Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned - Properties (4) - Nairaland
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 6:26am On Oct 20, 2012 |
Jibsonified: I need advice on renovating a bungalow (in half plot land) built in 1966. Renovations: No builder has X-Ray vision! I actually want to place a caveat on that subject but still think I should share something on it. When it comes to renovation, older houses can present challenges for homeowners and builders who haven't braced themselves for the costs ahead. Bros, things are more expensive than we usually think when working on reno projects. Most homeowner always peg their budgets to be about half of what the true cost is going to be. Just because you’ve been silently or religiously following this thread or other great threads on building constructions and have learned one or two things does not guarantee you success in your reno project, you need a bit more information before you carry the hammer and start breaking the walls. Lessons: Get your builder involved from the date the idea was conceived through all the construction. Not only that, you should be involved as well. Why? It is your house they are renovation. Tell him what works and what doesn't. Why you wanted it so? Be flexible and sensible enough to know when the project is taking a twist. Offer help when needed. Many renovation projects never get built to taste because the design and the budget don't run together; or maybe the owner is less interested in details. However, here are the areas you should be more concerned about. They are the real challenge you'll face. 1. Foundation 2. Bathrooms/Plumbing 3. Electricity 4. Roof 5. Septic Tank and Soakaways 6. Windows 7. Hidden layers I already shared a link to a reno project (*check post 13 on the first page of this thread) I did for a client last year. I suggest you visit that thread. 1 Like |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 6:46am On Oct 20, 2012 |
otunbadan: Actually no but I can do a research on the topic and update this thread once I gain information. I subscribe to every idea that will assist in building homes more efficiently and effectively. Prefab construction is one of such ideas. I fell in love with it when I first saw the ones done at one estate close to VGC, Lagos. (Don't mind me, I can't remember the name of the estate) Watch this space for more info on the topic. 1 Like |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by kcstyle40(m): 3:41pm On Nov 05, 2012 |
Pls Brabus or whom ever has knowledge of building. I need qoutation of how much it will cost me to build a 3bedroom flat of just 1 storey building. Asin... 3bedrom flat up and 3bedrm flat down finish thanks pls reply asap. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 7:07am On Jan 24, 2013 |
Architect/Builder Relationship Make sure your architect and builder have worked together before and get along well. Whichever one you hire first, ask him to recommend the other. Otherwise all of their little conflicts will cost you plenty. Before you hire an architect or a builder be sure to check their references! |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by yosmen: 8:43am On Feb 04, 2013 |
am an architect.I deaign and build.you can always reach me on yosmen2000@gmail.com or call 07030483650.archigram and associates. lets talk.thanks 1 Like |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by ApicalHomes: 10:00pm On Mar 13, 2013 |
Make your next move with Apical Homes -Prefabricated Homes specialist. We are UK based specialists in Prefabricated houses and are expanding into African market. We build affordable prefabricated homes for estate housing projects and individuals. Our building materials are manufactured and pre-engineered in UK to the highest standards to ensure our clients enjoy ample living space in quality homes built to last. It is quick to assemble, high quality finishing including fully fitted kitchen cabinets, baths, WC's, light fittings and more. You can build yourself a decent home from N5million naira. We have just completed a 3 Bedroom bungalow, all rooms en-suite in Ajah, Lagos. You can view the pictures from the foundation level to completion on our website at www.apicalhomes.com/gallery.html Call us on 081 8974 1199 to discuss how we can help you achieve your dream home. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 2:32am On May 07, 2013 |
NextHome Builders
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 2:25am On Dec 04, 2013 |
When problems occur Unfortunately, no matter how good the contractor, something will probably go wrong during the life of a project. The problem could be as simple as missing a delivery date or overrunning a task budget — or, it could be much more severe, such as constructing a critical component that is later found to be out of specification. When problems occur, there could be a number of causes: 1. The contractor cutting corners to meet an overly aggressive cost proposal. 2. The work requirements poorly specified in the contract or there was no specification document in the contract. Did the contractor properly prepare for the work at hand? 3. There was an improper change to the scope of work 4. The contract terms were unrealistic or the contractor set up for failure. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by BrabusNG: 5:32am On Dec 25, 2013 |
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by kopell: 12:44pm On Dec 25, 2013 |
@Brabus I hope this is a new beginning, merry Christmas to you and your family and happy new year in advance. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by cleric(m): 4:52pm On Jan 08, 2014 |
i like dis thread  |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by irokop(m): 11:24pm On Jan 08, 2014 |
Pls brabus or experience guys in the house, iam a diasporan iam building a storie of 4 flats at aba I gave the engieneer my plan and he commenced foundation blinding colums cast basket stand pillers lay blocks up to 5 laying dpc At dpc we agreed not to do usual german floor but did what they called chaning the dpc round with 12mm universal rod room to room partion to partition then cast it 9 inchs afterwords we did indivdual floor casting 4 inchs all then left them to contineu, at a stage when i know that they ive gone far around lintell level i requested for picture it was when i realised that he layed 8blocks then lintel intead of 9 blocks then lintel, i called him and ask him why he said thats how ppl build this days it was a very big shock to cos i know the implications the doors and windows will not have space enough. Pls guys is this a mistake or its normal? |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 9:02pm On Dec 07, 2014 |
Now it's official! The Construction of K-024 at Cooperative Villas by NextHome.
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 3:07am On Dec 25, 2014 |
Merry Christmas from the NextHome Team In addition to wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, we also want to say thank you. This has been an amazing year of change and growth for NextHome, and it would not be possible without your support! Thank you for your continued support of NextHome, and we look forward to working with you in 2015! The NextHome Team
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by Nobody: 5:32am On Jan 07, 2015 |
brabus: You should open a thread and share your experience on alternative building methods. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 5:51am On Jan 07, 2015 |
CityNG: Ok. I'll do so at a later time. I'm still gathering ideas cos there are lots of alternative building solutions to explore. 1 Like |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 7:06am On Jan 10, 2015 |
Lagos HOMS - MDUs/MTUs is a step in right direction to solve housing deficit in Nigeria. Ask me why and how?
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 5:51am On Jan 26, 2015 |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by tsiriman(m): 10:27pm On Mar 03, 2015 |
Hello guys i need advise. I'm about to buy a land that is partly waterlogged, my issue here is not the foundation but the soakaway and borehole. I heard that it's not possible to build a soakaway in that kind of environment, that only a septic tank can be built. Also the water from the borehole in that area might be difficult to treat. Please house, highlight the disadvantages of building in a waterlogged land in the long run. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by Dieumerci(m): 3:45am On Mar 04, 2015 |
tsiriman:Why not create a new thread on this in the properties section. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by semitunde: 3:35am On Mar 07, 2015 |
brabus: Unfortunately most Nigerian clients aren't so sure of what they want until they see the building on ground. 1 Like |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by semitunde: 3:41am On Mar 07, 2015 |
ApicalHomes: Can you open a thread and let's see more of your works? |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 6:56pm On Sep 01, 2015 |
"No bottom to how cheap you can build" |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 7:00pm On Sep 01, 2015 |
Foundation Cracks - Keep the 'Water' away
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 2:23am On Sep 02, 2015 |
I wrote this about 2 years ago... @XYZ, You can save money, time or quality, but you can’t save all three. Decide on your approach and accept that you will have to invest something. ____________ In response to your question, I can see that the build-route you want to use is 'Self-Managed' which means you’ll be responsible for physically building the house from scratch. I can also see that you've tried to make it easier by engaging an architect to handle tasks that you won’t be able to carry out yourself. If that's the only reason you're engaging him, then he's irrelevant in the project. He should have the same power as yourself and even more to take decision without waiting for your approval. (But make we talk true, water-logged site construction pass Architect's supervision o!) You've also gone a step further to define roles and responsibilities such as interpretation of design drawings, ordering of materials and building inspection, taking deliveries and organising the day-to-day running of the site. My Question: (Who will inspect the building - perform quality check?). The Architect? Right? He will double as the referee and the skipper. This approach is very good in theory but is it practicable and economical? Read on: Real life example: I just finished a fence project for a Nairaland client few weeks ago in a water-logged area. My budget for the project is N2.5m but we ended up spending over N3m to do the same job using 'Self-Managed' approach (ie. the owner supply the materials). We also ended up spending extra 4 weeks waiting for the gates to be delivered. Between the time we're waiting for the gates and when it was delivered, a 5 bedroom duplex project in the same area was started and finished to roofing stage using 'Contractor-managed' approach. Where did the extra fund went? Why did the work took so long? Why did we end up spending more while trying to save cost? Cost and Cash-flow Implications: this approach is a sure way to build houses with very little budget. Cash-flow are much easier to manage using this approach than with the other routes, as the only outgoings are actual cost of materials, for which you are responsible. However, you’ll need to factor into the equation, the losses you made when you order wrong items, incomplete materials or when delayed delivery of materials is holding up the build process. If you must follow this route, you'll need to ensure the following (especially when building water-logged sites): 1. You must be available at all time to provide and take deliveries of materials as needed. 2. You must know more than just the basics to determine when you're overspending or under-budgeting on a particular stage. You will need to know material requirements — not just the quality you want but, more importantly, the quantity. 3. You’ll need an in-depth knowledge of the building project schedule (i.e. what trades come after each other and which work are dependent on other) 4. Research your roles very well before starting out, because your life will no longer be your own till the end of the project. (Managing suppliers, artisans, subcontractors when you have no knowledge of the subject matter may well leave you open to exploitation by unscrupulous men). 5. You need to know how to juggle the conflicting needs of your builder, architect, suppliers, subcontractors, and so on. |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 6:33am On Sep 03, 2015 |
Before You Build Know what you want done. Have a plan, research alternatives, and establish a budget and schedule that work for you. It surprise me when I read some comments on NL like. "Can I put parapet on my structure? How many boards raft can I do for a duplex? Do I sink my septic tank or suspend it in the air? Do I install the tiles before the doors or wires before the pipe work?" This is a typical Naija man's mentality! I'm sure we don't do that abroad. AVOID costly mistakes - Do your homework BEFORE you open your wallet! 1 Like |
| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 2:39am On Sep 27, 2015 |
#35Lessons Lesson 24 Don't be a wheelbarrow! A wheelbarrow goes no farther than it is pushed!
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 2:59am On Sep 27, 2015 |
Construction defects usually include any deficiency in the performing or furnishing of the design, planning, supervision, inspection or construction of construction to any structure, where there is a failure to construct the building in a reasonably workmanlike manner or the structure fails to perform in the manner that is reasonably intended by the owner. These defects can be categorized into: design deficiencies, material deficiencies, construction deficiencies, and subsurface deficiencies. Design Deficiencies Architects, engineers and/or builders, who design buildings and structures which do not always work as specified, can result in a defect. Roofs are an example of a typical design defect that result in water penetration, intrusion, poor drainage, or inadequate structural support. Material Deficiencies The use of inferior building materials can cause significant problems. Construction Deficiencies Poor quality workmanship can result in a long list of defects. A typical example is water infiltration through some portion of the building structure, which may create an environment for the growth of mold. Other problems include cracks in foundations or walls, electrical and mechanical problems, or plumbing leaks. Subsurface Deficiencies Expansive soil conditions are typical in Lagos, as well as other parts of the country. Many houses are built in areas where it is difficult to provide a stable foundation. A lack of a solid foundation may result in cracked foundations or other damage to the building.
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 3:22am On Sep 27, 2015 |
Be Wise. "It's unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you loose a little - that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes loose everything because the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done! If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better." ~ John Ruskin (English Critics and Writer)
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 3:47am On Sep 27, 2015 |
«««Are You Building A New House? Read this tips »»» - If you are sticking to a tight budget try not to over indulge in luxury items at the cost of more important features of your house. - The bigger it is, the more expensive it becomes. Each square foot costs money and if it just going to be superfluous you should think twice about having it. - Go for cheaper options of certain items, for example, instead of actual granite top you could opt for a tile lookalike. Whilst the finish isn’t quite as deluxe, it still does the job and will save you a couple of naira. - Ask Questions? This sounds simple, but if something does not seem right at the time, it most likely isn’t – don’t be afraid to ask any questions about it, it’s better to be safe than sorry. You could even ask an outside and impartial source. - Remember your priorities - Know where to save and where not to bat an eye. If your properties foundations are dodgy, then the whole building is doomed. - Always remember that things will most likely go wrong during the construction and this may mean that schedules have to adapt. Pray for sunshine throughout your house build! - Imperfections are inevitable but they can more often than not be fixed; just ask. - Record everything. Write down everything you agree on, if it’s just spoken words it can be interpreted differently by both you and the builder. If you write down everything and keep a detailed record of all agreements you can minimise disputes. - Keep everything; receipts, sales slips, model numbers, chat messages, phone call records. This might sound too much, but it will be required if anything were to go wrong or disputes were to arise. - Make sure you have a detailed plan of everything you require from the house build, it will allow for a much smoother construction period and a far better result.
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| Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(m): 6:54am On Oct 26, 2015 |
Good Foundation Practice - Comapct your fill very well Uncompacted, or poorly compacted, soil or filling sand will definitely sink under your ground floor slab and you may end up with a hollow spot. If you apply pressure on this type of slab, the concrete will try to bend to conform to the hollow shape beneath it. The result is a crack in the floor as the concrete slab bends into the shape. The same thing applies to driveway slab and paved floors. Your sand fill needs a lot of water to get it to naturally compact. Build well! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDbVlYm6VOI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn6tTG8uupU |
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