A home is something we all desire, in order to get one, you will need planning just like any other good thing requires. One of the planning steps includes getting a very good house design showing how your home will appear after being constructed. Below, we will look at the information that will help you end up with the best house plan in Kenya.
Beautiful house designs in Kenya
Here are some house designs we have made, swipe left to see them.
Where and How to get a house design and plans in Kenya
When getting a house design in Kenya, you will need a designer, this designer can be an architect or an engineer. You can go for a freelance designer(individual) or get your design from a construction consultant company that offers house designs and plans.
Note: You can also download your house plan in PDF format from various designers’ websites. Check some downable designs over here
After deciding who is going to do your design, the next thing is to get in touch with them and give them the idea you have or the house you desire. The information that we are going to give below will help you create the best idea for your designer and also know where and what to check for when the design is produced.
A beautifully built house source
Factors to consider when picking a house design
Here are things to put into consideration when making decisions about the house you want, these things will help you make the best choices.
Type of house
There are different types of houses that you can pick from, these types are brought about by different designs, space available and more. Here are some types you can go for.
- Bungalow– this is usually a house that contains one floor and does extend horizontally.
- Maisonette– a maisonette contains two floors and extends vertically.
- Mansion- a mansion is usually built like a maisonette but is normally very large and commonly associated with the wealthy class.
- Villa- a villa on the other hand is a large house built like a maisonette often used for retreats and is located in coastal areas or rural areas.
Of course, there are more designs available out there but a maisonette and bungalow are the most popular for residential purposes in Kenya
Number of rooms
When you choose the type of house you want, you will need to also choose the rooms you want to be included in your house. The rooms you pick will determine the number there will be.
Here are rooms you can choose to be included in the design.
- Living room- the living room is used as a resting place and also where you welcome your visitors. It mainly contains furniture and electronics.
A modern living room
- Bedrooms- these are private rooms that are used for resting and sleeping purposes. They can be more than one, the most popular being four and three bedroom houses.
Your bedroom doesn’t have to be boring, it can be good as the living room
- Kitchen- the room will be used for preparing food and hence it is important to include it.
- Dining room- this is a room used for dining purposes.
- Pantry- the room serves as a storage area for stuff to be used in the kitchen.
You go for a kitchen with enough wardrobes to avoid a pantry
- Utility room- the utility room is a must requirement in each home and hence your design should include at least one.
- Bathroom- the bathroom is another hygienic room that you must ensure is included in your home.
- Study room- for the purposes of reading by anyone in the family, a study room will be needed.
- Gym- for the love of fitness, a gym will be an important room.
- Office- in case you need to work from your home with regard to your type of job you will need a home office.
Home office design
- Store- this room will be used to store different items in your house.
- Prayer room- privacy might be needed for prayers, it is hence good to include a prayer room in your home.
Above is a look at different rooms, there are more that you can think of with regard to your need and lifestyle.
Rooms arrangement
In a good house design, rooms should be arranged in a very logical way. Every position of the room should have a why. Here are some suggestions on room arrangements.
- Rooms to be positioned on General access- rooms that are used by everyone in the house should be positioned where everyone can access them without having to pass through other rooms or use long passages. The right place for such rooms should be at the center and near to the entry point/main door.
Rooms such as the Living room and dining room can be placed in such places. The common utility room should also have direct access. - Private rooms- rooms that are only meant for use by a common group of people are considered private. Such rooms should be at the corners of further ends of the house.
These rooms include bedrooms. - Hygiene purposes- for hygiene purposes, rooms such as utility rooms should be placed a good distance from the dining room and kitchen.
Above are some ideas on room positioning, you should apply them when picking your best home design.
Room sizes
After you pick the rooms, their sizes are the next things you should check for. How large a room is will depend on the number of occupants, the users at the same time, activities to be carried out, items to be put in the room and the sizes of the items.
For example, the utility room will have one occupant at a time, no furniture and the activity in the room are minimal and only takes less time. The utility room will hence take very low space making it small in size.
Below are some recommended sizes of some rooms in meters, the sizes can be altered upwards to make the rooms even more spacious depending on your needs, budget and land space available.
- Living room- 3.5mX6m
- Kitchen size-2mX3m
- Dining table size-2.5mX3m
- Utility room/bathroom sizes- 1.2mX2m
- Master bedroom size-3.5mX4m
- Other bedrooms- 3mX3m
Finishing
The house design you go for should have the best appearance, different aspects or building parts will contribute to the appearance. The appearance includes both the exterior and interior.
- Doors- they should be of the correct sizes and also have an attractive shape. The opening side should also be logical with regard to where the room is and its uses. In most cases, doors will open on the interior side.
- Windows- windows will provide light to the interior of the house and a beautiful appearance from the outside. The shape and size of windows should be precisely designed hence.
- Roof- the roof is one attraction point for anyone on the outside of your house and home. The design you pick should hence give a very beautiful look.
- Paints- the exterior and interior paint colors should be attractive. Where different colors are to be used, they will need to have an overall match.
- Tiles- if your house is going to be tiled, the parts to be tiled and the appearance of the tiles should be shown on the design.
- Staircase designs- the staircases in the design will also need to be beautiful and to the correct standards.
What is the cost of house designs in Kenya?
A house design and floor plans plus a Bill of Quantities including structural designs where necessary should not exceed 6% of the total construction cost. The cost will be however as you agree with your designer.
Above is a look at how you will attain the best house design. We wish you all the best as you continue with the journey to get your home. Cheers!!
