chilewenwam:
In structural construction, quality have been a serious issues. every client and mason that have little construction knowledge is termed Engineer. government policies on construction aren't helping matters.

Another reason is that most clients do not know what quality of work to set or expect from their masons or builders.

My first experience at building a house, I was correcting my builder as if I was the site engineer. And his work has cracks 3 years down the line. Now no engineer enters my site. I know what I want and I direct the workers on what to do. I develop myself by reading journals on construction. If you don't deliver the best quality work, you won't come tomorrow..

elvis07:
OP pls wat can be done to a building without without capping b4 the top block work was done. The building is already above lintel level. Its a 4bedroom bungalow on a very solid ground, the capping issue was a mistakke on d part of d engineer bcus he was told to cap d foundation b4 raising d block work. WHAT CAN IDO TO HAVE A SoLID FOUNDATION BCUS I INTEND CASTING D FOuNDATION FLOOR B4 ANY FURTHER WoRK goes on

Pictures please..

manwonder:


Yes, I thought of that too, but working during the rainy season has now confirmed my initial fears that I might really need to reinforce the foundation. Initially, what I was told was that I would only have to do normal foundation, and that at the worst, it would need a german floor (many people, including my bricklayer, were saying this). But from the look of things now, I might need to do much more than that. I have a feeling I might need to make the blinding as thick as 150mm, and also do a raft, but I need professional advice on this since I don't know much about these things.

Since you are building a bungalow, but found out that the soil is waterlogged. All you need do is secure your foundation by using columns as if you are building a duplex. See diagram below. Your foundation depth should not be the usual 2 ft but at least 3 to 4feet. Instead of 3 blocks below the earth surface, use 5 blocks. If you were erecting a duplex, you would have needed a soil test to determine the SBC Safe Bearing Capacity of the soil. But we assume your bungalow wont be too heavy to need such tests done. The deeper your foundation, the safer your house..

opalu:


To build a house on a rock is a nice one.
I would have loved to see the picture of the site to advise properly. For now I can give you a skeletal advice.
However the type of foundation normally used is solid raft. That means you have virtually horizontal plains where will form the ground floor. Sure there will be some cuts and fills here and there (if possible).
Then you panel the ground floor using reinforced solid raft over rock. I will look for a picture of how this is achieved.

Thank you so much. But please do you think working with pad foundation and tying the columns with a ground beam and also making the lintel to go round will also work?

inecchairman:
pls can u teach me how to estimate building material for building construction,am a civil engineering student

try your hands on good quantity survey texts. Try to familiarize yourself with standard dimensions of building materials eg length of rebar etc. The Internet also works wonders. op pls explain more. As for me I still dey find work

mixratio:
try your hands on good quantity survey texts. Try to familiarize yourself with standard dimensions of building materials eg length of rebar etc. The Internet also works wonders. op pls explain more. As for me I still dey find work

That was a good answer

[quote author=kloser post=35168831]Please should one be worried if the compound i.e the play area and car park of a building gradually sinks and detaches from the main building but the building itself isnt sinking at all,note-the foundation of the building is piling[/quote?

kudos to the experts in the house. I seek your opinion on this;
whc one is better ( bear in mind size, value and potentials in terms of development)

-A quarter plot at Ibeju Lekki OR a two plot of land at Ifo (Ogun) (goes for the same amt)

secondly

-pls is it possible to build a three bedroom flat on a quarter plot of land.

opalu please I need your opinion on this https://www.nairaland.com/2390516/vibrating-house-indication-collapse

kloser wrote: Please should one be worried if the compound i.e the play area and car park of a building gradually sinks and detaches from the main building but the building itself isnt sinking at all,note-the foundation of the building is piling

What it means is that the soil under the play area and car park was not properly compacted during construction.
Many builders focus more in compacting the building a area than the remaining part of the compound. This is wrong because when the compound is not well rammed, there will be voids underneath. And even if it's left bare or its laid with interlocking, by the time water starts finding it's way under, it will start settling and in the long run affect the building foundation.
So to correct this, you will have to fill the compound more and compact more. Remove the paving stones or concrete flooring whichever you did.
If the problem is due to the use of loamy or muddy filling material, then you have to remove them and use good filling sand. When compacting, sufficient water need to be released on the different layers so it can settle well.
Thanks. Hope this helps

drealaz24:
kudos to the experts in the house. I seek your opinion on this;
whc one is better ( bear in mind size, value and potentials in terms of development)

-A quarter plot at Ibeju Lekki OR a two plot of land at Ifo (Ogun) (goes for the same amt)

secondly

-pls is it possible to build a three bedroom flat on a quarter plot of land.

People will always prefer 2 plots to quarter plot (not even half plot).
However you would have to check the rent of a 3 bedroom in that same part of Ibeju and 3 bedrooms in ifo . To make an appropriate comparison, write the rent of 1 unit of 3 bedroom in Ibeju on the left and write the rent of sum of 4 units of 3 bedrooms on the right.

It is generally believed that the Lekki corridor has prospects due to the Free Trade Zone but there is no area that cannot spring surprises in terms of prospects.

As for your question on 3 bedrooms on quarter plot. It is achievable. If you are using smaller room sizes. At worst you take 2 bedrooms upstairs instead of a bungalow

opalu:


People will always prefer 2 plots to quarter plot (not even half plot).
However you would have to check the rent of a 3 bedroom in that same part of Ibeju and 3 bedrooms in ifo . To make an appropriate comparison, write the rent of 1 unit of 3 bedroom in Ibeju on the left and write the rent of sum of 4 units of 3 bedrooms on the right.

It is generally believed that the Lekki corridor has prospects due to the Free Trade Zone but there is no area that cannot spring surprises in terms of prospects.

As for your question on 3 bedrooms on quarter plot. It is achievable. If you are using smaller room sizes. At worst you take 2 bedrooms upstairs instead of a bungalow

thanks

Pls the iron bender made a mistake,he did not extend the pillar from ground floor to the edge of the shoot out.any way out

opalu:


The major characteristics of piles are the pile diameters, the pile depths and the pile groups. And we have two types of piles commonly used here. Driven piles and In situ piles.
The characteristics and the types are determined based on the kind of structure coming on the foundation and the nature of the soil.
I once did some piles at a riverside near Agbowa after Ikorodu. The piles were average depth of 30m. For a load that is like a single storey. But a Kilometre from this site has good soil that won't require piles for such a superstructure.
In a place like lekki, there are areas that a 6 storey will require 30m depth pile. Some sites will require far less depth. Some will require far more. So piles are not 1+1=2. You run the necessary tests and analysis.

Would you require mechanical drills for these piles or is it done by hand?

jejeman:
Pls the iron bender made a mistake,he did not extend the pillar from ground floor to the edge of the shoot out.any way out

I think it will be a good idea to take another foto from the side of the building and inside the angles so the degree of weakness can be measured,then people can give you a well informed advise.

erico2k2:

I think it will be a good idea to take another foto from the side of the building and inside the angles so the degree of weakness can be measured,then people can give you a well informed advise.

thanks the shoot out is 1ft both side the pillar is supposed to be at the Edge that is angle 90

erico2k2:

Would you require mechanical drills for these piles or is it done by hand?

Do they use hand to drill the piles? It's preferably done mechanically

jejeman:
thanks the shoot out is 1ft both side the pillar is supposed to be at the Edge that is angle 90

2 options.
I advise you to break the slab at the angle 90 so that the rebar of the column for the upper floor could be anchored properly into the slab. Since its too far to crank from where the starter bars are to where you want it to be. Please when doing the breakage, make sure the formwork and props are still in place. If they have been removed, use some bamboos or acrow props to hold the slab edge tightly from under. The reason is that as the slab is being chiseled, it can cause unnecessary vibrations that may cause cracks later.
2nd option is for the column be relocated to where the starter bar is. It is not always compulsory for upper floor columns to be at the angle 90.

But all these are based on the structural drawing you are using.

I hope I understood your question.

opalu:


Do they use hand to drill the piles? It's preferably done mechanically

Nice analysis sir.
Is blinding different from foundation footing? because most people lay foundation blocks on the blinding, without any foundation footing. Does this have any serious structural implication on the building? & what is the purpose of blinding? Since both blinding & footings are concrete?
Thanks.

opalu:


2 options.
I advise you to break the slab at the angle 90 so that the rebar of the column for the upper floor could be anchored properly into the slab. Since its too far to crank from where the starter bars are to where you want it to be. Please when doing the breakage, make sure the formwork and props are still in place. If they have been removed, use some bamboos or acrow props to hold the slab edge tightly from under. The reason is that as the slab is being chiseled, it can cause unnecessary vibrations that may cause cracks later.
2nd option is for the column be relocated to where the starter bar is. It is not always compulsory for upper floor columns to be at the angle 90.

But all these are based on the structural drawing you are using.

I hope I understood your question.

yes,many thanks

opalu:


Do they use hand to drill the piles? It's preferably done mechanically

ofcos hands could be used.same way you drill bore hole. If the earth permits you. I know of a small machine that can drill up to 8 ft. U just need the drill bit plus xtension

erico2k2:

ofcos hands could be used.same way you drill bore hole. If the earth permits you. I know of a small machine that can drill up to 8 ft. U just need the drill bit plus xtension

8 feet is not deep enough though. And maybe it's because i haven't done any pile using hand except boreholes.

snakebeat:

Nice analysis sir.
Is blinding different from foundation footing? because most people lay foundation blocks on the blinding, without any foundation footing. Does this have any serious structural implication on the building? & what is the purpose of blinding? Since both blinding & footings are concrete?
Thanks.

Blinding is to give a horizontal working area and also to prevent a measure of seepage from the soil under the foundation. Weak concrete or strong mortar could be used.
But Foundation footing is a reinforced concrete that acts as part of the foundation. There are some sites that require footing while some do not.
The major aim of the footing is to spread the load along the foundation line. You know that in sec school physics, Pressure P = Force F ÷ Area A.
Therefore the Higher the area created by the Footing, the smaller the pressure.

ADAMUdaCOWBOY:

Thank you so much. But please do you think working with pad foundation and tying the columns with a ground beam and also making the lintel to go round will also work?

Bros it depends on the rocky terrain. Anything I say without seeing the site or at least a picture will not be detailed enough.
tying the lintels round helps in adding robustness to the monolithic structure.

opalu:


When there is a crack problem, the Structural Engineer is like a doctor that will diagnose the remote cause of the crack.
If it is a Structural crack it will be treated structurally by adding concrete element in the appropriate place (s). The treatment it will be given is consequent on the findings of the professional involved. So I cannot sit and give a gbogbonishe solution to all structural cracks.

For the rising damp issue, someone has answered that very well

Thank you for your response.

What can be the remedy if the DPM was not put and you now have moist seeping into the walls?

We r tested and trusted . A trial may convince. We have our own trucks and we use our own trucks for delivery and dats y r prices are far different from others. We deliver a complete tonnage requested. If u r not satisfied with d tonnage at delivery, don't pay us.

opalu:


Blinding is to give a horizontal working area and also to prevent a measure of seepage from the soil under the foundation. Weak concrete or strong mortar could be used.
But Foundation footing is a reinforced concrete that acts as part of the foundation. There are some sites that require footing while some do not.
The major aim of the footing is to spread the load along the foundation line. You know that in sec school physics, Pressure P = Force F ÷ Area A.
Therefore the Higher the area created by the Footing, the smaller the pressure.

Thanks for ur response sir...

good day opalu,please I would need your advice on this.i have a friend who wants to build a bungalow on a land at ibeju lekki although the area is a bit waterlogged but his land did not have water on it when I visited the site early this year infact its was sand sort off but I knw when rain falls there might be water there. pls what kind of foundation type do u advice for the bungalow.if its raft what height do u advice my friend to use for the raft foundation since its a bungalow

opalu:


I think the best way to tackle the issue is to put in place a good drainage system in place. WE can't eliminate underground water at close proximity to foundations but having preventable flood around the foundation.

The best way is to fill the compound to the a level that flood doesn't flow into the building.

Nice job sir.
Is there any need to use beam head course on buildings to be roof with timber?

Thanks for your time answering our questions, I have some questions for you.

When building a block of flats with a canal at the back of the property, are there any measures that one can take to prevent flooding if there are issues with the canal in future. The plot is at the beginning of a road, so slightly slope on the high ground, so when filling the compound, the plan is to do the compound floor such that it slopes towards the rear which is where the canal is so that all waste can be disposed into the canal. Would a concrete floor be better or use interlocking stones ?

When casting a septic tank in the Lekki area, any precautions to be aware of ?

When is the best time to cast a gate ? At the end or it doesn't matter ?

When constructing a security man house, any precautions to take ?

When constructing a block of 6 flats on a single story, i.e. 3 flats per floor and a penthouse at the top in the middle of the building, is it advisable to have a tank incorporated into the top of the building or just have a tank tower. There's space constraints in the compound, the property is also supported by 52 pillars on the ground floor.

Thanks.

joshua112:
good day opalu,please I would need your advice on this.i have a friend who wants to build a bungalow on a land at ibeju lekki although the area is a bit waterlogged but his land did not have water on it when I visited the site early this year infact its was sand sort off but I knw when rain falls there might be water there. pls what kind of foundation type do u advice for the bungalow.if its raft what height do u advice my friend to use for the raft foundation since its a bungalow

First check whether the site requires sand filling first before the foundation. As for what depth of foundation to will depend on careful site examination.
Since its bungalow, the foundation is not too critical though there are bungalows that experience faulty foundation.
If I see your architectural and the site pictures
I could tell you what foundation to use

babaeko1:
Thanks for your time answering our questions, I have some questions for you.

When building a block of flats with a canal at the back of the property, are there any measures that one can take to prevent flooding if there are issues with the canal in future. The plot is at the beginning of a road, so slightly slope on the high ground, so when filling the compound, the plan is to do the compound floor such that it slopes towards the rear which is where the canal is so that all waste can be disposed into the canal. Would a concrete floor be better or use interlocking stones ?

When casting a septic tank in the Lekki area, any precautions to be aware of ?

When is the best time to cast a gate ? At the end or it doesn't matter ?

When constructing a security man house, any precautions to take ?

When constructing a block of 6 flats on a single story, i.e. 3 flats per floor and a penthouse at the top in the middle of the building, is it advisable to have a tank incorporated into the top of the building or just have a tank tower. There's space constraints in the compound, the property is also supported by 52 pillars on the ground floor.

Thanks.

These are tough JAMB Questions. Lol

As for the compound, you need to determine the flood level at the peak flooding or overflow of the canal.
IF the water level is high to the point that it flows into the compound, then do a retaining wall (embankment) running along the perimeter of your Compound parallel to the Canal. Then fill the compound to a level that it will be above the worst flood level. The help of the retaining wall is to withstand the vertical water pressure from one side and the lateral earth pressure from the other side. This was the solution I have to Lekki Gardens phase 2 some 3 months ago.
Many people erroneously use blocks to hold back the flood.

Yes, slope the compound as you said. Better still you could slope it to a drain that takes water from compound to the Canal at least there will be fence along that embankment.
Yes use concrete floor except you have an excellent person who can mold and lay near perfect interlocking