spyder880:


Its tough these days with cable prices heading upwards daily, offering dishonest workers more incentive to steal. Apart from providing the electrician with a "bodyguard " as he works, it's not easy ensuring that the wires wont be stolen. Another thing I have done recently was to get very honest church workers who has been proving to be really good. I have ot had electrical materials theft issues this year.

thanks.

spyder880:
The case of the Missing electrical cables.

On the site of one of the beautiful houses I have built in this forum, I got two electricians to wire the house for me, I had bought the very costly Cutix cables for the whole house and knowing the high cost of the cables, which makes them more prone to pilfering, I brought the cables to the site in the trunk of my car and was standing in wait, watching as the cables were being used. I wanted to see what the real cable consumption will be so I can make near accurate decisions in other sites. I had fired two of my previous electricians before hiring these two, those who were fired was because of missing items, especially electric cables.

From the start, the two electricians were not comfortable with my presence and i could see it in their attitude. They seemed to be slowing things down in the hope that i will walk away so they could "act" but I stayed put, taking notes on how many rooms the cables can run. We were working on 2.5mm single core cables.

After about 5 hours of slow work, I decided to go find something to eat, so I brought out 2 cables, and unknown to the electricians, I gave them the cables with a new wrapper, quite different from all the old ones they were using all day. I returned to site after about an hour, by that time they were calling me on phone to come back and give them more cables since they had exhausted the 3 coils I gave them before leaving. I immediately suspected foul play.

So I walked into the site and they were asking me, "is the boot open?" I replied them with "Can I see the wrapper of the cables that just finished?" Meanwhile, I was walking through the remaining rooms to see the coverage of the cables, only one additional room was wired in my absence. Something is clearly wrong here.

They went and got me the old wrappers as the ones they just used, I laughed and told them that their trap just caught a useless smelly rat today. That's how the search for the new wrapper started. Two hours, and they were still up turning everything and searching for the wrappers they just used.

They gave every reason in the book why the wrappers varnished, but I insisted that except they produce the wrappers, they are going to the nearest police station from the site. I started calling policemen in the station to come to site and make the arrest. Me and other workers all joined the search, for hidden coils of cables this time around. It took another one hour or more before one carpenter climbed into the ceiling and onto the roof, from there he found 2 brand new unopened cables, plus another 1.5mm cable all neatly hidden in the roof, away from our eyes. The electricians later admitted to hiding the cables in the ceiling. I just gave them transport money to return to Enugu same night, because I can no longer tolerate their presence in the site.

Things do happen in sites o

wow am starting this stage of wiring on my building this week. The quotation I got is outrageous but I want to buy half of what he quoted. Can I get tips on how to go about this stage without getting ripped off.

diordaves:


I'm NOT a structural engineer, but I think your diagnosis may be closer to what is happening. Like you said, he should observe the cracks for a couple of months. The cracks may turn out to be historical and won't crack further.

From the picture sent, I think the 'coping' on the fence is puting pressure on the fence wall, so each partition is settling deferencially from the cast columns as a result of poor blinding. This is the reasonable explanation as both sides of each partition are cracking. This is not a case of the partitions contrasting away from the cast columns.

Or could it be poor mortar mix resulting in poor bonding of the partitions to the cast columns?

I suspect when putting up the fence, the blinding was poor because na ordinary fence and cement don dear, so no need to spend so much to achieve the recommended thickness of the blinding.

It is actually incompetence on the part of the Engr. surpervising the job. I dont compromise on materials

qwertyboss:
not much of a problem there but the pillar is not serving it purpose...
I think poor compaction leads to the slippage...
base on the nature of how those pillars are set

thanks, I agree.

Aforxzy:


From the pix , this doesn't look like a structural failure. You should have been more careful when chiselling the wall. The elongation of the cracks might be due to the force applied while chiselling... .

The inital crack could be as a result of settlement of the buliding which is expected with usage and age..


Re plastering the affected area should suffice unless it becomes wider ...... Then involve a structural enginer.

thanks, I agree.

this was after I chised and put wire mesh at the center of the crack and plastered it. the crack then started forming from another direction.

qwertyboss:

okay...
I hope he post the pictures

pics as requested

.

qwertyboss:

there is settlement arround the pillars...
it seems like the pillars are slipping down due to poor base carrying capacity..

that's what I think too, any solution thanks

EgunMogaji2:


I’ve seen similar at my favorite stockist in Ibadan, Maduabuchi at Oke Bola. I’ve also seen some out and about at Labaowo.

ok thanks

please where can I buy this caulking material or something that serves the same purpose? it's called mor flexx caulk. is it paint sellers or building materials sellers? Baba Egunmogaji2 any idea?

MarbleWall:


This video can help.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxen58pV9Lg

thanks

it's not structural, but Aesthetic beauty is very important to me,thats why I need a solution. Am thinking of using fillers now

MarbleWall:


Picture shows vertical crack
CAUSES
a. Lateral Extension
Solution is to provide expansion joint. Cheap fix is to fill gap with polystyrene sheet.
b. Differential Settlement
Solution is very expensive requiring foundation reinforcement or overhaul.

Where is the location? Is it prone to subsidence? Was it sand-filled?
Do you have soil strength test results? the rest of the wall and the main building has no cracks.



the cracks only appear where there are pillars on the wall. so I chiselled and nailed wire mesh to the crack the plastered but it still appeared

the cracks only appear where there are pillars on the wall. the rest of the wall and the main building has no cracks so I chiselled and nailed wire mesh to the crack, then plastered but it still appeared.

gbadexy:

I have to state it clearly that I do not possess any qualifications to advice on structural issues.
My advice is strictly on the cosmetic or aesthetic purpose.
Like I'm presently recommending to a nairaland client, I could formulate a rubber like putty with some limited level of expansion that would expand with little cracks on the wall.
It can't do anything to solve the cause.

thanks

Amastermovic:


You did not show exact position of the column , picture too close , no picture to show how the cracks look like before the repair..

Did u add any additional loads to be block after repair?

Did you do some ground works like interlocking etc,

Can you remember how deep that pillar is in relative to the top level?

Or just the reinforcement is place in same level at the topsoil boarded and cast..

It may be some settlement issues on the column part trying to settle fine since its not chain with the block wall it moves down a little and u notice the crack...

One of assumed solution if its what am thinking separate the strip of the block wall from the column insert a polystyrene in between and plaster back.

That's if you don't like the crack .but I will advise you to wait a little bit longer and study how progressive the crack will appear and the width measurements

thanks

hello guys, Please Can you help with a solution to these cracks on my fence, they appear where I casted pillars with Iron rods so am surprised. I decided to chisel the cracks and fix wire mesh but it still cracked. is there a filler I can use? N.B The main building has no cracks
c.c Brabus, gbadexy, rotecch 77

Analyst01:
In this thread, I intend to show the construction processes of the proposed project.
I will also provide a comprehensive cost breakdown of the building.

The building is a contemporary design with
_ An Entrance Porch
_ An Ante Room
_ A Living Room
_ A Dining Area
_ A kitchen
_ A pantry/Store
_ A Laundry
_ Three Bedrooms (En-suite)
_ A Gym Room

Overall, It has four and a half baths

nice, can we see the floor plan?

BrabusNG:


Me ke? I don’t trust those surveys a bit let alone the guys in the business. They’re mostly rogues.

They once did a federal govt borehole for me.
A FG borehole is a borehole that works during commissioning but stop working after official handing over

Geologist's are rogues now Brabus? you gave your job to rogues, dont generalize.

jabolo:


After engaging a qualified 'Engineer' to carry out the works, the issue I have with paying for additional professional oversight (in Nigeria) is that the buck always seems to fall somewhere in the middle. It's not a question of 'being cheap', particularly if the benefits and safety nets operate as intended.

Do they have professional indemnity insurance that will compensate you gabadaya when things go wrong? No. They tend to pass the buck to the contractor (or Baba Lati) and engage you in an endless loop of recriminations.

As a tangential example, you engage a QS, who produces fancy costings and pretty spreadsheets - then you end up spending twice the amount (without significant variation in market conditions or work scope), you kinda lose heart.

So, I think professionals need to up their game, share project risks. Not just hope to collect fat fees and move on to the next client.well

Good day.

well said

sonnie10:


Unfortunately, the present inflation is driven by exchange rate. No importer would sell an item less than the amount he/she bought it. All importers big and small buy dollars for $480 and above now. One way you can figure out the estimate for any imported item is to go to alibaba website and see the current price. Then add cost of importation and clearing.
Do this by using bulk calculation (in 20feet container).
For example POP cement
On the website, 1ton (25 of 40kg bags) some sellers have it for about for $150

One 20feet container is about 700bags which is 28tons.
so, the cost is............................................... $4200 = #2.016m
Shipping is......................................................$2800 =#1.344m
Clearing is.......................................................#1.5M
Mis & inland transport ..............................200k
Total............................................................... #5,060,000

Now divide that figure by 700bags you have #7228.50 per bag of 40kg imported POP cement
Did you know that POP is still being sold for #6000- #6500 for 50kg bag in Nigeria?

Good day, ABS pop cement is imported from turkey and sold for 6500 for 40kg. does that mean they are selling at a loss from your analysis?

rotecch77:


Yes, I will do that.
Here is the cost of veranda wrought iron hand railing
Each unit of the veranda cost 75,000

ok nice

rotecch77:
150 bags of pop cement delivered to site today at rate of N7500 per bag

Filers 100kg N200,000

We are starting soon
Watch out!

chairman you promised to give break down of the quantity of electrical cables used. give us a summary.

BRATISLAVA:


They are so much better and neater. They can make straight walls, unlike their Nigerian brethren. Unless you meet a "fake" one, they are always really good at building, esp tiling.

pls can I have their number

pezeji:
if it's here in Lagos, it's very possible. contract a Togo or contonou boys.. they are fast, skilled and less in charges. but I will offer to do the windows for you... Best quality and and affordable

number of the togo guys pls

bugativeron:


I repeat use cotonou or Togo boys for all your work. Do not make mistake of using Nigerians. Especially those Oshogbo boys

pls can I gave the number of the togo guys

mygeeZ:
Still on it.. Victory park

pls what is the width of this counter tops bro

DICKstractor:


Lucky man. He found out earlier. It won't hurt like people who found out after 20years.


Now, he has the chance to dump her ass and move on.

I say again; He's a very lucky man

not really, if he signed the birth certificate he will still pay child support on the baby till she is 18. unless he gets a good lawyer to get him out of the mess

nice, still waiting for the cost of wiring. quantity of 1mm,1.5mm, 4mm, 6mm and 16mm used. thanks

KolaShangOne:


Quick question sir,

Do you know Tower Aluminium profile when you see it??,

So how are you sure hell be using Tower?

Because the tower I know will cost more.

to answer your question about knowing tower aluminium profile, Yes I do. the dimension of one of his windows 900 by 1500 is similar to mine. if you divide 620 000 naira by the number of windows in his quotation which is 16, you will get 38,750 naira. I was given a quote of 35k with net.
N.B without burglary

MrWalban:
Hello House, I just found this thread. Please I was given this quotation for Casement Windows ( Aero-gold ) and burglary. I feel im been cheated considering the budget I had was 850k and this is running into 1.150m already. Kindly advise bosses.

is the quality of the material 'aero gold' better than Tower? am asking because I got a cheaper quotation using tower material

Briller:


I want 15000bags but it won't be a faceless arrangement. I have to follow you to the depot or wherever to make sure it's not a ride. Once that's ascertained, we have a deal.

smart guy