DETAILS OF GAMBIAN ECO HOUSES

Here are more details of our eco homes;

Land Status

Traditionally in Gambia, land has been passed down though the family. This system is still operating, particularly in the eastern country areas.

In general, it should be noted that there is no unlimited free ownership of land available in Gambia, it is all retained by the government for the people of Gambia and land can only be owned on a lease arrangement with 99 year lease.

The terms freehold and leasehold mean different things here to other countries and it is important you understand the difference here in Gambia.

“Freehold land” is (rather confusingly) what land is called if it is not registered with the “Property Register” in Gambia (it does not denote freehold status as Europeans know it). In almost all cases in the country areas, and some in the Banjul and coastal area, this is the status that land will have that is offered for sale.
If you purchase land freehold land without registration, then the ownership can be questioned at a later date and you have the possibility of it being taken away for a previous family consideration you did not know about.

To further complicate matters, there is some actual “freehold” land available in parts of Banjul and two different types of leasehold through the country. As well as this, there is land along the coastal strip denoted as “Tourist Development Area” (TDA) that is reserved for tourist development only and can only be sold on by the government authority in control.

On purchase your solicitor / conveyancer will check if the land is registered or not and if not then carry out registration for you.
It then becomes “Leasehold” land and ownership for the 99 year lease period is unquestionably yours.

In summary, registered land is considered “leasehold” and there is no question on ownership, land not registered is considered “freehold” and ownership can be contested.

As you can guess, legal assistance is required and we can advise you on Gambian solicitor / conveyancer to complete this process.

Land Purchase

The usual arrangement for land purchase is a 10% deposit paid down and 30 days then given to complete the transaction.

For blocks in established estates, the agent will take care of all this.
In the case of land that is more remote, you will have to get consent to sell from all persons in the family who traditionally own the land.

6 copies of the “Transfer of Ownership of Land” form must be signed by relevant seller and buyer, and also by the village chief (Alkalo) and district chief (Seyfo) and the local municipal body.

Apart from the transfer form, other forms that are involved are; “Certificate of Occupancy of Land Held”, “Land Use Clearance and Transfer”, “Income Tax Clearance”, “Fencing Permit” and “Leasing of Land”. There are also fees to be paid for each of these submissions.

A full cash payment can also be made with relevant contracts drawn up.
Once the balance of the payment is made, a public deed of conveyance is given to the purchaser.
This is passed to the Tax office for capital gains tax and stamp duty calculation and then it goes to the Property register for registration.

You will also have to pay “Alkalo tax” (village tax), Municipal tax and income tax totalling around 1% of the total price.
Conveyancing legal fees should be around 10% of the price depending on the fees charged by solicitor and any agent’s fees are up to 10% of the purchase price.
If you purchase from an estate agent they will total up the prices for you.

Once you have paid the purchase price, you will be liable for yearly payments for land rents (small fee indicated on lease document) as well as any local land rates (based on rateable value of land and house as assessed by tax office and the Area Council charges).

Land Location

There are now a number of areas with land formally for sale as serviced developments. You will see these as you pass south from Kololi and Senegmabia area.

There are developments that are left following the Africa Union conference in late 2006 and land is being parcelled up around them in Brufut and south towards Tanji.
These are usually higher priced land, but have secure tenure and services attached.

Throughout the tourist area there is land available as individual plots. Again these are higher priced, but the proximity to restaurants, the beach and resorts makes them attractive to some.

For more rural locations, or in villages, you will need to get to know villagers, or approach estate agents who should be able to point you in the right direction. Often the land is not for sale until interest is expressed and the price is very negotiable, with the seller often just trying to see what the land is potentially worth.

Land in these locations is very reasonably priced, although with no amenities and therefore very suitable for our eco houses and alternative energy systems.

There is land available just behind the TDA coastal strip which gives you access to the coast, but still secure leasehold.

We can arrange for an agent to take you around to show you the various parts of Gambia and will also help negotiate purchase of land for you and help with negotiations and arranging conveyancing.

House

Houses in Gambia usually fit into two categories; traditional round or square houses and modification on this theme, or contemporary houses that are architectural designed with Moorish and European styles.

Most of the “contemporary designs” are not solar passive and require air conditioning and indoor living during hot periods.

Most of the “traditional designs” require indoor living during hot periods and due to budget, miss out on some modern features that make living comfortable.

We aim to combine the best of traditional and modern houses and focus on low energy, tropical designs that fit into the tropical landscape with houses starting with budget 1 bedroom roundhouses through to 3 or 4 bedroom homes.

We help you all the steps of the way and have laid out the steps to an eekos eco-house in a separate document.

Legalities

A new house required a building permit from the Physical Planning Department in Banjul and there is a fee for this based on the square metres of the building. We will arrange for this to be obtained.

A contract for the building work is drawn up by our solicitor and after consulting your solicitor, signed by both parties.

With regard to building regulations, our experience in UK with building works to UK regulations are put into practice in Gambia to ensure that safe and permanent building is carried out.

Typical Houses

The houses our team has had experience with are as follows:

1. Round Hut
This is a single bedroom with ensuite bathroom hut in the traditional round Gambian style. It is low budget and suitable for either temporary accommodation while building a larger house, or for a short stay holiday home. It can also be multiplied on a site for a clustered housing arrangement which has advantages over a single dwelling.

The hut has a dividing wall at the back where the bathroom is located and features such as a wide verandah at the front added to give extra room.

Extra room can also be added by having an outside toilet room, adding to the tropical feel.

Cost would be in the region of d500 000 (£10 000) – d750 000 (£15 000)

2. 2 bedroom house
Inn the traditional style of Gambian rectangle hipped roof houses, this is also a low cost house suitable for holiday use or permanent use for a single or couple.

The inner floor plan is variable. The outer area can be extended with verandah and enclosed outside living area.

Many features can be added to this base plan to customise it to your requirements.

Cost would be in the region of d750 000 (£15 000) – d1 250 000 (£25 000)

3. 3 / 4 bedroom house
We can design a larger 3 / 4 bedroom house based on the traditional one story Gambian home, or a double story house style.
Passive solar design can be employed to base the design around a central courtyard and additional outside living areas can be added.
We can also add a swimming pool or plunge pool.

Cost would be over d1 250 000 (£25 000) depending on requirements.

House Includes
A typical home includes:

Structure
- Concrete base.
- Sand/cement blocks moulded and dried on site - typical blocks used in many houses in Gambia.
- Sand/cement rendered walls.
- Timber window and door frames.
- Galvanised iron and thatch roof.
- Glassless shuttered windows.
- Wooden doors.
- Insect screens on windows and doors.
- Tiled ensuite shower and toilet area.
(We are currently looking at the option of using Compressed Earth Bricks that are much more eco friendly and cost effective as they use site materials and much less cement.)

Outside hard landscaping
- An outside verandah/patio can be added to extend the living area to the front.
- A larger insect screen enclosed living area to the rear can be successfully be used for breakfast and evening entertaining area.
- Hard patio slabs or gravelled areas and paths.
- Gravelled area for parking.

Water Supply
- Bore or well water supply with electric powered or direct wind or hand pumping to a small storage tank.
- Alternative system of water harvesting from roof and storage in larger tank. (More suitable for a larger building with large shed close by for maximum water harvest during wet season)

Energy System
- 240 volts standard electrical system for Gambian electric grid connect.
- Alternative 12 volt system for independent alternative solar and/or wind power generation.

Waste System
- Composting or semi-flush toilets for onsite recycling of wastes.
- Greywater system with buried pipe for use in landscaping.

Appliances
- 240 volt appliances for conventional grid system are available.
- 12 volt appliances available for independent power supply.
- Gas fridge also available.
- Bottled gas cooking stove and oven.

Entertainment and communications
- Television and music entertainment systems available.
- Internet and phone connection via cable in areas with it available. A wireless option is also available for remote houses.
- Satellite television is also available.

Landscaping
- Conventional decorative landscaping available.
- Piped irrigation systems available.
- Fruit tree and vegetable Permaculture landscaping for year round food production.
Contact us for costs of refurbishing existing homes or extending them.

Finances
We operate an open finances policy that is unique.

You are able to see the financial books associated with your contract at any time. This way you can see where the house costs are going and changes can be made if needed.

It is a cooperative approach that enables a flexible approach to customising your home.

We give you an “estimated” price for your house following consideration of your requirements and budget.

Payment is negotiable, but usually a 30 - 40% deposit is required, then stepped payment as parts of the construction are completed.

We base our cost on the "actual" costs including labour costs and then put our profit on top to reinvest in the company.

You will be able to see ALL these figures at any time either online or via paper based information and therefore there will be no hidden “extras” to pay for when the job is finished.

We believe this gives the most cost effective house, brings more trust into our customer relationship and allows you to budget more directly for extras as the building proceeds.

Involvement in Design
Our homes are not kit form. They are based around standard designs that are custom designed for you.

You are also able to be involved in the construction at various stages so that the house is truly made for you. The open finances policy also helps to make your involvement in the construction process easier for budgeting and a flexible approach to changes and extras as the job proceeds.

'Patterns' in Design
eekos enthusiastically use 'patterns' when helping customers put together designs.

'Patterns' are elements of house and urban design that have proven themselves successful over years of use.

A few typical Gambian house patterns include;
1 - The Compound family unit pattern.
2 - The Bantaba conversation shelter at the front of the house.
3 - The Screened front wall to allow shade, but also ensure air movement and communication with passing persons and other people in the compound.

A few example "patterns" from other tropical areas of the world;
1 - Low louvres and high air exist for constant air movement.
2 - Large overhangs to reduce solar radiation.
3 - Easy transition between kitchen living area and outside living area.

The use of "patterns" in designing your home helps take the best of traditional and contemporary design to build a house that fits in the Gambian environment, as well as using the best features of advanced housing.

Recent additions to the housing in Gambia has drawn solely from western design suited to colder climates and these houses are much more isolated, insular, less open to society and higher in energy usage.

The use of "patterns" enables customers to design their own houses to fit their lifestyles and requirements.
We are building an online store of "patterns" that will enable customers to put together the best of Gambian and western house patterns for an up to date, but still appropriately Gambian design.

We aim for our designs and construction to be human based and not construction based.

Solar Passive Design
We offer a number of "Patterns" that add to, and improve the traditional Gambian house design.

These are designs that have passive design features to encourage air flow and improve comfort without expensive and often redundant air conditioners.
Air flow, louvers, ceiling vents, ceiling fans, large verandas, orientation of the house, outside courtyard, eastern facing breakfast areas all make for much more enjoyable living, as well as reducing energy use for cooling.

Water Supply
Water supply in Gambia is important during the long dry months. There are two options for year round water supply. The first is to have a bore or well dug and water pumped for use. The second is "water harvesting" during the wet months and store for use during the dry months.
We can recommend the best option for your usage amount and pattern and have a range of options available.

Energy System
It is no secret that the Gambian electrical supply is not regular. It is also impossible to get in many locations, and if it is available, then the cost of connection and supply is also high.

We encourage energy conservation measures and the use of alternative methods to supply electricity in our homes.
Because of the high cost of producing and storing electricity, we initially concentrate on reducing the need for it in your home. Passive cooling design, design for natural lighting, low energy appliances, manual appliances (e.g. hand washing machines), low energy lighting and other methods all can be used to reduce energy use.
We will help you to ensure that your energy requirements are low.

When it comes to energy supply, we can supply and install photovoltaic cells, wind generators and biomass (wood) and bio-diesel electrical generation. We can also supply deep cell storage batteries.

We also encourage the use of wood (biomass) burning cooking stoves as a small planting of fast growing wood fuel trees can be planted to utilise greywater from your home.

If you require hot water for cleaning around the house and for showers, then we can help with low cost solar domestic hot water systems. These are designed using local materials and are appropriate for the task of a small quantity of hot water compared to the amount required in temperate region.

If you choose to grid connect, we can also offer a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) that is essentially a bank of batteries that give you continuous supply of power. It is charged from the grid when the grid is functioning.

Appliances
We can supply and install a wide range of appropriate household appliances from low energy 12 volt fridge and freezers through to bicycle powered washing machines!

Gas fridges are standard in Gambia, although we are currently investigating supply of super insulated 12 volt fridges and freezers.

Waste System
Traditional straight drop toilets are one of the main causes of disease transmission through the use of nearby well and bore water and we do not advocate their use. Regular flush toilets and septic tanks are not a good option in Gambia for reasons of high water use and ineffective treatment.

We can supply you with a composting toilet and greywater system that recycles the toilet and greywater wastes and utilises them to feed your ornamental plants and fruit trees.

If you wish for a more traditional flush toilet, we can supply limited flush toilets and a wet composting system and reed bed that are low maintenance and also can be fitted into your landscape plan.

Food Supply
Of great importance in a eco house is the ability to become more self sufficient in food supply. If you wish, we can supply a fruit tree landscaped garden designed around "Permaculture" principles. Permaculture is a well established worldwide design philosophy which designs gardens to copy forests. This way the landscaping is low maintenance and a variety of organic food crops is available year round.

We also favour the use of mulch, similar to the leaf litter in a forest floor, to keep down soil temperature in summer and keep in moisture and build up organic matter.

Communications
As mentioned in our previous list, we can offer phone, internet and television access depending on whether you are on a serviced estate or remote.

The communications options are constantly changing as telecommunications improve in Gambia and can keep you up to date with the latest develpments and costs.

Maintenance
The passive design of the houses ensures that the houses are less costly to maintain throughout the year. Over time, this can be considerable savings compared to generator and grid electricity based houses with air conditioning and other high energy use applications.
When combined with our recycling compost toilets and greywater systems your house and garden will not only be easy to maintain, but will build in fertility over the years. Visitors to your home help to fertilise the garden!

If however you require help to maintain your house, we have a house and garden maintenance service available. This can be particularly helpful if you have a holiday house and you want it to be in good condition when you arrive for holiday.

Supporting the Local Economy
Because eekos is a cooperative company with equal ownership, local Gambians are able to share in the profits of the business as well as pay themselves decent wages for their work.

Much of the materials and extra labour is sourced locally meaning much of your purchase price goes directly to helping the local economy.

Help Conserve the Local Environment
Our designs are focused on low impact on the natural environment in construction and passive in operation. We aim to design houses that do not operate on generators and do not have air conditioners.

As well as this, eekos is setting up a number of environmental projects, meaning your purchase price is helping to conserve the local environment.

Supporting World Sustainablity
The income to eekos in general goes towards products and services that are helping to make the world more sustainable and assist in conserving natural ecosystems.

Please Note: The advice given in this section is for informative purposes only and you should also investigate for the latest information particularly with regard to legal requirements.

For more information, contact Ousman Janneh at Gunjur on 077 40340
Alternatively contact Kevin Ison in the UK on 01765 658786 or email us on admin@eekos.com

LINKS
< Back to eekos Gambia
Summary of Gambian eco houses
Steps to a Gambian Ecohouse

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