Building Construction in The Gambia
We build residential, commercial and hospitality projects from foundation to handover across the Greater Banjul Area. Because we also quarry laterite, cast our own blocks and drill our own boreholes, the materials and water a site depends on are not left to third parties.
What does a design-and-build contractor do?
A design-and-build contractor holds a single contract covering both the design of a building and its construction. One team is accountable for drawings, structure, materials, programme and handover — so the client is not caught between an architect and a builder blaming each other when something does not line up on site.
The problems we hear about most
These are the situations clients describe when they first call us, and what we do about each one.
- Projects that stall halfway and sit unfinished for years.
- Capacity, scope and sequencing are discussed before mobilisation, with a written programme that sets out the main project stages.
- Owners abroad who cannot see what is happening on their site.
- Diaspora clients receive dated photographic progress reports at each milestone, so the money released always matches work that has visibly been done.
- Material substitution after the price is agreed.
- Block sizes, cement grade, steel diameters and finishes are written into the scope. We manufacture our own blocks, so what arrives on site is what was specified.
- Rainy-season damage to open structures and unset concrete.
- Programmes are sequenced around the June–October rains: earthworks, foundations and roof cover are targeted for the dry months wherever the start date allows.
- Cracking, damp and settlement showing up within a few years.
- Foundations are sized to the ground actually found on site, blocks are cured before laying, and damp-proofing is treated as structural work rather than a finishing extra.
Who we work with
- Gambians in the diaspora building a family home from abroad
- Property developers delivering apartments or twin homes for sale or rent
- Hotel and guesthouse owners building or extending in the Tourism Development Area
- Businesses building warehouses, showrooms, offices or shops
- Landowners who bought a plot and need a contractor to take it from bare ground
Why clients choose us for this
- One contract, one accountable team
- Design, structure, materials and construction sit with us. There is one number to call when a question comes up and no gap between trades for a problem to fall into.
- Materials from our own divisions
- Laterite from our quarry and blocks from our yard mean fewer supply gaps, no surprise price escalation mid-project and consistent quality we can stand behind.
- Programmes we intend to keep
- We publish realistic dates rather than optimistic ones. A schedule that survives contact with the rainy season is worth more than one that reads well at signing.
- Documented progress
- Photographs and written updates at each milestone, so you can verify what has been built before releasing the next payment.
- Water on site from day one
- Our drilling rig means a site can have its own water supply early, instead of construction waiting on tanker deliveries.
What is included
Written scopes prevent arguments later. This is the full range we cover — your quotation will state exactly which parts apply to your project.
Pre-construction
- Site inspection and measurement
- Architectural drawings and structural design
- Bill of quantities and written cost breakdown
- Guidance on permit and approval requirements for your council area
- Construction programme with milestone dates
Substructure
- Site clearance, setting out and excavation
- Strip, pad and raft foundations sized to ground conditions
- Reinforced concrete footings and ground beams
- Damp-proof membrane and hardcore filling
- Oversite concrete and ground-floor slab
Superstructure
- Reinforced concrete columns, beams and suspended slabs
- Blockwork in 6-inch and 9-inch hollow blocks
- Roof structure, covering and rainwater goods
- Internal and external rendering
- Staircases, lift shafts and service risers
Services and finishing
- Electrical first and second fix
- Plumbing, drainage, septic systems and water storage
- Tiling, ceilings, joinery, doors and windows
- Painting and external finishes
- Boundary walls, gates, driveways and landscaping
Our process, step by step
- 01
1. Site visit and brief
We walk the plot with you, confirm boundaries and access, look at the ground and drainage, and establish what you actually want to build and roughly what you want to spend.
- 02
2. Design and costing
Drawings and a bill of quantities are prepared so you can see the building and its price together. Where the budget and the brief do not meet, we say so at this stage rather than after work starts.
- 03
3. Written scope and programme
Specifications, milestone dates and a payment schedule tied to completed stages are agreed in writing before mobilisation.
- 04
4. Mobilisation
Site is secured and set out, water and storage are arranged, and the first material deliveries are staged.
- 05
5. Construction with supervision
Work runs stage by stage under direct supervision from our leadership, with checks at foundation, ring beam, roof and finishing stages.
- 06
6. Handover
Snagging list agreed and cleared, services tested, keys and documentation handed over.
How we do the work
The details below are where quality is actually decided — and where corners are usually cut.
- Concrete and reinforcement
- Mix proportions and steel diameters are set by the structural design for each element rather than by habit, and reinforcement is checked before any pour is approved.
- Blockwork
- Hollow blocks in 6-inch and 9-inch widths from our own yard, cured before they are laid. Curing is the step most often skipped locally and the one that most affects long-term strength.
- Founding on real ground conditions
- Foundation type is chosen after inspecting what is under the plot. Sandy coastal ground, filled land and laterite subsoil do not behave the same way and should not be given the same footing.
- Damp and water management
- Damp-proof membranes, adequate ground-floor levels above surrounding ground, and drainage planned for rainy-season volumes rather than average rainfall.
- Weather sequencing
- Programmes account for the June-to-October rains and for harmattan dust during the dry season, both of which affect curing and finishing quality.
Swipe horizontally to compare all columns.
| Design and build (single contract) | Separate designer and builder | |
|---|---|---|
| Accountability | One party for design and construction | Split — disputes fall between the two |
| Cost certainty | Priced against one agreed scope | Design changes often re-price the build |
| Programme | Design and procurement overlap | Build starts only after design completes |
| Best suited to | Owners who want one point of contact | Owners with their own architect already engaged |
Building construction: common questions
If your question is not here, call us — we would rather answer it before you commit than after.
How long does it take to build a house in The Gambia?
The programme depends on the drawings, ground conditions, approvals, funding, finishing standard and season. We prepare a project-specific milestone programme rather than publishing a generic month range.
What does construction cost per square metre in The Gambia?
There is no single credible rate because finishes, number of storeys, foundation type and current cement and steel prices vary. A bill of quantities against the actual drawings gives a more useful basis for pricing.
Can you build for me while I am living abroad?
Yes. A significant share of our residential work is for Gambians in the diaspora. The arrangement that works is a written scope, a payment schedule tied to completed stages rather than to dates, and dated photographic reports at each milestone so funds are released against verified progress.
Do you handle building permits and approvals?
We prepare the drawings and documentation needed for submission and guide you through what your council area requires. Requirements differ between local authorities and change over time, so approvals are confirmed with the relevant council and the physical planning authority rather than assumed.
Do you take on renovations and extensions?
Yes, where the existing structure can carry the change. We inspect first — an extension on a foundation that was never designed for a second storey is a structural decision, not a finishing one, and we will tell you if the answer is no.
What areas do you build in?
Primarily the Greater Banjul Area, including Kanifing, Serrekunda, Bijilo, Fajara, Brusubi, Bakau and Banjul. See our service areas page for details and for how we handle sites further out.
Related services
- Concrete blocksCured 6-inch and 9-inch hollow concrete blocks manufactured and delivered across the Greater Banjul Area
- Laterite stoneLaterite stone quarried and supplied for foundations, hardcore, road bases and walling across The Gambia
- Borehole drillingBorehole and borewell drilling for homes, farms, hotels and sites across The Gambia
Get a quote for building construction
Tell us the location and what you need. We serve the Greater Banjul Area and travel further by arrangement.
Monday to Saturday, 8:00 – 18:00. We use your details only to answer your enquiry.