₦airaland Forum

You're really investing time researching trendy designs that will stand out in finishings. Quality finishings matters a lot. Keep it up Oloye.

Heavy project! Well-done Bitsworks.
From what I can observe, concrete's are mixed on site with loads of people on site. Is there no concrete mixing company you can order your concrete mix and they will deliver to site in or around Ogbomosho. This project is just too big and deserves such. Good job though.

spyder880:
I think it is standard practice, its meant to raise the rods from the wood, making it stay halfway within the concrete slab. But it also helps us keep our plastic pipes safe from being trampled and then broken.

Thanks for the explanation Prof. That's why we are following; to learn.

EgunMogaji:
Me I dey here o.

Waiting for naija people to wake up.

I'm expecting 40 tons of laterite and 500 9" blocks onsite this AM so I can pay.

No rest for the wicked

Drank some bubbly earlier with Wifey so it's a battle of wits with my eyelids.

LOL! Ko easy rara my man.

princejones:
NOTE:All the purchase was done by the owner with my input as in advice , For scafold --- 2x4x18=150peices,a[b]nd nail 2 bags[/b], For Parapet --- plywood =25 pcs,plank 50pcs,2x3=100pcs,20pdwet of copper nail,20 pdwet of 2 inches nal ,workmanship for parapet 100k

Do you ever use screws on your jobs. I'm already dreading the sound of those Carpenter hitting the Nails kain kain kain kain. Wouldn' t be easier and faster to use srew Nails for roofing jobs. Off course using recharble drills. Just wondering. Overall good job Prince. Well-done.

Friday Boogie! Hangover go don hold these Yankees and innit's Old boys, bar Hajji off course with non-alcoholic henessy whatever that is, but we are here still full compo dey aluta;

spare my Saturday night pleeessss!
Tilapia in oven, peperish condiments in blender,
Where next? Fidge offcourse,
shine shine bobo on hand, eyes on the Game!
Celebration of life, it is for the leaving.
To hell with Sunday morning.
Me St. Day is done.
Happy for all at last.
Hail all.

I was informed that the moulders (combined four people) between them used up 14 bags of cement and achieved a total of 527 blocks, that's about 37 blocks. We agreed 30 and maximum of 35 blocks per bag. My cousin insist it is still very OK.

I got quote for materials as follows

Y16 - N1,870
Y12 - N1040
Y10 - N850
Y8 - 680
Bundle Binding wire - N5,500
Bundle Pegg - N2,000
5" nail - N6,000/bag
6" nail - N6,000/bag

Prices are from Awka market and the supplier will deliver free and cash on delivery. Supplier is used to supplying my cousin and fellow artisans and are know to them.

The price is not too different from what my friend got from his market research at Onitsha. I consideer his quotes too be marginally lower but cost of transport, loading and offloading again will offset any difference.
Y16 - N1,850,
Y12 - N950
Nails N5,000/bag
Tinding wire N5,000 and
Transport cost is N20,000 from Onitsha, all excluding cost of loading and offloading.

I would consider the Awka price a better deal except otherwise.

I learnt from here we have imported and Nigeria iron rods, which one is better, and does the prices vary. What attributes does genuine iron rods have? Please someone help with some explanations. Is there somebody here with better quote for the above materials, please tender your quotes as well. Thanks

twinskenny:
not bad so far.... ride on sir

Thanks you Oga

Prof. Ndeewooo!

Aburo mi, you're my man anyday. You will be happy to know that your detailed answers will help to refocus my determination to use my cousin for my project. I am contemplating hiring an engineer to oversee the construction but my cousin kept saying that he can handle the job. He has over ten years experience with good reviews from local pears. He had an expatriate training in the village back then. I felt he can handle the job but somehow sceptical perhaps because am a total novice say for what I am learning here. My Architect is in Abuja and promised to always be on phone, WhatsApp etc to help at any point free. I am thinking of having an engineer at critical stages like foundation, decking, and roofing as I will be around hopefully at those stages too. Let my cousin handle the block work as there are no complicating structures in nthe building. Your answers really help me to trust experienced workman with vast practical knowledge of building. Fingers crossed I will go with my cousin while liasing with my architect who has the structural engineer in the same office. I will be fine I hope. I am dreading finishings though. Well-done Aburo mi.

It gives more courage and motivation when one has good feeling about his builder. Is the guy on contract or on what terms is he working?
Do you have experts visiting the sites at intervals like foundation etc or how are you ensuring that the Arch Drawings are adhered to to the later?
I had wanted your Arch Dareonyaid that you are recommending to draw for me but he couldn't get back to me after several requests to him so I opted for a friend's brother. Very dear at last. Anyway help with answer pls

idris4r83:
Instead of buying tanks of water why not digging a well and procure a small water pumping machine and a gp tank for storage just as oga spider did. It will be better and cheaper in terms of the cost. One thing that you can't do without in a construction site is water.

Thanks for the idea Idris, I have included borehole in my medium-term plan. The site is really on the hillside, experiences around the area will allign more to drilling a borehole than digging a well because those that engage in the later often didn't succeed after wasting money. I will go for borehole but not now. The cost they are quoting will get the project to motivating level before compulsory works sets in. I had two GP tanks of 1,000 litres each onsite. But your suggestion is bang on the money, water supply is essential in building site. I may have to do something fast about it.

danowena:
Oga skimanski,

From the early pictures you posted below, I observed that the neighbor had two legs of his tank stand on your project land. Or are both lands owned by same owner? If not, is there an agreement on the use of the tank Stand?

This is observers eye on the details. Critical observer. Well-done for such mind. Over to you skimanski.

spyder880:
Baking concrete biscuits. .... and using it under the reinforcement rods.....

Is using concrete biscuit the usual practice of suspending the reinforcement rods or just that ingenuity of average Nigerian artisan. Boy these guys can think.

Well-done Prof

gabbytabby:
Congrats and watcing this space.

Thanks Gabito! Welcome here

Update on expenditure
Smartphone - N15,000
Trips of sharpsand x2@8,500 - 17000 (Although I sent N22,870 to my friend) he keeps the change off course.

It was essential to add the smartphone as it was part of tools for the project.

N15,000 + N17,000 = N32,000

N32,000 + N208,600 = N240,600

Assuming I add the balance change of N5,870 (N22,870 - N17,000) from the money sent to my friend it would have brought the total cost to N246,470. But again adding it as part of expenses is debatable. Would I have given him that money if I was on ground, in that circumstance, No. Did I benefit from that tip, Yes, considering future savings to be made from his price verifications. Again if I am on ground, I may have spent more than that on him by stealth, lunch, shak up etc! So is the change part of project expenditures? The jury is out!

Having sent my friend to get me a quote for cement, sand and labour for moulding, he came back and his quote are as follows;

Bag of cement N1350 (Onitsha price)

Trip of Sand N8’500

Moulded block N140 each 9” hole, and N120 each 6” hole

Moulding cost N750 per bag 9” hole

Observations;

There was significant variation in the cost of sharp sand. My cousin paid N12,000 per trip, where as My friend quoted N8,500. A difference of N3,500 per trip - very major!!! Extra 2 bags of cement comfortable there per trip of sand. Wao! My cousin has bought seven trips already. At onset I have already lost N24,500.

Well I swung into action to do trial purchase. I sent money to my friend for two trips of sharp sand and told my brother to confirm if it is the same quality and load with what he is being supplied. My friend got a tipperman and delivered the sand and my cousin confirmed it is full load and very much the same. I instruct that henceforth all sands should be bought through my friend’s source. Period.

I have also asked my friend to moblise the moulding labour, he will be doing so tomorrow. I will send moulding money to my cousin to sort the moulders so that he can have leverage over the workers enabling appropriate supervision. I have told him to monitor what they do and do not pay any messer.

When I told my brother of current price of cement @N1350 at Onitsha, he said it will be better to buy local especially now that he got it at N1450. He reasoned that the cost of loading and offloading including transport to and from Onitsha a journey of about 45mins baring traffic will offset the savings we may achieve. He also points that it would be easier for him to access cements from the local supplier if they run-out before money arrive. I agreed with him but warned him not to request for any cement at anytime without my consent. I want to avoid much story.

I have requested quotes for rods, Y16' 12, 10 and 8 as well as 3/4" stone, laterite, binding wire, peg, headpan, 3" and 2" bag of nails. Both from my friend and my cousin. Anybody around Onitsha axis can please provide me with quotes as well please. I will provide the result when I have the quotes.

They started moulding blocks today, he said he employed 3 moulders including himself making it four moulders. They used up 14 bags of cement today. He will count the blocks and give me the number tmoro.

EgunMogaji:
I have smartphones for key players on my site. I can recharge the phones from here.

Take your time. One of the beauties of all this concrete blocks is that you can leave them for a while unlike wood.

Na so my brother na jeje move I dey from onset.

Thanks for your encouragements brother! I'm definitely on the watch out of your moves helping me to learn fast from guys already bearing the brunt. I have planted a smartphone on his hand. Hajji M say pictures must come with background, no story. Smartphone Na virtual spy. Thanks a mill bruv!

FIRIKI:
My Bro! Baba God is with you all the way. He will provide the funds to complete your project. Stay focused and determined. I don join class!

Thanks Firiki for your prayer, I need them badly my man.

bzm7:
And if its do-able try and get someone else to check.....I no say make him spy oh

Yeah, I already have one friend on the trail. Many thanks!

frakdon:
Mayor78 well done, but take your time...
and when its time for aluminium windows, please call on me?

Thanks Frakdon, the journey still far but noted.

Oboy na battalion dey this site, you dey work like Julius Berger. With this speed three months too much to finish up. Well-done my brother, your concepts are super. I am learning here.

BrabusNG:
Sow a smartphone into the life of your site manager.

Thought that would be key Oloye!. I have already arranged for a smartphone to be delivered to him tmoro from Onitsha. Viber or WhatsApp calls would require steady access to Internet. What data package at reasonable cost would best suit the show irrespective of network pls?

@smiley thanks a lot, but I am not a 'Sir' abeg before wind go carry me to unknown abeg. Just Mayor would do, my guyname. Never reach title here.

@Dieumerci Same applies, Thanks. Am considering the borehole stuff but want to avoid the delays, distractions, and mostly cost associated with digging one in the short term. My part of town is in the hillside and very dry. The last time I made enquiries about having one done in the compound, they were quoting between N300k to something around N700k. You know these guys because they knew you reside abroad, they exhibit these misplaced impressions that guys abroad pluck money from the tree. Attempts to educate them that we work much more hard atimes in very harsh environments, they still believe you are deceitful. So abeg make I pack borehole for now. I want to believe that the N4k per tank is very expensive considering that a stream where the tankers fetch water is just about a thousand metres to the compound but for now I have to start at that till I hit the real cost. When I know who are my real people I will initiate a fresh move to get the real cost of borehole hopefully. Waka dey!

Pleas how can I cut cost of phone calls to Naij. I reckon that marathon of phonecalls would be essential to keep going. Ideas please!!!

Welcoming you all that are already onboard as those that will be joining.

@Hajji M, many thanks for reminding on the importance of being savvy especially with family members. I just hope that the so called ten percent loss which seems to have become the accepted threshold at which one will be said to be doing OK will be enough for this my cousin. It's good to have such benchmark in mind to know when water don dey pass gari. More info on and why this cousin will be forthcoming. Stay tuned.

For early start, and adopting a sceptic stance, I have assigned a friend to get me a quote for the items cement, sand, moulders, etc. I intend to use that as verification. The friend is not known to my cousin and lives in neighbouring town. Magnitude of any variation matters. We will see....

@Brabus, Oloye! I agree with you, no late comer for home ownership. Remember that saying that whenever time one wakes up during the day is one's morning lol! Yeah better late than never is the mantra. Besides it pays to come later as one would have the benefit of avoiding some mistakes because many old hands are already onboard to help navigate the rough terrains. That's why we are here..,.

Just been told that my money has been received and some purchases already done..........so fast! Update coming.

While waiting for the drawings, I enquired and got the following prices for start up materials;

Bag of cement N1,500
Trip of sharp sand - N12,000
Moulding of 9" block -- N800 per bag
Tanker of water - N4000

Given the above quote I have gone ahead to send the sum of N208,600.00 and delegated my cousin to procure cement, and sharp sand (river sand) and the needful to start moulding some blocks. I intend to start with moulding my own blocks rather than buy. I’m not particularlg in a hurry neither would I be rushing the project. Anyway, I don’t have any stash of or the bulk cash to rush the project to completion even if I wanted to. As a salaried worker, monthly expenditures would often suffice, and at best, bi-weekly procurement plan when condition allows. One thing am sure of is that it will not be one year, one block.

The sum above is assumed to cover the following
50 bags of cement N75,000
7 trips of sand N84,000
Moulding of 50 bags @N800/bag - N40,000
Thanks of water /2@4,000 - N8,000

Total N207,000

was promised that the materials will be ready today and work will start tomorrow. I will let you know if my instructions were followed. God help me!

Brabus, thanks to you guys out here I have embarked on the journey here
https://www.nairaland.com/2953063/applying-lessons-nairaland-micro-manage-building#43198443
Your contribution's are highly welcomed. Thks

Prof. and all in the house, I have decided to take the bull by the horn, started on the journey to owning a retirement/holiday home in my village following inspirations from Prof's and other threads here in the property section of nairaland.
To that effect I have created the thread below.

https://www.nairaland.com/2953063/applying-lessons-nairaland-micro-manage-building#43198443

Your contributions, ideas, guides, are highly welcomed there as I embark on this journey with great optimism bearing in mind that you guys out here will support all the way.

I have for sometime been contemplating on starting a project to build a family holiday home at my home town in Anambra East, where I hope to someday retire but in the meantime once in a while, and or as finances allows often take my family to spend our holidays.

On my quest window shopping for a contemporary house designs I stumbled on the Property section of this website Nairaland.com where I found out that a lot has been happening around building a house in Nigeria. Specifically that guys are educating novices like me on the requirements and processes on house building, marshalling out sequences and how to's in transforming ordinarily would be gravesites or fish ponds to magnificent edifices of liviable cosy homes. I terribly was amazed on the extent to which crafty and benevolent guys have gone to demystify the myth that building one of those magnificent homes often seen in Nollywood home movies can only be done by multimillionaires.

Having gone through some of the threads in the property forum of nairaland, particularly ‘The Real Cost of Building a Six Bedroom Duplex’ created by Spyder888, I quickly learnt that you don’t need, or have to wait untill you amass millions of naira or luckily win ‘Euromillion lottery’ to start and complete one of those mansions.

In the above thread by Spyder888, so many contributors shed loads of light on the basic requirements, processes, stages, tricks, real-time cost of materials, unbiased and cautionary material estimations, even free house drawings, photos, ideas, and how tos’ in building a house. It wasn’t only amazing but factually encouraging. For someone contemplating whether or not to, I must confess that I was really inspired and motivated after coming across the nairaland property forum and indeed reading thoroughly through several contributions and guides on the thread as well as other threads on property forum. I quickly learnt you only need to have access to modest income source not necessarily in millions and a zeal to own a decent home in Nigeria.

Following the learning's, inspirations, and motivations, I had a good thought for the journey and have decided to take the bull by the horn to graduate from a contemplator to ‘undertaker’. In that sense, I have decided to start a project to build a 5 Bedroom Duplex at my home town in Anambra East. It is therefore with joy and great enthusiasm that I today announce that my journey to own a decent retirement/holiday home in Nigeria (arguably one major aspiration of most reasonable Nigerians in Diaspora) has began. May God help me!

Here I intend to apply some of my learnings and very open to learn more while micro-managing the project from my base here in Europe. I'll endeavour to share my progress as much as I can welcoming as case may be ideas, guides and solutions on how to's when confronted with hurdles as I navigate.

Progress....

I already have a fenced and gated level land measuring about 140/200 ft. That is one problem solved.

I solicited for, and secured the services of an Architect, whom I have instructed to go ahead to produce the drawings of a house design and floor plan chosen among the options he emailed to me. He promised to deliver the work soonest...,,

Nice job Prof. I doubt if there is any better way to carry us along this learning curves. Aluta continua!

Congratulations! The house house will remain indelible in our reckonings here. May the new owner/ owners feel the grace that dwells in it.

spyder880:
Cost updates

1. Carriage of dried blocks upstairs N19,300
2. Block setting and labor payments for upper floor till lintel N84,500
3. Lintel carpentry N50,000
4. Lintel iron fitting works N40,000
5. Lintel casting, block setting and levelling N69,850
6. Carpentry for parapet N60,000
7. Iron fitters work for parapet N40,000
8. Additional iron reinforcement bought N45,230
9. Transport, misc. N18,000
10. Site management issues N20,000
11. 50 bags of cement N1,400 x 50 = N70,000

TOTAL N516,880.00

This will bring the whole total spent so far in building this house to N4,532,091.00

*There are a few more materials not listed here, I will list the wooden stuff as soon as I can compile it.*

Prof. Sorry for bringing us back, I took a closer look at this update and want to confirm that the total cost of N516,880.00 was what it took to complete all the block work from decking to casting of lintel and completion of parapet independent of the cost of blocks. Am I right?

Prof. Well-done, you're nearing their surely, God is your strength. I'm definitely starting soo, Insha Allahu!

OK, am expecting that

[quote author=darenyx post=42920295]Please your mail sir ...or mail me @ darenyxaid@gmail[/quote
My email
beechfieldc@gmail.com
Thanks