A servant's quarters shouldn't be an afterthought

In many homes, the servant's quarters looks nothing like the main house, writes Peter Muiruri

They are common features in urban homesteads and are popular among the newly employed and unmarried men and women looking for affordable accommodation. Many people, including some honchos of our blue chip companies, probably began their careers while housed in one of these "cubes" adjacent to the main house that we call a servant’s quarters (SQ).

As the name implies, these buildings are primarily meant to house domestic staff. The recent death of a house help inside a servant’s quarters at Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Karen home brought to the fore the need to pay keen attention to the goings on in these abodes.

Kenya has an estimated two million domestic workers living mainly in urban centers, but architectural design in the past tended to give little attention to their dwelling.

A servant’s quarters would often be put together using left over materials and without proper finishing. This has changed as many developers have realised that these quarters not only add value to the entire property, but also contribute to the contentment of the occupants.

"The smooth running of a household depends on how domestic workers are treated by their employers. Providing adequate housing where they can comfortably retire to after a hard day’s work will make them more productive," says Henry Gitau, an associate with Triad Architects. Gitau adds that many developers of stand-alone houses are now fully factoring in the cost of the domestic quarters in the construction budget.

Such careful attention, Gitau says, begins with adhering to the laid down construction guidelines provided by the government through the building code. Local authorities should not approve construction plans for servants’ quarters that do not conform to the laid down regulations. Apart from defining the quality of construction, the code also specifies the size of spaces within a building meant for human habitation.

Privacy and freedom

"There are government by-laws containing minimum requirements that must be met when one is putting up an SQ, especially one that is completely detached from the main house. The bedroom to an SQ must measure not less than 8x8 feet. It should contain a proper toilet and bathroom, a washing sink and a modest cooking area. Given the small size of these units, installing proper ventilation is also a must," says Gitau.

Another factor that should be given due consideration is its location in relation to the main house. Much of this depends on the size of the land on which the property stands and the cadre of domestic workers to be accommodated. A town home with limited space will likely have one servant’s quarters or a bedsitter attached to the main house, semi-detached or constructed just a few metres away from the house. This will adequately accommodate at least one domestic worker, most likely the house help.

The current trend when designing apartments is to include one room in each house that will serve as accommodation for domestic staff. When complete, it is fully equipped with a shower, toilet and an independent access.

A homeowner with a larger compound might want to accommodate other people and not just the house help. In such a situation, it would not be a bad idea to locate a block intended for a gardener, cook, watchman and a driver a little distance away from the family house, perhaps next to the main entrance.

It should be borne in mind that domestic workers, too, need some privacy and freedom to entertain themselves or their fellow workers when off duty. To this end, some homeowners erect a small wall or a hedge together with a gate to separate the main house from the SQ.

Proper attention should also be given to external and internal finishes of a servant’s quarters. Remember this building, regardless of its location on the property, is part of the whole house.

"To enhance the entire property, the exterior appearance of these quarters should closely match that of the main building. If finances permit, the paint job on the outside and the roofing materials ought to be the same as that of the main house. If the main house has some flowers around it, there is nothing wrong in having similar plants around a servant’s quarters," says Gitau.

The inside of the servant’s quarters can also be spruced up without getting extravagant. Unlike the outside of the quarters that are visible to others, the inside may be modified to suit the needs of the occupant.

For example, it may not be advisable to use highly flammable materials such as wood on either the ceiling or the floor in a house where the occupant will use a stove with an open flame or the traditional charcoal jiko for cooking or warming the house. If ceramic tiles are costly, then make do with the low cost PVC tiles that are also easier to install. It is advisable to use water based emulsion paint on walls, as it is easier to clean.

Whatever the case, be sure to use materials that are easy to maintain keeping in mind that these workers have full-time jobs and may not invest much time in thoroughly cleaning their houses on a regular basis.

Proper lighting in the SQ is also vital, considering that many domestic workers start their day before daybreak.

While at matters electrical, be sure to have a few power sockets at least in the kitchenette and the bedroom.

Many people rent out SQs in order to supplement family income. With a surging urban population desperately looking for inexpensive accommodation, such quarters are a welcome relief.

Paul, a single man who lives in a rented SQ along Lang’ata Road, is comfortable despite the size of the house.

"Though the house is tiny, its proximity to the city makes it an ideal place for me. Size does not matter since I own few household items and I don’t spend much time in the house during the day anyway."

There are also those who neither use their servant’s quarters to accommodate domestic staff nor rent them out, but turn them into guest wings. Some of these are fully furnished to provide a measure of comfort to the visitor.

Regardless of its use, a servant’s quarters needs careful planning from the beginning of the entire property’s development.