Finding That Ideal Design

Just when I thought I had everything all worked out down to the very last detail, then someone with loads of experience and wisdom tell me that what I have planned is not a good plan. On hearing something like this you would normally go into defence mode, trying to justify what you think makes sense and will work out. Well not for me. even though I thought I had come to a final decision on what to build on Plot 22, the advice that I got from a trusted lady friend did not put me into defence mode. I think this is mostly because during the period of communicating with the builder who produced the final drawing for my project, my prayer each night was for God to give me wisdom in what my final decision would be. My plan was to have a two storey building. The ground and first floor would act as open offices and on the second floor I would have a three bedroom apartment. On the ground floor I would have, detached from the main building, an office I would use personally. So this is how everything came tumbling down.

A two storey building was out of the question my knowledgable lady friend informed me. Do you know why she asked? I quickly replied with a "no". She went on to Explain. Kuku, she said, you are not getting any younger. Can you imagine yourself in the next 10 - 15 years time climbing up all these steps just to get to your apartment. You will looking at two flight of steps. How is going to make life easy for you. Why do you not just limit yourself to a single story building. Have an open office plan for the ground floor, but instead of having one big open office. divide it into two halves. The wisdom behind this, she went on, is because the Ghanaian economy is not booming as everyone, especially businesses expected it to. If you have one open office plan, you might be struggling to fine a tenant to take up the whole office. No, if you split the office into two halves, you have a greater chance of getting tenants for both halves. If you do find someone willing to take both halves, then that is fine, they can then manage both halves according to their taste. This made sense. Why did I not see this logic in the beginning? The next thing she pointed out to me was the layout of the apartment. Considering the fact that I have a very small family, it was obvious from the drawings that a lot of space would be unused. Why do you not have a two and a three bedroom apartment. The two bedroom apartment can be leased out on a short term basis and the three bedroom apartment can be used by you personally.

I am back to the drawing board. I have engaged the services of Ebow Swatson of GW Consults [GH] to design something for me. Subsequently, things have been pushed back for Project Nyaniba. There is a saying about people who rush into things. As my wise lady friend said to me "what is the rush? Take your time and get it right"