POPULAR TYPES OF HOUSES IN KENYA.

mansion house in kenya

In Kenya, majority of our architectures buy their inspiration from developed countries such as the Europeans. This explains the rationale of different use of terminologies and styles which tend to reflect those of the region. Most common building materials used in Kenya are brick and mortar. While it may be true that this list may not be as exhaustive with several points of departure as a result of the parameters used, this content represents the general scenario on the ground.

What are these different types of Houses in Kenya?

1. Bungalow.

Bungalows are the most common houses we have in Kenya. They are both found in rural and urban centers. Unlike Mansion house, Bungalow is one-stored building. It is extended horizontally rather than vertically. Its common properties include; low pitched and presence of a veranda.

2. Mansion

They are also referred to as Town house or Maisonette. This kind of a house normally is extended vertically rather than horizontally during construction thus saving on space. Mansions are characterized by having shallow foundation, the roofing is usually half the size of a bungalow’s and mostly have three to four bedrooms with a (DSQ) Detached Servant Quarter.

Mansions are ideal for the kind of privacy they offer through separate private and public spaces. Mansions have two stories in which the upper level is for private spaces and the lower level is left for public spaces. Salient features that mansions have includes; swimming pools, Basketball courts, swimming pools, landscaped garden, gym and so on.

3. Apartment.

An apartment is self-contained house units that generally in a single story building that forms one residence. The house units in an apartment occupies an area of 150 to 300 square meters. Research shows that here in Kenya, the growth of these housing units has been rapid and steady majorly in upmarket areas. There are also studio apartments of what is commonly called bedsitters which are increasingly becoming popular. Mostly, apartments are occupied by people in the upper and average income bracket.

photography showing Kenyan apartment

4. Earth Houses.

Interestingly, the longest standing buildings on the earth are earthen houses. They are easy to construct and also less expensive. These mud-walled hoses are commonly found in the rural areas (countryside). Earth housing is one of the most popular building methods in Kenya. 

Some people go further to plaster the walls with concrete such that you hardly would realize that the house is made of mud. The use of a particular mix of clay as well as the use of earth bags and cob houses are a modern twist to what was originally used.

6. Mabati houses

photography showing beautiful mabati house

These kind of houses are entirely made of iron sheets. In Kenya, mabati houses are commonly found in Ghetto areas. Mabati house if well constructed, can give you an awesome permanent home. The good thing about going for a mabati house is that it is less costly than other types of houses made of stones, bricks, wood, or concrete.

 

7. Thatched houses.

Thatched house gained its name due to its nature of roofing type. It's roof  mainly made of dry vegetation such as grass, palm branches, water reeds and so on. Thatched house is a very old type of housing in Kenya. It has been in existence even before the invading of our colonizers. 

thatched house (luo traditional house)

Advantages of Thatched houses (traditional houses) over the modern ones are;

1. They are easy to construct since they do not require complex materials when building them.
2. They are also take shorter time to construct hence saves on time.
3. They do not require a lot of expertise to build.
4. They are unique in such a way that they provide warmth during cold seasons and cooling effect during hot seasons.
5. Materials used during construction are readily available thus, thatched houses are cheap to construct.

Generally, housing trends tend to change day in day out in Kenya. It is therefore very important for us to try being at per with these trends so as to fit in. You can own any type of house but before you do, there is need to be conversant with the above types of housing systems in Kenya then make informed decisions that best suits based on your budget, needs and preferences before settling for any of these house types.

Are in Uasin Gishu County, Transnzoia County, Baringo County or Kakamega County and you are looking for any of these houses? Baoriat Agencies will help you find your dream home. We are just one call away. Call 0721554937 or visit us in Juma Hajee Building in Eldoret town. Don’t hesitate. We are always at our customers’ service.

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