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 Properties › Re: Current Prices Of Building Materials In Nigeria by brabus(m): 9:38am On Sep 11, 2012 |
oyewole123: @ brabus and all experienced builder in the house |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 8:02am On Sep 11, 2012*. Modified: 8:23am On Sep 11, 2012 |
Site Signboards: how important is it? A site signboard is a requirement for all development projects. It gives detail information of all that is taking place in a construction site. It indicates details of Developer’s Name and address, Local Authority Approval Number, Details of the Architect, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors and other professionals, A pictorial impression of the proposed development, proposed date of completion, the client. Why do we ignore to erect one? Clients: trying to conceal their identity since the project is financed from proceed of Money Laundering. Developers: trying to hide their identity over a dubious project especially when the project lacks necessary approvals and is been implemented by quacks. Government: obvious reasons. Let's think about these things and help the nation move forward. We have the capacity to transform this country from the sad state of affairs. Let's begin to do it right!
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 7:37am On Sep 11, 2012 |
Construction Woes: Who is to blame? Everybody!!! The Developers: whose primary duty is to engage certified professionals as consultants but failed to do so largely due to an unhealthy profit motivation. Consultants: the so-called professionals/consultants whose duty is to advise their client on the various aspects of the project and to ensure that due process is followed during the entire project cycle but have failed to honestly advise clients on the pitfalls of shortcuts. Government: through regulatory bodies charged with the duty of enforcing by-laws and ensuring that any development meets regulatory building standards. Weak technical capacity in local authorities; problems in the development approval process; corruption are all to blame for the problems we experience. Contractor: who are expected to have the capacity and competence to undertake the specific tasks for the specified scope of works. Clients: Yes, YOU! For aiding and abetting through wrong selection. You can't claim ignorance! Recent study conducted have revealed that unqualified people carry out more than 70 percent of the development-related activities in Nigeria. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 4:54am On Sep 11, 2012 |
Protecting Your Land Investment 1. If you already have a land, endeavour to register it at the Land Registry 2. If you're purchasing a new land, go to the Land Registry and perform a title search first 3. Make sure you are working with a reputable attorney who knows Nigeria land acquisition laws 4. After purchase, fence your land or build a small room on it to warn off squatters 5. Build on it. Fence and small room are not enough. 1 Like |
| Properties › Re: Building A Luxury Block Of Flats: Day-to-day Updates (with pictures) by brabus(op): 3:32pm On Sep 10, 2012 |
kuntash: Brabus, whats Blank talking about?@kuntash, longest time bro. I cannot simply take a pass on your request but you might have to go over the thread again. How's your project going? TTY on Yahoo! Messenger |
| Properties › Re: Current Prices Of Building Materials In Nigeria by brabus(m): 2:58pm On Sep 10, 2012 |
euromilion: @brabus,Bros, sh*t do happen! Another Nairalander friend spent 250k on excavation and blinding of a 3 bedroom bungalow last year, on a dry and flat land. It'll be hard posting a rough cost without knowing the dimension of the building. Otherwise, post the full quote for the first floor slab here and let us see. I know there are other home owners here who can advice. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 11:10am On Sep 10, 2012 |
Home Building: Navigating the rough waters If you don’t know what you’re planning to build, how do you know that you will achieve the desired end result? Imagine a ship sailing out to sea without a destination. Where would it go?In order to have a smooth sail in the rough waters, it is imperative that you start with the end in mind. This means having a complete picture of what the end result will look like. The architectural plans is one part out of the so many part of a house. You need to have a complete picture of the finished product. Here are few things to consider before you begin the project: 1. The internal design scheme (e.g. the colours of walls, architraves, ceilings, lightings and cornices) 2. The external design scheme (e.g. the colours of roofing and walls, types of materials used for these e.g. stone-coated, step tiles, asbestos etc) 3. What style of house are you building? It isn't enough to say I want a duplex or bungalow. 4. What will your facade look like? Oh, I love this! Facade - in fact I keep a cut-out pic of the facade that I love on my fridge. 5. The orientation of the living areas -to take advantage of natural sunlight, cross-ventilation. 6. The uses of the outdoor areas - Entertainment or recreational purposes? I'm kinda confused when clients ask what can we do here? 7. The sort of landscaping you like. 8. Many other things as it appeals to you. The more detailed your picture, the greater your satisfaction will be with the end result. Happy Building! |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 8:46am On Sep 10, 2012*. Modified: 9:11am On Sep 10, 2012 |
Cost Cutting Tips Summary: These cost cutting tips will alert you to which items should be quality upfront, and which you can upgrade later. Saving money on your home building costs means knowing where it is safe to economize.Cost reduction is one of the top concerns that we have when wanting to build a house. Here are few tips to help you cut costs in your building project. 1. Building Plans and specifications - DO NOT cut corners here! Get the best and most detailed plans. Read more 1 Like |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 6:57am On Sep 10, 2012 |
Joke: More Men On the Job The son of a builder is approaching his sixth birthday and his father asks him what he’d like as a birthday present. ‘What I really want is a baby brother.’says the boy. ‘Sorry, son,’ says the father. ‘Your birthday is five days away, I can’t get you a baby brother in that time.’ The son replies, ‘Can’t you doHappy New Week! 3 Likes |
| Properties › Re: Current Prices Of Building Materials In Nigeria by brabus(m): 7:58pm On Sep 09, 2012*. Modified: 8:26pm On Sep 09, 2012 |
oyewole123: @ brabus and all experienced builder in the houseBros, this is a 'fill-in-the-gap' question o! What's the size of the house? The height of the rooms? The nos of rooms? Are they all ensuite? On Labour Cost, I'll be looking at average of 8k per room. 10 loads of plaster, 180 bags of cement Assuming each flat has: 3 bedroom 1 lobby 1 dining 1 living room (which is 2 rooms) 1 kitchen 3 baths and 1 store ( 2 room +) Front and back terrace/balcony - 1 room That's 360k ____________ Front/Back staircase - (40k) ____________ External Wall - Negotiate 150k ____________ Underneath Slab Ground floor - 50k A similar project been handled by another builder for a Nairaland friend in Ibafo, Ogun state was done for 450k (internal/external labour charge). Although, they had issues along the line but the house is fully plastered now. I was at the site last week to do the POP ceiling. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 3:45pm On Sep 09, 2012 |
RAINY SEASON OR DRY SEASON? Houses can be built in any weather. The key to successful building in extreme weather conditions is getting the foundation installed and the house up out of the ground before the rainy season. - Get an experienced team with experience to handle extreme conditions. - When you mix concrete and fill structures in the rain and don't make efforts to cover it, it will definitely wash out and lose certain quality or strength. - Protect the soil so that rain doesn't wash it off. - Work under a shed, cover or tarpaulin during rainy season. - Get meteorological information for the period of construction. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 8:33pm On Sep 08, 2012 |
Owner-Managed Project Via BBM Chat,If you don't have any experience with building, then count yourself as another Moses leading the Israelites to the promised land - your subcontractors, suppliers and masons will see you for what you are and take you to the cleaners. It is very unrealistic to give building project management a shot the first time and expect to save any money. Just get involved in the project for the experience and nothing more. But just like my friend who believes impossibility can be possible, I do believe that it's possible if you have the time and energy. Just be ready for surprises! |
| Properties › Re: Current Prices Of Building Materials In Nigeria by brabus(m): 5:03pm On Sep 08, 2012 |
Twyford Toilet/WC (top flush) - 14k (Orile, Lagos) Shower Cubicle - 25k 3ft door (addis) - 14k (Orile, Lagos) POP Material Nejman POP Plaster - 2.1k (Jibowu, Lagos) ABS POP Plaster - 2.3k Portman Plaster - 2.1k Glova POP Paint - 2k (Jibowu, Lagos) Rosas - 500 to N1k (Jibowu Iron rod 1 ton 12mm iron rod - 138k (Ibafo, Ogun) 1 ton 12mm iron rod - 142k (Ajah, Lagos) Binding wire (1 bundle) - 2.5k (Okokomaiko) Binding wire (1 bundle) - 3k (Ibafo, Ogun) Block 9in block - N150 (Lambe, Ogun) 9in block - N130 (Arepo, Ogun) 9in block - N160 (Okokomaiko, Lagos) 9in block - N120 (Sagamu, Ogun) Dangote Cement Cement - N1700 (Sagamu, Ogun) Cement - N1750 (Okokomaiko, Lagos) Cement - N1800 (Lambe, Ogun) Cement - N1750 (Arepo, Ogun) Cement - N1750 (Ogijo, Ogun) Granite 10 ton - 45k (Arepo, Ogun) 10 ton - 50k (Okokomaiko, Lagos) 30 ton - 140k (Okokomaiko, Lagos) 30 ton - 100k (Sagamu, Ogun) Aluminium Step Tiles .45 guage 1m - N1050 PVC Ceiling EMEL PVC Ceiling 10pcs - 7k (Dopemu, Lagos) Wood (Ikorodu Sawmill) 2 x 2 - 230 2 x 3 - 350 2 x 4 - 500 3 x 4 - 1 x 12 - Ijebu-Ode 2 x 2 - 200 2 x 3 - 350 2 x 4 - 500 3 x 4 - 1 x 12 - More updates later 2 Likes |
| Properties › Re: Current Prices Of Building Materials In Nigeria by brabus(m): 4:42pm On Sep 08, 2012 |
euromilion: @allI think you're paying too much especially on casting. 200k for german floor is way too much. I won't pay more than 100k for it. As for the 40 columns and beams, are you buying planks for the carpenter or renting. Either way, you should pay as follow: 1. Carpenter - 50k (ie you're buying planks) 2. Iron Bender - 40k 3. Bricklayer/Labourers for casting - 50k 4. Supervision - 20k (except your man is from Julius Berger) 5 Likes |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 2:35pm On Sep 08, 2012 |
bigx: Thank you, is there any process or simple way of checking the above? Very Educative post!There are property lawyers to conduct a search on your property and advice on regularization or ratification if it falls under government acquisition. Otherwise, you can walk into the local planning department and ask to see the Planning Register, in which all the applications and decisions (where they have been reached) are recorded. Obviously, there's a price to pay. Here's a thread with better explanation. Kindly visit and speak to a property lawyer. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 1:14pm On Sep 08, 2012 |
Before You Build: Site Selection via BBMBefore we build, we must buy a land. A good land! The question is how do we identify a good land. Selection of site for developmet can be determined by many factors of consideration which includes: 1. Land value & projections 2. Check whether the land is not affected or likely to be affected in 50 years by any government scheme like road widening scheme or any other reservations. Its not funny. 3. Distance from Airport, Hospital, Schools, Park/recreational areas, Market, Church/Mosque, and Work place. 4. Availability of basic infrastructure *(Road and Electricity top the list). 5. Authorised for residential use. Don't go and buy burial ground : ) 6. Security: Not a war-torned areas like Boko Haram communitieis, not a military barrack (anything can happen, not praying for bad). 7. If possible, AVOID SWAMPS! 8. Do NOT buy a land at the end of a steep slope. You don't want to spend all your money building drainage channel to divert water away from your land and spend all your time and money repairing fence if not the house. 9. Try to avoid hilly or rocky sites. Getting water is near impossible. 1 Like |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 12:16pm On Sep 08, 2012 |
Efficient Designs: Natural lighting or PHCN? Case Study: Mr. Brown stayed in one of the serviced terraced apartments overlooking the Atlantic Beach in VI, Lagos. Of course, he enjoys natural light and fresh air in this vacation home.I love the designs and concepts of Haven Homes, Nigeria based on functionalities. Their daylighting concept offers natural light and effective illumination through windows, ventilators, skylights etc and not via ACs. It also reduces lighting/energy bills while maximizing visual comfort. Different things appeal to different people sha! I wonder why windows must always be the standard 1500 x 1200, 1800 x 1200, 600 x 600, when we have extreme hot weather. Why doors must always be solid core? Why all rooms must have curtain? Why all houses must have an AC, when PHCN is yet to meet their 4000mw target? Why we must rely on artificial lighting when we require generators to power them? Too many questions begin for answers. Daylighting provides freshness and enhances efficiency. It brings the outdoor inside and has direct impact on productivity. Real life: I used to live in a rented flat with 4 units of 2hp ACs burning fuel, wasting money. But now I live in a house that has no need for fan talkless of ACs. Everything is natural!Pic: A double volume house with large windows. Good lighting. 1 Like
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 10:13am On Sep 08, 2012 |
"ALL COSTS ESTIMATES ARE ASSUMPTION" Till the date of completion of the building, no one has the magical capability to say cost of construction just by seeing a plan or elevation of a building. Nobody knows what will be the cost of materials and labour tomorrow or in months to come.
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 9:35am On Sep 08, 2012*. Modified: 9:51am On Sep 08, 2012 |
Project Supervision: Architect or Builder? Extract from an email correspondence.In construction world, there are no two builders, architects, or contractors following the same construction practices or procedures, so recommending whom to choose to supervise a project is a bit tricky. The Gospel TruthSo, it is gullible to put the coach of one side in charge of a final match. Definitely, he'll take advantage. Builders/contractors are more knowledgeable about construction than you do. In fact more knowledgeable than architects in many cases because they knew the terrain better and had experiences managing most difficult situations. So, he can choose to misguide you In a fair environment, an architect or engineer is the best person to employ as a project supervisor. He must be knowledgeable as well. You don't want to put an engineer who builds bridges in a bungalow project, you'll end up spending more than imagine. An architect can guide contractor to do construction as per drawings and instructions. For sure one thing is bound to happen, the builder/contractor will demand more money when someone knowledgeable is involved. Abi na lie, segcy.moor, ihebrooke [size=16]Builders don't vex o![/size] |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 6:59am On Sep 08, 2012*. Modified: 9:44am On Sep 08, 2012 |
Foundation Depth - How DEEP is deep enough? I always wonder "What does a client need to know about foundations?" I think it is a subject that should be left for the structural engineers alone. But should we really do that? No, we need to understand the basics. Foundation Design/Engineering is the most boring subject I've ever heard from engineers. It defies logic. I used to assume that the higher the structure, the deeper the foundation. However, I've found out that foundation depth does not depend upon height. More height means more loads coming on the soil which means greater strength required at the width of the base rather than depth Foundation depth depends upon various factors like: 1. Bearing capacity of the soil, which explains the reason why pile foundation is recommended in areas with insufficient bearing soil. 2. Function of the building (public carparks, auditorium, private residence, MTUs etc) 3. Wind loads 4. Depth of water table. When it comes to foundation depth and height, there is a caveat. Don't Assume - Speak to a Qualified Structural Engineer.___________________ More updates on this topic when I gain more information. Pic: Columns
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 6:09am On Sep 08, 2012 |
New Build - Fit Out vs Technical Aspects Building a new house can give you a lot of excitement. Of course, it can also give you all sorts of nightmares if it goes wrong. The classic places where things go wrong are: - underestimating costs - underestimating length of build - not putting enough thought into the technical design of the building A well-built house must efficiently take care of all the technical issues, such as lighting, heating, cooling, foundations etc. You really don't want to live in a house without cross ventilation, house that requires lighting in the day or a house with foundation issues. The Obvious Mistake Most homeowners tend to ignore all the technical aspects of the building and focus only on the pretty stuff, the fit-out. They love choosing colours, selecting fittings and fixtures as if it really matters. Any fool can paint a room, lay the tiles, fix the windows or change taps. However, the technical decisions are permanent decisions you make in the planning stage that will determine if the house will be livable. In fact, they're fixed for the life of the building[size=16]Not all that glitters are gold.[/size] Pic: Foundation (Reinforcement & Formwork)
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 5:22am On Sep 08, 2012 |
Build Cost - Help Your Builder Almost everyone want to have an idea of average build cost of their new home. But is that really possible without full information? NO! Guess-timate is a terrible way to budget for a home, because there are so many variables involved that the contractor may overlook or simply ignore. Here are your cost determinants: - Are you using top-of-the-line cabinets and appliances for your kitchen, or will mid-range or maybe standard ones do? - Are you planning to paint the house with cheap emulsion paint or expensive stone tiles? - How big is 'BIG' enough? - How many floors do you want? - What kind of shape are you building? Is it a rectangular house that minimize the materials and the labor required, or unusual shapes like octagons or trapezoid? - What sort of flooring? - What sort of ground are you building? Is it murky sand, hilly site, gentle slope or steep slope? These are few pointers that can help you make rough cost calculations. Interview at least three contractors and check their references. Once you've found someone you like and trust, take your preliminary budget and work backwards, including the must-haves and eliminate the nice-to-haves as money allows. Always set aside at least 10% to 20% of the total project cost to cover last-minute changes, delays and other problems you can't foresee. [size=16]Builders aren't "Mind Readers"[/size] _________________________ Pic: Top-of-the-range bath - Ikoyi, NG
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 7:47pm On Sep 07, 2012*. Modified: 4:44am On Sep 08, 2012 |
Construction Materials - Wastage Allowance Allowance must be made to cover for wastage which may arise from: Handling/Breakages - blocks, tiles and paving stones etc have a high breakage rate Site losses - sand and other aggregates will always be trampled into the ground or washed away by rain Offcuts - Planks, wood, glass, plywood etc are materials supplied in standard sizes and has to be cut to fit or to shapes. Losses are inevitable Excessive usage - when there are too many rookies in a project, more materials are likely to be used due to inexperience. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 5:57pm On Sep 07, 2012 |
Foundation Height - How high should I go? I've always wondered how we determine the height of the foundation when building a new house. Whenever I go through neighborhood, I notice that some of the properties are barely of the ground, some have only a single step up from the ground, and others have several steps. Foundation heights are determined based on many possible reasons. 1. Road Level: fdn should be at least 12" above grade. 2. Water Table: in some areas with high water table, you'll see a foundation coming up 4' or 5' out of the ground. 3. Existing Properties In some cases, foundations are built to match existing properties on the street to keep them uniform. 4. Community Drainage: foundations should be kept at least 12" above drainage. 5. Thickness of the WALLET Pic: Foundation at 4ft above water level
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 4:23pm On Sep 07, 2012 |
Foundation Cracks - Keep the 'Water' away Soil quality and moisture content are the major causes of shifts in building foundations. Insufficient bearing soils (peat, sand and expansive clay) may cause the foundation to shift and pull apart. Although the surface of the ground can appear stable and dry, insufficient bearing soils may be present below the surface in a deep layer that will compress under the weight of a building. Causes of CracksRule of thumb - Keep water away from your foundation. Pic: Subsidence (4-board raft foundation for a fence)
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 3:28pm On Sep 07, 2012 |
Quality Roof = Leak-proof All types of roof, whether flat or sloping roofs, must be leak proof and also have a good means of draining away water from rain. Roofs whether pitched roofs or flat roofs must have at least some angle to them, for the rain to drain away. The slope on the roof is very important as it allows the water to flow away and not impeded in any way. The higher the slope, the better. 1 Like
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| Crime › Re: More Suspects Arrested In Cynthia's Murder by brabus(m): 2:55pm On Sep 07, 2012 |
Abeg which episode be dis. The producer needs to edit some part. All na fabricated lies. Just last week, I was stopped by 2 Nigerian Policeman and they found 6 bottles of 2011 Conde Noble Vino Tinto on me and the next thing they asked me was to give them one of it or loose everything. I just told them, it belongs to a senior godogodo in the barracks. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 11:03am On Sep 07, 2012*. Modified: 3:35pm On Sep 07, 2012 |
Swamps for Building or Growing Rice? excerpt from an email correspondence.Swamps in other cities like Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia etc in South East Asia are used to produce rice and other food crops for their consumption. But for us in Nigeria, we have not developed these lands into productive agricultural use but instead build weak structures leaning like the Tower of Pisa on them. Consciously and unconsciously or knowingly or unknowingly, we are building on these viable lands that are hazardous when disasters strike. We have blocked the exit ways for run offs that are supposedly meant to enter the sea and as a result, we do experience large pool of water in the city. Truth be told, these lands are not good for human habitation but these are where we are and we call our own. Snakes do visit us from time to time and water borne diseases are also inevitable. Though construction in a swamp is difficult, time consuming, and expensive, it is possible to accomplish. Tests should be carried out before the land is purchased and before the project is started. Building on solid ground must be our goal for such land is not in limited supply. Note: I am not a land owner nor am I promoting them for commission but just appealing for our future safety. Pic 1. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
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| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 10:01am On Sep 07, 2012 |
Cost Saving, True Savings To save money on building materials you need to analyze design and function. It is important to review the layout of the home, the function of each rooms, and to see which material will work best. I would rather spend less on roofing and have a nicer kitchen than spend more on ceiling and have leaking pipes. Cost saving should be achieved by having efficient design, not efficient negotiation! The durability and longevity of the products should be the priority. You might find a great deal on laminated flooring in the lobby, but if it starts peeling up in two years due to traffic, you will have to spend thousands to fix it. In this instance, the cost savings were consumed by having to fix or replace the materials and hire a contractor to install it - all of which cost more than using a quality product upfront. Case Study: A client was trying to save cost by using rubber tiles in the tenants apartment. When we calculated the associated costs, we discovered that he'll be spending more money installing rubber tiles than installing ceramic tiles. How? He'll be paying for the following items:So, where's the saving? |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 8:58am On Sep 07, 2012 |
Problems 1. Failing to do what you’ve promised. For example, provide water. 2. Failing to pay on time. 3. Misunderstanding the plans and making incorrect assumptions. It is not the fault of the builder if at the end, you say “that’s not what I expected” if everything is built properly to the specifications. 4. Buying cheaper materials for the job with the view of saving cost, without consulting the builder. If things go bad, you're on your own. 5. Going into the project with the attitude that the builder and subcontractors are trying to rip you off, without understanding the complexity of the building trade. 6. Having unrealistic expectations. Do your homework about the kind of features you want and if they aren’t what you expected, don’t use it as an excuse to not pay the builder. |
| Properties › Re: Building In Nigeria: Lessons Learned by brabus(op): 8:33am On Sep 07, 2012 |
Incomplete Plan and Specifications - The beginning of problems Incomplete or ambiguous plans and specifications, either due to incompetence on the part of the architect or because not enough time and money was spent on them or because it was lifted off the internet can lead to problems. - Less accurate builders quote: the builders quote will be inaccurate if given partially completed plans and specifications. - Variations: Builders and designers will rely on variations to correct conflicts and inaccuracies in the plans and specifications. This cost time and money which is either borne by you or the builder. Speak to an Architect today! |
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