sixtus4:

Please spyder update us on the cost aspect of it.

spyder880:

My people, I just stepped in from the bungalow site, thats where I supervised today, I will attend to all of the above questions as soon as I finish posting pictures of the site setting out for the bungalow thread, will be back guys.

sixtus4:

i observed some thing on the staircase,the landing and the dpc.whether staircase or change in level.what happened ?

chidexy:

@ Spyder880, I got a question. First off, I am not knowledgeable in the building department, but I have observed that you had 9 levels of block before the Lintel and 3 already after. I guess one or more block levels will be added before decking, why is this so? Isn't it adding to the total (increased) cost of erecting a building. Is that how it is prescribed in our Nigerian building code.

Compare this to the structures that I have seen outside the country, where the decking is just about 2.5meters from the floor, hence saving on blocks. I would like your view on this (see some attached pictures)

diordaves:

Spyder880, just going through your pix update, and wondering; how much have you spent so far just on water? Do you have your spend for water? Is it possible to update this cost? Access to water on-site is a major issue often overlooked.

Am particular about water access on site and its attendant cost because am about seeing to a small project for the family in my madam's home town in the Asaba - Okpanam - Ogwash axis and got 120K quote just to dig a well. Can it be this expensive to access water or the quote is not reasonable? So is Asaba and its environ also suffer under-ground water access like Enugu?

If any of us is in the Asaba axis, please kindly share your experience with digging a well or borehole.

sixtus4:

we want to know the effect of fuel subsidy,on construction now

spyder880:

I am sure we have spent close to N50k to buy water from tankers, this is aside the cost of around N50k to buy a new plastic tank for the site, or the cost of hiring additional tanks to store more water. We have also spent around N30k on the well whis is ongoing beside the site, we thought we could get water and then stop buying from tankers but all to no avail as water has been elusive in this well, just very small water coming out and the well diggers has jammed a rock 22 feet underground, they have been chiseling this rock to get past it since the past 6 days. We believe they will find water before 30 feet.

Total spend for water related issues in this project should be in the region of N 140k

spyder880:

Thank you Chidi,

However those pictures you showed looks like the blocks are more that 9'' tall?
If so, their houses will be taller than ours, and I see very minimum use of chalking mortar (cement) between these blocks, are they fixed in any other way, can we copy this technology people?

chidexy:

Your explanation makes sense, though since most of the buildings are fitted with A/C, I think in the long run, we might be saving on energy/cooling cost with decreased volume.

On the blocks, they use autoclave aerated concrete blocks. Popular brands are YTONG, H+H, Silka etc. They are very light weight (a 5 year old child can lift a block easily) but very strong and durable. The blocks are equally profiled, so it fits (you'll see the profile and how it fits in the video), hence very minimal chalking mortar is needed. I have enclosed 2 links (video) of its use in building (1st link) and production (2nd). You may not understand what they are saying (in German) but it's pretty straight forward). The links are:

http://www.bv-porenbeton.de/video/Verarbeitung/index.html

http://www.bv-porenbeton.de/video/Herstellung/index.html

diordaves:



Chidexy, your work is not complete o! How much is the block and size so that we can do some comparative analysis.

Demain_man:

^^^^^ I do see a problem with this type of blocks. Most importantly acoustic issue, with them unble to stop voices passing through like you have in the type of blocks we use in naija. I know that abroad, the partitioning of rooms with these type of material will mean that whatever is happening in one room will be heard by someone in an adjacent room. I hate it!

Also, doesn't it mean that because they are very lightweight they can easily be cut through with a saw or hammer in the case that they are used for fencing for example.

Also, i see that the picture you showed us do not have any pillar or lintel. Will this block be able to carry naija type of decking?

At €3 or N600 per block. it's not cheap at all.