₦airaland Forum

spyder880: Even the 160 bags I quoted for the German floor is just trying to be prudent, it will be very difficult for another builder to equal that and still offer good quality. (the engineer suggested 3'' thickness there because of land type) Your paying for 2000+ blocks as against 1850 full blocks is very much in order, those halves and quarters and sometimes 1/8's are counted as full blocks and paid for as such. I know from first hand experience that it takes more time to lay a 1/2 or 1/4 block than it takes to lay a full block.

I can attribute the difference in blocks to factors like your foundation depth, your surface blocks height (foundation height) and actual sizes of rooms (all rooms are not age mates na!) lolzzzzzz

Thanks for your response. Room sizes are standard. But any justification why I have so far spent more than your quote but foundation still not completed. In fact, I will need to spend more.

Below are pictures at the early stage of foundation

whats happening? the pictures are not showing!

spyder880: The only persons that can finish the German flooring of a 2 wing flats of 3 bedrooms + other facilities with 40 bags of cement are magicians, and sadly building houses is for more serious professionals. German flooring is supposed to take a day if good arrangements were done ahead of the work, 2 days max. I had told you this guy is playing tricks with you, and I think I sent you a complete list of materials and expected labour costs you might encounter at this stage, check your private mail again because you confirmed receipt of the mail back then?

I have seen the document you sent for a 6flats 2 storey building. Thank you once again for this. I have listed below interesting items from the document:

1. Cement = 160 bags
2. 9" hollow block = 1,400 blocks
3. Total cost = N1,274,900


But I have used/spent the following for my foundation and yet the foundation hasn't been completed:

1. Cement (for basket, pillar and block setting for foundation only) = 85 bags
2. Cement so far used for German flooring = 56 bags (expected to buy more bags to complete the flooring)
3. 6" Solid Block = 1,850 blocks
4. Total spent so far = N1,458,000


Another interesting part relating to the number of blocks used so far is that I bought a total of 1,850 blocks but the contractor collected labour cost for laying 2,019 blocks. How can I pay for laying more blocks than originally bought? Though the contractor said half blocks is charged like 1 block but for me the difference between 1,850 and 2,019 is too much to be accounted for by half blocks.

Please, let me know if what I have spent/used so far is reasonable..

And according to your estimate also, total cost for 1ST FLOOR BLOCK WORK, LINTELS AND PILLARS is N1,229,000. This estimate, if its true, is interesting. How I wished I could spend that money for my own.

Jussi, thanks for your great encouragement. I really appreciated it. Anyway, from what I have spent so far (N1,458,000) for just foundation and german flooring on a solid land and yet the German flooring hasn't been completed.

I have noted in this forum different figures people either used or suggested for foundation stage and I have so far spent around that figure without the foundation work completed. Something must be going on there!

I have decided to save more money and travel home by next year to do it by myself.

Hi spyder880,
I sent this info to your email but it seems you are busy.

Please, I need your help. As you may remember, I had a lot of issues with the way the foundation of my building was being handled and as a result I had to suspend the German flooring.

As you suggested, I asked the builder to give me a quotation for materials and labour cost for the flooring. My plan was not to be involved with paying workers. I wanted it to be done by the builder. For the materials, he quoted for 40 bags of cement and 5 tippers of gravel and sand for a 2-wings 3 bedroom flat. Each wing has a kitchen, small store and 3 toilets.

Now, I am not happy with the way the builder is handling this job:

1. Firstly, after 7 days, he hasn't finished the flooring. Please, is the flooring not supposed to be done at once? As it's been done bits by bits, won't it have cracks as some areas will be drier than others?

2. Secondly, he said the 40bags of cement he quoted won't be enough. He requested for more 15bags but I provided 16 bags for him to finish the job. And I learnt today that 2 sitting rooms are still not covered yet and that I need to buy more cement. Please, if you are handling this type of work, how many bags of cement will it consume. This to enable me determine whether the builder is either fraudulent or incompetent to know exactly what the right quantity of materials should be.

3. And I hate this bits by bits work. I am frustrated. If I "escape" from this builder in this stage of german flooring, I won't want him to continue with the building and I will have to travel home and supervise it by myself. He knows that Europe is too far!!!.

Your advice and other experts here will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all.

Hi vitodorado, I love this your POP design. Please, how much will it cost to do (for example per room)? Thank you.

pic

spyder880: I have sent a reply.

Thank you.

I have sent you an email from my email address. Thanks.

The remark of spyder880 about my plan to build a property has come to pass. Without listening to the professionals in this forum, I went ahead with plan to involve my brother, architect, builder and in-law. There was trouble on site due to mainly lack of trust. And the plan of pricing and paying workers on quantity done or on daily pay has not turn out to be a good one. Even the builder left the site complaining that he doesn't need the architect to inspect his work. I had to pay the architect and asked him to go. Considering that I am not in Nigeria, this has been like a hell! Even materials were being bought on same day of work making work start very late.

I have decided to stop the project, re-plan and start afresh in about 6-weeks time to cool temperature on site and allocate roles.

Future plan:
1. Builder to be supervisor on site since he is doing a good job (according to my inlaw and brother)
2. I won't pay workers directly again. Builder will have to hire, negotiate, pay and fire workers if necessary
3. And no more daily pay. It will be on contract.
4. I will need detailed estimate on materials. And I will buy materials only while builder handles workers and their pay.

I need advice from professionals here especially on materials as initial quotation from the builder has not been near correct. Its been way out! If I can get approximate estimate of materials, I will know how far my money can carry and then be able to contract it out to the builder.

All the foundation work has been done except the german floor. And I will like to negotiate with builder to take german floor and up to lintel on contract. Please guys, I need estimate on materials that will be ok for german floor to lintel and decking level. It's 2 wing 3-bedroom flats (upstairs):


German floor
1. Sand
2. cement
3. stones/granite
4. Rods (if any)
5. Other Materials (if any)

Setting Block up to Decking level
1. Sand
2. cement
3. Block (we are buying blocks)
4. Rods (if any)
5. Other Materials (if any)

Labour
1. Labour cost from German floor to Decking level (suggestion here will enable me negotiate with builder)

Please guys, help me estimate quantity of materials as stated above. This will help me re-start the project. I must confess I have learnt alot of lessons so far.

Thanks

first images - 3

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first images - 1

I think spyder880 may be right. The initial quote was done without the person seeing the plan. Now with work in progress, I have used more bags of cement than originally quoted.

vitodorado: @Benuromi & Favourme. Sorry for responding to you guys a bit late, been kind of busy recently.

@Favour me. The total bags of cement used is 51 bags of cement.

Thank you vitodorado. You made my day! I was scared after seeing the number of bags suggested by Spyder880. I was doubting my builder ever since. The total number of bags of cement quoted for me is 35 + 25 = 60. 25 for blinding and 35 for german floor. The foundation of my building is starting soon and its 2 wings. But I think your building is bigger than one wing but probably less than the 2 wings. I wing is a 3-bedroom flats with kitchen, small store and 3 toilets.

Though my builder said the 60 bags are just estimate. From from your experience, please how many bags of cement should be used to make it solid. I don't want to manage neither do I want to use cement more than necessary.

Thank you.

I have 3 bedrooms, a small store, kitchen, lounge and dinning in each wing. Though its not the same as Vito's but his will give me a guide.

Sypdo, I will update you as soon as I discuss with the builder on this.

Thanks.

.

Hi vitodorado,
Please, can you let me know how many bags of cement you used for German Floor. And that of blinding too. My builder quoted 35 and 25 bags respectively. Please, this info is very important to me.

Thank you.

spyder880:
This quote is damn too low, I dont know what this guy is quoting for but there is no way in this world he can do a German floor with only 35 bags of cement for a double flat! Something in the region of 150-160 bags for a 4'' thick slab. And to use only 25 bags of cement to cast the blinding of a double flat foundation is laughable. Ask this guy to clarify how he plans to do this.

Thanks spyder880 for your comments. I will clarify the issues you raised with the builder and will make him state how thick the german floor will be (according to you, it should be 4" thick).

Please, how thick should the slab/blinding be? And what is the estimated bags of cement for this? I need these to confront the builder.

Thanks.

.

I got a quote for a foundation work. Please, I will like experts here and spyder of course to advice me on the accuracy, quantity and cost of materials before I discuss with the builder this evening.

Please, here is the link to the quote:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-841271.32.html#msg10293067

I got a quote for the foundation work for a building I want to start (2 flats up and down). Below is the quote:

Foundation
1. Digging  = N800 for 1 partition (I don't know what the total partitions will be)
2. Blinding = N500 x 25 bags of cement = N12,500
3. Sand     = 5 tippers (for blinding and setting block)
4. Gravel/Stone = 2 Trips
5. 12mm rod = 40 rods
6. 1/4mm rod = 1 bondle
7. Binding wire = N2,500 (1 bondle)
8. Filling foundation = 12 trips
9. 6 inches of Block = 1,500

German Floor
1. Stone = 3 trips
2. Sand = 5 trips
3. Cement = 35 bags
4. Casting = N500

Other workmanship cost not confirm yet.

Please guys, can you comment on this quote in terms of accuracy of materials, quantity and cost for a foundation of a storey building (2 flats up, 2 flats down). I will be having a discussion with the builder later this evening about this quotation and I will appreciate it if I can get advice from gurus in the house!

@vitodorado, it seems you used internal pipes for your toilets/baths. I read in this forum that it has a serious disadvantage in terms of future maintenance (thought making pipes internet makes house looks beautiful)

I haven't made a decision on which to use. Please advice.

I am starting the process of building a storey building (2 flats up and down) but still battling with the plan to be drawn to my taste. The architect is insisting that its better to have the 3 bedrooms en-suite and then a separate toilet for the lounge. Please gurus, is it right? My concern is that there will be 2 toilets and a bathroom (for the room next to the lounge and then for lounge) in the front of the building. I feel this won't look nice from front considering that there will be pipes and windows for these toilets. And I learnt there are disadvantages of making the pipes internal.

I suggested we make 2 bedrooms ensuite and then a toilet/bathroom at the end of the lobby will be used by the remaining room and any visitor to the flat.

Please, what do you guys think? I need your help urgently please.

spyder880:
Nice idea

Please Spyder, whose idea is right? is it mine or the architect's?

thank you.

I am still battling with the plan to be drawn to my taste. The architect is insisting that its better to have the 3 bedrooms en-suite and then a separate toilet for the lounge. Please gurus, is it right? My concern is that there will be 2 toilets and a bathroom (for the room next to the lounge and then for lounge) in the front of the building. I feel this won't look nice from front considering that there will be pipes and windows for these toilets. And I learnt there are disadvantages of making the pipes internal.

I suggested we make 2 bedrooms ensuite and then a toilet/bathroom at the end of the lobby will be used by the remaining room and any visitor to the flat. Please, what is your opinion on this?

I need your help urgently please.

Thank you guys for your comments.

As per land cost, it varies. Without a doubt, I believe prices of land in a state(like Delta) can wildly vary depending on locations. As soon as the plan is drawn, approved and I start construction, I will be giving you guys update. If I also have questions, I will ask too. Please, don't hesitate to advice or make any comments!

You guys are great. This blog is quite nice - Do you know I Nairaland almost everyday! Its like facebook.

sixtus4:
The architectural drawing does it comprises of structural design,mechanical and electrical design?If not get the thing on ground before starting any thing on site.

I am a novice in this. what is the difference between structural and mechanical design? Should I demand that the architect draws all that you mentioned? If you know, what will cost to draw structural design,mechanical and electrical design?

dnative:

What I was actually asking after is the N15,000 charged by the lawyer for the agreement.  This would seem a very good bargain - I've usually thought that the legal fees would typically be 10% of the sales value which in your case would have been N150,000. Did you negotiate this with the lawyer?

Drafting agreement should not be 10% of the value of land. If I a buy a land for 5m, does it mean I will pay 10% of 5m just for the agreement? That shudn't be the case. Please, don't let them cheat you. Try and negotiate or try somewhere else. I planned for 20,000 to 30,000 for the agreement but my in-law who was in town helped beat the price down with a known lawyer.

spyder880:
It just occurred to me that most duplexes will be built with an average of 5000 blocks, with the foregoing in mind and with a price differential of N20, we are only talking about a savings of N100k for the choice between using 9'' or 6'' hollow.

I also have it at the back of my mind that you cannot save as much as same N100K if you want to make your own blocks owing to the stress of monitoring the whole process and following up on the moulders.

If the above figure is significant, especially when you weigh it against the other negatives of making your own blocks, then go ahead and call in block makers to your site, at least the money saved could be used somewhere else in the building.

Thanks spyder880. I have decided to buy block. Please, will 6" block (possibly solid) be ok?

Hi spyder880,
As you suggested, I am here.

I have read thru and understand your stated fact that weight of building is usually on the concrete pillars (like what I intend to do for a one storey building) but not on the block. From this, I think it will be ok for me to use 6 inches block. But I don't know if hollow will be suitable. Please, what is your professional advice?

On block making, it seems you suggested its better to buy from machine block makers(which I prefer personally). But do machine block makes make solid blocks?

And here is my worst fear: I believe that most block makers in Nigeria will definitely make more blocks per bag of cement in order to make more profit. How do I make sure I buy quality blocks. Or do you suggest I employ moulders at site?

Sorry for the many questions but will appreciate it if you can anwser all of them. a

spyder880:
Hollow blocks or solid?

I think its solid but will confirm later when I speak with him.

But can you advice me on both types of block. If its solid, is 6 inches ok? If hollow, what is normal?

Also, which is better: solid or hollow? And what is the current price per hollow and solid block. I will like to hear from you first before I speak to my supervisor so that I can make better and informed suggestions to him.

Thank you.