A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses in Kenya. #UJENZIBORA

2/19/2018 A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses in Kenya.
#UJENZIBORA
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A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses in Kenya.

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A Complete Guide To Shipping
Container Houses in Kenya.
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A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses

in Kenya.
Published by  David Nahinga at  January 23, 2017 Tags  Categories 
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Background information.
Population Pressure creates Necessity and New demand.
Currently the world population is over 7.3 billion people and growing
annually at 1.09% and that of Kenya is estimated at 47 million people
with an annual growth rate of 2.61%.
House De cit.
The Central Bank Governor estimates Kenya’s annual housing shortage
to be 240,000 housing units per year with low income earners forming
the highest percentage of the a ected population. As a
result,designers and innovators are seeking solutions to the challenge
of a ordable housing. Shipping Containers has emerged as a potential
alternative solution!
http://ub.co.ke/index.php/2017/01/23/complete-guide-shipping-container-houses-kenya/ 1/17
2/19/2018 A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses in Kenya. #UJENZIBORA
O cial Record on Patents and Origin

There are two main Patents issued according to o cial records for
Shipping Container Housing:
1. The First recorded Patent names Christopher Betjemann as The

Inventor (Patent No. US3182424 A Filed Oct 12, 1962)- Which states,
"This invention relates to portable showcases, and more particularly to
a combination shipping container and showcase adapted not only to
house and store exhibits, but also to serve as a shipping container
therefor, thereby providing a Mobile Trade Fair."
2. The Second recorded Patent names Phillip C. Clark as The Inventor

(Patent No. US4854094 A Filed Nov 23, 1987)- Describes Method for
converting one or more steel shipping containers into a habitable
building at a building site.
Around the year 2004, HyBrid Architecture of Seattle, Washington,

coined the term cargotecture, to describe any system built entirely or
partially from shipping containers.
Container Sizes.
There are 3 Sizes of Shipping Containers described by the overall
length, that is, 10 Foot (7.39 Square metres), 20 Foot(14.78 Square
Metres) and 40 Foot(29.74 Square Metres).The internal dimensions are
slightly less.
Applications of Cargo House Architecture/ Cargotecture

Fabricating containers to transform them to habitable homes includes
cutting opening for windows, doors, insulating the walls and oor,
electrical wiring, plumbing installations and nishing to suit the user
which could be in form of painting or tiling.
They can be used for Institutional Buildings like Police posts,
Clinics, Temporary O ces and Public Libraries.
They can be used for Residential Homes, Guest Houses and

Swimming Pools.
They can also be transformed into Commercial Spaces like Retail

Shops, Student Housing, Kiosks and Mini-Shopping Centres.
A good example of this is the Mini-Market along Langata Road

between the Shell Petrol Station and T-Mall.
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Talking Point: What is The Firstep House
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The Loft House
A second example is the Floating Student Housing in Copenhagen O ce: Box 425 Ngong
The African Courtyard Racecourse Near The
Basic Factors to
House Jockey Club, Nairobi, Kenya.
Consider When Cost
The Bold House Get Help To Build...
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The Parallel House – Hours: Open today ·
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The Proposed Vision of
The Minima House
a New Uhuru Park. A
Gyan House : #ThinkSmall
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Spaces
Gatundu House:
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Why Think Small is The
UB WORKSHOP
New Think Big. 3 Design
Costings. Are Shipping ContainersSolutions
Cheaperfor Micro-
than Typical Masonry
Stonework? Parcels
It is a popular myth that Shipping9Container

Ways To Make
HomesCities
are cheaper than
More Bike-Friendly
traditional homes in Kenya. Our research has shown that this is not the
#BikeShare
case unless one quali es the statement!
In 2012 the US imported 17,541,120 TEUs yet only exported 11,935,906.
This creates an annual surplus of approximately 5 million Containers.
 
© and
Our trade volumes are relatively lower 2018there
UJENZIBORA. All Rights
is no apparent Reserved. Muse
surplus
of shipping containers in Kenya. Therefore, the fewer containers are  
sold at a premium by middlemen with substantive mark-ups. It is ONLY

cheaper if the containers are donated free of charge, used or at a
throw-away-price.
By way of example, Safmarine donated 40 used shipping container to

Simon’s Town High School(Cape Town). The school wanted to use the
containers to build a hostel which was capable of housing 120 people
at any given time. The project cost a total of $227,000 and was ready
for its rst lodgers on the 30th November 1998.
Shipping Containers could be cheaper in the US where they have a
Surplus estimated at 5 million.
A used 20 Foot Container retails at an average of KES. 250,000.00.

Add KES. 30,000 for Transport 50 KM within Nairobi brings the cost
to Approximately Ksh. 19,444/square metres before any
modi cations/prefabrications.
A used 40 Foot Container retails at an average of KES. 350,000.00.

Add KES. 30,000 for Transport 50 KM within Nairobi brings the cost
to Ksh. 13,194.44/sm before any modi cations/prefabrications.
Does it mean it is not cheaper at all? No! As you can see above, the
smaller the Container, the more expensive it is for building purposes.
Secondly, innovation can lower down the cost per Square Metre by
using the Containers in Composite. That is to say, for example creating
Contained space in between Two Parallel Containers and using the
Roof of the Shipping Container as balcony Space.
The website Home Contained, de nes it as, "the space created
between more than one container, allowing exibility in an overall
plan." Uncontained Space is "the space beyond the structure, integrally
connected to an overall nurturing environment"
See Full Description in Our Parallel House. The economic sense here is
that you are not buying the extra space above the shipping container
or the contained space in between thereby reducing overall Cost per
Square Metre.
I did a Technical Analysis of the Bold House: A Typical Maisonette (120

Square Metre) and The Parallel House: A Comparative Shipping
Container House(140 Square Metres) utilizing the concept of contained
space.
Left: The Bold House Model. Right: The Parallel House Model.
I discovered that The Parallel House maximized on the Space

Utilization and Cost Much Less than a Typical Maisonette Construction!
This may not hold true for Bungalows since utilization of balconies is
eroded.
A simple one bedroom container house costs between Kshs. 500,

000(Basic) to Kshs. 800,000 whereas a three bedroom house costs
between Kshs. 1.5million(Basic) to Ksh. 3.5 million. However, i strongly
advice that a Bills of Quantities is prepared since Clients tend to be
ambitious with nishes even when the budget is tight. Better to know
the truth early because you can always increase the budget and add-
ons! You can also play around with creativity and innovation to grab
more space instead of only utilizing the space inside the container.
Think Outside The Box!
It is good to note that these cost savings between container houses

and conventional houses begin to diminish if the designs are
sophisticated or if the owner opts for executive nishes.
Time to Completion: It takes between 14- 30 days to put up the house

to completion. More sophisticated designs may take a little longer. It is
my strong advice that one makes a Program of Works to schedule all
the activities. By comparison, the typical period for a bungalow is 3 to 4
months.
Advantages of Cargotecture
1. Fast to put up with cost savings compared to conventional housing
which could be the solution we need for low cost housing.
2. Containers are self-supporting hence no need for expensive

foundation and in case of a sloppy ground, running silt or black
cotton soil, one can typically do cheaper foundations including
using Logs, Floating them on Water etc!
3. They are virtually indestructible in the sense that they are resistant
to earthquakes, hurricanes and re. They are self-supporting and
made from very strong steel since they are purpose built to carry
very heavy loads and maritime transport. Containers are handled
by cranes and are pre-painted with rust resistant paints which
make long-lasting. However, it is wise to apply fresh paint to
increase longevity.
4. They are versatile. Containers can be very easily stacked and

welded together to form multi-storey buildings.
5. Mobility: they can easily be transported from one place to another

which is mostly an advantage to contractors and NGOs who are
always on the move due to the nature of their work.
6. Time Saving and relatively easy to install depending on the design

at hand. More complicated designs may require more time to
morph the containers.
7. They require less specialized labour (almost No Mason) but may

need more careful interior detailing, glass xing and welders/
ironmongers.
Disadvantages of Cargotecture
1. Social Stigma- in Kenya the biggest challenge that has slowed
down the adoption of container housing as a solution to a ordable
housing is the association of the ‘mabati’ housing to poverty and
low social status. People have therefore become hesitant to the
idea of container housing. It would go a long way if we were open-
minded about the technology.
2. It is hard to secure nancing for installation of container houses in

Kenya because the Local Government and the Building Codes
recognize the houses as temporary structures rather than
permanent.
3. Some containers could be hazardous to the health of dweller

especially if they were used to transport hazardous chemicals
before being converted to homes and were not properly inspected
and cleaned.
4. Cutting openings through the container for ventilation, doors and

windows sometimes weakens the house and structural
modi cation may become necessary which comes at an extra cost.
5. What is wrong with Shipping Container Housing? Another Point-Of-

View by Markasaurus.
Skills Required to Build Container Housing

1. Creativity, Innovation and Craftmanship is necessary to create
elegant living spaces. Think Outside The Box!
2. Design Matters. There is no point building up junky stu .
3. Containers are considered a recycled form of housing but the

buildings don't have to be whacky! You can visit us to see 20
Di erent Solutions!
Case Studies and Emerging Best Practice

a) Modi cations and Morphing
There is no limitation to the Modi cations that can be made. According
to Architectural rm NL Architecture,they can be In ated, Smashed,
Deformed, Twisted, Expanded. The Containers do not have to maintain
their factory shape. This allows for additional functionality including
better lighting, forms, canopy, utility, and adaptation. They can be cut,
welded and 'morphed' into various shapes (Examples from the
Dongdaemun Plaza Kiosks Project).
b) Extra Storage
When used as display booths/kiosks, the walls can be mounted with
perforated steel plates to increase mounting of products or shelves. In
the example below, NL Architecture transformed a Container into a tall
and skylit kiosk structure to serve as exhibition space with doors to
open on all sides
c) Creating A Breezeway When you allow space in between composite

containers for wind to naturally breeze through and o er cooling e ect.
This can be seen in the Project, "Tagus Linear Park / Topiaris
Landscape Architecture"
atelier difusor de arquitectura | image © joão morgado
d) Sunshading and Cladding

As can be seen in the example above, timber slats can be used to
camou age the "ugly" shipping containers, prevent direct sunlight and
also enhance internal comfort by stabilizing the room temperatures.
Timber or steel slats can also be used to break the path of direct
sunlight as can be seen below in one of our Proposed Concepts
designed by Aximo Architects.
e) Green Roo ng
Cargo Guesthouse was designed by Texas architect Jim Poteet. It
utilises a used 40 foot shipping container which provides around 320
square foot of living space.
The roof has plantings which acts as extra insulation against direct sun
and adds to the utility of the house.
f) Extra Revenue Source: Build-to-Rent on AirBnB
Spend Ksh.2m on furnished unit. List on http://www.airbnb.com for
Ksh.8,000 to 10,000 per day and break-even after 250
bookings. Strangers can help pay that building cost and build the next
Cargotecture. You can even end up owning an entire chain of simple
houses for back-backers! Here is an amazing real life example from
Livingston.
The Livingston "Living Box" is rented out at USD 195 per day.
g) Info Booth/Urban Couch:
NL Architecture have proposed the mini buildings to serve other
purposes, such as fostering interaction and play or providing places for

relaxation. They can revitalize dead public spaces!
In the example above, the tail is squeezed to form a smooth urban

couch.
h) Site O ce and Storage for Contractors
If you are in the Construction Business for the long-term, it makes
sense to invest in one or two shipping containers for storage of
building materials. Eventually, the cost evens out.
Important Terms Explained: Cargotecture : Around 2004, HyBrid

Architecture of Seattle, Washington, in the US, coined the term
cargotecture, to describe any system built entirely or partially from
shipping containers.
DONT MISS COFFEE & CONCRETE. WE SHALL HAVE AN OPEN

OFFICE EXPERIENCE AND ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS ON THIS. YOU
CAN ALSO SEE MODELS OF SHIPPING CONTAINER HOUSES! AND
OTHER MORE EXCITING CONVERSATIONS!
Thank You
Qs.David Nahinga
Registered Quantity Surveyor,(RQS), M.I.Q.S.K,
Owner: Ujenzibora Investment Limited
Tel : +254 720 578 632
David Nahinga
Quantity Surveyor | Owner and Director: Ujenzibora Investment Limited | Tel: +254 720578632 |
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21 Comments
Eric Mwangi says: Reply
January 24, 2017 at 5:51 am
Very informative article. In my opinion containers might not be the magical solution to bridging the
housing gap but they are a very viable solution especially in remote areas, or for o -the-grid homes
that are self sustaining. I can picture a small unit that is ready to be set up anywhere quickly and
when needed it can be packed up and moved if need be. Aye that’s what the government was
thinking with the hospital containers (speculation only).
I’m curious though on the total carbon/energy footprint of containers though, with the amount of
energy that’s used to make cement versus that of steel, and since the containers can be recycled is
this deducted from the footprint?
Awesome piece all in all.
Ujenzi says: Reply
January 24, 2017 at 2:55 pm
Thanks Erick for the comment.

According to David Cross of http://www.sgblocks.com, “a container has 8000 lbs of steel
which takes 8000 kwh of energy to melt down and make new beams etc… The process of
modifying that entire 8000 lbs of steel into a “higher and better use” only takes
approximately 400kwh of electrical energy (or 5%). Granted it takes a bit more “muscle” but
that is called Value-Cycling which we feel is that next step up from Re-cycling.”
I am still looking for the number of how many containers check in via Imports and Check out
annually via Exports and those that are retired as @Used@ ready for Recycling. That would
tell us if the Surplus can be able to sustain any demand or if there will be a rise in price
occasioned by scarcity. Also need to nd/make calculations on energy consumed to build
up a typical masonry house.
Asante!
Joseph says: Reply
May 2, 2017 at 7:09 am
A good informative article. However am at a loss trying to understand why the container technology
has not picked up in Kenya as well as it has in other countries. Based on your experience, what would
you say, other than social stigma is causing the reluctance?
David Nahinga says: Reply
May 14, 2017 at 12:54 pm
Hello Joseph,
Thanks for visiting.
1. We do not have a huge volume of Containers. Even if this was to go mainstream, our
trading volumes are low.
2. Lack of actionable Information
3. Me-Too-Syndrome: We do not have enough Role Models or bold home owners to make
this pick. But given time, it will change.
Thanks
David
Mwenga says: Reply
May 31, 2017 at 7:23 am
Hi David,
Am keen on the paralle container concept you modelled.
What was the typical cost for you model
June 24, 2017 at 1:43 pm
Dear Mwenga,
Thanks for visiting. We have over 20 Di erent Designs.
The Parallel House will depend on choice of nishes and location where it is being built.
Remember it is 140 Square Metres which is approximately the size of a typical 4 Bedroom
Maisonette. The Cost will range from Ksh. 3m to 3.5m http://ub.co.ke/index.php/contact/
NJOROGE KIHARA says: Reply
June 3, 2017 at 6:32 am
Hi. I’m most impressed and thinking my rst home will have to be a container house. Although I
haven’t seen security installations on doors and windows on the images I’ve seen so far, My concern
stems from past experiences with burglars. All in all…thumbs up Bwana David!
June 24, 2017 at 1:36 pm
Dear Kihara,
Thanks for passing by. We appreciate.
We can install security features to the home just like in any other house.
We look forward to being of help when you are ready.
David Nahinga
Naome. says: Reply
June 5, 2017 at 4:40 pm
I really like the idea. I would want to get in touch with you.
Am sure we can come with a solution and solve it. I think it
needs money to invest in and am sure we can get investors .
I can contact some people to help us out. I love this ideas.
Good job. Thanks for info.hope we will make it.
June 24, 2017 at 1:26 pm
Hi Naome. Thanks for passing by. Our email is info.ujenzibora@gmail.com

When ready we shall be happy to asssit.
Thanks
DN
Chrisantus Opiyo Odongo says: Reply
July 22, 2017 at 5:58 pm
I wanted to know how much it would cost to construct either a 4 or 5 bedroom bungalow in Bungoma
considering the distance. Please send the whole quotation if possible. Thanks in advance.
James says: Reply
July 24, 2017 at 6:35 am
hi, how much do you guys charge for a 3 bdroom house?
December 26, 2017 at 2:35 pm
Dear Mutinda,
A three bedroom house would range in size from 80 Square Metres (Small one) to 150
Square Metres (Sizeable)
The cost range is KES. 2,800,000 to KES. 5,250,000
Kindly where would you like to build the house.

I wish to invite you to my o ce at Ngong Racecourse to take you through the building
process so we can start.
We are able to Design & Build for you the house to meet your requirements.
JAmes says: Reply
July 24, 2017 at 10:27 pm
Hi There,
Are there any special approvals required to do a Container home?
The approvals are standard for any building project. Kind regards
David
Drako. says: Reply
July 27, 2017 at 5:12 pm
actually i have seen the good designes you people have and i’m actually wd like such a house. how
much would it cost me for a standard, one container house in eldoret town?
Hello,
It will depend on the design. All the projects we do are custom-made. There is no single size
that ts all. We would request you to visit so we can be better serve you.
We are located at Ngong Racecource, nairobi.
Enock Kiminta says: Reply
December 11, 2017 at 11:49 am
Hi David
I am interested in owning a container home with one master bedroom and two other bedrooms, a
living room (4 bedrooms house). Kindly advise.
Thank you!.
Cecilia wambui says: Reply
January 27, 2018 at 10:41 am
Good work,
Can you please tell me if you can bring to nakuru container house?
Thanks Cecilia
February 4, 2018 at 8:15 am
Hi Cecilia,
Yes we can build anywhere in Kenya. Thanks
Steve says: Reply
January 31, 2018 at 8:28 pm
Hi. Really loved the article. But was wondering on the cheapest forms of insulation that we can use
locally. Any ideas.
Thanks.
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A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses in Kenya. #UJENZIBORA

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2/19/2018 A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses in Kenya.

HOME BUILD NOW UB WORKSHOP EVENTS KNOWLEDGE GALLERY

A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses in Kenya.

A Complete Guide To Shipping Container Houses

O cial Record on Patents and Origin

1. The First recorded Patent names Christopher Betjemann as The

2. The Second recorded Patent names Phillip C. Clark as The Inventor

Around the year 2004, HyBrid Architecture of Seattle, Washington,

Applications of Cargo House Architecture/ Cargotecture

They can be used for Residential Homes, Guest Houses and

They can also be transformed into Commercial Spaces like Retail

A good example of this is the Mini-Market along Langata Road

Sign up for UB Knowledge Design & Build Get Help To Build?

It is a popular myth that Shipping9Container

sold at a premium by middlemen with substantive mark-ups. It is ONLY

By way of example, Safmarine donated 40 used shipping container to

Shipping Containers could be cheaper in the US where they have a

Surplus estimated at 5 million.

A used 20 Foot Container retails at an average of KES. 250,000.00.

A used 40 Foot Container retails at an average of KES. 350,000.00.

I did a Technical Analysis of the Bold House: A Typical Maisonette (120

I discovered that The Parallel House maximized on the Space

A simple one bedroom container house costs between Kshs. 500,

It is good to note that these cost savings between container houses

Time to Completion: It takes between 14- 30 days to put up the house

2. Containers are self-supporting hence no need for expensive

using Logs, Floating them on Water etc!

4. They are versatile. Containers can be very easily stacked and

5. Mobility: they can easily be transported from one place to another

6. Time Saving and relatively easy to install depending on the design

7. They require less specialized labour (almost No Mason) but may

2. It is hard to secure nancing for installation of container houses in

3. Some containers could be hazardous to the health of dweller

4. Cutting openings through the container for ventilation, doors and

5. What is wrong with Shipping Container Housing? Another Point-Of-

Skills Required to Build Container Housing

2. Design Matters. There is no point building up junky stu .

3. Containers are considered a recycled form of housing but the

Case Studies and Emerging Best Practice

c) Creating A Breezeway When you allow space in between composite

atelier difusor de arquitectura | image © joão morgado

d) Sunshading and Cladding

purposes, such as fostering interaction and play or providing places for

In the example above, the tail is squeezed to form a smooth urban

Important Terms Explained: Cargotecture : Around 2004, HyBrid

DONT MISS COFFEE & CONCRETE. WE SHALL HAVE AN OPEN

January 22, 2018

Eric Mwangi says: Reply

January 24, 2017 at 5:51 am

Ujenzi says: Reply

January 24, 2017 at 2:55 pm

Thanks Erick for the comment.

Joseph says: Reply

May 2, 2017 at 7:09 am

David Nahinga says: Reply

May 14, 2017 at 12:54 pm

Mwenga says: Reply

May 31, 2017 at 7:23 am

Am keen on the paralle container concept you modelled.

What was the typical cost for you model

David Nahinga says: Reply

June 24, 2017 at 1:43 pm

NJOROGE KIHARA says: Reply