Land Law in Kenya
There are so many possibilities for building a home, and so is the excitement. You are looking forward to completing a house and moving your family in. Nevertheless, there are some construction laws that you need to understand before laying the foundation of your home.
Let us look at the construction laws you need to observe when building.
Zoning Law
This is the most important law to consider before constructing your dream house. Owning land doesn’t mean you can do whatever you wish with it, so the zoning law was introduced. The law dictates how you can use the land and defines the kind of building that you are allowed to construct. It also expects you to clarify your purpose for the building, and you must know how your house is zoned and what you aren’t allowed to put up.
Building Codes
Building codes are another construction law that concerns the physical structure being constructed on a piece of land. There are international, national, and local building codes that you must consider before you put up your house for safety. Most contractors know these laws, but it would be better for you to know them.
Besides the building codes, there are the local ordinances that a developer is supposed to adhere to. It could be a city, county or a bylaw from a homeowners’ association. This law demands that you ensure that your construction plan and house design align with the local rules. You can access many codes online, but you should search by your town or city. You can also visit the local offices and get them.
Permits and Plans
Whether you are remodeling or building your house, you will require a permit. You will also be required to submit your construction plan for approval to the relevant government agencies. However, the submission of the permit and the plans may not be as fast as you may expect because a public hearing is involved whereby opinion over your plan will be given.
This process requires you to submit the drawings of your structure, the type of materials you will use on the exterior, floor plans, and an elevation view. Therefore, you should work with a professional designer to ensure that this process goes well to save time.
According to the law, whoever is given the permit should be the project contractor, and he will be responsible if there is any damage related to the project. You should be very careful because some contractors will advise you to skip the permit process. Do not listen to them but instead look for another one and be safe.
The above are the laws you should consider before building your house. It is also wise to work with an experienced construction company when putting up your project because they will make sure you adhere to the laws.
Learn about the
land laws in Kenya, this helps you make sound decisions when investing. We at
Denver Real Estate, are conversant with all the laws. To buy a plot in Nairobi call us 0701 730 267.
