What would my house cost to build?
By Denis Jjuuko
Last week, an article I authored more than a year ago resurfaced on the internet and in many WhatsApp groups prompting many people to send emails. The said article was on housing and how somebody can easily build their residential house. The said article was given a headline that was perhaps misleading or sexy hence the said interest.
The emails I have received were largely on how much a 3-bedroom decent middle-class house would cost to build in Uganda. I subscribe to a housing group where every week, somebody inquires how much it would cost them to build this and that. Somebody can come up and say Shs20m and another says Shs200m and many figures in between. I try as much as possible to answer all the emails that I receive but I know this is a question that won’t go away.
So here are some of the answers I give people who ask me how much a house would cost to build.
If you are to build a house, the most important part is to acquire land. This determines a lot in what it will cost to build. The labour costs and some materials such as bricks, sand, and coarse aggregate (made by hand ones are cheaper) among others are cheaper in towns far from Kampala. In Kampala, the costs are much more. A clay burnt brick costs on average Shs350 in Kampala metropolitan area but about half the price in towns upcountry. In places like Masaka, they make roof trusses, rafters and even purlins using encryptus trees straight from the forest. They just remove the bark and they are good to go. So, a house in a place like that would always be cheaper than in Kampala where we largely use lumbers.
The other big issue when it comes to land is the topography or landscape. Is it swampy, flat or hilly? This determines the cost of the foundation. A swampy area for example will require a lot of hard-core stones than an area in a flat area. A hilly area may need grading or cost more to deliver materials there. A flat area may also need a lot of backfilling. Most people may not mention it but murrum costs a lot of money and then it has to be compacted.
Once land has been zeroed in on where to build, then there is need to engage the services of an architect who should then work with at least civil and structural engineers to come up with a design of your needs. What is the size of living spaces and what amenities have been planned? How many bathrooms will the house have? What about a walk-in closet? Many houses in Uganda today are being built with large doors and windows with lots of aesthetics which obviously increase the overall cost of the building.
There is an increased interest in high ceilings so that the house is not only cooler but enable the installation of decorative materials (gypsum ceilings) and lighting such as chandeliers. That would require a bit more money than the standard three meter high house.
When it comes to structures, a storied building is much more expensive but also the cost of materials of even the same size is not the same. For example, the cost of a 16-millimeter iron bar entirely depends on a company that made it. Some companies sell such a bar around Shs20,000 more than their competitors. The price of a 50kg bag of cement is also not the same. Manufacturers determine the prices differently.
When it comes to roofing, it is not the same as well. Even if you are to use iron sheets, the cost varies depending on the gauge and patterns. So you could buy iron sheets that look exactly the same but gauge 28 is more expensive than gauge 32. Some iron sheets require rubber washers when being nailed to minimize leaking and that will cost a bit more money.
Then finishing. What materials are you using? Ceramic floor tiles or porcelain or marble ones? The costs are different. Windows and doors? Steel costs less than aluminum profiles. Euro or Greek standard aluminum profiles are more expensive than Dubai or China standard. Even tinted glass costs more than the one known as Clear. The thickness just like in steel matters here too.
So the best way to have an idea of what your house will cost is by engaging an architect first for the design (ensure he visits the land where you want to build) and then engage quantity surveyors.
The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

#OutToLunch: Invest in a residential house or start a business? It is your profile that matters
By Denis Jjuuko It is one of those debates that will never end similar to the one most people are used to —chicken and the egg, what came first? Though this time it is on a personal residential house and a business or even investing in financial assets like treasury bonds. It is an issue we have discussed before in previous editions of #OutToLunch. Since it won’t go away, why not revisit it? First, let us get to speed with the differing arguments. One side of the coin posits that people especially young ones investing in personal residential houses are stifling growth and funds that may have been used to invest elsewhere is stuck in bricks and mortar. That renting is many times cheaper than owning a personal residential house. The argument continues that people should invest in personal residential houses when they are financially secure. Millions can be stuck in a residential house which doesn’t provide much returns. The other side of the coin argues otherwise. That a personal residential house is a prerequisite for growth. That it is an investment too and unlike businesses or financial assets, it is not as affected by inflation. The argument is that a residential house’s value increases year on year as the country develops. It is a low-risk asset class that leads to increment in one’s net worth. Proponents of this view also argue about peace of mind. The landlord doesn’t have to get worried if he popped in and found you eating chicken! And it can be an asset one could use as collateral for financing to invest in other areas, the argument continues. What decision, then, should a young person make? Invest their money in business, bonds or start on a personal residential house journey? These questions need contextualization, which is never provided by those who advance one argument against the other. For example, what does one want? What does the person do for a living? Can one do both? Many people are not wired not to lose money especially if they can withdraw it at any time the way it is with financial assets. If they hear something is profitable, they rush to invest into it without thinking. That is why many scammers exist. They know people who have money are easily tempted. A cousin has no fees? They rush to give. Real estate is hard to liquidate, which forces many easily excitable people to keep their wealth for the long term. But does a personal residential house curtail somebody’s financial growth? It could, where money that would have been invested in business is channeled into an asset that may not bring back immediate returns. Many Ugandans love building houses in their ancestral villages where they visit a few times a year and can’t rent out or turn them into small bed and breakfast enterprises. Others want very big and fancy ones, which they probably don’t need. And such projects could lead to the collapse of a business or deny one funds that they could have invested elsewhere to ensure financial growth. This brings us back to the issue of contextualization that we talked about earlier. In this case, it is the profile of the person. If you decided to invest in a business or financial assets, do you have the temperament to see money accumulating on your investment account without spending it on ostentatious goods? Can you see your friends holidaying in Santorini and not feel the urge to do the same? If you are a man, are you be able to handle a spouse that sings in your ear everyday about not owning a house? Of if you visit your friends, do you feel left out because you are renting? Will you be able to handle the stress that comes with a business failing? Or you will regret why you didn’t build? As you can see, there are many questions in this article. Questions whose answers can only be provided not by financial advisors on X and TikTok but by the person who is in the middle of making the decision. Building a personal residential house may be the best decision one could make. For another, it might not be the best decision. The type of house and where it is built matters as well. Similar to financial assets, where one invests matters. However, I believe that people can build residential houses while also investing in businesses or financial assets at the same time. Most Ugandans build incrementally, which is done over several years. If one had a certain amount of money, depending on their interests, they could have a percentage in a personal residential house and another in business or financial assets. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com