Contingency for a KES 5,706,000 renovation of a 255 m² Nairobi home

[nia.voss]

I would prefer to keep this renovation within KES 5,706,000, but that target is difficult to trust while concealed conditions remain untested. The property is a 255 m² coastal home in Nairobi, with planned work to the kitchen, bathrooms, floors, decoration, electrical systems and energy performance. No extension is intended.

The larger risk may be moisture or existing structural damage rather than the visible finishes. For example, opening a wet area could reveal failed waterproofing and affect both the sequence and the budget. At this early stage, how much reserve would you hold? I also want the surveyor and bidders to clarify plumbing routes, electrical remedial work, structural concerns, exclusions, approval timing and lead times for specified materials.

 

[tennisAndBook]

Before fixing the contingency, I’d ask for invasive checks where practical: beneath wet-area finishes, around plumbing routes and at any visible moisture damage. Also confirm whether “electrical checks” means testing only or includes an allowance for remedial work.

I’d want the contractor’s exclusions written beside the priced scope, plus a sequence showing demolition, drying, services, approvals and finishes. A larger reserve is sensible until those unknowns are reduced; otherwise the KES 5,706,000 risks looking precise without being dependable.