Rh building solutions Ltd.

"Any architectural work that does not express serenity is an error" - Luis Barragán
We say tiny does not necessarily mean it has to be ugly.
Rh building solutions Ltd. We deliver

“When I’m working on a problem, I never think about its beauty, I just think about how to solve the problem, but when I finish it, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it’s wrong.” - Richard Buckminster Fuller.
This is an unique A framed 3 bedroom cottage proposal in Narumoru facing the beautiful Mt.Kenya we are doing it with steel.this is perfect for an upcountry home...

“One of the great beauties of architecture is that each time, it is like life starting all over again.” – Renzo Piano

Architecture should marry harmoniously with the environment without thinking too hard.

This is a two bedroom cottage proposal within the beautiful landscapes of Meru County.

This post goes to fellow builders,

There are common myths that surround the construction business, its important that we touch on a few of these factors..
Construction is easy
Fact: Don’t get into construction if you are looking for a 9 to 5 job. Contractors work long hours in the heat, cold and rain. Construction isn’t easy, things will go wrong and do go wrong. I’ve worked long into the night when cranes and equipment have broken down. I’ve worked weekends to get projects completed. I’ve worked for tough unpleasant clients. Construction definitely is not easy.

It’s easy to start a construction company
Or, I’ve been in construction for many years so it will be easy to start my own construction company.
Fact: Many construction companies fail. It’s not because their owners were lazy or didn’t have construction experience, rather their owners didn’t understand what was required to manage a company. To manage a construction company you have to find the right projects with the right clients (ones that will pay you on time) at the right price. It’s about managing people and cash flow. It’s about understanding registrations, paperwork, and red tape. It’s about invoicing for completed work.

With the latest technology, I can manage my project from the office
This is the biggest lie a builder can tell themselves.
Fact: Nothing beats walking the construction project and talking to your team. You can see what’s happening, look at the quality, get a sense of the team’s morale, look at the productivity, check the safety and understand the problems at the coalface. As important, is the team can see you – invariably they’ll respect you more.

The latest technology will make our construction projects more successful
Fact: The right technology can definitely help us achieve success, but, no technology can turn a poor project manager into a good project manager. Not even the best technology in the world can turn a poor contractor into a good contractor.

All construction projects are the same
Fact: No project is exactly the same. There are different clients, subcontractors, suppliers, construction team members, and designers. Each project has its own unique project conditions. Contract documents vary. The weather is different. Every project presents its own unique challenges and problems.

We won’t submit variation claims because we don’t want to upset our client
Fact: When there’s trouble on a project it’s everyone for themselves. Even good clients will quickly forget how nice a contractor has been in the course of the project when things go wrong. Clients don’t want nasty surprises at the end of the project. If there’s a legitimate variation claim submit it in accordance with the contract. The contract document is the rule book. Nobody can object to you playing by the rules.

Nobody will notice
Usually, a comment to cover defective work.

Fact: Unfortunately people do notice. Some items that you hope won’t be noticed appear on the client’s punch lists when the building is almost complete, and then the item is difficult to fix. Even worse, the item becomes apparent years after the facility has been completed. Water is the best lie detector ever, and will eventually expose defective waterproofing, roofs, and plumbing. You can never count on nobody noticing your defective work. Anyway, we should all take pride in our.

Contractors make lots of money.
Fact: For every rich contractor there are probably dozens that are struggling to make money, and many become bankrupt every year, often with devastating consequences where they lose everything including the family home. Yes, sometimes contractors will strike a profitable project, but they’ll also have several ordinary projects and even somewhere they lose money.

STOP BUILDING UGLY UPCOUNTRY HOMES.

I have been looking at houses some of you are building for their parents or rather their retirement homes and they are terrible.

A home should give you an identity more like a nice luxury car ( there is great pride being identified as ‘ule msee wa Mercedes G wagon or your favourite dream car) the same case a home should be one of your identities.ie ‘the guy with an awesome upcountry home etc.

In architectural school those who have passed through Mr kariuki’s (Kariz as we used to call him,an awesome lecturer btw) he always told us ‘it takes you the same amount of time and resources,(sometimes more) to do a wrong thing as it will take you to do the right things.

I realized building ugly houses not very well thought of in terms of planning, materials and the 3D modelling oftenly ends up being more expensive.

Below is a modern three bedroom container home from our dedicated team.hoping on starting construction soon.

Container homes are slowly gaining traction here in kenya.below is an upcoming three bedroom upcountry.. the estimated cost is 2.5m without any exterior cladding and 3.7m with the exterior cladding (fiber cement boards & charred timber).. this of course depends on the projects location.. inclusive of the car shade and the steel pergola
For this particular unit you will need two forty feet one 20ft container and one 10 ft container

So what are the advantages and the disadvantages of container homes.lets start with the advantages I'll keep this as brief as I can .
1.Container houses are time effective ie they are quick to construct.
2.They are durable.They can withstand practically any extreme weather, such as hurricanes, tornadoes or even earthquakes
3.They are cost effective compared to traditional housing.
4.They are mobile.you can always move them when the need arises.

Disadvantages.
1.They still need a building permit and building codes same as traditional usual residence.
2.Finding contractor with experience is usually a challenge but we at RH BUILDING SOLUTIONS are here for you.
3.Surrounding Hazards
Shipping boxes are not intended for human habitation, which means they are made with non-human friendly elements, such as phosphorous, chromate, arsenic, and lead. Hence, it is crucial to ensure that your contractor is dealing with these hazards before construction.

Before a container can be habitable, sandblast the whole box, replace the entire flooring, and cut all the openings with a torch. Although these steps are essential, they result in additional carbon emissions to the environment.

Architecture is the triumph of human imagination over materials, methods, and men, to put man into possession of his own Earth. It is at least the geometric pattern of things, of life, of the human and social world. It is at best that magic framework of reality that we sometimes touch upon when we use the word order.
- Frank Lloyd Wright

Another one from our office an upcoming three bedroom chalet somewhere in Nanyuki...

Different building materials away from the norm are slowly gaining traction in Kenya, many people are now adopting new materials like steel, cement fiber boards, magnesium oxide panels just to mention a few . In this post we are going to see the advantages of using steel.

1.Speed of construction
The majority of structural steelwork is prefabricated, with very little sitework required other than assembly via bolted connections. This leads to fast construction times and, with attention to staged delivery, decongested construction sites, which makes it ideal for congested CBD building projects on small sites.
Unlike concrete, steel frames are full strength as soon as they are completed, allowing immediate access for following trades. Steel decking provides a safe platform immediately for work to proceed. Innovation in construction is continually improving speed and safety outcomes.
2.Safety
With up to 70% labour reduction possible using a steel solution compared to alternatives, fewer people equals a safer construction site. Prefabrication and dedicated lifting points on assemblies make for defined well-controlled er****on processes. Steel decking and integrated edge protection facilitate safer working platforms.
3.Value for money
Faster construction means earlier handover and tenancy. Smaller member sizing (in particular, columns) equals greater net lettable space. Longer spans equates to more flexible internal spaces.
4.Robustness and ductility
Steel is an inherently ductile material, responding to overload in a controlled fashion with managed load retention. The size and shape of steel members can be configured to provide a level of structural robustness not easily achievable with other more brittle construction materials
5.Cost-effective
Steel is light in weight as compared to timber/concrete, which makes it easier to transport and hence, reduces fuel costs and quicken project schedules. Aside from this, it is also energy efficient and can be recycled, hence, creates minimal raw material wastes. Since the steel parts are manufactured in the plant, there is no waste on location. However, the cost ultimately governs everything.
However, a steel structure is not that cost-efficient in all conditions. The cost of structure also depends largely on its type and functionality. If you want to construct large span building, it is advisable to use steel. While cost of small structure with steel will be more as compared to wood/concrete.

6.Environment Friendly
Steel is one of the most recyclable materials in the world. Using recycled steel saves natural resources and energy to a large extent, which in turn, lowers the cost of producing new steel products. On the contrary, concrete is almost non-recyclable and wood can be partly recycled as compared to steel.

The building below is a simple steel structure two bedroom house cladded with charred timber,