Hello All,

We will be sharing pictures, costs and updates on the making of several budget duplexes.

Duplexes have better rental and fling values and offers the owner greater flexibility than block of flats.

This thread is to encourage potential home owners and to share experiences and learnings as was the case with other great threads by veteran builders on this platform.

Regards

Project 1

Site Location: Palm Havens Estate, Adjacent Channels TV, Isheri-Opic.

We commenced clearing of the site and the supply of materials for our raft foundation.

The project is a twin 4 Bedroom duplex.

Size of land is 484Sqm.

Build area approx 235Sqm

Budget for 6 board raft foundation with perimeter base ==> 6M

We also commenced filling the frontal part of the plot which formed part of the road. This is to allow for easy access to the plot during construction.

We had to evacuate the existing owners of the plot .

We successfully filled the road and part of the perimeter of the plot to prevent back flow of water from adjoining plot.

Total filling used 29 trips of 20 tons of filling sand approximate cost of 900k including cost of labourers to fill.
Site clearing was 50K because of the dept of some part of the land.

More pictures

Road filled

Then materials started arriving in different shades and sizes

30 tons of granite through Mr Chekitaut. Great tonnage.

Another supply of 30 tons of granite through someone else. Not on Nairaland.

Plan was not to put all our eggs in one basket to avoid disappointments. Equally good tonnage

Then came iron rods and wood.

At the start of the project back in February 2021.

1 ton of TMT iron rods sold for 330k. Now selling for around 390K. Cement was N2850 per bag. Sold for N3400 last Saturday and was reported to be N3800 in some parts last Tuesday

This is why we quote projects per level to avoid unbearable variations in cost due to inflation.

And the best time to start any project is now.

More materials were supplied for the work to commence.

We got 300 bags of cement as we were able to store in the building beside the plot.

Great neighbors.

We also commenced setting out and blinding works

The iron bender also commenced work.

Cost will be updated later.

We used aggregates to stabilize some.part of the land to reduce the potential effects of differential settlement later.

More

Even more .

The land was indeed a trench.

Blinding progressed well even with the resistance from water.

Even more

We started getting desired results.

As things solidified, the race was about to begin.

Then came the troops. The foundation works.

And we attacked it

More.

And it started taking shape.

Similar project of ours in the same neighborhood.

Same process same effect.

Boarding of the base of the raft in preparation for casting.

Our approach is to use an L beam shape for the perimeter of the building to give it greater stability as research and experience has shown that buildings in waterlogged area usually settle outwards.

This design also follows the structure of the human feet.

More

Even more

The making of the base continued.

Professionally laid out and all set for casting

And then came the base for solid footing for the building.