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Who is an architect?

What does an architect do?

1. Consult and Design
2. Planning Permission and Building Permits
3. Visit the construction site and administer construction

How much should an architect charge?

Who is an Architect?

An architect is a skilled professional who plans and designs buildings and generally plays a key role in their construction.

Architects are highly trained in the art and science of building design. Since they bear responsibility for the safety of their buildings’ occupants, architects must be professionally licensed.

In Kenya, all practicing architects are licensed by the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQs) according to cap525 of the laws of Kenya. You can access the list of registered architects here.

What does an architect do?

Architects’ duties fall into three main roles:

1. Consult and Design

As the design expert, the architect is in charge of creating various drawings or designs of a building before construction.

The architect consults with clients to determine their requirements and to prepare drawings and specifications of the concept.

The architect is the professional who creatively visualizes what their clients want from a building project, and bring such vision to life through architectural drawings and 3D renders.

The designs must comply with building, safety and local planning regulations and restrictions.

2. Planning Permission and Building Permits

Before construction work can be carried out, you need to seek approval from the government or local authority in charge. This can be done by obtaining a permit or approval to carry out the construction.

 It is the role of your architect to prepare all necessary documents for the planning permission. They ensure everything that is needed, is in order and ready to go and do the submissions on behalf of their client.

They will also look at local authority guidelines and statutory requirements to help with the process of getting your project approved.

3. Visit the construction site and administer construction

An architect’s involvement doesn’t end with preparing the drawings for construction work. As your advisor and agent, the architect will visit the site to protect you against work that is not according to the plans.

During Construction the architect will visit the site at intervals s/he considers appropriate to the stage of construction to inspect the progress and quality of the work and see that the project is built to the design intent.

These visits are known as “site inspections” and can occur weekly, biweekly, or monthly depending on your project’s scope and your agreement with your architect. 

This part of the job is known as contract administration. It entails reviewing the completed work to make sure it matches the drawings and specifications submitted in the contract documents. Depending on the type of project, this role can be performed in conjunction with other consultants such as quantity surveyors and construction managers.

How much should an architect Charge?

By law (Cap 525: Architects and Quantity Surveyors Act), architects in Kenya are expected to charge a minimum of 6% of the total construction costs for designing a new building. In some projects, such as renovating an existing building, the minimum rate goes up to 10% of the total cost of construction.

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Whereas there is no right or wrong way, there exists some general rule of thumb to guide our approach.

Door Swing Direction: Rule of thumb

Most internal doors are installed to open into the room. This approach prevents the door from becoming an obstruction in areas like hallways or corridors.

For residential homes, a majority of their entrances will open inwards. This provides a more familiar and welcoming feeling. Think about it, it’s easier to enter a home with an armload of groceries or children when the doors swing inside.

There are also other practical reasons for this convention explained below:

Exceptions to the rule

1. Entry/Exit Doors in Public Buildings

As mentioned earlier in this article, entry doors to most homes will open inwards. However for public buildings the entry door will always open outside.

Unlike a private home, a public building is likely to have large numbers of people in it. In case of fire or other emergency, these people need to be evacuated as quickly and easily as possible.

When a mob of people rushes an exit, it’s very hard for somebody to open the door inward. Everyone pushes up against the door, and there is no room for it to open. For this reason, an effective emergency exit needs to open outward, moving with the force of the mob. This is also why a lot of emergency exits are built with wide “panic bars” instead of ordinary knobs. The basic idea is to build the exit so even the most out-of-control mob will be able to escape.

This is actually a mandatory requirement in building regulations. Part 21 of sixth schedule of Kenya’s Building Code (1969) states that for public buildings, exit doors should be made to open in the direction of the exit.

2. Doors for the Disabled Washrooms

Bathroom doors will generally swing inwards for both commercial and residential buildings. This design maximizes privacy, safety, and odor control while also ensuring that hallways are not blocked.

However doors to disabled, or ambulant disabled washrooms need to open outwards. This is to provide access in the event of an emergency. If a user inside the washrooms falls over or collapses, then it can be almost impossible to get into the toilet as their body will prevent the door from opening. However, with an outward opening door, you can always get emergency access.

In addition, an outward swing creates more space within the disabled toilet room and therefore eradicates the problem of maneuvering a wheelchair away from the door swing when closing the door.

Pro tip; where possible, aim for the outward opening door to swing towards a wall as opposed to swinging into the open corridor or outside room.

3. Tight Internal Spaces

Where you have an internal door attached to tight spaces, it will often swing out to prevent someone from getting trapped inside. An example of this would be a closet space, or storage space to a half-bath.

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From utilizing wallpaper to changing your curtains, the possibilities are endless. We examine some options you can use to renovate a space to your taste without breaking the bank or getting penalized by your landlord when moving out.

Lets delve right into it.

1. Wallpapers

If you want a fresh touch to your walls without having to paint over them, then wallpapers are the best option for you. Installation will take only a couple of hours and you can do it all by yourself.

However, if you’re afraid that the paper will not be perfectly level, then you can consider having a pro install it for you. Most shops that sell them, will offer to install them at a fee.

The cost of wall paper will range from ksh 1,800 per roll with the roll measuring 0.53m by 10m. Cost of roll plus installation will cost you about ksh 2,300 for each roll.

2. Invest in home décor pieces

You can personalize your home by adding décor items that reflect your style

Some of the decor pieces you can consider investing in include centerpieces for your tables and (faux) succulent plants that will add a touch of greenery to your room. Aside from that, there are a variety of assorted ornaments, frames and paintings to choose from. These can be placed in any room from your living room, bathrooms to even that awkward corridor connecting rooms in your house.

Household organizers come in handy to bring out the best in areas that are considered messy like the kids playroom or laundry area.

3. Swapping Light Fixtures

A light fixture can help define a space and give it a unique touch. You can select a new style fixture to replace an outdated one.

If you need more light, consider using fluorescent or LED bulbs as they are more energy efficient: You’ll use fewer watts of energy to get the same amount of light.

A word of caution: If you opt for a higher wattage bulb when doing the replacement, please ensure it does not exceed the maximum wattage rating of the light fixture.

4. Curtain, curtains , curtains!

You’ve probably heard it being said that “Just like art, curtains make a home look finished”. And how true is that! Whether they’re standing out or blending in with other pieces, they really pull a room together.

Depending on your budget and taste, there is a curtain for everyone. You can get the luxurious and over the top ones or the tastefully discreet ones for the minimalist. They come in all sorts of textures, plain colors, patterned prints and different fabrics. Just make sure to pick one that will blend in with what is existing.

5. Revamp your furniture

The different looks you can achieve just by playing around with your furniture are endless.

You can refurbish your sofa and give it a new color if its looking old and dull, or you’re just tired of its look.

What other ways have you used to renovate various rooms in your home? Let us know in the comment section below!

*This article first appeared here.

Cover image courtesy of heartbeatmusic

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The lack of water is a real challenge across the African continent. Rainwater harvesting can improve the livelihoods of women and children by reducing time spent on fetching water. It can also contribute to food security, by providing water during dry seasons for small-scale agriculture.

The basic rainwater harvesting system will capture rainwater from the roof, divert it via gutters, and store it in tanks for later use. This water can be used to supplement the main water supply.

You’ll first need to appropriately size the rainwater storage and estimate the amount of rainfall that can be collected. You can use this app developed by the UN Environment to calculate the amount of rainwater your roof can harvest.

The rainfall capturing area must be large enough to maintain adequate flow, with the water storage tank size being large enough to contain the captured water.

Which roofing material is best suited for rainwater harvesting?

The kind of material you use to cover your roof directly affects the quality of water collected.

Fire-treated clay tiles are the best material for harvesting rainwater because they are made of clay which is a natural filter. They are however not efficient because they absorb some water due to their porous nature. A light rain shower will yield a lower collection compared to a mabati roof.

Corrugated iron sheets (mabati) are an excellent and inexpensive roofing material. Rainwater collected from such a roof is considered relatively safe for domestic uses. However, it is worth mentioning that they might leach excess zinc into the water. You can confirm the levels by having your rainwater tested for excess zinc levels.

There have been concerns about stone-coated tiles and how suitable they are in the collection of rainwater. Genuine decra roofing tiles are considered safe for harvesting rainwater but you have to make sure you’re using genuine decra. Other stone-coated tiles brands do not gurrantee this.

Thatched roofs are unsuitable catchment surfaces since they tend to rot with time affecting the water quality and color.

Avoid roofs made of asbestos and artificially colored ones as these leach toxic chemicals to the water that can cause cancer.

Water collected with the intention of drinking purposes will need some level of treatment e.g. chlorination in order to ensure they meet regulatory standards for drinking water. 

Devices & Techniques for Better Water Quality

To prevent leaves and debris from entering your storage tank, have a screen mounted across the storage tank inlet, with the downpipe above the screen. This will improve water quality considerably.

Since contaminants—debris, dirt, and dust—collect on roofs during dry periods, it is important to employ a system for discarding the first portion of each rainfall (also know as the first flush). This can be a simple arrangement such as manually removing the downpipe away from the tank inlet for first flush and replacing once the first flush water has been diverted.

More complex mechanical systems such as semi-automatic first flush systems that do not rely on individuals exist but are more expensive to implement.

Storage Tanks

The storage tanks can be made of Ferro-cement, steel or plastic. The type of materials will depend on whether the tank will be placed above ground, on the ground or below ground (underground).

Ensure the top of the storage tank remains permanently covered and sealed to prevent the growth of algae or bacteria and infiltration of mosquitoes and dust.

Overflow pipes must be installed at the top of the tank to allow the safe disposal of excess rainwater and to prevent flooding. The overflow water should be drained away to a pit, plant, or stormwater drain.

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The responsibility of checking on quality of building material procured by the contractor lies with the consultants. The structural engineer prepares the project specifications for all building material and applicable standards they should comply with. The architect will check on quality of finishes mostly and the quantity surveyor, as the cost expert will advise on cost of what has been procured vis a vis what had been provided for in the bills of quantities.

It is possible to determine whether a product is substandard or not just by physical inspection, without having to go to the lab and carry out tests. We have listed the most common construction materials in use and what you should look out for when purchasing to ensure you get the right product.

(Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in this article is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be substituted for professional advice. Always engage a building professional in your project to ensure you get good quality building products.)

Building Stones

Building stones can either be manually cut or machine cut.

• Foundation stones are normally manually cut and have rough, uneven surfaces. They are sold per running foot. These should be very strong and heavy to lift and most importantly not porous i.e the rate of water absorption/seepage from outside is very low.

• Machine cut stones are preferred for walling since they are well shaped with even surfaces. This helps in saving on time and labor cost that would have gone into dressing. They are sold per piece. Ensure the stone is compact i.e does not easily deteriorate and is free from cavities or cracks especially on the edges/corners. You can also check the rate at which the stones are breaking as they are being unloaded from the delivery truck. If many stones break then chances are that they are not good quality.

Sand

Good quality sand should be well graded (meaning contains particles of a wide range of sizes). However, it is important to note that sand to be used for concreting works is generally coarser while for plastering works tends to be finer. When placing your order for sand, make sure you mention what you want to do with it to your supplier so that they deliver the most suitable sand for your needs.

It is important that the sand is clean and free from clay. If you rub a sample of the sand with wet palms, it should not stick together. If it does, then it means there is prescence of clay since sand is cohesionless and clay is cohesive. You can also physically examine to check for hints of dirt/impurities in the sand.

Ballast

For concrete works, the ballast should be clean and have a mixture of both big and small sized particles (well graded) for best results. The smaller the size of ballast, the greater its surface area and the more binding material (cement) will be required, resulting in a higher cost. The greater the size the larger will be the voids, resulting in wastage of binding material (cement).

Timber as a building material

Different forms of timber are used extensively in various phases of construction. It can be used as formwork, props for scaffolding, roofing trusses or for finishes.

The general rule is to ensure timber is free from defects such as dry rot, wet rot or blue stain but most importantly should be well seasoned i.e well dried with very low moisture content. Using unseasoned timber could result in the timber members warping after some time. It is difficult to determine the moisture content of timber just by examining physically. Which is why I always recommend that you buy timber from a reputable company that can show you the moisture content of your wood using a moisture content meter.

Roofing Material

When buying metal roofing which could be in the form of corrugated iron sheets, box profile sheets etc, you need to emphasize on the gauge, meaning the thickness of metal; the higher the gauge, the thinner the roofing sheet.

It is best to purchase roofing material directly from the manufacturer. That way, you know that the material is genuine and you can avoid knock offs that are being sold in local hardware store. Always request the manufacturer to provide a warranty in writing.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced while sourcing for building materials? Let us know in the comment section!

The post A Simple Guide to Buying Quality Building Material appeared first on My Building Code.

Finances for the House Construction

Can you afford it? Cost Planning for your house construction project is one of the things that have to be carefully considered before everything else.

The quantity surveyor is the cost expert and will need to be engaged to get accurate building estimates. Once you have a definitive cost, ensure your finances can be able to fund your construction vision to completion.

Apart from the construction cost, large development projects will need to factor in other costs such as the cost of Land Purchase, cost of Finance (e.g interest rates if planning to borrow from bank), Professional Fees, Legal Fees, Preliminary Costs, Management Costs, Marketing Costs (If Development is for Sale) and the Anticipated ROI (Return on Investment).

For small residential projects, we already discussed how you can get a budgetary estimate for your dream home. There is abit of flexibility here since we’ve seen many people opting to build their homes in stages as they pool together resources, instead of waiting to get the full amount before they start. Ensure that the entire construction period is not prolonged as there are consistent overheads such as cost of security, that will be incurred even as the project lies idle and this could significantly increase your overall cost.

Weather

Kenya’s location at the equator means that we get pretty good weather with not much extremes. As a result, we have construction works going on throughout the year. The only thing you need to be wary of is the rainy period since certain tasks are best suited to be carried out when its dry.

Tasks such as earthworks and foundation works should be scheduled to be done during the dry season. Doing these when it’s raining will not only be more expensive but can further lengthen your construction period.

Excessive rain can also cause muddy conditions that make some construction sites inaccessible, posing a challenge during delivery of materials.

Most builders will work to get the roof and walls built when the weather is nice and dry since often a lot of interior work can proceed even with the onset of the rainy season.

Areas in North Eastern Kenya are prone to high winds which affect construction activities where cranes are involved. Carrying out roofing works when its windy is also hazardous for construction workers and these works will need to be planned for the calm parts of the day/year.

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The most accurate costs are established by a quantity surveyor (QS) after the house designs are ready. However, one can still get a conservative budgetary estimate once you lockdown on the specifics of where and what you will construct.

It is important to note that construction costs will vary greatly depending on factors such as location, size of house, type of building (residential, commercial, industrial etc), topography and the material/finishes specifications.

Location

Cost of construction varies between urban and rural set up. The general trend is that it is more costly to build in more remote areas since you may incur a greater cost to transport construction materials to such places.

Size of the house

When describing the size of house many people like referring to the number of bedrooms. However, in construction the plinth area is what defines the size of house.

The plinth area or built up area is simply the entire area occupied by the building (including internal and external walls) and is normally given in square metres. This is important because we have rates of construction given per square metre that have been developed by organisations such as the Institute of Quantity Surveyors to serve as a cost guideline for major towns.

What you need to do is establish how big your building would be in square metres, then multiply that by the rate given. For example: it costs around KShs 35,000 per square meter to build a modest house in major towns of Kenya. Therefore if you have a three bedroom house with a plinth area of 130 sq mtrs, the cost of construction should be around KSHs 4.55 million. Note this does not cater for the cost of land and can be higher or lower depending on site conditions.

Finishes

Construction costs in Kenya can be divided into 3 categories: Low, Middle and High cost .The main driver of this is the finishes. Finishes refer to the internal and external surfaces of a house.

Wall finishes can either be paint on plaster or wall tiles, Ceiling finishes can be gypsum ceiling or PVC ceiling, Roof finish can be either mabati (corrugated iron sheet), clay roofing tiles or Decra (stone coated tiles) etc

High quality finishes significantly increase construction costs. The building cost for a high-end home will cost upwards of KShs 60,000 per square metre.

House features

There are certain elements that tend to increase your construction cost. Flat roofs for example would typically be more expensive than the normal pitched roof mostly because of the additional cost that come with concrete works and water proofing.

Full length windows (floor to ceiling windows) that are common in many modern houses overlooking stunning views, would cost more than the regular windows with a sill height.

In conclusion, there are no standards to construction costs and every project is unique. This is the reason why you should always engage a professional to guide you based on your budget and advise on how you can save on costs.

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For this article we shall concentrate on what you should look out for when shopping for land with the intention to build on it. The legal process will be tackled in part 2 of this post.

Location

In the world of real estate, location is king and should always be the first thing to think about before buying. Specifically, how the plot of land relates to the overall community is very important. For instance, a lot that’s situated in a quiet and serene environment with alot of green space would be worth more than land in the same neighborhood that’s adjacent to a busy roadway.

Depending on your exact needs, you’ll want to assess the location of the lot and its proximity to amenities like public transit, highways, schools, parks, and so forth. Security of the area is also important.

Zoning requirements

Zoning is a system of land use regulation which designates permitted and “extent of uses” of land in certain areas within certain municipalities. Some of the restrictions could include building height, plot coverage and ratio etc For example, in areas near airports, buildings are restricted to a certain height, to avoid interfering with flight traffic or causing accidents, since at such areas planes fly at a low attitude.

There are three major zoning classifications which include commercial, residential and industrial.

Zoning affects land value and usage, hence before purchasing a piece of land it is important to understand the prevailing zoning classification and whether it fits your intended use of the land.

Topography

The type of soil, the number of trees and the elevation or flatness of the terrain are all elements of topography. This will affect where you can build a home and how much it’ll cost.

The ideal piece of land is one that has nice water drainage which may be because the soil doesn’t pool up water, property is slightly sloped, or is highly elevated so it doesn’t collect much water. Relatively flat areas are typically easier to build on. Whereas you may incur more costs building on steep land, it has an added advantage of providing good views of the landscape.

Riparian and Road Reserves

Ensure that the piece of land you are considering to buy does not fall within a riverine reserve, flood plain or road reserve. A qualified and registered land surveyor, engaged early in the land buying process should be able to establish whether there is any riparian land attached to the land and advice accordingly.

The land surveyor will re-establish the beacons, confirm the size of land, and peek through the land’s survey history to identify any easements, building setbacks, or other restrictions on the property, which will affect your use and future development of the site.

For those buying land from land-selling companies, which has become common practice, ensure that the seller involved qualified surveyors during demarcation and subdivision.

Fault lines (in the Rift Valley)

Some areas within the Great Rift Valley Region are considered geologically unstable and are prone to experiencing subtle volcanic faulting, hence one needs to be vigilant when attempting to purchase land here. Some spots have very weak surface that cannot even sustain a single storey building.

Part of towns such as Nakuru have cracks and fissures that pose danger to tall buildings. This is why the town’s planners have always insisted on construction of low-storey buildings –– less than four floors. According to geologists, the proximity of the Menengai crater to the town makes the region’s surface weak and therefore unable to sustain heavy weight.The geologist also says the fissures cutting underneath the town open up during heavy rainfall with potential to deepen over time.

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Step 1: Search and inspection of the title deed

Request to see the title deed and get a copy of the title deed from the seller. Then visit the lands registry so as to conduct a search of the parcel in question. This will normally take three days to get the results of the real owner of the land and will reveal if there is any caution put against the land. The search will cost you ksh 520. Note, a valid search should not be more than six months old.

Step 2: Confirm land rates

Next, do a search with the local authorities to check if there are unpaid land rates. If any, you will have to agree with the seller on who will settle the debt since land cannot be transferred if there are unpaid land rates.  There are some charges that you will incur to obtain the clearance certificate, however the amount depends on the municipal or county council. It only takes a few hours to obtain the certificate.

Step 3: Purchase maps

Visit the ministry of lands and get two maps, one showing the exact measurements of the piece you are buying (called a tracing or mutation) and the other showing the neighboring lands. Each of these cost Ksh 350.

Step 4: Ground verification

With these maps and a surveyor, visit the land you are buying.The land surveyor will re-establish the beacons, confirm the size of land, and peek through the land’s survey history. He or she will help you understand some of the signs on the survey map and will establish e.g whether there is any riparian land attached to the land and advice accordingly.

Step 5: Sale agreement and deposit

Once you are satisfied with the search results, sit down with the seller and bargain the price. Write down a sale agreement. It is recommended that the sale agreement is drafted by a lawyer. The lawyers will charge a tariff depending on the value of the land. Upon execution of the sales agreement, the agreed deposit is paid by the purchaser through their advocate to the seller’s advocate’s account. Ensure the spouse is present when the agreement is being signed.

Take precautions before paying any installment by ensuring that the land title and any other legal document is in the lawyer’s custody. This is because the seller still owns the land and may transact in other deals with the title deed which would end up sabotaging you.

Step 6: Land Control Board Meeting

Book a meeting with the lands control board(LCB). The Land Control Board (LCB) is a forum that comprises of village elders and county commissioners that gives the final consent and protects the seller and his/ her dependents from harm, such as selling their only land without their dependents knowledge. This forum only convenes once a month. It will cost you Kshs 1,000. LCB will issue consent for the land to be sold.

Step 7: Land Transfer

The seller should sign the land transfer forms. Collect the forms, consent from LCB, Land search(not more than six months old), the clearance from county or municipal council , agreement, old title deed, passport photos and KRA pin and take them to the ministry of lands to change ownership. This will cost Ksh 5000 and takes about two weeks to process the new title.

Upon receipt of the complete documents from the seller, the buyer is obligated, in exchange of the documents, to pay to the seller the entire balance against the land through his advocates to finalize the registration of the documents after paying the requisite stamp duty.

Step 8: Pay Stamp Duty

The stamp duty will be dependent on the value of the land which is 4% for municipalities and 2% for reserve.

Once the sale is finished and you have obtained your title, do another search with the ministry of lands to ensure that the property now reflects your details as the owner.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in this article is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be substituted for professional legal advice. Although our aim is to provide you with as accurate information as possible, you should not act or rely upon the information in this article without seeking the advice of a lawyer who specializes in conveyancing and land transfer matters.

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A quick survey will reveal that most institutions will have their ceilings painted plain white yet there is alot more than one can do to add life to a space just by taking advantage of the fifth wall, as it is commonly referred to.

Paint on plaster

The frescoes of Sistine Chapel by Michel Angelo are undoubtedly one of the most lauded ceilings in the world. Though slightly too elaborate for our current times, it presents a perfect example of how paint on plaster can be used to give a space its own unique character.

A plain white ceiling can be painted with cool colors that match the walls giving the illusion of the ceiling and the wall being one.

If you are feeling adventurous and want to add a bit of contrast, the possibilities are endless. You can paint your ceiling a completely different color from the walls, making the ceiling stand out.

Wall Paper On Ceilings

Experimenting with different patterns that are bold can be achieved with paint, and even wall paper. Yes, you heard right, wall paper for ceilings is a thing now. Why do you think that many designers refer to the ceiling as the ‘fifth wall’? The advantage with wall paper is that you can hang it yourself, and can be removed in future when need arises.

This means you get to add texture and style to a plain ceiling without it costing an arm and a leg.

Gypsum Ceilings

Obviously the type of material you use for your ceiling can either limit or provide a variety of options with regard to ceiling design. A false ceiling is a secondary ceiling dropped below the main (structural) ceiling.

Originally, they were developed so as to conceal building infrastructure such as piping, wiring and duct work and in the process provide much needed aesthetics and ambiance. Gypsum boards are the most popular because they are relatively easy to install and can achieve a variety of irregular shapes and forms.

Intricate designs will incorporate elaborate lighting systems which may be hidden or may incorporate appropriate lighting fixtures such as down lighters and even chandeliers.

PVC Ceilings

One downside of gypsum boards is that they are easily damaged when exposed to water or moisture.

PVC panels are an excellent alternative to decorating your ceilings and making them waterproof. It is an ideal low maintenance solution since it requires little and sometimes no regular upkeep apart from the occasional dusting. No need to paint, but be rest assured that it will remain vibrant for years. PVC panels are available in matt or gloss finish.

Wood on Ceilings

A touch of wood on ceilings offers that classic look and always give the room a cozy feel. Wood boards and wood panels are an option to consider but remember to pair it up with warm colours to play up to its coziness and make the room feel more intimate.

Wood is a soft but strong and durable material and has some very impressive and beautiful qualities.Each type of wood has its own characteristics but they all share a similar elegance and a natural beauty that is difficult to replicate

Acoustic Ceilings

Acoustical ceilings, like their name suggests have high sound absorption properties and are suitable for sound control and noise reduction.They are available either as acoustic ceiling tiles, which are glued directly on to a plastered ceiling, or acoustic panels typically installed into a grid system which is suspended from the ceiling with metal wire.

Due to its commercial appearance, the suspended ceiling system is not widely used in residences but is quite popular in commercial spaces ranging from office buildings, banks, schools and even hospitals.

‘’ So with the many options available, ensure that you incorporate ceiling design into the overall design of your spaces. Giving a room new identity, playing up its assets or toning down its shortcomings may be as simple as just getting rid of that plain white ceiling. What other ways do you think can liven up a ceiling? Kindly let us know in the comment section. ‘’

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