mufutau55:


On my side... there is no need for the 1976 story... because I was 80% "Ete Bassey"... except I was not sick or dead; this was long time ago.
I had no opportunity to come home and monitor my project because I was on a student visa, and once you leave, you are not coming back.
So my family are the next option... we are talking about mid 70s, there was no communication except letter (postal) delivery was still good.
Sending money then you have to send it thru people or those coming to USA for trading.. that was during the time called "Arrangee", if you are caught with more than "Basic Travel Allowance", you will end up in Bar Beach for firing-squad. Many old-timers will remember this time.
Long story short all photos of housing project sent to me was fake.. no house no hard earned money. I even thought of importing gun to Naija then concealed in an auto tyres so I can come and shoot those who duped, but I later changed my mind... but I surely learnt my lesson in a big way.

Your family are your worst enemy sometimes when it comes to finances or building projects, especially if you are overseas...

Hajji M.

mufutau55:


On my side... there is no need for the 1976 story... because I was 80% "Ete Bassey"... except I was not sick or dead; this was long time ago.
I had no opportunity to come home and monitor my project because I was on a student visa, and once you leave, you are not coming back.
So my family are the next option... we are talking about mid 70s, there was no communication except letter (postal) delivery was still good.
Sending money then you have to send it thru people or those coming to USA for trading.. that was during the time called "Arrangee", if you are caught with more than "Basic Travel Allowance", you will end up in Bar Beach for firing-squad. Many old-timers will remember this time.
Long story short all photos of housing project sent to me was fake.. no house no hard earned money. I even thought of importing gun to Naija then concealed in an auto tyres so I can come and shoot those who duped, but I later changed my mind... but I surely learnt my lesson in a big way.

Your family are your worst enemy sometimes when it comes to finances or building projects, especially if you are overseas...

Hajji M.

bugmenot:


@mufutau55
You made a wise decision to let those who duped you be. They stole your money, you earned a lesson - I bet you're better off than they are now.

kopell:
My friend similar story was 4 years ago, this involve their birth mother. My friend junior brother took his money that suppose to be used to build his house, marry young lady with it. There mother was aware of all this Oooo. He even sent him bags of wedding gift. His brother keep sending him pictures of his neighbor building as he seind money. All this burst when he try to surprise me About his project in Naija, when I told him I was traveling to Naija. He give me the address, when I get the supposed about to finish building is already be occupied. To cut the story short, it was an custom officer home. His house is about 5 blocks away with just the foundation just the way he left it before he came to US 7 years early.
That was the money that he suppose to used to regularize him self here. He still here, no house in Naija no paper. How do one deal with that?

mufutau55:


On my side... there is no need for the 1976 story... because I was 80% "Ete Bassey"... except I was not sick or dead; this was long time ago.
I had no opportunity to come home and monitor my project because I was on a student visa, and once you leave, you are not coming back.
So my family are the next option... we are talking about mid 70s, there was no communication except letter (postal) delivery was still good.
Sending money then you have to send it thru people or those coming to USA for trading.. that was during the time called "Arrangee", if you are caught with more than "Basic Travel Allowance", you will end up in Bar Beach for firing-squad. Many old-timers will remember this time.
Long story short all photos of housing project sent to me was fake.. no house no hard earned money. I even thought of importing gun to Naija then concealed in an auto tyres so I can come and shoot those who duped, but I later changed my mind... but I surely learnt my lesson in a big way.

Your family are your worst enemy sometimes when it comes to finances or building projects, especially if you are overseas...

Hajji M.

kopell:
My friend similar story was 4 years ago, this involve their birth mother. My friend junior brother took his money that suppose to be used to build his house, marry young lady with it. There mother was aware of all this Oooo. He even sent him bags of wedding gift. His brother keep sending him pictures of his neighbor building as he seind money. All this burst when he try to surprise me About his project in Naija, when I told him I was traveling to Naija. He give me the address, when I get the supposed about to finish building is already be occupied. To cut the story short, it was an custom officer home. His house is about 5 blocks away with just the foundation just the way he left it before he came to US 7 years early.
That was the money that he suppose to used to regularize him self here. He still here, no house in Naija no paper. How do one deal with that?

LondonCool:

@mufutau55 ,
This has been a very common experience amongst the senior diasporans/ first/second generation immigrants irrespective of our state of origin. Why do our family members like duping us in the diaspora with no mercy? Thank God for the internet, we can now blog about our building updates on a daily basis.

omooba969:
@Op,

Good structure you are putting up there, please can you throw more light on the expenses from excavation of foundation to DPC, including labour?

Thanks sir.

LondonCool:


@omooba969

According to my spreadsheet I spent N3,037,000.00 to DPC level . I went N249,500 over budget.

The German flooring cost me N497,000. Moulding blocks cost me N610,000. Reinforcement/Blockwork cost N755,000. Chippings ,Extra Rods, Laterite sand, cost around N630,000. Building project expenses (including labour,materials, shed,water supplies) around N740,000.

Due to the large slopping topography most parts of the foundation took 8-9 coaches (it was like building an undergound bunker). I also changed my design midway to include a Penthouse, so I had to increase the reinforcement expenditure (rods, beams, pillars,cement,etc)


My quote from DPC to Decking /lintel level has now reduced from N2731750 to N2463250 (saving me around N268,500), thanks to the eagle-eyed contribution from those on the this thread that helped me to scrutinse the previous quote I listed here.

LondonCool:


@omooba969

According to my spreadsheet I spent N3,037,000.00 to DPC level . I went N249,500 over budget.

The German flooring cost me N497,000. Moulding blocks cost me N610,000. Reinforcement/Blockwork cost N755,000. Chippings ,Extra Rods, Laterite sand, cost around N630,000. Building project expenses (including labour,materials, shed,water supplies) around N740,000.

Due to the large slopping topography most parts of the foundation took 8-9 coaches (it was like building an undergound bunker). I also changed my design midway to include a Penthouse, so I had to increase the reinforcement expenditure (rods, beams, pillars,cement,etc)


My quote from DPC to Decking /lintel level has now reduced from N2731750 to N2463250 (saving me around N268,500), thanks to the eagle-eyed contribution from those on the this thread that helped me to scrutinse the previous quote I listed here.

mufutau55:


I guess when they know we are in diaspora, we are automatically made of money... and the street is littered with gold.
And my situation was when Nigeria was good and the economic situation was palatable.. but now they will tell you nah satan make them do it.. and nah because of sufferhead and wahala... Na wah for us o. Imagine if ones mother and father can dupe you, then who cannot do it?

Hajji M.

EgunMogaji:


Does this include the land?

I'm at 3.7M at my stage all inclusive (fence, gate, land, omo onile) foundation wall but no filing and german floor.

omooba969:


I asked that question to know what to expect because I schedule to start my project in February'16 in Ibadan; that's when I get the chance to go to 9ja. Your building structure is similar to mine but rooms arrangement is different, the reason 've got interest in this thread.

I got 3plots(dry land) & fenced it round( to knee level ) to secure it @#298,000. My plan is to see how far #2M can go( for the first stage i.e foundation including DPC ) then that will inform my further steps.

Thanks for your reply.

LondonCool:


wanaj0,

Thanks for the insight. I'll quietly make my own arrangements to check the prices and when I visit soon.

LondonCool:


That's cool. First of all get all your blocks ready that's required for that phase of work ( either bought or moulded on site). Afterwards, you can tell how much funds you have left to pay for setting out, excavation and block work.

Would you be putting in columns and pillars in your foundation ? ( that's if you are having a penthouse and/ or parapet). They take extra funds.

Also, if your foundation is going to be more than 4 coaches, you would need to introduce beams all round the foundation. That also takes extra funds.

LondonCool:


That's cool. First of all get all your blocks ready that's required for that phase of work ( either bought or moulded on site). Afterwards, you can tell how much funds you have left to pay for setting out, excavation and block work.

Would you be putting in columns and pillars in your foundation ? ( that's if you are having a penthouse and/ or parapet). They take extra funds.

Also, if your foundation is going to be more than 4 coaches, you would need to introduce beams all round the foundation. That also takes extra funds.

EgunMogaji:
Mi oga na dis kin thing you dey hide there for Tinapa

https://www.nairaland.com/2663674/queenette-awuka-cross-river-most

LondonCool:


To be frank, they are a bit commonplace there. I try to avoid them as their request list are often similar; iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Air 2 or the latest Samsung.

johnson232:

Is there really need to introduce beam all round the foundation if it's more than 5 coach on a dry land? Is your land waterlogged? That will gulp a lot of funds.

KolaShangOne:


Plus a trip to Dubai

LondonCool:
Keeping the vision alive

EgunMogaji:


Sometimes these photos are all we have since we're so far away from our projects.

You are making good progress Sir and I admire your firm discipline on your foundation and I'm borrowing from your tenacity and sticktoitveness.

Congrats on the various milestones on your project.

LondonCool:


According to Structural or Civil Engineering 101 it is recommended to underpin the foundation with a beam (pre-cast concrete) all around after the 4th or 5th layer .

The issue or criteria for inserting beams isn't the waterlogged land but the height of the foundation. When you are filing in a 6,7,8 coaches of foundation with soil for the DPC , there is a tendency for the wall load to push outwards. The whole stretch of wall can even fall down after a couple of years.

It's expensive, but it's better to be safe than to be sorry. I had a sloping land and wasn't going to take any risk with 7-9 coaches of foundation.

LondonCool:


According to Structural or Civil Engineering 101 it is recommended to underpin the foundation with a beam (pre-cast concrete) all around after the 4th or 5th layer .

johnson232:

Sir was the beam at the foundation level introduced on all the walls, both the exterior and interior partition walls? Or it was only on the exterior walls? Thanks.