Intelligent Contributor spotted. I'm listening and taking good notes

I recently asked who issued the Performance Bond and Contractors Insurance. All those working on the project are supposed to be insured if they did this right.

How did I know? I've been through this before now.

#ambode

I have a recommendation to make. There's a prof in LASU. He did a lot with the last administration and has so much to loose if he collects bribe. He'll be good to head this investigative panel.
That prof Na concrete He wowed me at the 2014 conference.

I don't want to mention name.

Sorry, I don't trust any of your boys. I mean the boys in the agencies. Let them just do paper works and prepare their reports.

We know you can do this.

texazzpete:


Well said.

To think they tried to hide the involvement of Lekki Gardens at first.

35 dead...such a tragic loss. This is probably top 5 in the deadliest building collapse incidents in Nigeria.

Ambode seems ready to crack down on LG, especially since it is a dragon that can be tamed easily, unlike TB Joshua

Baba, the TB Joshua came and go because they bamboozle the MUMUs with CCTV footage of the collapse. I'm sure the guys were at loss as what to ask. They were just busy watching the footage provided by the church.

If action was taken earlier enough as we did now, maybe we will get to know something.

Let's leave matter for matthaias. Make I no dey form James Bond.

Back then, there was no "intelligent discussion going on" Na beer parlour gist and rumors everybody dey carry. Na enemy at work! Blah blah blah.

Well I'm not among those who fall for those stories.

Meanwhile, my eyes is on the coroner's inquest. By now, we should have the names of the people who are looking into the matter and their background. And how much time they needed. It shouldn't be difficult. We've reached ground zero. Let the investigation begin and let's have it open to public domain. We will see result. But if na all those kangaroo setup. Na lie! #ambode

oyb:


everybody is liable

lasbca - who are meant to monitor building construction, but are only concerned with shutting down sites so they can collect settlement, after which work continues.

Lekki gardens who clearly do not have any quality control/quality assurance in their processes. it would seem their building plan is execute by cheapest vendor possible. they may also have deviated on the original approved design

the contractor[s] - who executed poor site safety management, and who have cut corners [possibly due to very low margins of greed, or plain incompetence].

the supervising consultants - who did not raise any alarm when QA was circumvented.

it will be interesting to see how much of the standard process was followed - this will be a guide to liability.

alot of people have entered one chance with this.

this is not TB joshua who can bamboozle people with touch not my anointed BS. people are going down.

I'll charge you for plagiarism. Everybody is to be blamed. Including those who choose to be economical with the truth and refused to raise alarm when they sense danger. And those who felt God should be blamed. And those who blamed ocholu.


Evidence attached.

https://www.nairaland.com/2550211/off-topic-thread-discuss-anything-everything/157#43596822

abdulwastecx:


Wholesome analysis sir. It is clear that the customer ( home owner) have zero blame, since they pay for a service that was rendered by a supposed competent film. The blame should be on the developer.

It make business sense as clearly illustrated by you, and to think of it this way, less than 10 % of Nigeria population can even come up with a 25% for a dwelling accommodation.

It is sad that people who invest their hard earned money lost their investment to a dubious organization

Who are you sef? Must you make sense all the time. You also top with up with mathematical calculations. You are the only engineer who proves his worth here unlike me. I expect those engineering jargon and mathematical calculations to be thrown in at all times by seasoned engineers and you never failed to disappoint me.

God bless you real good.

Rescue work ends at collapsed Lekki house

The final death toll at the collapsed Lekki five storey-building was 34, with another 13 people rescued.

Rescue operators have now called off the operation having reached ground zero.

Ibrahim Farinloye, PRO of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said in a statement today and that the attention of the various federal and state agencies has turned into investigating the cause of the building collapse.

The five storey building which was under construction, located at Chisco Bus Stop near Oando Filling Station, Lekki collapsed early in the morning on March 8.

“The operation to rescue those trapped in the collapsed structure, belonging to Lekki Gardens started at about 4 a.m. on March 8 and ended by 7.20 p. m. on March 9.

“Those rescued alive are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Lagos metropolis,’’ Farinloye said.

Patiently awaiting the reports and recommendations of each agencies. That's what matters now.

I can only hope they'll also call the subscribers to come and take their fair share of the blame. Though they are not on my own menu. But I definitely have something for them. They should kindly submit their Testimonies (in 2 paragraphs) to their Pastors and Alfas for saving them from untimely death.

However, it seems someone in govt is reading up what we've been discussing here on nairaland. First, they didn't want to mention the name of the developer (a certain building in Ikate...) until we voiced it out. Second, they didn't want to issue a press release until we took to the street chanting "we no go gree." Thirdly, NIOB is condemning the brazen act of the developer after we call them out (This is like first time, i'll hear them talk on issue like this). Now, all relevant agencies (federal and states) have been called out just as we recommended 2 days ago. Don't be surprised this case will be the beginning of the change we've all been waiting for. Mark my (packaged) words.

Because we will school them on how it ought to be. Lets forget, how it has been.

Change is possible if rightly administered.

Now, Excuzeme Egunmogaji and Baba Crisisng

I hope you've seen the reasons why you should learn your building codes and calculations by heart.

Meanwhile, I just learnt that construction cost is detemined by the amount you paid for the land.

"If you buy land for 25m, you're not expected to build with nothing less than 50m even if it's a glorified block of flat like The Horizon" - author unknown

texazzpete:


That's because you're a smart fellow and inherently you know it's ridiculous to blame the client for this mishap

I'm not smart, I just don't see any reason why I should blame #ocholi

Oga Skimanski

What do I know? Your piece is more like an insider story. I used to see the Lekki gardens as a model. Now I know better.

And I never looked at it from your perspective to blame it on the client.

skimanski:

This is a Clear case of Lekki Garden Bring Small Money put am for contractor hand, and expect contractor to make the figure work no matter what, and Contractor collects what he feels is his gain inside and use the remainder to work, before you know the money becomes too micro for the project.

If we no blow those grammars, we may never know the truth since no one (including me even though I no enter Lekki garden pass one time all my life) is ready to talk until now.

Subscribers over to you o!

Where's the superman?

frakdon:
you have got a lot of innovations stocked in you, beautiful works, I say........




Still waiting, though?

Thanks. But the best is yet to come. Beachland is 2011 project. If I'm asked to do it over, I'd do better than this.

In 2012, I wrote this piece on foundation engineering based on field experience.

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.

And a certified pro beg to disagree with my post with this claim.

Pro: 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.

Here's what I learnt from the Journals documented by the practising pro.

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 deep

Is it safe to say, our pros are not updated.


_____
Source: Building in Nigeria: Lessons learned by Brabus.

twinskenny:
they are claiming that the workers suppose not to be sleeping on site... so they want to tell us that they are not aware of that from the beginning>?

it is well... i know the contractor is in deep trouble

What else do you expect? I wrote it few hours after the incident that the authorities should move in ASAP to collect evidences before they're been doctored.

EgunMogaji:


I hope that you won't be upset if I disagree with you here El Heffe

While you might not be certificated (frankly I don't know), and I've never read you passing yourself off as being certificated, you're a building professional and that's that.

Iriri l'agba. Just ask for evidences. We will back it up with pictures and physical docs.

I have issues with no one here but let's stop forming saint and demi-gods. Even the most certified pro can still mess up if things didn't go right.

EgunMogaji:


And this is why I brought the subject here specifically to hear from you Pros in the house. There are other threads on here but this is the critical one because of that vey fact. We haven't hear from the Chairman himself, the Alarararuru or Arururara 1 Spyder880, I think he put up a 5 or maybe 4 story flat at least once before.

But as it is in real life you'll have rabid Dogs barking here and there, whatyougonnado

Oga Abeg, don't call me PRO o. Call me my name - "Master Packager"

I'm the nightmare of those forming pro and Mayweathers' cousins.

My post in 2012. I know often we ignore the simple things that matters and embrace complex things like engaging army to guard sites


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!

How hard is it to see the Lekki Garden's project board by now? I'm sure they can fool everybody else with their engage pro talk except me and those like me who aren't boot lickers. Show me the path you walked, I'll decipher the truth.

Intelligent discussion in progress. Only few can decipher the hidden truth.

Uberness:
Doing a project in my hometown.
The drawing was first of all produced by an experienced consultant architect who advised that the foundation and decking stages be supervised by a structural engr. who is also an experienced consultant. I paid dearly for each of his site visits but not with pain.
He traced all the rods one by one with a stick like an village headmaster to make sure that all meets specification and standard and doesn't care about any delay his meticulousness will cause.
My builder dreaded any of his site visits because after he visits , there will be more rods to be changed, or included, or even redone which means builder will spend extra on iron bender as labor was contracted to Builder.
My instruction was that: the structural Engr. gives final go ahead before any concrete is poured during Foundation & Decking.
On my own side i was happy and didn't mind, i'm still in contact with the elder statesman for a job well done.

This was exactly how we handled the construction of the 2 unit of detached duplexes that I built in 2012 and the 2 unit of detached duplexes that I built in 2014.

The builder was never allowed to double as the skipper and umpire. There were so many mechanism in place to double check.

In 2012, I worked with Mechanical Consultant, Electrical Consultant and Structural Consultant. Beside this, the estate Project Manager and the estate architect were always around to check critical nodes. Everything is there on the thread and the owners are not dead. They're also Nairalander.

They used real professional consultant and not dummies. I'm not afraid to share their contact and ask them about me.

In 2014, I worked with one of the biggest mortgage finance bank and we did a lot of back and forth before the project is officially released to us. All drawings, documents, estimates and bids were sent to the bank and we schedule a lot of site visit prior to construction.

I don't have to go far to back up my claims with fact. Just ask nicely for evidence. I'll give you.


But what do we have most, people who believe over N50m life investment is something you can just do anyhow. Fire and recruit workers at random neglecting the importance of using a pro.


Again, anyone (even Baba Mulika)can do the job provided that person is not doubling as a skipper and the umpire. The owner as the Chief Project Manager has the onus on him to do his due diligence and put mechanism in place to checkmate excesses.

Ire o!

EgunMogaji:


You're absolutely right.

I wonder if this estate is personally financed or a building loan taken out.

The reason being that the banks usually like to protect their interest and could/would have enforced the precense of required professionals.

But then this is Nigeria.

Someone is finally getting it.


I've done projects that are not up to this and the requirements na die. I'm on site, bank is on site, independent consultants of the client are on site. The bank went as far as bringing in their independent QS to vet the quote and also send in their pros to check each milestone completed before disbursing funds. The project is here on Nairaland and I can show you all the documents and even name the bank to let you know there are still people who do things right in Nigeria.

Now if a common 5 bedroom flat duplex could go that way, what's with a developer building multi-floors.

Is it that the banks are just all about disbursing money in this case because it's money talk or someone decides to cut corner.

Beyond the physical issues, there are so many reasons why such a development shouldn't fail. It's very interesting to read that the Vice Chairman of NIOB was also present at the site to supervise construction of the first 2 buildings and that's it. Hundred of units started coming out of grounds and no one, I repeat no agencies foretell the impending danger.

Had the building not collapsed, what will the relevant agencies have done? Nothing.

Mumus fooling zombies with the word pro since 1822.

In the news

Adelaja Adekanbi, vice chairman Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB)

“Let them bring the engineer or builder that is involved in the construction. The first two building here, I was involved in it; I taught them what to do. They wanted to raise two floors and they did a piling of six metres for this kind of structure so the structural stability is failure and where we are standing, if you don’t know, was purely water two years ago.

“Imagine someone building on water and doing a piling of six metres for a seven-storeyed building. I recommend to Lagos state government that every building here painted or not, should be tested.

“This house we are looking at should also be pulled down in a week. If not, we are looking for another trouble. At this point, I recommend that every house here should be tested to ascertain the structural stability because I don’t think they are habitable.”

Lekki Garden Issues Press Release

http://lekkigardens.com/Lekki-Gardens-Press-Release-Official.pdf

Lekki Gardens sealed, police arrest contractor

Meanwhile, the police in Lagos says it has arrested the contractor handling the building.

Oladapo Badmus, spokesman of the command, made the disclosure to NAN on Tuesday, but he did not reveal where the arrested was made.

Badmus gave his name as Odofin Taiwo, adding that he was currently under investigation.

https://www.thecable.ng/lekki-gardens-sealed-police-arrest-contractor



___________

Key pointers for the Police

- Who issued the Contractor's Insurance Certificate? Which Insurance Company?
- Who issued the Performance Bond?
- Has the Contractor handled a similar project before in the last 2 years? Any certificate of fitness issued on completed projects?
- Which other projects are handled by the contractor in the last 12 months?
- Is the contractor registered member of any professional bodies?
- Who conducted the integrity tests on the contractor's project? If there is, who has the results?
- What was written on the LASBCA Contravention Notice? Did the Contractor gave the copy of the document to the estate developer or he just pocketed it? If he did, what was the action taken?
- Who issue clearance for milestone payments released to contractor? Do they carry out conformity test and all related test at each milestones?


SON
I no get time for Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). Hypocrisy is when you start to inspect the collapsed building sites while leaving out (the importer, manufacturers and producers) Iron Rod manufacturers, block manufacturers, PVC, electrical cables producers, doors & windows to ensure they conform to standards. If you don't know your job, open a thread on nairaland, people can help out.

Chekitaut:
Finally, I have to expose what makes us standout in the area of delivering services, base on Granite.

This is the 30tons loading, that have always keep us in business.

If is not looking like this is never 30tons.

Today at Ajao Estate, I ran into this crowd(LandLord Association meeting) watch my truck disxharging

Ajao!!! Ilu nla. Dem fit thief anything... I had a funny experience there. Good that you're offloading in daytime.

But chekitaut, you no try at all. This one na "Bubu loading" or "Garri egba"

Excuzeme:


If l as a "lay man" should ask you all these, wont you start wondering whether l am an Engineer.......... or how is a poor man who just wants to build his shack know all these?

I think these is where the Consultant or even a knowledgeable Builder should come in.
They can ask the necessary questions on behalf of the House owner.

I once asked one of Nairaland 'Geotechnical" Engineer to do a Soil test for me.
When l showed the result to my Consultant/Structural Engineer, he just said "This is very bad". You will have to do another test!

That so-called Engineer just did rubbish, packaged the result and bind it for me, since l dont know jack about Soil test!
He was expecting that l will just ask him to start building, since he also claimed to be a Builder.
I did not waste time before discharging him.

Imagine if l did not see a Consultant Engineer, at the sides?

If familiarising yourself with those terms is what will help you protect yourself and your own from disaster, you better start learning by heart baba. I'm telling you the reality.

At least, each project must have an independent Consultant/Structural engineer (well paid) who will carry out integrity checks and conformity test at critical stages of work.

I did a project for a nairalander in 2012. The Consultant/Structural engineers' certificate is tied to the building project. You need to see how the man keeps coming to site to check the work and beg me "Bosun, e se dada o. E pe mi before casting o"
Today, we (myself and the consultant) are building together at Lekki II. He's just few metres away from my Browne Mews project and he was a happy man.

By now, we should be reading names of the people on that collapsed building project.

abdulwastecx:


Government also play a role to make sure that structures are properly built to conform with lay down codes in other safe life and property of the general public .

Forget the government. The people in power are bereft of ideas. In 2011, a client (from the US) asked me why he needs an overhead water tank and I started to explain. He was like "Shi.t! I don't see that here and the water runs"

Meanwhile, our government is still commissioning public boreholes, community well, public toilet etc in 2016. So what role do you think such can play. If you dig this issue very well, the hands of major government agencies on this matter are not clean. No be LASBCA! Imagine, none of the painted Lekki Gardens structure was marked but the unpainted one. Thats to tell you that even in face of disaster, they still can't protect our interest.

Can you see the date the X was marked? Don't be surprised if all the houses in Lagos is marked X tomorrow. It's our government at work.

crisisng:
But this is the norm in Nigeria, isn't it?
What are you suggestions on how this can be avoided in the future?

Let's give them a "Brabus' treatment"

Question to ask your Structural Engineer?

What's the allowable bearing soil pressure?
What's the total live load?
What's the total dead load?
What's the assumed floor finishes load?
Columns, Brickwall, Beams, Roof materials
What's the assumed concentrated live loads?
What's the assumed distributed live loads?

This is where we get it all wrong. We do not have idea of what data our structural man used in computing the allowable imposed loads, yet we buy finishing materials based on our taste and not design requirement.

Next thing, you'll blame the builder. It's like blaming the Vulcaniser for overloading... how i fit talk am sef. Abeg use your church mind, decipher the thing jare.

This one no be packaging o! Just confront facts with figures.

EgunMogaji:


I'm building a bungalow and my town planning authority doesn't require structural engineering for structures such as mine.

The rest is due diligence and various personal experiences.

You're exempted. You're building a chicken coop Discharged and acquitted.

Today is my lucky day. I won 3 back-to-back even though I went for a double.

abdulwastecx:

From the above, the major blame will falls on the structural engineers to show his design calculation and all is assumptions, if physical and laboratory investigation of the debris, failed concrete section and steel from scene of the collapsed building . Their sizes noted and compared to what was specify by the engineers. If the results conform to his design, then he is to be blame. If those results are different from his designs then the blame will be on the contractors.

Now, you raised a very important issues here that only few can discern. And shockingly, 90% of those who understand its meaning won't be bold enough to talk about it. This is no longer a beer parlour gist.

It will be good to ask all those building here to ask their structural engineers where they got figures they use to calculate the LOADS (live and dead) and determine ALLOWABLE IMPOSED LOADS on each structure when soil test is not carried out and most time they do not even bother to ask questions from the architect, home owners and consultants on the type of materials they intend to use for the finishes. Most time, they just assume.

Pls prove me wrong if I'm lying.

crisisng:
So I take it my comments are not welcome here

Here's my thought:

Corruption and politics play a major role throughout the construction industry in Nigeria. Developers are able to exert their influence in order to get around the law or to convince officials to allow what they want and how they want it; except for few estates (owned by uniformed men and those in touch with class) where stringent conditions are met before getting approvals.

There's an instance where construction of the collapsed structure have been stopped and building sealed off for contravening the law according to the reports, but sadly the developer unsealed the site. I believe the developer was able to take advantage of the deficiencies in the system through his connections to political allies and his wealth. Not only did he make sure that inspections were rarely performed by his paper qualified consultants, he was also able to bribe officials to build on a reclaimed plot of land, add additional floors to the building, and worse still convince the poor workers to enter the building despite the cracks and warnings from engineers.

There were so many different factors that could lead up to the collapse of the Horizon, making it difficult to pinpoint one issue as the deciding fault. The building itself had structural integrity issues due to to the weak soil beneath it and increased loads due to additional floors. So, it's safe to say that the physical issues combined with an inspection system that failed to carry out an integrity check on the building (or maybe checked but didn't bother to provide result), the dummy consultants, the zombie (follow-follow) contractor and cease construction order due to the unsafe nature of the building that was unsealed, resulted in the collapse of the building and the deaths and injuries to the workers.

Everyone is just dancing to one man's tune. The man who play's the piper... is the man to be held responsible.