You need a technical team before building a storeyed house

Jul 19, 2017

Part of the architect's deliverables is to have the project delivered within the clients' means.

HOMES & CONSTRUCTION

A storeyed house, a dream establishment for many people, can save space if it's done in the right way.

Patrick Walusimbi gave his son Ivan Walusimbi a 40x50ft plot of land. Walusimbi thought there was nothing useful he could do with this piece of land and so he decided to sell it off at a giveaway price.

Two years later, what he had dismissed as a small and useless plot of land was occupied by a four storeyed building.

With a parking on the ground floor, sitting and dining rooms on the second floor, four bed rooms on the third floor and an unfinished fourth floor, the owner is about to do the whole finishing.

Abdu Wahab Nyanzi, an architect, says there is a lot of mystery surrounding storied houses.

"But all this comes from the fact that people do not have enough knowledge on such houses. Knowing what you need to build a storied house is a significant step towards achieving it," he says.

Designing team and materials you need

Nyanzi says the first and most important thing you need to do is to get an architect to work with you on the project.

By hiring an architect, you will have made a giant step towards achieving your dream.

"Being a professional, the architect will help you scope the project to its finer details. In the beginning, the architect will help you work on the schedule of accommodations (identify the spaces that you need), number of levels to go up, placement of basements and more," says Nyanzi.

The architect will also recommend to the client other professionals like structural engineers and electrical engineers that have to be involved in the project.

With materials, Nyanzi says the owner can decide on what he or she wants but you have to use quality materials such that the building does not collapse within a short time.

The site

David Kireli, a civil engineer, says storeyed buildings require a site with firm ground. 

"If the site is not firm, the architect will advise you on how to achieve it. It has been stated in the circles of architects that every design deserves a site and every site deserves a design. Storeyed buildings achieve better views of the surroundings. If the site has a lake view, it would be nice to ensure that the design exploits it."

The design

Storeyed houses are sometimes meant to solve space problems, for prestige, or to get views that would otherwise be difficult to get with bungalows.

"Working with your architect, it is important to ensure that you have a strong case for the storeyed house. Ensure that what you set out to achieve is clearly spelt out with the architect's thinking.

Kireli says it is very important to discuss the details of the house with the architect until you are satisfied. And this captures the owner's needs.

"Ensure that decisions of location of rooms are made at the beginning. Functions that will be upstairs and those that will be on the ground floor must be identified."

Costs

The costs involved in construction of storeyed houses have always been thought to be high. This is a major factor that discourages many people from pursuing their dream of having a storeyed house.

Nyanzi says the truth is that the cost for the same area of house built as a bungalow will be higher if the house is storeyed.  However, there are a number of innovative ways of reducing these costs to manageable levels if you work with your design team.

Part of the architect's deliverables is to have the project delivered within the client's means. He therefore should take a lead role in guiding the rest of the design team to deliver an affordable project. Selection of materials, construction methods, and project size are some of the few areas that can be looked at.

One does not need a huge piece of land to construct a storeyed house. With good land use, a small area can be occupied by a sizable building.

Storeyed buildings also reserve parking space, if you utilise the ground floor.

 

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