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Tag: Construction quotations

  • Building Polepole in Kenya: How to Plan Your Next Stage and Its Costs

    When you build a home gradually from your savings, the question is often smaller than “What will the whole house cost?” You want to know what you can finish next, what it will take and what happens if you need to pause again.

    A useful stage budget starts with a defined piece of work. “Spend what I have on the roof” is difficult to price or compare. A description of the roofing work, based on the design and specifications, gives a contractor or quantity surveyor something more concrete to work with.

    Building polepole here means self-funded construction over time. It does not mean a loan, a MyJenga instalment scheme or a promise that a particular amount will complete a stage.

    Start with what is actually finished

    Write down the work already completed and gather the records you have: drawings, specifications, previous quotations, receipts and agreed changes. Keep unfinished items visible rather than treating a partly completed stage as complete.

    For example, “the walls are up” may be enough to begin a conversation, but it is not enough information to decide what roofing work can begin. Ask the professional responsible for your project what needs checking before the next scope is priced or started.

    Ask who will provide any professional advice and how you can check their credentials. The NCA’s project-registration guidance identifies the relevant registration bodies for project consultants.

    If you have concerns about existing work, explain them first. A photograph or general progress report does not establish structural safety. Ask for the appropriate professional assessment rather than using a materials purchase or a new quotation to settle that question.

    Describe the result you want to reach

    Give the next stage an identifiable endpoint. What should be completed when this package of work ends? Which drawings and specifications describe it? What will still be left for later?

    Your brief should record:

    • The work you want included.
    • The relevant drawings and their latest revision dates.
    • Material specifications and quantities, where established.
    • Work that must happen first.
    • Items you will supply or arrange yourself.
    • What the contractor should leave ready for the following stage.

    You do not need to invent missing quantities. If the scope or quantities are uncertain, that is a reason to ask for help defining them before comparing construction prices. Our guide to architects, quantity surveyors and contractors explains the different conversations.

    Separate available savings from the price of the work

    The amount you have saved and the cost of completing a sensible package are two different figures. Share your available amount if you are comfortable doing so, but ask for the proposed work to be described and priced clearly.

    A quantity surveyor can help you examine the scope and costs. If your savings do not cover the complete proposed package, discuss whether to wait, adjust the design with the relevant professional, or define a smaller workable package. Agree the advice and its fee before commissioning it.

    Keep a simple stage budget:

    Item What to establish
    Work Labour and materials for the agreed scope
    Delivery Transport, access and unloading charges
    Site arrangements Equipment, storage and other requirements for this job
    Professional help Separately agreed design, measurement or assessment fees
    Uncertain items Allowances and decisions still awaiting information
    Pausing Any agreed protection, storage or security arrangements

    Do not apply a universal percentage or stage price to fill the gaps. Ask what the estimate includes, what remains uncertain and when the price needs confirming again.

    Choose one immediate request

    You may eventually need advice, a contractor and materials. Decide which conversation will help you move forward now.

    If you do not know what the next work should include, start with planning or cost advice. If the scope is established, request quotations for that work. If you know the specifications and quantities and are buying materials yourself, request supplier prices with delivery and unloading stated.

    Avoid placing orders simply because a material price looks attractive. First establish whether it is the specified product, how much you need, when it will be used and whether suitable storage is available. Read the cement and sand request checklist before asking suppliers to quote.

    Compare quotations for the same stage

    Give each provider the same scope. Check whether labour, materials, equipment, delivery and applicable taxes are included. Ask for exclusions and allowances in writing.

    A labour-only offer can look lower than one including materials because you will arrange more of the work and purchasing yourself. Use our labour-only versus labour-and-materials guide to identify those differences.

    Ask when the work could begin, what must be ready first and how payments relate to the agreed work. Before accepting, clarify how changes will be described, priced and approved. Keep the agreed version with your project records.

    Plan for a pause before the money runs out

    If you expect to stop after this stage, tell the people advising on or carrying out your project before work begins. Ask what must be completed before a pause and what arrangements are needed while the site is inactive.

    The answers depend on the project. Ask about unfinished work, weather exposure, stored materials, access and responsibility for checking the site. Do not assume the same pause arrangements suit every building or every stage.

    Keep a record of what was completed, what remains outstanding and the advice you received. When you return, confirm whether conditions, drawings, specifications or prices have changed before ordering the next package.

    Prepare your next-stage enquiry

    An illustrative request might read:

    I am building a bungalow gradually from my savings. The walls are up, and I want to plan the roofing work. I have drawings but no current roofing quotation. I would like help defining the full scope and costs before deciding when to proceed. Please explain what information or assessment is needed first.

    Replace those details with your actual location, current stage and goal. You can start with a question; you do not need to pretend your plans are complete.

    Get help planning your next building stage with MyJenga

    You can choose planning help, quotations for work, materials or help deciding. Prepare and review your details before signing in to send. Your first enquiry creates a project from those details; later requests can stay with the same project. If you are only planning, save your notes without requesting provider outreach.

    Sending an enquiry is free. When you request providers, availability determines the proposals you receive, with a maximum of five per round. You choose whether to accept an offer and agree the scope and price before work begins.

  • Hiring a Building Contractor in Nairobi: What to Check Before You Choose

    Searching for building contractors in Nairobi gives you plenty of names. Choosing one for your house takes a more specific conversation: can this company carry out your work, at your site, with a scope and price you understand?

    Start with your project rather than a long shortlist. Describe what you want built, collect the design information you have and ask potential contractors to respond to the same brief. Then check their relevant experience, credentials, proposed team and written quotation before deciding.

    If you are ready to seek offers, request house construction quotes in Nairobi through MyJenga.

    Describe the house you want built

    A contractor who works on residential projects still needs to understand your particular build. A bungalow, maisonette and whole apartment block call for different conversations about scope, quantities and organisation.

    Prepare a short description with:

    • Your actual county and town or area.
    • The building type and intended use.
    • Drawings and a bill of quantities, if available, including their revision dates.
    • The work to include in the quotation.
    • The finish and material specifications you have decided on.
    • Your intended timing and any funding constraints.
    • Known site access or delivery restrictions.

    Do not invent missing measurements to make the brief look finished. Identify what is unknown and ask what is needed before the contractor can provide a detailed price.

    If you have a plot but have not settled the design, get help planning your build first. You can begin that conversation without completed drawings.

    Use the site location rather than the search location

    You may look for construction companies in Nairobi because you live or work there, while the plot is in a neighbouring county. Give the contractor the actual project location.

    For example, if your site is in Kiambu, Kajiado or Machakos County, name that county and the town or area in the enquiry. This helps the company consider how it would organise site visits, deliveries and its team.

    Ask who would be based on site, how often the person managing the project would attend and how you would receive progress updates. Being able to visit a Nairobi office does not by itself answer those questions.

    Ask about comparable residential work

    Look beyond a portfolio’s best photograph. Ask the company to explain its role in projects similar to yours: the building type, scope it carried out and who managed the work.

    Useful questions include:

    • Did your company carry out the whole build or a particular part?
    • Who supervised the work, and would that person be involved in my project?
    • Can you provide a reference from a comparable project, with the client’s permission?
    • What information would a former client be able to confirm about your work?
    • Can any visit to a previous project be arranged with the owner’s permission?

    A photograph can start a discussion, but it does not establish who delivered the work or whether the pictured finishes are included in your offer. Ask for evidence relevant to the company and team you would actually hire.

    Check the business and professional details

    Ask for the contractor’s registered business name and relevant registration and practising-licence details. Use the National Construction Authority’s official website to find its current contractor-checking guidance and services. Match the details to the business making the offer.

    If the offer includes design, engineering or quantity-surveying services, ask who provides each service and how you can check their professional details. Establish which appointments and responsibilities are included in the proposed arrangement.

    Keep these checks separate from the price discussion. Receiving a quotation through a platform is not the same as having completed every credential, reference or project-specific suitability check.

    Ask each contractor to price the same work

    A short quotation headed “complete house” may leave important responsibilities unclear. Give each company the same documents and ask for a written scope, specifications, exclusions and assumptions.

    Check whether the offer includes labour only or labour and materials. Then ask about transport, unloading, equipment, external work, applicable taxes and allowances for undecided items.

    Use a simple comparison sheet:

    Check What you need confirmed
    Documents Which drawings, specifications and quantities were priced
    Included work The exact construction scope and materials
    Exclusions What you will arrange or pay for separately
    Allowances Which amounts depend on later choices or further information
    Programme Proposed start, duration and dependencies
    Team Who manages the work and how you contact them
    Payments Amounts, stages and what triggers each payment
    Changes How additional work is described, priced and agreed

    An unanswered item should remain visible as a question. Do not assume it is included because it was discussed informally.

    For more detail, read our guide to comparing construction quotes in Kenya. If one quotation is much higher than another, check the reasons construction quotes differ before negotiating the headline price.

    Discuss the working arrangement before choosing

    Ask how progress will be communicated and who can make decisions about changes. If you cannot attend the site regularly, explain that before accepting the offer and agree how you will receive updates and raise concerns.

    Ask the contractor to explain the payment proposal alongside the work programme. Clarify which decisions or purchases are your responsibility, and when they are needed. Record agreed revisions in the final offer so you are not relying on several versions and a string of messages.

    Where the scope or price remains difficult to assess, consider a defined professional review. Agree what will be checked, the output and the fee before commissioning it.

    Make a focused enquiry

    Here is an illustrative starting point you can adapt:

    I am planning a maisonette in Nairobi County. My drawings are in progress, and I want to understand what information is needed for a construction quotation. Please explain the residential work your company handles, what you would need to price my project and who would manage the build. I would like the eventual quotation to state its scope, exclusions, payment proposal and timing.

    Use your actual building type, location and drawing status. If you are seeking bungalow builders, say so. If you want a whole apartment block priced, describe the complete project rather than only one unit.

    Request construction quotes for your project

    MyJenga helps you describe your residential project and request proposals from suitable providers. You can compare up to five proposals per round, depending on availability, and choose who to hire. Five responses are not guaranteed.

    Request quotes from building contractors for your Nairobi project →

    You can prepare and review your enquiry before signing in to send it. An existing project is not required: MyJenga creates one from your details when you submit your first enquiry. Sending the enquiry is free and does not commit you to hiring a contractor.

  • Labour-Only vs Labour-and-Materials Quotes: How to Compare Them

    One contractor offers to build with materials you buy. Another offers to supply the materials as well. Their totals are different, but that does not yet tell you which arrangement will suit you.

    A labour-only quote generally prices the labour within an agreed scope, while a labour-and-materials quote also prices specified materials. The wording varies between offers, so ask each contractor to spell out their responsibilities. Neither label replaces a detailed quotation.

    Compare the complete responsibilities and expected costs of each option, including the work you will organise yourself.

    Start with a responsibility list

    Before comparing totals, ask who is responsible for each item below. If the answer is “included,” ask where it is described in the quotation.

    Responsibility What to clarify
    Buying materials Who places orders and checks the specification?
    Quantities Who prepares the order quantities and approves changes?
    Transport and unloading Who organises and pays for both?
    Tools and equipment What the contractor supplies and what is separately charged
    Storage and site arrangements Who provides storage and handles materials on site?
    Subcontracted work Whether plumbing, electrical and other work is included
    Delivery checks Who receives materials and reports shortages or damage?
    Timing Who coordinates orders with the work programme?
    Waste and surplus How handling, removal and leftover materials are treated

    The point is to expose gaps before work starts. You may be comfortable managing purchases, but only if you know which purchases you are taking on.

    Work out what sits outside the labour-only total

    With a labour-only offer, list the costs you would pay separately. Depending on the agreed scope, these may include materials, transport, unloading, hired equipment and particular trades.

    Use actual supplier quotations for defined quantities where possible. Keep uncertain amounts clearly marked as estimates or allowances. Do not turn an unpriced item into zero just to finish the comparison.

    For example, if the labour quote excludes scaffolding but the combined quote includes it, that difference belongs in your comparison. The same applies when one offer includes plumbing labour and the other does not.

    If you need supply prices, request building materials quotations using the specifications and quantities agreed with your project team.

    Check what the combined quote actually supplies

    A labour-and-materials offer should describe the materials behind its price. Ask about products, specifications, quantities and any allowances for items you will choose later.

    “Standard finishes” may mean different things to different contractors. Ask for enough detail to understand the offer. Where the quote uses an allowance, ask what happens if your selection costs more or less.

    Check the exclusions too. A combined quote may cover the house but leave out external works, connections or particular fittings. You need the written scope to know.

    Compare the arrangements as well as the money

    Think about the time you can give to ordering and receiving materials. If you live away from the site or have limited availability, ask who will handle those tasks and how you will be kept informed.

    Under a labour-only arrangement, late purchases may affect the work schedule. Under a combined arrangement, you still need clarity about when materials will be supplied, which substitutions need your agreement and how progress will be reported.

    Ask each contractor what they need from you to maintain the proposed programme. Record those dependencies alongside the start date and duration.

    Ask about payment and changes before choosing

    Have each contractor explain the proposed deposit, later payments and what each payment relates to. Ask how additional work or changed material choices will be described, priced and agreed.

    Avoid relying on a verbal assurance that an item “will be sorted out.” If it affects what you will receive or pay for, ask for it to be included in the revised offer.

    You can send this message:

    Please confirm whether your quotation includes materials, transport, unloading, equipment and all the listed trades. For anything excluded, please state what I must arrange. Please also identify allowances, the payment schedule and how changes would be priced and approved.

    Which option is better?

    There is no single answer for every homeowner. A labour-only arrangement may suit someone prepared to organise purchasing and delivery. A combined arrangement may suit someone who wants those responsibilities included in the contractor’s scope. Both depend on a clear specification and a capable provider.

    Compare the cost of the same work, the responsibilities you will keep, the proposed timing and how much coordination each arrangement requires from you. Do not assume that buying every material yourself will automatically save money, or that a combined offer removes the need to check details.

    Get help comparing the offers you have

    If the quotations still do not line up, a QS review can focus on missing items, allowances and scope differences. Agree the review output and fee before commissioning it.

    Get help reviewing my construction quotes →

    Choose the option for existing quotations and explain which responsibilities or costs are unclear. You can prepare the enquiry before signing in. Sign in to send it; an existing project is not required.

    Related guide: One Contractor Quoted KSh 4 Million, Another KSh 7 Million—What Should I Check?.

  • One Contractor Quoted KSh 4 Million, Another KSh 7 Million—What Should I Check?

    Imagine receiving one construction quotation for KSh 4 million and another for KSh 7 million for what you thought was the same house. These are illustrative figures, not current building-cost estimates. The question is why the offers are so different.

    The gap could come from different work, materials, quantities, assumptions or commercial terms. It could also reflect different prices for comparable work. You need to establish which before deciding that one contractor is expensive or the other offers a bargain.

    Start by asking both contractors to confirm exactly what they priced. Then compare their written answers against the same project information.

    If you already have quotations and cannot explain the differences, you can request help reviewing your construction quotes.

    First, check whether they priced the same house

    Did both contractors receive the same drawings? Did one see an early sketch while the other received the latest design? Did you change the roof, floor area or finishes between conversations?

    List the drawing titles and revision dates supplied to each contractor. Do the same for the bill of quantities, if one has been prepared, and any specification or written brief.

    A bill of quantities, often called a BOQ, lists measured work items and quantities for pricing. If each contractor used a different version, give them the same current documents and ask them to revise their offers before comparing totals.

    This check can explain a large difference without saying anything about either contractor’s quality.

    Check the five common sources of a price gap

    1. One quote covers less work

    A quotation for the main house may exclude work that another contractor has included. Check external drainage, access works, boundary walls, connections and other site-related items relevant to your project.

    Ask each contractor to list exclusions explicitly. “Complete house” is not a detailed description of scope.

    2. One quote leaves materials for you to buy

    A labour-only total cannot be compared directly with a labour-and-materials total. Even where both offers include materials, one may exclude transport, unloading, equipment or particular fittings.

    Find out which purchases and arrangements remain your responsibility. Add those to the comparison as separate items; an unpriced responsibility is not a zero-cost item.

    3. The specifications are different

    Two contractors may use the same phrase, such as “standard finishes,” while allowing for different products. Ask what the offer includes for the items that matter to your design.

    Where a quotation uses an allowance, ask what it covers and how the final amount will be established. A named fitting and an unspecified allowance for fittings are different pricing bases.

    4. Quantities or assumptions differ

    Ask whether each offer is based on the supplied quantities, the contractor’s own measurements or an early estimate. Identify work that still needs measuring or clarifying.

    Do not resolve a technical disagreement by choosing the smaller quantity. Ask the relevant project professional to review the basis before relying on it.

    5. The totals include different charges or conditions

    Confirm whether applicable taxes, delivery and other charges are included. Check quotation dates and validity periods too: an expired offer may no longer be available at the stated price.

    Ask about payment terms, timing and dependencies. A total alone does not describe the arrangement you would be accepting.

    Turn the difference into questions you can answer

    Use a short gap list rather than trying to negotiate the headline figure immediately.

    Difference you find What to ask
    Different drawing versions Please reprice using the same current documents.
    Work missing from one offer Is it excluded, overlooked or priced elsewhere?
    Different material descriptions Which specified product or finish does each price cover?
    A provisional amount or allowance What remains undecided, and how will the final cost be established?
    Different quantities What measurement or assumption explains the difference?
    Transport or taxes unclear What is the full payable amount on the stated basis?

    Mark unanswered items as “Not confirmed.” This keeps uncertainty visible instead of letting the lower total appear complete by default.

    For a broader checklist of what to compare across every offer, read our guide to comparing construction quotes in Kenya.

    Ask for written clarification, then a revised offer

    You can adapt this message:

    Please confirm which drawings and BOQ version you priced. List the work and materials included, exclusions, allowances and any quantities you have assumed. Please state whether delivery, unloading and applicable taxes are included, and explain any further information needed to confirm your offer.

    Send the same questions to both contractors. If clarification changes an offer, ask for a revised quotation with the changes included. Keep its date and version so you know which document you are comparing.

    What if the clarified prices are still far apart?

    Comparable offers can still differ. Ask each contractor to explain the main cost drivers and proposed approach. Consider relevant experience, timing, payment terms and the responsibilities each contractor will take on alongside the total.

    Do not average the two quotations and assume the midpoint is the right construction price. The midpoint does not resolve a missing work item or an uncertain quantity.

    If the difference remains difficult to explain, a quantity surveyor can review defined cost and scope questions. Agree what they will examine, what written output you will receive and the fee before commissioning the review. You can check registration details through the BORAQS QS register.

    Get help with the quotations you already have

    You do not necessarily need more quotations. You may first need to understand the ones in front of you.

    Request help reviewing my construction quotes →

    Choose the option for existing quotations and explain what differs or worries you. You can prepare and review the enquiry before signing in to send it. If this is your first project, MyJenga creates one from your details when you submit. An enquiry does not commit you to hiring a provider, and any professional review fee is agreed before work begins.

    Related guide: Labour-Only vs Labour-and-Materials Quotes: How to Compare Them.