This is not a development fee. This is the notorious hooligans scam fee called (OMO ONILE). You can not escape it
if you are buying or building in Lagos. I recently bought a piece of land in Okun Ajah and had to pay them #50,000 naira for foundation and #6,000 for virgin land fee even though I was only fencing the land. Those crooks are bunch of lazy bastards.

Gobi
land at lekki face2 for 7.5m is to good to be true,but you can still get a good deal sometimes as i have in the past.land in this area go for about 12 to 15m depending on location.have everything check properly and good luck

youngmill - thank for your advise, the lekki Phase 2 land is a government scheme land program and the orginal onwner cannot come up with the money - so he is willing to transfer all the paper work to my name (off cause my attorney is involved) for 7.5m . I guess it a good deal then.
ajileko - about the developement fee, i was told i will pay the fee directly to Lagos state government. Can any body explain the meaning of that fee. Thanks guys .

Hi Gobi,

Development fee is is a fee that has to be paid, i was not aware of it myself untill i started contruction, representatives of the lagos state goverment drove by and demanded it, you'll be issued a receipt to state you've paid, which you have to keep well in case they drive by again, it a one off payment to the government, it's one of the levy imposed on house builders, it can't be avoided especially in that area. The  omo onile fee will still stand unfortunately, these amount varies from area to area, some area ask for the whole amount upfront where as in some area you pay as development progresses,  i paid a total of N300 to the omo onile's, my site is on off lekki epe epress way, mine amount was even better as i know someone that paid about N500 upfront, i got away with that amount with negotiating and cause cement and blocks used was purchased from an omo onile as well, i paid N50 for foundation out of N100 demanded, then N100 when decking it, then another N100 for roofing and finally N50 for fencing, it was a nightmare cause at one time during roofing, i instructed the contractor not to pay and see what happens, let just say it would have been easier to have paid when asked, tools were siezed on site and  one of the wokers contructing the roof frame was dragged down and got injured, it was entually paid as they order work to stop.

About the price of 7.5m, the best part of lekki phase 2 goes for atleast 20m if not more now, so the deal you got is quite a good one, the block number and plot number always determines the price you pay in lekki, but still make sure all papers are throughly checked and verified before parting with your money.

ololade34 - thanks . My mind is at peace for now.

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Is nice to be part of this thread, we have highly informed people here.

@ Gobi38,
You can't beat the present crave for making money by states government off developers/properties owners presently in this country. The Lagos state case is a sorry state, they use all manner of semantics these days to collect money- stacking permit,devt. levy e.t.c e.t.c simply put area boyism has been taken to the state level, so presently the high and mighty of the society are involved in it. 
Infact lagos state government is disorganised, they don't understand themselves, they make rules and turn around to also break the rules. A site I was involved in Maryland was recently pulled down altogether because they came up with a theory that they will be using the place for metroline project, yet the same government issued out a C of O for the site in 2006 (what a contradiction).
My advice to you is to try and clear your papers very well now, pay those you need to pay before continuing your project. Lagos State government is deploying arms and police strenght that could have been used to take care of robbers to harrass hapless Engineers/contractors,demolishing houses and chasing women on trousers, They are demolishing houses even when you have papers to back your project .
But I am happy you said the government sold this one to you,I wish you goodluck.   

EKENEA:

--thirdeye,
Please advice, what should be the estimate (cost),to build a twin duplex in festac area.

To be very honest with you, I DON'T KNOW.
Estimating cost of a building is usually very complicated due to a  lot of factors, giving a vague answer is not always the truth, you need to have a first hand knowledge of what you are going to build, specifications, seen and unforeseen circumstances and taste makes house estimation varies a lot.
I know people are always very eager to know how much their building will cost and they need a straight answer, so what I usually tells them to construct a duplex is 6m for the frames of the building i.e blockwall -roof excluding finishes and cost of land. But this is very untrue, the 6m is what somebody elsewhere will use for his foundation. 
What you can easily estimate is the quantities of the materials you are going to use, but quantities of materials are seldom not enough, what of the quality?
A house you built for 5m can also be built for 15m side by side without you noticing the difference especially when the house is completed and there are no written specifications. 
Let me give you an example ,
A 6 bedroom twin duplex which I am priviledged to be involved in at Magodo is surrounded by 4 almost same twin duplexes being built by a developer. At my estimation, the cost of building my clients own should be able to conviniently build 2 of the other guys own. Why? the client happens to be a stickler for quality,  the other guy took his luck very far because of the strong nature of the soil and he was using a 10mm rod (thin iron rod)  for column/pillars, where the minimum acceptable should have been 16mm, (for us we used 16mm imported iron rods which are costlier and atimes stronger). Standard ratio was strickly followed in cement usage on my site while the other guys mixture ratio was weak.
When they were buying the blocks for the other houses for #115, we were buying each block for #220 (BECO BLOCKS), imagine the difference this will cause in the cost of a 2 similar projects sitting side by side each other.
Now, imagine you in diaspora happens to be the one that commissioned the two contractors, and  you gave a blank cheque for the two contractors, you came back home , both houses are standing ,what you can do in house A, you can also do in house B, yet mine is times 2 of the other one. Won't you label me a big thief?   
Yet extra  #5 was not made on this project by anybody. That is why I agree with Promise72  that you'll probably spend more as someone leaving abroad to the other person that can see eye to eye what type/quality of materials are being used on site. By the time you come back your house may have being completed ,you won't have to chisel down the concrete used for your house to check the iron rods in them, neither are you going to remove the roof to check type of wood or timber they used for your house.
But there is a difference, when the other building life span is 25 years, mine will last for 100 years, when there is a bomb blast in Ikeja Cantonment and is bringing down the other house what you'll probably notice in mine are just few cracks.
so whatever you spend on your house at the long run is not a waste if spent wisely.

Thirdeye----Thanks, i am very grateful for your explanation but being a professional I would have preferred your rough estimate .

hello urgent please,
can anyone give me whats the construction cost for civil works per m2
thanks

Do anybody know what is the average cost of digging a bore hole in Ajah area. I need to build one as soon as I can. I'm really thirsty.

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@laraadu
whats yoru yahoomail addy? your personal addy.
Are all these homes in Lagos or Abuja is inclusive?
If Abuja is Inclusive, ill buzz you

I wonder if any of you would want to build in Enugu. I have a company that charges less and still give you what you want. call. 08052421556.

It saddens my heart when i read through things like this in the construction industry. Things have gotten this bad because many that wants to build houses have become penny wise pound foolish. In the process of not wanting to pay for proffessionals to handle their construction they are defrauded. where as if the required proffessionals are employed like the architect, the quantity surveyor and the structural engineer together with the builder they serve as checks and balances for each other. while the builder is building, the architect ensures the structure conforms with architectural specification, the structural engineers ensures the right materials are used and the quantity surveyor take of the cost to make sure the builder does not come with arbitrary figures to defraud the client. with this proffessionals put together the client is assured of a quality job with cost effectiveness. because many have shun this practice, that is why we are having collapse building everywhere. As for me i cherish proffessionalism and you can reach me on seggs.partners@yahoo.com. And as for those giving figures as per the cost, this can be very wrong because cost are determined by a lot of factors and it si better to know the cost though could be scarry, it will enable you to plan.

there is stress involved in building in any part of the country.
for those that are intrested in building in abuja i will advice if u have the money it will be better to build within the town becos if the return on investment but we are talking of nothing less than 40 million with cost of land inclusive
another way is to buy a house then finish to your taste
also there are so many cheap estates up for sale that starts from about 7.5 million u can buy and suit to ur taste
presently i have a plot up for sales within the town at 6.5 million around a place called Nicon Junction.
well cost of building labour is higher here than other parts of the country but for any one who want to build i can assure you of good and excellent job just contact me thru mail

It is better to buy a house than starting a building. Here in Abuja, there are many completed houses ready for purchase. For instance in the estate where I reside, you can get a semi-detached 2 bedroom for 7.5M, 3 bedroom for 11M and five bedroom duplex for 21M. All with enough space at the back enough to erect BQ.

@twinstaiye,
Can you please tell, how to find the above mentioned properties in abuja. location Please or agent website for non abuja resident. Thanks

hi guys,
i read with keen interest the contribution of everyone on this topic.
there is no short cut about construction, if you want to get value for your hard earned money, you need to talk to the professionals in this field.
There is no where in the world that the cost of constructing a new building can be matched with buying a completed building.
Apart from the cost, you can not certify the quality of materials used for the construction because what all these developers are after is to maximize profit.
As a Civil/structural engineer in the field of construction in Abuja if you need any information concerning construction in the federal capital feel free to contact me on remidex@yahoo.com

Try the following places
Efab City Estate Jabi, Abuja,
Prince and Princess, Apo
Sun city, not far from Games Village
Citec Estates, Mbora district, Abuja
Niger State Housing Estate, Zuba
Kabusa Housing Estate, not far from Games Village
etc.

@ thirdeye , can you tell me how much i can buy a house in festac town (T7 or T8) , thank you of all the infor.

ok am i high or why those it cost ssssoooooooooo much to build a home nnigeria, its cheaper to buy one in the carribbean with a beautiful view of the beach.

@ finemocha, You are right. The cost of building materials is momopolized in your Country making it the most expensive place to build a home.

gem,
let me have the detail of what you want in the houses and i will send you estimate cost.Iam a builder with 12 years experience. You can email me, ag7772003@yahoo.com

Good postings here. Very informative and educative. From personal experience about real estate in Lagos, I can confidently say that it is a lucrative and rewarding business area to go into.

The MAJOR problem/misnomers is that everyone is an "Engineer"; and we too like deal.
Half-baked OND/HND building tech, draftsmen, bricklayer and any other construction related field is an "Engineer.”
By law, if you are not registered by COREN (Council of registered Engineers of Nigeria) you cannot use the title "Engineer"; you would be prosecuted if detected.
Names of all Engineers are in a register/published book easily available and sold from COREN.

The proper thing (which you will not like to do) is to give the job to confirmed COREN professionals, and go to sleep. Reason being they charge professional fees, which are really not exorbitant.

With humor, let us discuss the cheap crude method u will like, and still be relatively safe.
Anything "cruder" than this you most likely will NOT see sleep, !!

For homes i.e. small scale

1) Get a Land Surveyor to provide new SURVEY plans of your existing land, and submit copy (red or, ) to authorities.
Pay him, and collect your real size of land "SURVEY PLAN", chase him away.

2) Get a young trainee graduate Architect to provided ASTHETIC drawings - plan, front view, side, sections etc.
Him and his oga are only trained on how to draw a beautiful tomato, not how to plant or harvest it.
Architects are NOT trained to construct! He cannot construct.
Pay him, collect your beautiful "ARCHITECTURAL drawings", chase him away for now.

3) Get a young trainee graduate Engineer (non-Coren) to assess land, arrange for "basic" soil tests, design, arrange for draftsman, and for a good fee, get a COREN big boy Engineer who only will "glance" drawings and calculations, and "stamp". t.g. Engineer can also sort out the govt building approval-step by step.
Pay him, and collect your safe and economical "STRUCTURAL drawings", chase him away for now.

4) Get a Quantity Surveyor. Give him the SURVEY plan, ARCHITECTURAL drawings and STRUCTURAL drawings.
He will provide you with a Bill of Quantities. Easy to understand document indicating QUANTITY of materials needed
per unit needed STAGE BY STAGE for the whole building. e.g. bathroom tiles needed is EXACTLY 10 sqm. MR A can decide he likes and wants the one sold for 800 per sqm so he budgets EXACTLY 8,000 Naira, Mr B can decide he likes the one of 3500 per sqm, so he budgets EXACTLY 35,000.

Advantage is that from scratch you can tell EXACTLY the quantity you need per job/stage. If the price changes next week from 800 to 850 you just adjust, and (take 10sqm times 850) 8,500 to the market!
Pay him, and collect your list of materials needed "BILL OF QUANTITIES", chase him away.

5) Get a recommended experienced builder of your choice. Confirm and see his previous work and reputation for fraud or mischief. Agree on price per stage.

Negotiate and pay for some sort of retainer ship supervisory role by a young trainee graduate Architect and a young trainee graduate Engineer (non-Coren) i.e. Weekly site visit; and visit before and after major work-slabs/decking, foundation etc
You can use the ones earlier used above or completely new people- drawings are universal do not worry.
They would ascertain that MOST of what is in drawings are replicated, reduce errors, waste and structural safety.

6) Collect mayguard, build a site store, buy all your materials, find father/mother; or "reliable"?? family/friend-I do not know where u one see them for Niga when it comes to construction.

If you get power, you can have an agreement that staged payment only AFTER approval of work by t.g. Architect and Engineer.

Yaba houses would not have fallen even if they had used this crude method above.

MY CONCLUSION AND ADVICE:
Pay all those “pay him” above, you would never regret it. It would save you money at the end.
If big cash dey, use confirmed professionals-COREN etc, and go to sleep.
if medium cash dey, do 1 to 4, at 5, get a confirmed COREN engineers/builders.
if small cash, do 1 to 6, builder fit be experienced bricklayer sef.
if petty cash, I beg rent,

Story long so, excuse me if I left some things out. There are still plenty loop holes.
This na advice o…, , I no be Guru!!!

By the way, the Architect and Engineer are indispensable in a construction project. For example:

An Architect can locate your porch depending on direction the sun sets or rises (so you get a cool or sunny evening whichever you decide), ventilation designed with respect to existing structures, space maximization, functionality, etc

An Engineer would save you a lot of money. He is trained to tell the EXACT no. of steel rods you would need for a sound safe structure. And I mean EXACT!!
Why use more steel etc than you actually need. As a matter of FACT, more steel than needed could actually make the structure weaker, not stronger.

well done oxytech

@twinstaiye

Are these places you mentioned in abuja town?
I do not know Abuja well so Iam not able to figure out the
names on the list you sent.

Also please confirm that there is space in the two bedroom apartment for an additional BQ


@Bimmbliss

Please can you give more info?

I feel compelled to join in this very interestin' thread. Aside the fact that i find it useful for my upcoming home project, i like to say this particularly to Oxytech: ur advice is ABSOLUTELY K-R-A-Z-Y! I mean, i laffed my head off while reading it. I like ur 'krazy sense of humor.' Do keep it up, my man!

@promise76
I want to acquire a land in lekki phase 2 for not less than 5million. Is that still possible. Also can i get a land or low cost bungalow or face me i face u compound in surulere for less than 4 million? Thanks

@anyone that know about surulere!!
There is immence rental potencial in surulere. Having a property there will be fantastic!!

Can anyone reconmend a builder in Sangotedo and Ajah? I have two projects that I urgently require builders for. Thanks