Happy week to all nairalanders

Keep your questions coming...

Oga Opalu,

Kindly advise, conservatively, required materials and cost of labour that can complete German floor 6 inches high on an area of approx 85 ft x 55 ft for a duplex. It's a dry land. Thank you

nice one from them @army

I was called to inspect this property to finish up the work. My 1st observation was that its got cracks in all walls of the rooms as a result of settlements. looking down the floor, there was no german floor and there were roots of big tress obviously alive in one of the rooms. Plz i need solutions to the problems created. Its a bungalow.
Thanx.

@opalu I want to build a upstairs..a single storey and I don't like those toilet pipe showing in the building which is common in benin here in my area because they just use 9inches for foundation,6inches blocks for the ground floor and 5inches for the first And 5 can't accommodate such...which is best to accommodate pipe, and the inches to use....then also should i go for y12 or y 16...a single storey building

@Slymonster
If you want to conceal your water and waste pipes you can do that in 2 ways: Running them through he blocks or passing them in a recessed duct covered with aluminium cover or any detachable cover for maintenance.
In the case of blocks, you can achieve that through use of appropriate size of blocks. For instance 4 inches pipe that conveys heavy sewage cannot be buried in a 4 inches block. To pass through 6 inches block even requires skills from the artisans. Because it enters comfortably into the 9 inches block.
When i came to Benin to check a project for my in law last year, I discovered that they don't usually like to use 9 inches for all the external walls as is done.
So in that case, you could incorporate a recessed part of the building to run your pipes and covered up.

When i have the chance I will sketch what I mean and attach to this comment. Or simply chat me up on WhatsApp 08070809889.

melakes:
I was called to inspect this property to finish up the work. My 1st observation was that its got cracks in all walls of the rooms as a result of settlements. looking down the floor, there was no german floor and there were roots of big tress obviously alive in one of the rooms. Plz i need solutions to the problems created. Its a bungalow.
Thanx.

I hate cracks in buildings with holy passion.
However the only thing I like about cracks is that the position and pattern of cracks is what is used to determine the nature of structural failure a building is facing.
So for a bungalow like this facing settlement as you said, I just can't understand why they didn't do ground floor slab. I can saw with utmost certainty that the entire foundation was made of blocks on mortar blinding. Which means that they hope to just screed from room to room without any concrete 'German floor'.

There are many solutions to this issue. But the best is to strengthen that block foundation. It is evident to the owner that the soil there is too weak to bear a bungalow. If this strengthening is not done, many other parts that look good now will also cracking especially after people pack in. To start it, you need to take down a significant portions of the wall. Every surgical operation requires temporal pain to avert permanent pain.

My able professionals. What solution can be offered to a floor that shows crack beside a wall with a retaining wall base as foundation after a considerable filling before flooring.
A possibility of settlement. How could it be corrected

opalu:
The quality of materials used and the best practices with which are used to build structures determine how long the building will last before requiring structural upgrade.

Everything living and nonliving things have lifespans and expiry dates

Hi, pls what's the standard ratio of cement:sand:granite of a solid decking for a single storey building? Just wanted to be sure my Engr is doing the right thing. Urgent response will be appreciated. Thanks.

hi.
check the solar panels of the diamond bank ATM. exposing the under of the panels will allow the wind to blow them away.
I have witnessed it. please cover them.
thanks.

Good tips

segcymoor:
Good tips

Thanks bros.

Walelavender:
My able professionals. What solution can be offered to a floor that shows crack beside a wall with a retaining wall base as foundation after a considerable filling before flooring.
A possibility of settlement. How could it be corrected

It is a clear sign that the two concrete works are not properly bonded. The slab is settling at a rapid rate than that of the kerbs / 'retaining wall'. If you observe the detachment (it's not really a cracking in the truest sense). If you observe it for sometime and notice it's not detaching further then you could just pour a binder in between like a cement slurry.

opalu:


It is a clear sign that the two concrete works are not properly bonded. The slab is settling at a rapid rate than that of the kerbs / 'retaining wall'. If you observe the detachment (it's not really a cracking in the truest sense). If you observe it for sometime and notice it's not detaching further then you could just pour a binder in between like a cement slurry.

Thanks. That was on point.

Walelavender:

Thanks. That was on point.

Thanks bro

Other professionals can throw more lights on questions here because noone knows it all. We know in part

opalu:


Thanks bro

Other professionals can throw more lights on questions here because noone knows it all. We know in part

Hi, pls what's the standard ratio of cement:sand:granite of a solid decking for a single storey building? Just wanted to be sure my Engr is doing the right thing. Urgent response will be appreciated. Thanks.

Pls assist with the above info...God bless.

1:2:4 is a well accepted standard though somehow many casters don't like it.
1 headpan of cement + 2 headpans of Sharpsand + 4 headpans of granite.

In 1 bag of cement we have 2 headpans of cement.

So for 1 bag of cement, they must use 4 headpans of sand and 8 headpans of granite to achieve this 1:2:4

opalu:
1:2:4 is a well accepted standard though somehow many casters don't like it.
1 headpan of cement + 2 headpans of Sharpsand + 4 headpans of granite.

In 1 bag of cement we have 2 headpans of cement.

So for 1 bag of cement, they must use 4 headpans of sand and 8 headpans of granite to achieve this 1:2:4

Thanks a lot!

Welcome

Pls help me to interprete the folowing part of my structural design it is for decking i want to know the quantity of 12mm and 10mm rod

Dear op, great job. Pls assist with estimate and advice for below plan. I also was advised to use laterite bricks for the foundation.

Nbg4real:
Pls help me to interprete the folowing part of my structural design it is for decking i want to know the quantity of 12mm and 10mm rod

I would need the whole picture of that floor to estimate the Y12 and Y10. Because I would like to know the whole lengths of those rebars not just the number and bar marks. So snap the entire page

chidibond:
Dear op, great job. Pls assist with estimate and advice for below plan. I also was advised to use laterite bricks for the foundation.

Okay. Give me your email to send it to

Hi.
well done all, sorry i wouldn't like to take you off the track of this great discussion, just a quick question, I'm also planning to build standard 3 bedrooms (ensuite) store room, mini laundry and guest toilet, semi-detached flats, in a 50/100 size of land, could you or anyone give me the rough estimate of what the cost will be, most especially the raft foundation to roofing.
Many Thanks.

opalu:
Keep your questions coming...

pls is it compulsory to do german floor for a bungalow in a dry land?
2. what is the good mixture of cement, gravel & sand in making foundation?
3. what is the good mixture of cement & sand for block setting?

Charlesdove:
Hi.
well done all, sorry i wouldn't like to take you off the track of this great discussion, just a quick question, I'm also planning to build standard 3 bedrooms (ensuite) store room, mini laundry and guest toilet, semi-detached flats, in a 50/100 size of land, could you or anyone give me the rough estimate of what the cost will be, most especially the raft foundation to roofing.
Many Thanks.

Where is your drawing?
Estimates are done from drawings

opalu:


I would need the whole picture of that floor to estimate the Y12 and Y10. Because I would like to know the whole lengths of those rebars not just the number and bar marks. So snap the entire page

thank you sir i will send it

How deep do one need to dig for foundation of a 2 storey building? Not water logged area. Also, won't the foundation need to be chained?

stpat1:
How deep do one need to dig for foundation of a 2 storey building? Not water logged area. Also, won't the foundation need to be chained?

How deep depends on the nature of soil underneath. That cannot be determined from then screen of the phone but by a soil test carried by an expert in that field. From the report, they suggest the type of foundation and depth.
As a Structural Engineer, I could know the best foundation type that is needed and the depth and width. I could decide not to go with their recommendation because all I need from the report is to know the capacity of the soil to carry the load that is Coming upon it (among other things). But the structural engineer knows the weight of the building that cones unto the soil at various points.

That notwithstanding the site needs a soil test before your question can be answered