₦airaland Forum

dmangodwin: Bradus,thanks a lot.pls do you have anyone in ifo ogun state.

Anyone like? Bricklayer or Supervisor?

nanaman: I wouldn't blame you because you know when,where and how you would die. Have you confirmed the cause of the accident,it was overspeeding. We like reporting bad news,that's one of the reasons people like you think backward.

I still wonder what Mr Globe has said wrong. The rate is very alarming that you keep wondering what the governor is doing. Yeah, overspeeding is possible in Abeokuta (especially on the siun/shagamu/abeokuta expressway) but that's for the government agencies to control not Mr Globe.
The last time I checked Mr Amosun is still the state governor.

In fact, the records didn't favour any of the highway in Ogun state.

Check the rate of accident on these roads

1. Sagamu/Ore/Benin expressway
2. Sagamu/Siun/Abeokuta expressway
3. Sango/Ifo
4. Lagos/Ibadan expressway
5. Papa road
6. Ikorodu/Sagamu road
7. And many more.

dmangodwin: Nlanders can you pls qoute how blocks should a bricklayer lay for a day's job. I need it to how much i will pay according to how many blocks layed.thanks in advance.

Lazy bricklayers do 100 blocks per day. As for me I do N25 per block and I have guys who can do a standard 3 bedroom flat in two day.

euromilion: He is bringing it,Am only asking because on the quotation he wrote 140k for mixer,Am not even there,Thnx a mill.

Na wa o! 140k for mixer at Ikotun. I've never paid more than 20 - 30k for concrete mixer.

The dimension of your house can't be more than 12 x 25m. At that size I won't spend more than 150 - 170k on casting (mixer and labour inclusive)

euromilion: @Brabus
Pls am responsible for paying for the mixer machine or it is included in the 120k for labour/casting.

Cheers.

The concrete mixer is included in the cost. It is the headache of the person casting, not yours. Why should you hire for him when he's going to use it?

Why not allow him to bring his machine that he's sure of?

^^^Meaning you haven't seen the plan of the house.

Bros, you're not stalked anywhere. Just do the needful. Change tack!

Stop the project and ask the man to produce the working drawings. Get a QS to provide you a Bill of Quantity for the remaining stages. Also, get a building inspector to access what has been done so far.

It seems you don't have a budget for this project. That's not right!

- Break the project into stages.
- Pay as milestones are met.
- Speak to building material suppliers on NL and supply as needed.

Remember, you're the project manager.

euromilion: @Brabus and junapril.
Thnx for ur prompt reply,as for plank i bought these items already before for pillars and lintel,now he needs 200pc more.


220pc of 1x12 and
5pc of 2x12
30pc of 2x3.

pls how much is reasonable for those labour the man is killing my funds,I NEED advice pls.I have asked him about the dimensions twice no answer,the problem is that am not in 9ja,am really angry because I have wasted so much on this project,if I tell how much he took for foundation u will give me a slap to wake me up.

Bros, you need to change tack!

Reasonable Labour Charges

Iron Bender - 100k
Carpenter - 120k
Labourers/Casting - 120k
Electrician - 25k
Plumber - 25k


Don't overspend on shell construction!

Building Under Our Care

Lambe Flats - Development of 2 Units of 2 Bedroom Flat

Bedroom - 12 x 12ft
Bathroom - 4 x 8ft
Living/Dining Room - 12 x 16ft
Kitchen - 8 x 16ft
Store - 4 x 8ft

Budget (incldg Finishes) - N5.5m



Pic: Lambe Flats - Day 30

euromilion: I got this quotations for decking,I think it's a bit too much any advice pls.

6 tons of 12mm rod.
1 ton of 16mm rod
1/2 ton 8mm
5 binding wire
Labour 250k

350pc of bamboo @ 250 each
200pcs of plank @ 850 each
250pc of 2 by 3 @350 each
2 bags of nail 10k
Labour 250k again.

8 tons of granite
6 cubic of sharp sand
250 bags of cement
2 cements mixers @140k
Labour 50k

20mm pipe 8 bundles
25mm pipe 2 bundles
4ways box 2pkts
3ways box 1pkt
Tangit gum 3tins
20mm copler 2pkts
25mm copler 1pkt
Banding spray 2pkts
Total 39k

Please Brabus and fellow house mates take a look,I think something is not right,especially on granite and sand.
Please post a suitable prices for items in ur area including Labour charges,my area is in Ikotun.

Euromillion, your guy is using your fund the best way him sabi use am. Forget about the materials, look at the labour charges. Isn't that too much and unrealistic.

Iron bender - 250k
Carpenter - 250k
Labourers who will do 50% of the work - 50k

Binding wires - too much. What are you binding?
200 planks - ? ( I doubt that will be enough. I used 120 planks for a 2 bedroom flat. Won't there be beams? If there won't be, then where are you using all the 7.5 tons of iron rods.
350 bamboos sawned into 2 is 700 to be used on 200 planks. Your quote defies logic sir.

Why do you need 1/2 ton of 8mm? Even if the thickness of the slab is 8in.

I need quotes for the following materials in Sangotedo area, Ajah. Suppliers send email to me

Sharp Sand
Granite
Filling Sand
Iron rods (10mm, 12mm, 16mm)
Planks (various sizes)

Pls send your best prices. I no sabi price o.

otunbadan: Hello Sir,please do you have any information concerning construction of prefabricated houses in Nigeria,would you ssubscribe to the idea?

Actually no but I can do a research on the topic and update this thread once I gain information.
I subscribe to every idea that will assist in building homes more efficiently and effectively. Prefab construction is one of such ideas. I fell in love with it when I first saw the ones done at one estate close to VGC, Lagos. (Don't mind me, I can't remember the name of the estate)

Watch this space for more info on the topic.

Jibsonified: I need advice on renovating a bungalow (in half plot land) built in 1966.

Renovations: No builder has X-Ray vision!

I actually want to place a caveat on that subject but still think I should share something on it.

When it comes to renovation, older houses can present challenges for homeowners and builders who haven't braced themselves for
the costs ahead.

Bros, things are more expensive than we usually think when working on reno projects. Most homeowner always peg their budgets to be about half of what the true cost is going to be.

Just because you’ve been silently or religiously following this thread or other great threads on building constructions and have learned one or two things does not guarantee you success in your reno project, you need a bit more information before you carry the hammer and start breaking the walls.

Lessons: Get your builder involved from the date the idea was conceived through all the construction. Not only that, you should be involved as well. Why? It is your house they are renovation. Tell him what works and what doesn't. Why you wanted it so? Be flexible and sensible enough to know when the project is taking a twist. Offer help when needed.

Many renovation projects never get built to taste because the design and the budget don't run together; or maybe the owner is less interested in details.

However, here are the areas you should be more concerned about. They are the real challenge you'll face.

1. Foundation
2. Bathrooms/Plumbing
3. Electricity
4. Roof
5. Septic Tank and Soakaways
6. Windows
7. Hidden layers

I already shared a link to a reno project (*check post 13 on the first page of this thread) I did for a client last year. I suggest you visit that thread.

makaveli16: I totally disagree with you, the higher a building goes, the deeper the foundation should go. You rightly stated Wind load as a factor to be considered. Wind loads and building heights have a direct proportionality (i.e the higher a building goes, the higher the Wind load). Pressure increases with depth, therefore the active earth pressure coupled with other factors such as Column strength, shear walls and bracing (if provided) needed to sufficiently resist such horizontal loads as wind load can only be achieved with an increase in depth. That's the width strength you were referring to.

Points noted.

The Burj Dubai Tower (at 818m or 2,684-ft height or almost exactly 1/2 a mile) has a 3.7m thick raft foundation sitting on 50m deep bored piles. I would expect the founding depth of such structure to be more deeper.

phyl123: Hi Brabus

You have not answered my question.

THE QUESTION:

Hi Brabus
Ive been a silent follower of most of your
post.
I thought Ikorodu was a nice area, maybe
you can advice us on the pros and cons of
why you think these areas you have
mentioned are not very nice, so for future
home owners, we can learn because not
everybody can afford to build in VI and
Ikoyi. Thanks

My response:

I never said Ikorodu, Mowe, Siun etc are not nice place to live in any of my posts, I just said they were cheaper locations to consider when you have a tight budget.

However, here are my views on assessing locations for building projects.

Note: this views are generally subjective

- Does it fulfill your personal aspirations?
- Does it provide the essential ingredients that will allow you and your family to feel comfortable? (Consider the fact that commuting time is much more important than commuting 'distance')
- Does it feel instinctively right?
- Will it be incongruous with other housing in
the neighbourhood?

Assessing 'best value' for land depends largely on your NEEDS (important matters which includes the quality of local schools, leisure facilities, shopping, health centres and, of course, access to the motorway network and to public transport), the FUNDS you have available and the PLANS you have made for the future.

If Ikorodu can meet you needs, budget and future plan - Go for it!


Lesson: Find the right balance between quantity and quality as this will help you determine what you want and where you want it.

A PERFECT HOME?

When building a house, we are always worried that any imperfection is going to end up bugging us for years. How untrue?

No matter how hard we tried to get things perfect during the build process, but there'll always be little things like imperfect alignment, imperfect tone or imperfect angles.

Lesson: Try to get everything as right as you can, but realize that nothing is ever going to be perfect and that the enjoyment of living in your house will make you forget anything that isn’t.

There are no true imperfection.

THE GOOD BUILDER

You can really tell a lot about a build company by how well they treat you after they’re “done”. They are superb about following up with their clients and taking care of miscellaneous things that needed taking care of. Not only do they execute their job quickly and efficiently, but more importantly, they do it happily. A good build company stands behind their work, and they aren’t happy unless you are happy.

Lesson: Make sure the company who builds your house cares about you; not just finishing the job.

Construction Defects

In construction projects, the nature and type of defects can vary dramatically. So also is the point at which they become apparent.

In some cases, defects can easily be corrected before the building is handed over to the owner, while at the other extreme cases defects may occur long after the project has been completed and handed over.

Defects can arise because the work was not
carried out in a 'good and workmanlike manner' in accordance with good practice, or because wrong materials are been used. Whatever the case, the problem is usually the responsibility of the home owner, the designer, the building contractor and its supply chain.

Do it right the first time!

Unfortunately, elections are not decided by how much grammar you can speak.

You need to see the number of ACN buses loading cooking oil to Ondo state yesternite.

Let's see how it goes.

Double post

euromilion: Hello Brabus,
Sorry I need ur opinion on this matter I paid my Eng 200k to set Blocks and 150k for pillars and lintel,now he is asking for another 100k to add 2 coach on the lintel.at the start I tot dat d 200k was to do all the blocks work until decking,total blocks was 3000.

Cheers

The amount you paid is fair. 3000 blocks shouldn't cost more than 150k. Agreed they're working on height now, 200k is fair for the job.

crownheads: Hi all,

Can someone please advise if it pays to bring my tiles from china or buy them in Nigeria. I will also like to know where and the cost in Nigeria.
Do we have tiles market in Nigeria and where is it? what about wooden floors, how much and any contacts and pictures will be appreciated. Many Thanks

You can import all your materials from china. The only advice I can give you is to make provision for extras and breakage. If it will take 10sqm to make your room, just buy 12sqm cos you may find it difficult to get the same item in Naija market.

Another problem in Nigeria is education. It seems that Nigeria is progressing in terms of education but I don't think so. We have more certificates than ever but we are less educated.

We are more literate but less aware. Less aware of duties and moralities. We have more information at our disposal, but lack wisdom to put that information to proper use.

Which way Nigeria?

@Baba Eko, You can save money, time or quality, but you can’t save all three. Decide on your approach and accept that you will have to invest something.
____________
In response to your question, I can see that the build-route you want to use is 'Self-Managed' which means you’ll be responsible for physically building the house from scratch. I can also see that you've tried to make it easier by engaging an architect to handle tasks that you won’t be able to carry out yourself. If that's the only reason you're engaging him, then he's irrelevant in the project. He should have the same power as yourself and even more to take decision without waiting for your approval.

(But make we talk true, water-logged site construction pass Architect's supervision o!)

You've also gone a step further to define roles and responsibilities such as interpretation of design drawings, ordering of materials and building inspection, taking deliveries and organising the day-to-day running of the site.
(Who will inspect the building - perform quality check?). The Architect - will double as the referee and the skipper.

This approach is very good in theory but is it practicable and economical? Read on:

Real life example: I just finished a fence project for a Nairaland client few weeks ago in a water-logged area. My budget for the project is N2.5m but we ended up spending over N3m to do the same job using 'Self-Managed' approach (ie. the owner supply the materials). We also ended up spending extra 4 weeks waiting for the gates to be delivered. Between the time we're waiting for the gates and when it was delivered, a 5 bedroom duplex project in the same area was started and finished to roofing stage using 'Contractor-managed' approach. Where did the extra fund went? Why did the work took so long? Why did we end up spending more while trying to save cost?

Cost and Cash-flow Implications: this approach is a sure way to build houses with very little budget. Cash-flow are much easier to manage using this approach than with the other routes, as the only outgoings are actual cost of materials, for which you are responsible.

However, you’ll need to factor into the equation, the losses you made when you order wrong items, incomplete materials or when delayed delivery of materials is holding up the build process.

If you must follow this route, you'll need to ensure the following (especially when building water-logged sites):

1. You must be available at all time to provide and take deliveries of materials as needed.
2. You must know more than just the basics to determine when you're overspending or under-budgeting on a particular stage. You will need to know material requirements — not just the quality you want but, more importantly, the quantity.
3. You’ll need an in-depth knowledge of the building project schedule (i.e. what trades come after each other and which work are dependent on other)
4. Research your roles very well before starting out, because your life will no longer be your own till the end of the project. (Managing suppliers, artisans, subcontractors when you have no knowledge of the subject matter may well leave you open to exploitation by unscrupulous men).
5. You need to know how to juggle the conflicting needs of your builder, architect, suppliers, subcontractors, and so on.

CARPORTS EXPLAINED

Nowadays, homeowners do install a carport or build drive-in garages as additional feature in their house. This is to prevent their cars from being damaged by leaving their cars out in the weather.

A carport is a perfect option for homeowners with limited space or budget. As an added bonus, carports also provide an extra undercover area if you need more room when entertaining or for outdoor living!

Which Carport Should I Install?

Wooden or Steel?

Carports made with wooden framework are always cheaper than galvanized steel carports. They require ongoing maintenance such as painting in order to keep them in tip top condition.

Galvanized steel carports are maintenance free as they will not warp, rust, corrode or become damaged.

Attached or Freestanding?

You can either install your carport attached to your house or make it freestanding.
Attached carports are joined to the main structure in a way that it doesn’t interfere with existing guttering (for rainwater). It can also be engineered to meet any and all wind loads.

Freestanding carports however give you more freedom to chose where they can be placed, so you can put them in the most convenient place for you. You can even relocate them with ease.

kreamstaff: Teacher sir, you didn't provide the height of the 12ftx12ft room sir, please what should we use

Oops! It must be an oversight. You can use any height and post your result in this format below.

A 12 x 12ft room which is 8ft high, with 2 windows (4 x 4ft) and 2 doors (3ft) will require X amount of blocks.

BLOCKED BATHROOM PLUG?

Ever wondered why it is taking a while for your shower to drain away, or why your bath plug is always getting clogged. Don't be surprised, your hair is the number one culprit in blocked bathroom. Others include local sponge, sand, soap wraps etc.

Here are ways to unclog your blocked bath.

1.Lift/unscrew the bathroom plug and remove the offending articles blocking free flow of water. Do this repeatedly (perhaps once a fortnight, or once a week).

2. HAIR REMOVAL CREAM: Put a tube of hair removal cream down the plug hole and leave overnight. Then rinse with power shower directed at the plug for maximum cleaning effectiveness. The hair will have been dissolved and the water will wash it away.

3. HOT WATER AND SALT: Boil a kettle of water and then pour a small amount of salt down the plug. Allow to settle for about a minute and then wash down with hot water.

4. CHEMICALS – although there are many chemicals you can use to unclog blocked drain, but I'll like to warn against usage of these solutions as the chemicals within aren’t always suitable for your pipes.

5. SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP: If you’ve tried the ideas above without result, it would be advisable to call in a professional plumber. They have the tools and know how to unblock everyday problems.

ROOF MAINTENANCE

A house is sum of its parts

An effective roof is critical to the overall protection, insulation, and security of a house. Neglect to this vital part of a house can result in significant damage and costly repairs or needed replacement.

ROOF MAINTENANCE: HOW?

Roof maintenance involves regular inspection, cleaning, and other tactics to keep your roof operational for as long as possible.

It isn't rocket science! You can either ask a roofing contractor or professional to perform the maintenance or DIY.

DIY ROOF INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

Tools required: Ladder, water hose, bleach, broom, cutlass, silicon sealant, flash band, water.

1. Check the roof members for loose, missing, or curled shingles, leaky sheets or tiles, and bent edges.
2. Check the flashings around the roof
3. Check the roof for accumulation of dirts and leaves to minimise deterioration of the roof.
4. Clean the gutters regularly and have
debris removed from them in order to prevent
water build up and blockages.
5.Trim the branches of trees that are in close proximity to your house as they clog up the roof in high winds.
6. Check if there are easy access to the roof by animals like lizard, cats, squirrels, rats etc. These animals can scratch or put holes on your roof while trying to gain access inside the
home.
7. Check the roof for algae and moss. Remove them with bleach and water from pressure hose.

bisiswag: Wow@brabus'' who and what are you,builder,contractor,architect or u just really brainy and informed R u for real? Am soooo impressed.

Thanks. I'm an up-and-comer in the world of building construction and I created this thread just for you. I see it as a primer to get to where I need to be strategically whilst building my online empire by adding value to my community.

TO THE CONTRACTORS

Here's a secret recipe:

I discovered we all need ONE customer. Yes! ONE satisfied customer to make it big in life.

If they need help moving, help them. If they
need a laugh, make them laugh. If they need advice on how to build their house without a contractor, tell them how to do it. Be as generous as you can be. You can never tell who's watching.

Watch in amazement as you begin to see opportunities appear out of thin air.


** As much as possible try to avoid bad references. It can ruin everything!

Happy Birthday, Nigeria!