₦airaland Forum

8m

#COST_OF_CONSTRUCTING A #SIMPLE_THREE_BEDROOM_BUNGALOW

Have you ever been around people discussing building a house? The amount of money they mention can be scary sometimes. You hear them talk about building a simple three bedroom flat in the village with ₦10 million. Some will say you need ₦25 million to construct a 3-bedroom flat with moderate finishing. And these amounts do not include the cost of acquiring land.

Then, you are forced to wonder: if it costs ₦10 million to construct a modest three-bedroom bungalow in the village, how much will it cost to build same in a city like Lagos? But I know some bike riders, mechanics, carpenters and traders in Lagos who presently live in their houses. How did they do it? Did they actually spend ₦10 million to build their house?…

Of course, you can spend ₦7 million, ₦25 million or as much as ₦500 million to construct a three-bedroom bungalow if you want. But it is also very possible to spend less. Yes, as little/much as ₦5.5 million!

Follow as we go through the various #stages_of_building a #Three_bedroom_bungalow, from general requirements such as acquiring a land, getting your architectural drawings and getting government approval to the building stage proper.

I might not be able to tell you the exact amount it will cost you to build your own house, but I will try to provide a stage-by-stage analysis of the process of constructing a standard 3-bedroom flat along with cost estimates.
Acquire A Land
The price of a land depends on its location and the prevailing real estate market conditions. In Lagos state, for instance, a plot of land that is sold at ₦400,000 at Badagry can be sold at ₦120 million at Ikeja or ₦650 million on the Island.

Buying a plot of land is a good idea but you can further reduce cost by buying a half plot of land. A half plot of 30ft x 120ft or 60ft x 60ft or 50ft x 50ft or 25ft x 100ft can take a 3-bedroom flat with enough space for parking two cars.

It is better to buy a land with a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) as well as other relevant documents in order to avoid being scammed. The land documents you need to collect from the seller include:
#Survey_Plan
#Gazette
#Deed_of_Assignment
#Certificate_of_Occupancy
If you purchase a land from Baba/Chief that has no registered survey plan, quickly get one for yourself.

Get Your House Plan
Don't try to draw your plan yourself because your drawing might not meet the government's requirements for approval. Remember that this is going to be your home, and a bad drawing can lead to poor construction which will end up making living in the house uncomfortable.

It is advisable to get your plan from #professionals, and it doesn't really cost much to get it. The cost of getting a building plan for a bungalow ranges between ₦50,000 and above depending on factors such as the location, the professionals, etc.
A #building_plan is comprised of several different drawings that show the different aspects of the #building_process, and it usually includes the following:
1).Architectural drawing,
2).Structural drawing,
3).Electrical drawing,
4).Mechanical drawing, etc.
When you have your building plan, you will submit it to the government for approval. The government will charge you some money for the approval, and it is usually around ₦50,000 - ₦300,000 for a 3-bedroom bungalow in Lagos state. Once you get building plan approval in Lagos, you're ready to start building your home. Also, ensure you get a Bill of Quantities (BoQ) along with your building plan as that's the only way you can be certain of the exact material requirements for your house.

So, #cost_of the #building_plan and #government_approval >> ₦150,000.

Prepare Your Land For Construction
This is the stage where activities needed to prepare for construction come in. Such activities include clearing the land, uprooting unwanted trees, creating access to your land for vehicles delivering building materials, etc.

It is easy to find workers to hire for this stage, and it usually costs between ₦20,000 and ₦50,000 depending on the size of the land, the nature of the soil, location, the number of trees to be uprooted, etc.

So, the approximate cost for this stage >> ₦30,000.
Building Stage
Let's divide the building process into four major stages, namely,
1).Foundation to DPC (German floor) and 2).Soak-away
3).DPC to lintel level
4).Roofing
5).Finishing

Foundation to DPC (German floor), Well and Soak-away
This stage usually involves setting-out, digging, concrete work, laying of foundation block, filling, and flooring. Let's calculate the cost of each stage.

#Material_Requirements for #Setting_out_with_profiles
4 pieces of 1x12 plank @ ₦1,200 each plus ₦800 (for dividing each into 5 (@ ₦200 each) = ₦5,600
4 bundles of Pegs @ ₦1,200 each = ₦4,800
2" and 3' Nails = ₦1,200 worth of nails
4 bundles of rope @ ₦200 each = ₦800
Labour = ₦4,000
>> Approximate cost of setting-out = ₦15,200
Material Requirements for Digging/Excavation
Either you or the labourers will rent some diggers and shovels for the job. These tools can cost about ₦2,000 to rent.
Labour = ₦4,000
>> Approximate cost of digging = ₦6,000

#Material_Requirement for #Concrete_work/#Blinding
For a standard foundation of 150 mm base-thickness, assuming 0.45 m (breadth or height) and 85.5 m (entire length) = 5.77125 m3
10 bags of cement @ ₦2,600 each = ₦26,000
20 tonnes of sand x 2 = ₦80,000
20 tonnes of Granite = ₦100,000
We don’t need reinforced bar (Rebar) because the soil is good, firm and dry.
Litres of water as needed.
Labour = ₦18,000
>> Approximate cost of concrete work = ₦224,000

#Material_Requirements for #Laying_Foundation_Blocks
Using 9" blocks and laying 4 coaches, you will need
12 bags of cement @ ₦2,600 each = ₦31,200
644 pieces of 9" vibrated blocks (including 10 percent wastage) @ ₦170 each = ₦109,480
Plumbing work = ₦25,000
The remaining sand from concrete work will be used here.
Labour = ₦32,200
>> Approximate cost of laying foundation blocks = ₦197,880

#Material_Requirement_for_Filling
I suggest digging the soak-away and septic tank alongside making the foundation so that the soil dug-up from the soak-away pit, septic tank and well can be used for filling the foundation. This will save you the cost of buying some trips of sand for foundation filling, and also save you the cost of clearing the dug-up soil in a case where it is not used for filling.

After filling the foundation, water it for about 10 hours and leave it for days (or some weeks) before flooring for natural compaction. In the end, you might need to buy just a few trips of sand if the soil dug-up from the well and septic tank is not enough. Assuming you buy:
3 trips of 20 tonnes laterite (fairly clayey) at ₦18,000 = ₦54,000
Labour = ₦10,000
>> Approximate cost of filling foundation = ₦64,000

#Material_Requirement_for_Foundation_Casting_Flooring
25 bags of cement @ ₦2,600 = ₦65,000
Waterproof/nylon = ₦15,000
Remaining granite and sand from concrete work will be used here.
Labour = ₦18,000
>> Approximate cost of flooring = ₦98,000

#Material_Requirements_for_Septic_Tank, #Soak_away_pit_and_Well
The septic tank, soak-away pit, and well should be constructed first in order to have water for the work and sand for filling the foundation later.
700 pieces of 6" vibrated blocks @ ₦150/block (for a septic tank of 3m x 3m x 3m) = ₦105,000.
22 bags of cement @ ₦2,600 = ₦57,200 (including plastering).
Number of well-rings as required.
Sand and granite from concrete work will be used here.
Labour for septic tank, soak-away pit and well = ₦80,000
>> Approximate cost of constructing both the septic tank, soak-away and well = ₦242,200.

Total Cost for this stage >>> ₦847,080 (excluding cost of well rings)

#DPC_to_Lintel_Level
This stage starts from the German floor to the level before roofing. It covers the main block work including wall partitions for the various rooms in the house. The following are just estimates of what is needed for a modest 3-bedroom flat. Again, ensure you get a #Bill_of_Quantities for your building plan as that's the only way to know the exact material requirements for your house.

#Material_Requirement_and_Labour_for_blockwork
2100pcs of 6” stone dust vibrated blocks @ ₦150 = ₦315,000.
(The price will increase if you use 9” blocks)
15 tonnes of sharp sand = ₦40,000
30 bags of cement @ ₦2,600 = ₦78,000
Labour = ₦105,000
>> Approximate cost of block work = ₦538,000.
(This includes the two coaches of blocks after lintel)

#Material_Requirement_for_Lintel_Casting
20 length of 12mm rod @ ₦2,100/length = ₦42,000
10 length of stirrups @ ₦500/length = ₦5,000
35 length of 1x12x18 wood @ ₦1,700/length = ₦59,500
Nails plus wire for binding = ₦13,000
8 bags of cement @ ₦2,600 = ₦20,800
Remaining sand will be used here.
Remaining granite from concrete work is used.
Labour plus carpenter = ₦30,000
>> Approximate cost of the lintel level = ₦165,300

Total Cost for this stage >>>₦703,300.

#Roofing_Stage
The cost of roofing varies greatly with the type of roofing materials you choose to use. So, the price below is just an estimate. Endeavour to get the BoQ for your house plan and design.

#Material_Requirements_for_Roofing
320 length of 2x3x12 wood @ ₦450 = ₦144,000
45 length of 2x6x12 @ ₦840 = ₦38,250
25 length of 1x12x12 wood @ ₦1,400 = ₦35,000
1/2 bag of 2" nails @ ₦5,800 = ₦2,900
11/2 bags of 3" nails @ ₦6,000 =₦9,000
1/2 bag of 4" nails @ ₦6,500 = ₦3,250
Aluminium (0.45mm thick) roofing, transportation and Labour = ₦685,900

Total Cost for the roofing stage >>> ₦918,300

#Finishing
This is the final stage in the building process, and it includes plastering, wiring, plumbing, fixing of windows, doors as well as tiles. The cost here varies greatly according to your taste. Below is an estimate for a very modest finishing.

Material Requirements for Electrical works
Wires, Pipes, Conduit Boxes, etc = ₦360,300

Material Requirements for Mechanical and Plumbing Works
Kitchen sink, Pipes, WC, Washing Hand Basin, Overhead Tank, Shower, etc = ₦490,200

Material Requirements for Ceiling
Woods for nogging, P.O.P Sheets, External wood finishing, P.V.C Boards, Tank nails, etc plus labour = ₦450,000

Material Requirements for Windows and Doors
Windows, doors, burglary proof, and fixtures plus labour = ₦500,000

Material Requirements for Wall Rendering and Painting
Plastering and painting plus labour = ₦500,000

Material Requirements for Floor Finishes
Tiles and others plus labour = ₦250,000

Total Cost for this stage >>> ₦2,550,500

Grand Total >>> ₦150,000 + ₦30,000 + ₦847,080 + ₦703,300 + ₦918,300 + ₦2,550,500 = ₦5,199,100

There you go! Once you get a land, you can build and move into your 3-bedroom flat with less than ₦5,500,000!!!

Check out these tips for reducing cost of building your home. With adequate supervision and labour price negotiation, you are sure to save at least 10 percent cost from each section. Remember that the above cost is just an estimate, and all the quantities of materials mentioned include a margin for wastage. Meaning you can reduce the cost by reducing wastage, and using alternative building materials. But never cut corners or hire bad labourers in a bid to cut down on cost.

Always check back@ Fak-eng Nigeria Limited; as this post will be updated to match recent market prices(2019/03). In case I missed anything, do let me know your thoughts in the comments section below...