The National Construction Authority (NCA) on Wednesday cautioned Kenyans against extending building floors without following the required regulatory procedures.
Speaking during a morning show on NTV, NCA Executive Director Maurice Akech emphasised that it is illegal to add floors to an occupied building without first evicting the tenants.
”It is illegal to extend a building while people are occupying it. It is also illegal to extend a building beyond the approved floor numbers,” Akech warned.
According to Akech, developers looking to extend buildings must adhere to two specific regulations, depending on whether they plan to build upwards or expand sideways.
A photo of a storey building under construction in the Pangani area, Nairobi County
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Nairobi County
However, he clarified that tenant relocation is not required if the extension is being carried out on the sides of the building.
”If you want to work on a building that is already occupied, then you have to move people out, and continue the construction until it is finished,” Akech stated.
”There are two types of extensions, extension on top which you cannot do while people are inside and there is an extension on the side which you properly have to secure and ensure this is properly done while people are occupying the other one with all the safety routes properly identified.”
At the same time, Akech revealed that it is illegal to resume construction on a building whose work had been paused for some time without first obtaining a new permit.
He explained that this requirement is backed by provisions in the National Construction Act, the National Building Code, and relevant county laws.
Additionally, he noted that buildings must be completed within a stipulated timeframe. If construction is delayed due to challenges such as lack of financing, a new license must be obtained before resuming work.
”If you started a storied building going up to four floors and you stopped at the second and wish to continue, you should know that the license shall have expired. This is because the approvals have a time bound,”
”For instance, if you to the county for approval they give you a period of about 24 months, and if you are not able to prove within that time you have to request an extension for approval. This is because many things will have changed.”
The warning came against the backdrop and concerns many residents especially those in Nairobi have raised in the past over extension adjustments that often end up posing safety and associated risks.
An affordable housing project under construction in Lang’ata (left) and a National Construction Authority (NCA) official during an inspection on March 6, 2023 (right).
PCS
NCA