Engineer Fred Jjuuko, the executive director of Jjuuko Construction Uganda Limited has said before one thinks of putting up a storeyed building or bungalow, they must see to it that the soil type can support the building.

He said this during the Homes and Construction Virtual Expo that Vision Group is hosting on all its platforms.

In its third day, the expo highlighted the challenges that the building industry is facing; especially in relation to the type of structures that people choose to erect.

Eng Fred Jjuuko the executive director of Jjuuko construction company Uganda limited, expounding on construction common mistakes. (Photo by Moses Nsubuga

The most common are storeyed buildings and bungalows for both commercial and residential purposes. In construction, irrespective of the type, the main difference is in the foundation and its fortification, though the initial steps are similar.

Jjuuko said one must ensure that the soil type can support the building. “Hire an expert to carry out a soil test so as to determine its strength and the appropriate techniques to be employed before you start building. Thereafter, get an architect to draw your plan,” he said. 

Osbert Luyinda, an architect and engineer at Ostrich Enterprises encouraged prospective homeowners to freely share their dream with an architect.

Architect, Osbert luyinda engineer in Simtech Enterprises in Ntinda, talking about construction common mistakes during the Homes and Construction Expo. (Photo by Moses Nsubuga)

“A genuine architect will visit your site and advise accordingly within the set standards of construction. The client is free to change their plan mid-way the construction, but must seek the advice of the architect to get the endorsement,” he said.

Jjuko explains that the foundations of storeyed buildings differ from those of bungalows because they support different weights.

“The foundation of a storeyed building has deeper columns, and concrete of about one foot deep that is used to strengthen it. Should you want to add a floor to an already existing bungalow, you need to break the columns in the foundation, fortify them with concrete and slab that will seal and strengthen it,” he said.

L-R: Mike Mark Kato from alliance plumbing services, a bio digestor manufacturing company, Henry Sekanjako and Mike kyambadde, techinical services engineer, Hima cement limited during the Homes and Construction Expo. (Photo by Moses Nsubuga)

One does not need to vacate their building to accomplish this but can move to one side of it to allow for breaking of columns and sealing.

As far as building materials are concerned, Jjuuko warns against jacks of all trades. “No one can be the mason, the carpenter, the plumber, the electrician and an all-round builder because these are different fields of expertise. Beware of those who claim to be excellent at all these things and look for authentic professionals for your building,” he said.

Luyinda also said the ratios of the materials need to be followed exactly as the structural engineer recommends, regardless of what the client demands. “The professional should not let the client dictate because he is the expert, otherwise the building can very easily collapse due to lack of proper workmanship,” he said.

Quality of building materials

According to Engineer Mike Kyambadde, the technical service engineer at Hima Cement, good quality cement should be authentic. He said original cement from Hima has an electronic code which the client can scan with their phone for confirmation.

Henry Sekanjako, the host of the Homes and Construction Expo. (Photo by Moses Nsubuga)

He said they make different types of cement like Power Max and Power Plus for heavy construction. Also, superset is for tiling, multipurpose cement for general construction and their new product, Fundi cement, which is ideal for plastering and is eco-friendly.

Engineer Francis Xavier Kiweewa from Jjuuko Construction said the construction industry in Uganda is growing and pointed out that some of the new trends in construction include:

• Windows designed with ventilator louvres as opposed to individual inbuilt ventilators.
• Building with steel beams, used mainly in building of warehouses. He, however, emphasised the importance of communicating that preference to the structural engineer from the onset so that he can determine the appropriate materials
• Cooking places built against unplastered walls, which he said is technically okay, but the usage of slabs is discouraged because heat dehydrates and cracks the cement.

About the Home and Construction Expo

The first virtual expo birthed from one of Vision Group’s flagship products, Homes and Construction, which forms part of the Saturday Vision content, is intended at showcasing the latest trends and discussing policies in the sector, according to Vision Group Chief Executive Officer, Don Wanyama.

L-R:Henry Sekanjako the host of the expo, Engineer Fred Jjuuko and Engineer Osbert Luyinda during day three of the expo. (Photo by Moses Nsubuga)

For all five days, the expo will be streamed live on various Vision Group TV platforms, which include Bukedde 1, Bukedde 2, Urban TV, TV West and TV East from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

The Homes and Construction pullout is intended at shaping the growth of the country’s housing and construction sector still being undermined by many challenges.

Wanyama, who lauded the exhibitors and the sponsors of the expo, pledged an interesting show. “Our sponsors will get value for their money,” Wanyama said.

Sponsors

The expo sponsors include Comfort Homes, Danube Home, Hima Cement and Tile Centre.

The proprietor of Danube Home Uganda and the host of the virtual expo, Baker Ainebyona, commended Ugandans for embracing and virtually participating in the expo.