States, Russia, United Arab Emirates, England, New Zealand, Canada among other places. It realistically adopts from our traditional mud houses with sticks. The company will take your architectural drawings and make a structural design out of. The design shall incorporate every element of construction including loads i.e. seismic loads, live loads, snow loads, wind loads etc depending on the location for the proposed construction. The structural design will also be done according to the region’s design code. From the design part, the file is sent to a machine that will from C sections out or steel coils of thickness between 0.75-1.15mm depending on the design. The machine will make braces, studs plates labeling each piece, punching screw holes as required, service holes etc. The sections are then assembled to together with ease and precision using power driven impact drivers with screws having special heads hence erasing the possibility of someone unscrewing. The individual sections are assembled to panels and the panels make the walls. The walls will then be clad using Magnesium Oxide Boards and the client has the option of either sound and/or thermal insulation added within the walls depending on the budget. The electrical and plumbing conduits pass within the walls giving great finishes and simplicity in working. Since the whole construction is done with steel, the finished construction will have very straight and true walls and amazing finishes with clients being spoilt for choice in terms of what finishes they want. The same process applies to the trusses. The roof covering can still have any material from normal mabati to clay tiles. With the whole process automated, the main advantages of the technology are speed, accuracy, and cost. Its automation process eliminates errors considerably with the accuracy of the final project to the architectural drawings being 99%. The construction time is reduced to less than half with a 40sqm house being done in record 45days. The structure has a basic shell life of 75+ years a cost that is comparable to conventional. The advantages of the technology are; Speed: Up to 50% FASTER than conventional construction Affordable: Competitive with conventional construction rates and with lower costs of labor, less waste superior completion times, generates a rapid return on capital invested www.fundimjanja.com Safe: Precision software accounts for natural elements like wind speed, seismic category, floor load, roof load, soil bearing pressure to provide you with a safe, code compliant structure that gives you peace of mind Eco-friendly: Less than 1% waste, no chemical treatments, protecting our forests Non-combustible: LGS does not burn or contribute to spread of fires Consistent: Accurate to +/- 0.5mm on frame production African Experienced: Ability to leverage best practices from sister countries Quality: And affordable raw materials The choice of finishes and colors is the clients, the foundation is same as always. This is an option to replace the traditional walling system and the heavy reliance on timber for trusses. It is also a system that takes care of our problems with steel recycling and offering a solution that is wholly recyclable but better than current. With a home with better fire resistance properties, better sound insulation, better thermal insulation, being done in half the term but still better structural design, it is an amazing option for the Kenyan construction industry. Source TechnoConstruct Africa Source suishousing.com For further insights in construction please visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

Learn to delegate your construction project

Posted By: Fundi Mjanja on 15th of November 2012

“So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.” King Solomon is often famed as the wisest man who ever walked on the earth. Apart from writing proverbs, maintaining more wives than King Mswati, and having wealth that could make the rich oil princes of the Middle East blush; the verse above has a couple of observations that can be applied to the building and construction industry in Kenya. Solomon chose to look for quality building materials before embarking on his project. Of course it can be argued that he was a rich spoilt king and therefore could afford to buy quality materials. If you are like me and consider yourself street smart like we all do; you might confuse “quality” with “expensive”. But allow me to school you. In the construction industry, cheap is actually expensive. You will require more of cheap paint per square meter than quality paint. Therefore, using quality paint will save you more in terms of labor and transport. Quality paint will also last longer before peeling off and that means fewer costs on later repairs and renovations. We now even have exterior paint that is guaranteed by the manufacturer to last up to 15 years. No wonder Solomon was wealthy; he understood that anything cheap; from education to building materials was expensive in the long run. King Solomon knew the importance of team work in a project. Construction projects are complex human activities and cooperation and camaraderie is of vital importance. He was smart enough to realize that he had to involve lowly fundi’s, casual workers and seemingly shifty material suppliers, in order to construct an opulent temple. The Kenyan construction client must have a paradigm shift from looking down upon blue collar workers who earn their wages from construction sites. They are a vital cogs in our economy and they are the unsung heroes of many a skyscraper. Amongst the lowly K.Y.M. colloquially referred to as “kanda ya moko” or “mtu wa mkono”, are some of the most good natured, honest and hardworking Kenyans alive. They are happy and grateful for every day that they are engaged on site because it means a meal for them and their dependents  The construction site is an environmental devoid of tribalism and political affiliation and the primary concern of the workers is the accomplishment of the day’s tasks and of course, earning the daily bread. The client must ensure that his workers and material suppliers are treated with respect. The client should also strive ensure that everyone who works on site is paid on time. The fact is, without the casual workers and fundis at the site your dream home will never be completed. Without material suppliers it will be impossible for the client to traverse Njiru and Kiserian for foundation stones, Juja for machine cut stones, Emali for sand, Athi River for ballast and Ruiru for steel and clay tiles whilst maintaining a white collar day job! Last and most importantly, Solomon knew the importance of delegating construction duties to someone else. It can be argued that Solomon had to delegate so as to make time for his large family of 700 wives, but in today’s world also, there is so much to do and so little time. From office work to evening classes, we are all in mad rush to complete the daily activities and still stay sane. Thus, delegating is just as important today as it was in the ancient days. For the carpentry work he used the Sidonians. I ‘am pretty sure that for masonry he used another skilled group, same for stone dressing, metal work, iron mongery and the like. He was wise enough to realize that it was fool hardy to attempt to do everything on his own. This is why he engaged a contractor whom he chooses to pay instead of dealing with the hundreds of workmen who would be involved at the site. This is a smart move and here is why. By having a contractor you will have less financial transactions as you will most likely pay lump sum amounts as per the contract. This means that instead of paying 500/= to 20 people for 5 working days each; 30,000/= to the sand supplier and 13,080 to the hardware for cement, nails etc; you pay one contractor an agreed amount at a specified time and for measured work. This saves you money by avoiding multiple financial transactions and of course time. It allowed Solomon to pursue his other talents like writing proverbs and also prepare the script for timeless soap known as “The Song of Songs”. Some constructions clients are so afraid of delegating projects to more competent persons in the mistaken belief that they is saving money by doing things on their own. They prefer to split payments into small bits and pieces doling out the cash agonizingly and at times only at the threat of personal harm. This is very sad indeed and needs to change. They also unwittingly put themselves in harm’s way because if say a client pays all his workers and suppliers on Saturday as is the norm in many sites, word will go round and the client may be way laid by robbers on his way to site. It is wiser to pay a contractor in one payment by cheque or bank transfer and thus minimize the risk of handling cash. A contractor will normally have ways of paying his suppliers and workers that will not be as obvious as the client, strolling to the bank on Saturday morning, withdrawing a large amount of money and bringing the cash to site on Saturday afternoon in the company of his kids. Solomon in his wisdom saw the need of using quality materials and delegating his building construction project to competent professionals and skilled artisans. Wouldn't it be wise for us borrow a leaf? For more information on construction, professionals and handymen, please visit our full sight at www.fundimjanja.com. Till next time, keep well and keep safe. Fundi Mjanja.

How to use Orange to warm your Home

Posted By: Designer Mjanja Blog on 7th of November 2012

Your home can always use a shot of warmth, right? Consider using orange in your home. While it reminds us of pumpkins and falling leaves, it looks good in your home year around. Orange has become the “IT” color on fashion runways, automobile interiors, and now home decor  Muted tones of orange, rust, and tangerine are in every magazine that you can get your hands on. See how orange can warm your decor and your mood by using it all around your home. Bring nature into your home: Fruits and vegetables make beautiful centerpieces, using oranges, pumpkins, and gourds. Changing leaves in oranges, rust, reds and yellows can make a welcome basket at your front door in your foyer. Decorative wreaths and orange inspired fall garlands around your front door will bring warmth to the exterior of your home as the weather starts to grow cooler. Add spice to your kitchen: Orange is often thought of as the bright, in your face color that is overbearing and loud. Any color can have a loud side and a soft side… and anywhere in between can lay the color for your home. In kitchens, orange can spark imagination on the kitchen cabinets, or can be used in accents in the back-splash  If you like a more subdued kitchen, keep the colors neutral and add accents of orange with lighting and seating.  Orange can evoke creativity: Orange makes your eyes and brain become active and creative. Use it in areas that you want to feel creative and energized to work. Home offices, craft rooms, and children’s playrooms are perfect! Use a darker pumpkin orange for areas that are more sophisticated and use a brighter tone in youthful play areas. Pair orange with hot pink for a funky girl’s room. For a boy’s room orange and black, blue or purple are classic athletic team colors that boys love. Bring the tropics in: Orange is associated with warm weather, the tropics and relaxing. If your home is tired of the cold weather, bring in orange and feel the warmth instantly. Window treatments, paint color and mix and match tropical fabrics on throw pillows will make you want to run and get your bathing suit! Pair orange with yellows, and blues in varying hues to bring the tropical islands to your home without leaving the comfort of your home. Make a statement: If you prefer bold and stylish, orange is your color.  Find a bold piece of furniture in a striking orange and see how it lifts the spirit of the entire room. Orange can be a focal point of a room and make the chore of decorating an entire room that much simpler. Add decorative pillows and an orange area rug to an all white couch. Your room will transform from stark and formal, to fun and comfortable. Orange in varying shades can spark energy, and comfort all in one room. Since orange encompasses red and yellow it borrows cues from each in creating warmth with a bit of spark. Used in small or large quantities, see how orange will make your guests envious and your family members happy. Celebrate the color orange in your home decor and see how the mood will change in your home for the better. For more insight on interior decor, construction advice and fundi contacts, visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

Project Management in construction

Posted By: Nyumba Imara on 26th of October 2012

Project management is the art of planning, organizing, securing and managing resources to bring about successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to bring about beneficial change or added value. The temporary nature of projects stands in contrast with business as usual operations which are repetitive, permanent or semi- permanent functional work to produce products or services. In practice, the management of these two systems is quite different and require the need to development of distinct technical skills and adoption of separate management. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all project goals and objectives in consideration of preconceived project constrains. Typical constrains are scope, time and budget. After design inception, the next step is to start construction work. A number of factors need to be considered when planning for work so as to achieve maximum productivity. A site supervisor must list the most important preliminaries before breaking site. Procurement of building materials, skilled and unskilled labor, water and necessary tools and equipment need to be given due consideration. Construction work can only start after all preliminaries have been taken care of. A good supervisor always keeps time for effective and efficient operations. Clocking on and off will ensure that labor constant is achieved. Labor constant is the time taken by an average worker working in average conditions to complete a unit of work. Practically as a site supervisor, I have noted that an hour delay in opening site can lead to substantial loss on an amount of work to be completed on a particular day. Allowances need to be made on break time, effects on bad weather, difficult working conditions, time spent receiving instructions, obtaining drawings and discussing procedures, delay in waiting key labor, materials and machinery, intermittent working and effects of long periods of long repetitive working. A well prepared budget goes a long way in ensuring that the project is completed. A quantity surveyor need to be engaged so as to prepare bill of quantities which will guide the client on an approximate cost of project. Bill of quantities is itemized list of each and every element of construction complete with prices. In a small project, a supervisor can act as an estimator with regard to similar projects he had successfully completed in the past. Depending on the scope of work, a project manager is engaged to oversee a project as he possesses skills in project management. He is essential in ensuring that the key issues of cost, time, quality and above all, client satisfaction can be realized. He uses technical computer applications to guide and check on work progress. For more insight on construction, materials and fundi and professional contacts, please visit our full site on www.fundimjanja.com

Choosing a home location

Posted By: Nyumba Imara on 30th of October 2012

I am seated on front veranda of a yet to be completed piece of architectural innovation, watching the construction crew returning from lunch break for the afternoon session. The struggle in my mind is huge; putting together content for next article. Ideas are scarce and collecting words together seems to be a challenge. The front view of the three- bedroom family house is awesome sloping gently towards lowland leafy with vegetation and acacia trees blending together with other tree species and raising gently to a public school and homesteads strewn far away to horizon. A weak buzz of traffic on a busy highway, birds chirping nearby as gentle afternoon breeze blows in my direction. This is an ideal location for any family house. A prospective home owner has to consider a number of factors when choosing and buying a piece of land to set up a family house. Listed below are some of the most important :- • Accessibility- The land should be served by at the very least, with an all weather road to ensure easy access all year round. • Security- An organised security set-up within the neighborhood is necessary for any home. A night guard can also be engaged for extra security. Back- ups from local police and private security providers is an added advantage. • Availability of water- Water is a necessary component during and after construction. Piped water, shallow well, borehole, stream or river are good sources of this precious commodity.. • Availability of building materials- The nearer the distance to source of materials, the cheaper the construction cost. However, only the best quality must be used for construction. • Nearness to amenities- A shopping center, church, school, bank to name but a few are ideal for provision of related services. • Availability of electricity. • Type of soil- Its more cost effective to build in red soil than in black cotton soil. • Local authority regulations- Land in around major towns and cities is leased by respective local authorities to residents for a period of time. This is an added cost above purchase price as one has to pay annual rates. Land in agricultural areas is freehold, meaning that it is totally owned by the holder of title deed. It is always advisable to ascertain the nature of land before any transaction. A search in the land registry is recommended. Notwithstanding, a good relationship with neighbors is vital for long-term peaceful co- existence. Dispute resolution mechanisms are necessary to sort out conflicts. To the prospective home owner, you will never go wrong if you make the right decision. For more insights on property and construction, handymen contacts near you, visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

Dont trust your Fundi so Much

Posted By: Blue Print Blog on 31st of October 2012

I understand, that putting up that house is not easy, especially with the rising cost of materials; prices nowadays soar by the hour. You buy steel at hardware at 9 am  you go back at 4 pm-same day same hardware - and the same steel costs slightly more..! Any time I hear songs like “bado mapambano...” or tunes like “Solidarity forever...” I know for sure the price of a building material is on target. Even M-pesa, which was my short cut of paying for materials and labor has been mopped in the Tax bracket, this is because I have to help calm the Teachers and Doctors nerves. Kenya Airways sang the same song recently, thank goodness their salaries are not paid by my tax, at least whoever the tune was addressed to opted for different approach to respond to their song before the end of the stanza 1, but that’s a story for another day. Anyone would wish to save or cut on costs, so that the saving would be carried to another element of construction. On site fundis purport to know short cuts to everything, he will brag of his many years of experience. How some of the specifications by the Engineer or Architect are unnecessary.Clients, many a time fall prey to this temptation and so end up ignoring or firing the Engineer so as to adopt the fundi’s design. I do not intend to display that Fundis are ignorant; I have to admit that I have learned a lot from them when it comes to construction methods, trust me they have hands on experience that’s worth learning. But this is not structural design! Like when he decides to change the class of concrete, or when he changes the reinforcement detail. Remember the Engineer designed the entire structure, not just a component of it! Get the difference; the fundi tells you what you want to hear, but the Engineer gives you the facts. You’d rather pay slightly more and have the Engineer supervise the work, than let the Fundi Compromise the structural integrity of the building. This is the reason many people are building towers of Babel which collapse even before their completion. If you built on black cotton soil, you undermined the strength of the reinforcement, you used a weaker class of concrete, the sand was dirty in concreting, the foundation stone was a yes a quarry stone but of the strength of a mud brick, simple things like the concrete was not cured! Yet, with all this concoction you are putting up a storey building! Surely you have no one to blame but yourself when your structure tumbles down or when the cracks you’ve sealed even with super glue still expand. My advise, please seek a second opinion before adopting your fundi’s advise, it may save the entire structure. Keep in mind that the day your dream house comes tumbling down, the fundi will be the first to take off if he survives the crash. In a court of law he will never be held responsible when the police, Kanjo, or the Ministry will be suing you. If he is a courteous Fundi at least he will offer apologies, but that’s the limit of his culpability. Not a coin More! Worse still, you have to continue paying the bank the loan you borrowed to erect the collapsed house. I hear the civil servants are composing another tune, oops I hope they’ll focus on other commodities outside construction this time round, when will an Engineer or Architect be appointed the Minister of Finance! For more insight on the construction industry, fundis and building materials, please visit our full site on www.fundimjanja.com

A million shilling question -To buy or to Build

Posted By: Blue Print Blog on 30th of October 2012

Buy or build is the first question every one desirous to own a home will deliberate on before settling on the means to owning a home. Whether to buy or build is dependent on many factors, one should weigh the options available to them so as to arrive at what will really work for them. Buy or build, either way there is a price to pay; the question though is which one are you willing to pay? Land is a determining factor, whether to buy or build, the house will have to sit on some land somewhere, so the 64 million dollar question is which one? Owning land in the city is such a tall order. First: there is scarcity of land in the city. Second; even you find a parcel to buy it’s still a big risk. You’re never so sure that the one purporting to be the owner is the real owner, or whether the land in question is “grabbed” land. Third; Even after due diligence in acquiring the piece land you’re always crossing fingers that no one will emerge from thin air to claim ownership of your treasured piece of this earth. There unscrupulous traders and corrupt officials at the Ministry of Lands. Incidents of land changing ownership without the real owner being involved are on the rise in our country. Then the issue of the government waking up one day to revoke the same title deeds they issued. Former Minister for Lands Minister once declared a Title deed as ‘ just a piece of paper’ after revoking title deeds. The drama of Syokimau demolitions is still fresh in our minds. Building has it’s own fair share of challenges and in many circumstances it’s convenient to buy and bypass the challenges of acquiring land and the hassles of building. These include; 1) Construction Supervision; Never easy, especially when you do not understand the trade, you’re very much disposed to be taken advantage of by your fundis. Then just like every other trade, construction has its jargon as well, if you do not understand it then you won’t interpret it. 2) Time: Building takes time, when you do not have the time build then it’s just convenient to buy a ready one. A good example is when a guy in “Majuuz” or is it diaspora need to acquire a home during their short visits in the country. This is what may work for them. 3) Most banks have mortgage facilities, which are all about financing acquisition of an already built one, very few banks finance the construction process, this factor predisposes many to the option of ‘buying’ rather than ‘building’. Building has it’s numerous advantages; 1) You have a say in what you want. Remember the one u bought was not your design! All you did was to fit in it. 2) If well managed, it’s far much cheaper to build than to buy. Property prices in Nairobi are exaggerated. Remember by the time you buy, you’ve loaded the profits of the land, the contractor, the developer and the interest of the bank. In most cases buying will cost you anything from 60%more to 300% more! It’s that crazy! Why accept to be exploited. Did you realize that by the time you are done paying the mortgage you have actually paid for two-and-a-half houses? Until the government caps the ceiling on interest charged on mortgages or any other loan, you are better of building or taking the construction loan. My conclusion; if it’s convenient to buy, good for you, but bear in mind you’ll be squeezed to the last penny! If you can, build yours! You will be shocked to realize the savings you will make.

For more insights regarding construction, handymen and materials, please visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

What is Interior Design

Posted By: Designer Mjanja Blog on 26th of October 2012

Interior designing is a process that can turn an interior (inside) space to an effective setting (environment) to be suitable of people's activities and functions. Interior designer An interior designer is a person who creates a solution of any interior space. Also he works on layout spaces of building and technical issues such as lighting, sounds, temperature (air ducts). Important things in interior designing include color balancing (matching colors), understanding how colors affect space and moods, knowledge of fabrics, building and electrical codes, styles and trends. The interior designer makes these steps to do a perfect job. >First step the designer must prepare: Feasibility (prospect) studies, space planning, check budget, design idea, finish selections, what the character of furniture, art is and accessory selection and placement, project management, move management. >Next the schematic (planning) design step is the following activities: Drawings and sketches (quick drawing) of proposed floor plans, details, elevations, and perspectives. Then the interior designer discusses all planes with the customer. The drawings most often made by interior designers, which is: floor plans, architectural details, electrical plans, ceiling plans, and furniture plans. Types >There are specific types of interior design and specializations. Some types of interior design are: residential design, commercial design, hospitality design, healthcare design, universal design, and spatial branding. Residential design The designer tries to help customers look after their needs at home, their personality, style and goals which make the home more comfortable. The designer should choose what the home needs, such as security and convenience. Commercial design Commercial interior designers design public spaces such as office buildings, community centers, museums, hotels, stores, warehouses, and libraries. In commercial design the designer have to create an environment that marries function and aesthetics. A commercial interior designer's work includes selecting paint colors, choosing artwork, accounting for acoustics and lighting, picking appropriate furniture, and placing all these together in the manner most appropriate to the venue. Hospitality design Hospitality designers design the places which have any relationship between guest and host such as hotels. This includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, resorts, membership clubs, conventions, special events, and other services for travelers and tourists. Healthcare design Healthcare design is related to hospitals and how to make a good space to make the patient and staff very comfortable. Healthcare designers are compared the evidence-based design with evidence-based medicine; that knowledge can help ensures that future healthcare facilities are built to improve clinical outcomes. In addition deeper understanding of the relationship between the built environment and quality of care will help ensure that healthcare facilities are designed to meet the diverse needs of patients, families, and staff. Universal design Universal design is the design for all people around the world and to creating environments and products those are usable by all people to the greatest extent possible.

For this and more insights please visit our full site on www.fundimjanja.com

Material management on Site

Posted By: Fundi Mfalme on 17th of October 2012

Continuing from our previous discussion, construction being a worthwhile investment, it is also perceived to be too costly and complicated for many people. This being the case, many thus opt to have the whole process delegated to contractors even for even small projects. Many a times the clients then see the cost of construction going way above the estimated costs and most of this projects end up stalling. Another unfortunate occurrence is the said contractors going for short cuts and undercutting the client by using low quantities of materials. This has the worst effect to the overall project as most structures will then be constructed poorly both aesthetically and structurally. Good project management in construction must vigorously pursue the efficient utilization of labor, material and equipment. Improvement of labor productivity should be a major and continual concern of those who are responsible for cost control of constructed facilities. Material handling, which includes procurement, inventory, shop fabrication and field servicing, requires special attention for cost reduction The challenge here therefore becomes getting the right work done at the right costs. Do not get me wrong, at times the estimates done might be higher or lower than the actual costs, but once you have the estimate it is a question of having the work done within that estimate. The lead role for optimizing quality and maintaining cost is the Clerk of Works on site who shall report directly to the Architect or the client. To achieve great results, the material, labor and equipment management must be above average and effective. This week we shall focus in material management on site. COMPONENTS OF MATERIAL MANAGEMENT ARE *Material estimation, budgeting, planning and programming *Scheduling, purchasing and procurement *Receiving and inspection *Inventory control, storage and warehousing *Material handling and transport *Waste management OBJECTIVES OF MATERIALS MANAGEMENT *Efficient materials planning *Buying or Purchasing *Procuring and receiving *Storing and inventory control *Supply and distribution of materials *Quality assurance *Good supplier and customer relationship *Improved departmental efficiency TIPS ON MATERIAL MANAGEMENT Order the amount/quantity of materials you need as accurately as possible; It is the responsibility of the C.o.W to inspect all materials delivered to the site prior to their being used in the work. It is desirable to perform inspection of materials or fabricated products prior to their delivery at site. E.g.: precast members. The C.o.W shall have rights to reject faulty material and have it removed from site. With respect to manufactured goods, the quality requirements should be specified in the purchase order. Ensure that deliveries are rejected if damaged or incomplete. Make sure storage areas are safe, secure and weatherproof (where required). The storage should also be done following the specifications of the manufacturer. Liquids should be stored away from drains, burns and in bundled areas to prevent pollution There should be an effective material usage flow from issuing of bids/tenders, awarding the supply contract, purchase delivery and consumption. This should avoid any lags in materials and should be well coordinated with the schedule of works for the overall project. As stated earlier a ‘just in time’ delivery should be optimized. It does not make sense to order cement on site while the foundations have not yet been dug nor the site cleared. It will also be cost effective to order in bulk and if you anticipate a price fluctuation, make the payment of the materials but do not ask for its delivery In conclusion, there should be a centralized material management team co-ordination between the site and the organization/client. Proper control, tracking and monitoring of the system is required. Awareness and accountability should also be created within the site. Projects employing proper material management system are seen to have increased their overall efficiency by 35%. For any querries and more insights, visit www.fundimjanja.com

Constructing your own home

Posted By: Fundi Mfalme on 5th of October 2012

Construction in Kenya has become one of the best investments for anyone to consider. Either commercial or residential property, it is an investment that has steadily been on the rise in terms of returns on investment. The value of land has skyrocketed with pieces of land that retailed for less than a million now going for twice or more than thrice the amount depending on location. As the city of Nairobi expands, many people are seeking to explore land in the outskirts and even up-country so as to invest in housing. This has seen these regions appreciate in the value of land and the cost of construction. Still, the country has more potential for investment in the building industry. As more people flood the industry to grab a piece of the pie, so have frauds and quacks. We have seen buildings collapse in equal measure as more are put up. Millions of people have also lost hope in doing a construction project of their own due to the fear of the cost and complexities involved in managing a construction project. As much, real estate in Kenya has thrived on these groups of people who would rather pay very high costs for a building than do it on their own. This concept, even though it does save one from dealing with Architects, Engineers and Contractors it does not however guarantee several important issues I would want addressed as a prospective buyer. For one, the client is not assured of the quality of workmanship in the project. Most of the buildings if not all are sold after complete finishes have been done. It therefore is so easy for a contractor to save on money in using shortcuts during construction and ‘conceal’ this with a great finish and an awesome paint. The client is also ‘forced’ to buy a package deal. Everyone has a preference of how their home should be designed and constructed. This preference however is not in the mind of every Architect but the one person. Buying a house will only come close to what you had in mind whereas constructing your own; you get exactly what you want as per your preferences. The final and biggest disadvantage in buying a house is cost. Though buying a house in Runda for instance gets you to an estate you could wanted, or close to a road you wanted, its cost could be greatly saved if you had done it yourself. The logic here is simple; I will buy a piece of land and put a house on it. When selling, I will mark-up not only the cost of the land and but that of the house as well. At the end at times people pay even double the cost of construction. Not in the interest of discouraging home buyers, we will go through a step by step process of constructing your own home. In Kenya, the project manager is always the Architect. This however, depending on the size of the project can change. The first step is therefore getting a reputable Architect or Architectural firm. This again will vary depending on the size of the project. The Architect will take the ideas in your mind and actualize them in terms of sketches and working drawings. Its best at this point to carry along images of buildings you have in mind or anything you believe will give the Architect(s) a clear understanding of your project requirements. This is called the brief. The Architect will then prepare working drawings and schematics (at an increased cost). The next project players will come in at this point. The Architect will get a Quantity Surveyor and a Structural Engineer (with your approval) to prepare a bills of quantities and/or materials and structural drawings for the project. All this would be dependent on the project size. For a small project, the Architect himself can give you material estimates. Another crucial stage is approvals. This can be processed by the Architect but the costs will be passed onto you. Depending on location, all construction projects must be approved by the local authorities. These are the Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Sanitation and the local Council. The costs vary depending on size and functionality (residential or commercial) of the proposed construction. As you age closer to breaking ground, you will probably tender the project or ask for quotations from few reputable and recommended contractors. This will help you avoid the hustles of sourcing labor, materials and transport. The Quantity surveyor and the Architect will be instrumental in getting a contractor who can put the proposed building according to the specifications on the drawings and within the required amount. For much smaller projects however, you as a client can opt to have a graduate Engineer manage your site. This option will cut the costs of supervision from the Architect and still assure of quality and adherence to the drawings. For more insight to ground breaking, getting quality construction materials, checking for consistency and the errors to be avoided on site, go to www.fundimjanja.com.

Count the cost of Construction

Count the Cost

Posted By: Fundi Mjanja on 1st of November 2012

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient money to finish it?” These wise words of Jesus found in the Bible ring as true today as when they where first uttered two thousand years ago. Sadly, this important part of construction planning is grossly ignored in the current Kenyan construction industry. Any construction endeavor, apart from building castles in the air, is fueled by the following five vital ingredients; 1. Cash 2. Money 3. Finances 4. Legal tender 5. All of the above It is imperative that counting the cost is the single most important aspect of construction planning and will ensure that your building project runs to the logical conclusion. It enables the client to be sure of exactly what he is getting himself into from the onset and to decide early enough whether to start the project with the funds available, or source for additional funds. Primarily, counting the cost normally begins by having an idea of the kind of structure that one intends to put up. Be it a three-bedroom bungalow with basic amenities or a four-bedroom deluxe maisonette, or a perimeter wall, it is necessary for the client to visualize his needs at the beginning. Counting the cost of a project is also important for ostensibly small renovation jobs both in the house and at the office. Such jobs could be tiling works for a kitchen or washroom, painting works or even the fitting of shelves. For small jobs or repairs, after evaluating and visualizing the need, the client can engage a competent handy man or fundi to estimate the materials as well as the labor component and advise on execution of the job. And how can a client tell if a job is small? Any job that involves the engagement of only one tradesman like a leaking pipe, blown up electrical socket, broken window panes, re-painting a room or house with the same color paint and the like, can be described as small jobs. These jobs would require a general plumber, general electrician, window glazier and a painter respectively. The project costs involved would also be relatively small and will generally be in terms of a few thousand shillings. The beauty of this is that, all these handy men are listed on www.fundimjanja.com as a free service, complete with contact numbers and location. Furthermore, the client can just visit www.fundimjanja.com, go to Fundi Categories section, browse through the more than 40 tradesmen categories listed and get a short description of what each handyman or fundi specializes in. Afterwards, the client can chose a handyman, get his phone contacts, call him up and arrange for a meeting. The handyman can do a quotation based on the cost of materials and labor. The client can then estimate the cost of the entire job from the onset and decide if he can afford the job. A contingency sum of 5-10% of the estimated amount should also be factored in to mitigate against price fluctuations’ and transport costs. The client can get a quote for free by engaging the handymen listed on the site although it is good practice and encouraged to reimburse them for transport costs and time spent preparing the quote. It is also important to consult an interior designer or landscaper when doing major internal or external alterations as they can advise the client on alternative materials that can be used and thus save the client a tidy sum. Their experience allows them to foresee the end from the beginning and advise the client on the phases that the project should entail. For example before tiling a bathroom it is wise to ensure that all leaking pipes and faulty taps are repaired so that the tiles are not damaged during subsequent repairs. This will involve engaging a plumber before the mason fixes the pipes. The same applies to painting; a general electrician should be engaged to fix faulty electricals before painting. An architect or interior designer will be able to advise the client on all preceding issues and thus ensure that the client is able to count the cost of the job before commencement. Amazingly such cost estimates can be done at negligible cost by engaging professionals. The implication of charging forward and commencing a seemingly small job without counting the cost can be catastrophic and might result in additional repairs. For larger jobs; jobs that involve many trades like office partitioning, house extension or construction of new structures , the client can do simple sketches on paper so that the mental picture is clearer to him, he can refine the sketch until he is pretty sure that what he has on paper fairly represents what he intends to build. The client should not feel intimidated to produce an accurate, scaled sketch at this stage, also no training is necessary to prepare the sketch; a clear mind and basic pen and paper literacy will suffice. The sketch should also have notes and explanations where necessary so that anything that the client is unable to sketch is put down in words. The next step is engaging an architect or a designer to translate the clients’ sketch, notes and thoughts into building plans that can be used on site for the construction. This might seem very odd for seemingly simple structures like boundary walls, pig sties or cattle pens but the advantages of translating these thoughts on paper cannot be gain said. This is the first step in ensuring that the project will be completed. Starting the construction without drawings is like embarking on a journey without a destination; any road will take there. Depending on the complexity of the project, the architect as the head of the building team will be able to advise the client on the need of engaging other professionals like quantity surveyors, structural, electrical and mechanical engineers and of course the contractors. The architect will normally negotiate on behalf of the client and thus the client can rest easy in the knowledge that they are on the same side. The advantages of engaging an architect are that he or she acts as a neutral party to both the client and the contractor. His chief concern will be the adherence to the drawing and specifications, quality of materials on site and overall workmanship. The client on the other hand will be more conscious of controlling costs of the project, and the expediency of the job. The contractors or workmen on site would be more interested in expediting the job, so that they are paid, at the at times at the expense of quality. When the demands of all three of these somewhat divergent players in the project are met, the client will be the victor as he will have an enduring, aesthetic, high quality structure built within the initial budget and time frame. Counting the cost will ensure that your construction project will be terminated because the structure is complete and not because the funds have run out, and thus ensure that the long cherished Kenyan tradition of incomplete construction projects comes to an end. Till next time, keep well and keep safe. Fundi Mjanja.