Renovation budget for a 205 m² detached home in Nairobi — second opinion?

Z

ZiaBloom

Homeowner
One view is that KES 7,974,000 should cover a non-structural renovation; the other is that the number means little until the concealed services are investigated. This is a 205 m² detached home in Nairobi, with work planned to the kitchen, bathrooms, floors, decoration, wiring and energy efficiency. I am not proposing an extension.

My concern is what happens once walls or floors are opened. Pipe routes may be difficult to reach, the electrical description is vague, and moisture could turn a straightforward refurbishment into remedial or even structural work. Would you hold a larger contingency until inspections are complete? I’d also appreciate suggestions for questions that force the surveyor and contractors to distinguish investigation, repairs, access, making good and outright exclusions.
 
For this scope I would provisionally carry 15–20% until the intrusive checks are complete, then revisit it. Ask whether the electrical allowance includes opening walls, replacement wiring, distribution-board work and making good. For plumbing, establish where pipes can actually be reached and whether bathroom pricing assumes the existing layout stays. Also request a written exclusions list rather than relying only on the scope summary.
 
That helps. The bathrooms are intended to remain broadly in their current positions, but I haven’t confirmed pipe condition or access. The electrical line is currently described only as checks and upgrades, so it may be too vague.

I’ll ask for separate allowances for investigation, remedial work and making good. Would you commission moisture and electrical inspections before contractors submit final prices, or let each bidder include them?
 
Before final prices, if possible. Otherwise bidders may make different assumptions and their totals will not be comparable. I would not automatically hold 20% for the entire job, though; that can conceal weak pricing. Keep a defined contingency for unknowns, but insist that known work, provisional items and exclusions are separated. Moisture tracing matters especially where flooring or bathroom finishes could hide the route of a leak.
 
Sequencing could affect this budget as much as defects. Complete investigations and any approvals first, then settle layouts and order long-lead materials before demolition. Electrical and plumbing work should precede wall repairs, painting and final flooring. Ask every contractor who pays for opening up, disposal, protection of retained areas, temporary services and reinstatement. Those small omissions can reappear later as variations.
 
One more question to put in writing: does the programme assume all materials are immediately available and any required permit or approval is already resolved? If either answer is no, request a realistic lead-time schedule and identify which decisions must be frozen first. I’d compare bids using the same scope sheet, with contingency kept outside the contractor’s base price so omissions remain visible.
 
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