johnson232:

sir is the vibrator the samething with concrete poker?
cc: opalu

opalu:
Happy Christmas to you all

Long life and prosperity

opalu:
Happy new year to you all

opalu:


Borehole test is called Standard Penetration Test (SPT). It investigates deep down into the soil up to 30 metres (like the height of 10 storey buildings inside the ground). The borehole test is good for very bad soils esp those requiring piles. The test also helps the owner of the land to confirm that his building will or will not require pile foundation etc.
on the other hand, the one you call CPT is Dutch Cone Penetrometre Test (DCPT). It is faster and cheaper. It goes to like 3 m depth and more or less.

Your answer : with a borehole and 2.5ton CPT, you don't need 10ton CPT. But you can do it to satisfy your conscience. But i speak as someone who do or interprete these tests daily for clients. Thanks

ANBAKO:
Happy new year to everyone.

I have a plot of land bought with a foundation erected on it. I want to modify this foundation to build what I want but I am concerned about the integrity of the foundation. The foundation will be like 8 years old, the block looks not so solid, the columns were done with gravel but 16mm re-bar.

I am planning a storey building hence I want you to advise me on how and ways to fortify the foundation so that it's integrity can be guaranteed. I am adding some new columns to accommodate my new design.

Please note that land is solid and slightly slopy


Do good for good to come your way

childcare:


Happy new year opalu

My geologist is now on site conducting the soil test on the 1 plot land. He has taken the 4 point CPT. He observed that the soil in front of the land is not as firm as the back. The point he is using for the SPT/borehole test is towards the middle of the land.
He is however suggesting that we should take another SPT/borehole test towards the front of the land that is not as firm as the back. An extra SPT will cost me extra amount of money.
Based on your experience/professional advice, is it necessary a do the extra SPT on the front portion? Though it will increase my cost, I also don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish.
This soil test is to determine the type of foundation required for a 1 story building (four 3-bedroom flats) on a swampy land. Included is the site plan

ANBAKO:
Happy new year to everyone.

I have a plot of land bought with a foundation erected on it. I want to modify this foundation to build what I want but I am concerned about the integrity of the foundation. The foundation will be like 8 years old, the block looks not so solid, the columns were done with gravel but 16mm re-bar.

I am planning a storey building hence I want you to advise me on how and ways to fortify the foundation so that it's integrity can be guaranteed. I am adding some new columns to accommodate my new design.

Please note that land is solid and slightly slopy


Do good for good to come your way

opalu:


Happy new year. How is the family?

Regarding the borehole test SPT, you can do it where he is suggesting since as one doing the CPT he will hopefully know where the SPT is best suited. However, standard practice is to situate it in a place that gives the best representation of the entire site. in that light, Placing the borehole test in one corner may not be the best but as the one on ground, let the guy have his way.

childcare:

Thanks a lot!
The senior engineer in charge of the site did his assessment and continued with 1 SPT as planned initially. The spot picked for the SPT is a good representation of the site. His assessment is that the front side of the plot that is not so firm is as a result of the fact that the land slops.
Another money saving
But omo onile na waa O, to do soil test for 3 days and they want to collect money/stop test when construction has not started.

mavverick:
I have a question, what should be the construction profile for a tank tower that is intended to carry 6,000 KG of water weight.
I know that the base needs to be a RAFT, constructed with 12mm and 16mm rebars.
I would like to know what the specification of the H beams and other technical details for a tank tower that is supposed to carry that much weight.
Thanks.

befto:
Evening NL members,
Please can you help me with some advice?
I am currently at the finishing stage of my site and at crossroads with a few things.
This is a rented accommodation so I am watching the cashflow with the current Naira crisis.
The site consists of 6 * 2 bedroom flats (3 up and 3 down) and have been told that to save costs I should screed the ceilings for the downstairs sitting and dinning areas for each flat and leave the other areas with the normal plastering.
For upstairs I should do POP ceilings for the sitting and dining areas and do PVC for the other areas.
Even these suggestions have proven to be expensive so far so My questions are:
What are the disadvantages of just painting all round without Screeding?
Can I get away with just using PVC for the whole of the upstairs Flats without doing POP in any areas?
How is POP costed? is it per sqm? how much is the general cost?
This also applies to Screeding. How is it costed and how much do they generally charge?
I am just trying to ascertain if I need any of this for a rented accommodation.

As usual thanks for all your advice/help.

Have a blessed weekend.

olumide4christ:

[b]
Hi befto,

To answer your question, I think a major issue is the location of your project since you said it is for rentals. POP ceiling and wall screeding, irrespective of their advantages or disadvantages, increase the sale or rental value of properties. If your project is located in a medium -to - high-class area, you may have no choice but to use POP ceiling and wall screeding in the upper floor areas and POP screeding to the ceiling on the ground floor; otherwise, your property may not be able to command the going rents in the particular area.

On costs, POP is usually costed per m2, though the rates are cheaper in some places than others, thus, your location again is critical. Based on my experience in working in Lagos & Abuja in recent times, POP is cheaper in Abuja than in Lagos, just as so many other materials and even labour is cheaper in Abuja than Lagos; don't really know why. I will summarise below:

ABUJA- POP ceiling with cornice (N2700 - N2800/m2); POP wall/ceiling screeding (N300 - N400/m2)
LAGOS - POP ceiling with cornice (N3000 - N3500/m2); POP wall/ceiling screeding (N500 - N700/m2)

Note that the rates above include both materials and labour supplied by the person doing it. I have also noticed that it is much more expensive if you decide to buy the POP materials yourself and pay the installers for labour only; thus its better to give them both materials and labour, but negotiate the rate.

Hope this helps.
[/b]

olumide4christ:

[b]
Hi befto,

To answer your question, I think a major issue is the location of your project since you said it is for rentals. POP ceiling and wall screeding, irrespective of their advantages or disadvantages, increase the sale or rental value of properties. If your project is located in a medium -to - high-class area, you may have no choice but to use POP ceiling and wall screeding in the upper floor areas and POP screeding to the ceiling on the ground floor; otherwise, your property may not be able to command the going rents in the particular area.

On costs, POP is usually costed per m2, though the rates are cheaper in some places than others, thus, your location again is critical. Based on my experience in working in Lagos & Abuja in recent times, POP is cheaper in Abuja than in Lagos, just as so many other materials and even labour is cheaper in Abuja than Lagos; don't really know why. I will summarise below:

ABUJA- POP ceiling with cornice (N2700 - N2800/m2); POP wall/ceiling screeding (N300 - N400/m2)
LAGOS - POP ceiling with cornice (N3000 - N3500/m2); POP wall/ceiling screeding (N500 - N700/m2)

Note that the rates above include both materials and labour supplied by the person doing it. I have also noticed that it is much more expensive if you decide to buy the POP materials yourself and pay the installers for labour only; thus its better to give them both materials and labour, but negotiate the rate.

Hope this helps.
[/b]

befto:
Hi Olumide.

Just one more question.

What would you class as a medium to higj class location? What rental income does it need to generate to fall into this category?

olumide4christ:


Medium-to-high class location varies from city to city. Like I said in my previous post, you haven't told us where your project is located for me to know which group it belongs to.

If its in Lagos for example, medium class locations could range from Ajah, Lagos Island, Surulere, Yaba, Gbagada, Ikeja, Ogudu, Magodo, Ojodu-Berger, Ogba... the list is endless WHILE high class locations range from Lekki Phase 1, Ikoyi, Oniru, Ikeja GRA, Magodo (some areas), etc.

In my opinion, medium class rental income falls btw N600,000 -N1,200,000 while high class starts from N1,200,000 and above.

The estate agents and surveyors in the house may disagree with the above classification, but like I said, that's my opinion. But importantly, LOCATION IS KEY!!

By the way, hope your project is rounding up well. Wishing you God's speed as you complete.

befto:
Thanks again.
My own project is in Ikotun so not sure I can command that kind of income.
I have been told that maximum I can get for now is between 300 to 450 per flat. some have said I may get 500k with good finishing so thats why I am in this dilema of whether to use POP and Screeding or not.
If I cant command 600k plus then I am struggling to justify the additional outlay of doing this.
BTW project is going very well. Just finished plastering and installation of doors. Next thing at end of month is tiling and toilet fittings.
We thank God and people like you with all your good advice.

God bless

olumide4christ:

[b]
Hi befto,

To answer your question, I think a major issue is the location of your project since you said it is for rentals. POP ceiling and wall screeding, irrespective of their advantages or disadvantages, increase the sale or rental value of properties. If your project is located in a medium -to - high-class area, you may have no choice but to use POP ceiling and wall screeding in the upper floor areas and POP screeding to the ceiling on the ground floor; otherwise, your property may not be able to command the going rents in the particular area.

On costs, POP is usually costed per m2, though the rates are cheaper in some places than others, thus, your location again is critical. Based on my experience in working in Lagos & Abuja in recent times, POP is cheaper in Abuja than in Lagos, just as so many other materials and even labour is cheaper in Abuja than Lagos; don't really know why. I will summarise below:

ABUJA- POP ceiling with cornice (N2700 - N2800/m2); POP wall/ceiling screeding (N300 - N400/m2)
LAGOS - POP ceiling with cornice (N3000 - N3500/m2); POP wall/ceiling screeding (N500 - N700/m2)

Note that the rates above include both materials and labour supplied by the person doing it. I have also noticed that it is much more expensive if you decide to buy the POP materials yourself and pay the installers for labour only; thus its better to give them both materials and labour, but negotiate the rate.

Hope this helps.
[/b]

Ezemistic:


@ Olumide4christ; Thanks for the info. I am a bit confuse with the per square for cornice, I thought cornice should be in meter?

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olumide4christ:


You're very right and don't be confused; cornice is measured in linear metres. But I have found out by experience that these POP casters charge for both POP ceiling and cornice per m2; the rate they offer you assumes that cornice is part of the ceiling and thus, no need to charge a different rate for cornice. That's my experience with dealing with this local POP guys, both those from Cotonou/Togo and our Nigerian guys.

Note that the more articulated or should I say advanced POP installers who have registered companies might separate ceiling from cornice and charge differently, but I guess only the corporate bodies and the moneybags may patronise such people.

Ezemistic:


Thanks Olu; @olumide4christ; A POP installer charged me N1100 per meter for cornice (for the deck floor) and N2700 for ceiling per squaremeter. From his quotation i discovered that for 2-storey bulding the top floor was charged N2700 per square meter without considering the cornice, but for the deck floors the cornice was charged separately from the ceiling POP. My question is that is the cost not over hyped?

olumide4christ:


You will need to clarify things from him: He might have purposed to just install POP cornice and ceiling screeding only on the decked flats AND POP ceiling on the 2nd floor. However you need to clarify from him if the rate of N2700/M2 he is offering you for POP ceiling on the 2nd floor includes cornice. If he says it does not, then that rate is high. The rate for POP cornice (N1100/M) alone isn't that bad though you can ask him to reduce the rate by N100-N200.

Ezemistic:



@Olumide4christ; Thanks alot, he has complied to reduce the cost of cornice to N1000 per m.

Dieumerci:


Hello, does this price includes the cost of materials or just labour?

Dieumerci:


Hello, does this price includes the cost of materials or just labour?