caseymoney:

Building houses back home for some of us abroad might be a nightmare because we are not SMART enough. I have been able to build my house and also assisted a friend without stepping naija. Here's my strategies, I have friends, family and a Building Pro. I'm always a step ahead of these guys and even get things done much easier than people back home. I use divide and rule to get the best out of these people with internet, mobile phone and all other technologies in place. I think it's silly for one to invest several millions on a project and has nothing to show for it. This was how I started my project. I use a friend I trusted and knew he's comfortable and God fearing and not the ones that ask you for a dollar to eat. I wired money to my friend for exchange or do a wire from my account in the US to my Nigeria account. I tell my friend to scrutinize the builder for any excesses and my younger ones back home are also there to give me the progress report. I sent them phones, laptop and cameras before engaging them in such project. They thought it was a gift but It wasn't just a gift to me but an instrument to monitor all my project back home. They use the camera to capture work done and the laptop to attach captured photos to my ftp sites. I also have an Uncle I trust who left the US for Nigeria. I call him for help If I need to know the cost of building materials in Lagos. I also have my loving Mom who does the job with her phone without moving an inch. You don't have to entrust your money to just one person. However, some contractors in Nigeria are thieves. They take their profit from a project capital before the commencement of the project or use your money for a project they have abandoned due to misappropriation. They live beyond their means and tend to use peters money to complete Paul's project. In short, for those of you abroad like me willing to invest in the property business back home, get a good building contractor for your project and have somebody on ground to checkmate him because 80% of them are not reliable. You may go for young and growing contractors like Brabus and the likes who has a future and a career to pursue in the building industry and not those Big thieves that would use your hard earned money to chase married woman and drink guilder.  That's my own piece of advice.

brabus:

Stay tuned for more update

Fhemmmy:

Aint going nowhere oh, na here i dey, i have learnt so much on this property section than anywhere else

kingboy:

dear brabus ,im on this stage in my foundation laying and im advise to make a beam on top of the foundation(reason giving was that there is always a crack from the foundation of the houses in that area and i believe in doing it once). my question is that i cant find a beam on your foundation, pls advise

brabus:

Thanks Fidelo for the prompt response. Different solution apply to different situations, we do not require such in our area but yr structural drawing should tell you. But don't just do it because people told you to do so.

I remember how I spent over N1m to solve a problem that does not worth the pain and cost. Talk to a structural engineer.

Updating from mobile phone is not easy.

@Fhemmmy, how's class today? Today, I learnt that 1 + 1 in building industry is never 2 but 3. Always have a backup plan.

Fhemmmy:

Well, i am yet to learn anything today oh, cos seems like property section today is dry . . . so people make it fun jare, make i learn

spyder880:

Its because we are still out in the fields, I am counting cement here and trying to read all the entries, e no easy o