₦airaland Forum

mavverick:
Thought as much as well, 6m is way too much. Just means that the blockwork might be suspect to collapse.
Also, the base will they have to do just blinding and then start setting block ?

When you say excavate loose sand and replace it with load bearing sand, how deep will this have to be dug up from the natural ground height, does it have to span the entire foundation area ?
What kind of sand is load bearing, and will the loose soil still not be the sub soil ? how far do you go without hitting the water table ?

Because of the cost, some people always mark out building area and excavate the vegetable soil in the area. The soil is excavated to the level of undisturbed compacted soil. This depth can be determined by carrying out a CPT test, digging a borehole or a trial pit. Hitting the table is no biggie but ensuring you get to compact sand.

agarawu23:
I understand some "things" that happened between both of you but no time to prolong issues

Will you pls talk to him privately and visit the site?

A woman close to my uncle house in abule osun (lagos) left her 4 bedroom flat that kept sinking despite millions she spent controlling water.

I know what he is facing presently and quick solution that will last forever should be the next thing.

I have no issues whatsoever. How many times has Baba Qc1 called me and I quickly heed his call. What's big deal in saying "Bosun, I'm having it rough at my site with water issues. Can we work this together? I have tried some fix but it seems not working. Any good suggestions?" "I need you and your men ASAP to find me a lasting solution to this problem."

Sometimes, the best fix is not always the popular ones. You'll just feel like what haven't I done?

He's still the only client I've given my Christmas and my birthday. So there's nothing he can't take from me even till now.

Ask and you shall receive. But do Baba still believe in my judgement? Or mere gossips from those who profits from confusion that will make him loose focus on the main goal which is to find a lasting solution to protecting his investment?

agarawu23:
How will i count my ijebu money to buy a land in an area like this? Lailai

There's nothing wrong in buying choice property in some challenging areas. You just need to be aware of the challenges and be upfront with the right fix.

If you see the road now, you'll not believe it again. It's now a 6 lane express road.

agarawu23:
pls sorry for going back, did you told him how to control water from the house before u started his project?

And pls try and talk to him privately to know the way forward. I have been minding my business on some issues here but i just feel his pains.

Bros, I did anything and everything to detect the sources of water on the land. It was the neighbours waste water pipes. They channeled it to the site and buried it underground until we detect it. Only God knows how many of such were done by the neighbour to keep their house afloat.

I knew this thing come at a very big cost so I said the budget for the drainage and fence is not going to work that it's better we concentrate on drainage alone but my client wanted fence to prevent people from going to defecate the site.

So we didn't agree on the figures and I left. To my surprise, I just walked in on the Sunday that followed to bid my Oga goodbye and discovered work is ongoing on the drainage and fence.

Now what do you want me to do? I just walked back.

Now I really don't want to talk about this anymore because the painful part is this is a known issue which could have been managed right from the beginning. Such a challenge shouldn't take 3 years to fix. Within that space of time, more damages could have occur.

OnetimeOnly:
You will think this guy did not build the foundation of this house

see Brabus Never missing an opportunity to advertise using someone's tragedy that you participated in. Style over substance

Whether you see it as adverts or anything, it is what it is. It is a fix that worked in a worse terrain.

So I'll rather pick what I can learn from it and move on or just wish it away.

I'm sure there are millions of people in the same dilemma who may learn one thing or the other from this.

So, if "Brabus is a thief" is all you learn. It's not a problem. The only thing you can't accuse me of is why didn't I use my resources to do the drainage by myself or introduce gutters on roofs that were installed by another contractor or build a drainage for the community. Because that's the only thing I know that can work.

All the pictures I posted here has been on the Internet for more than 3 years now and the structure is well protected because we apply the right fix and not the right blame.

@ agarawu23,

Here's the terrain where I built my chateau. It's far worse. The runoff is so heavy that it can move a car. One of Nairaland mods lives in my area so he can confirm this. I knew about this challenge before the build and went ahead to apply everything and anything that will keep water off my property.

I took early action and never had to find who to blame for flooded compound. I didn't rush to build a fence which will end up damming up water in the compound.

I ended up turning my worst nightmare into a lovely water garden for my less than N18m chateau.

_______
Now, if it is fraud to do the above to protect ones investment, let me be a fraudster.

agarawu23:
Oga brabus

Can u please just visit Mr qc1 site and see what you can do to help him?

I am hating the solution you are trowing on air without going there to see things physically and see what you can do to help.

Pls in the name of God you are serving

I feel sad reading the below

Bros, I was at the site throughout the build period, saw the challenges and tell Sir QC1 all the proposed fixes. We parted ways after completing the build process and was unable to agree on cost of raising a fence and drainages which will address the major problem. The client took it upon himself and arrange some men to do the job. I wasn't told, I was there.

I've visited the site again in 2015 when the client called me for the roofing. I saw the same challenge we left behind in 2013 and adviced that it should be fixed right away before roofing the structure.

Now, this is coming again. @ agarawu23, I was told by the client that the madam does not want to see me on their site and what can I do than to watch, pray and hope for the best.

To visit the site is not an issue for me but to apply the right fix which comes at a cost. Not minding whatever it cost. I've always been visiting but we've not done a thing about what I suggested.

Are we saying, out of 10s of different tradespeople and artisans who have visited that site lately, no one have spot the issue and ask that it should be fixed before the rains.
Water is an issue to take very serious especially when you're in a very challenging terrain.

@ agarawu23, I'm ready to visit again if I have the permission to do so.

__________
@ Baba Qc1, you said I took your money and fled off site and you prayed with the name of God. I believe this was a statement made in error:

I don't know which money but if I can ask:

Is it money for the cement that we went to buy together from your contact in Igbogbo?

Is it money for the granite and gravel we both went to buy at Ikorodu suppliers stall?

Is it money for blocks supplied by (Baba Afusa) your old friend?

Is it money for roofing woods supplied by your neighbour (bought by your brother)?

Is it money for sand supplied by the big bros on the street?

Is it money for the technical students that came through your brother to do the upper floor block setting?

Is it money for the fence that you did by yourself?

Is it money for the Omo oniles that was paid by your brother to your old friend?

Is it money for the granites supplied by Iya Afusat (your old friend)?

Is it money for the filling sand bought from the big bros in your neighbourhood which was done while I was on Xmas break?

Is it money for labourers led by mumuni that sandfill the foundation and also backfill the house with laterite?

Is there any money paid to any of my workers because I didn't pay them?

Baba, I'm not among the 27m project o. There's no way we could have done that figure at slab stage where we stopped work.



___________
Meanwhile, here's a picture of the roof rainwater downspout installed on my chateau to collect water from the roof gutter into interlinked drains in the compound. The aim is to control the water.

Qc1:
I just wonder what is worse than a paid contractor that wont fix his own mess but throwing suggestion from far distance?

My God will fight for me, just as he did with Sodom & Gomorrah by thunder by fire may he deal with this fraudsters!

Once again a big amen! May your God fight for you and every other persons around you affected. I like as you put it to God.

One thing you know is I'm not a greedy person when it comes to money and that you know for sure.

But to clear the air, I didn't throw any suggestion from distance. I tidied up my job since January 2014 and never had any backlog of work left undone except you have a contrary proof.

I didn't take money from you for any job and not do it. So apportioning blame to me for what we didn't agree on its cost is what I really don't know. I'm never keen about what comes in or out other than advice you on the best selection.

In sure you know I was just a builder on paid commission on the project and not a contractors and as such I'm limited in my capacity to make judgement for you sir. Neither do I make a unilateral decision.

A visit to the thread will show that I was upfront with all the site challenges right from the beginning of the project. And proposed all the known fixes to you right in the thread and on site. I never had to carry out any of the solution for you because you have your own way to do them. I can recollect how mumuni led a team of abokis to come and backfill the house with the laterite. I was just an observer and cannot do anything about it.

Bros, I'm sure you knew I even advised against using laterite for the Sandfilling of the house because it's not good for the terrain but before I got back to the site after completion of the raft, Sandfilling has been done. Even though I recommended getting rubbles from Julius Berger site at Ikorodu and the road construction. Your supplier and bro can attest to this. I didn't have to impose anything on you. The only time I suggested a supplier to you was a granite supplier who did just one trip and nothing more.

Bros, how am I a fraudster? For telling the problems and challenges faced on site that you visit everyday we were there but chose to take with a pinch of salt or allowing you to take a lead while watching your back and advising you on the challenges ahead.

When we found neighbors waste pipe as the main culprit in your compound, I asked that we do everything on our part to safe your structure forgetting what the neighbour should have done because we are at the receiving end. Did we do that?

I'm sure you'll agree I'm not a fraudster when I went to locate where govt drainage in the area and the affected buildings around so that we can plan a proper channelisation of water in that area. Has that been done? Because I know there was never a kobo credited to me over this.

Bro's lastly, when you called me back a year after for your roofing, and I got to know about the fence you did that fell, I told you that you need to fix the water issue ASAP and adviced against using stone coated roofing. I'm sure you'll remember we walk this same walk sometimes last year.

It's so painful but how I wish there's something I can do other than telling you what I know. The structure isn't the problem, the water is. The same water affecting everyone around you.

You just have to deal with problem and not the cosmetic effects.

I believe my mess didn't fall the fence you did by yourself. The water (lateral pressure) did. Neither did it do any damage to other structures affected in the neighbourhood but the uncontrolled flow of water did.
The earlier a combined effort is taken to fix this source, the better.

Beside, I'm not here to score cheap points. I just need to reiterate my points which remain unchanged since 2013.

Baba Qc1

Pls hold on tiling. Deal with the compound. If possible, floor the compound. When the soil (laterite) beneath the foundation gets wet, it become a problem. It won't be able to support the structure anymore.

I know your terrain more than anyone here and I'm speaking from experience. You know I've walked the whole estate behind you, the buildings beside and in front of you and even the Cele Church behind experiencing similar problem and their fix.

Water must be kept off the property. The building or foundation is not the problem. The problem is non-stop flow of water usually experienced during period of heavy rain or 2 - 3 days rain.

For me, I want to collect all the rainwater coming from the roof and channel them out of the compound to a safer distance.

I agree I'm a Mr-Internet-Fix-It but what I'm telling you since 2013 hasn't change and it might worth trying.
You won't have a need to fix a foundation if there's no water in the first place.

So deal with the cause of the problem and not the effect of the problem.

Crack, damp, water ingress are all effect of water in foundation and not the cause.

The causes remains leaky pipes, roof rainwater, runoff, drainage spill, blocked drainage etc.

^^

Amen!! Everything you said shall come to pass if I make a jest of you.

I told you all these things and I'm sure the internet where we shared info will bear me a witness. All the post are still there unedited.
I was upfront about the water challenge to which nothing was done about it. https://www.nairaland.com/1338637/chateau-ile-oluji-construction-journal/43#20505137

Even when you called me in 2015 for your roofing, I still remember telling you to fix the water issue before loading the structure.

Qc1:
I don't care what you did for others! I WANT A FIX FOR ME AND NOT OTHERS!

That's not the pic of my house you posted there, and that wasn't me you had that discussion with! I never paid you through internet but in person, why can't you applied the same principle and be physically present on the site in person for a fix?

Bros, you forgot that this is what made us to part ways when you wanted to construct your drainage and I said I cannot do it for the budget you are proposing considering the terrain. And you went ahead and do it by yourself. Sandfill the compound yourself. Even did the drainages yourself.
I can still remember when I walked in on a Sunday morning and I saw the abokis working on the drainage.

I only missed one day out of over 50 days spent on your site. You'll remember that.

The pic taken is the front of your house.

Sir Qc1, I can remember pointing out all these problems to you.

I told you I witness the same challenge as your site. Also at the end of a slope (not steep) and few metres away from river overflow.
I didn't bother about the fence. I did everything and anything I can to protect the property. I dug a fish pond, almost half a plot. I've dug a new one again. Not because unwanted to be a fisherman. Install Damproof membrane round it. Redirect the water course. Put reinforcement on the fish pond walls and pour the concrete.

I poured my compound to keep water from entering into the ground after Sandfilling with stonebase.

I knew when the pond overflow, then there a bigger problem.

The more drainages kept getting blocked, water keeps percolating on site and runoff from the slope keeps wet the sand, the foundation will experience trouble. Hence the reason why keeping off water has been my shout from the beginning till handoff.

_______
Anyway, this is not to exonerate or apportion blames but to find a fix.

Sir Qc1, if it is the foundation height, I believe we did the needful. The only thing we didn't do is to stop the water which I was constantly hammering on.

The building is at the receiving end of a valley (two steep slopes). A proper channeling of water away from the foundation to government drainage is the fix bro.
Whenever it rains, the water will carry leftover sands and dirts off the road and they'll fill up the compound at the end of the road if not properly channeled away from the building.

We discussed this all this but none was implemented.

Qc1:
^^^

Why then can't you apply the same fix for me since you are the one that build the house from scratch to decking? I still have the same problem till today and I've tried about everything I could.

Baba, I proposed a different solution for your terrain which is on the receiving end of a very steep slope.

If you'll remember the pictures attached below. I made the drawing in 2013 to explain the solution. A v-ditch collects the water and takes it away from your property further down into communal drain.
The aim is to stop the inflow of water coming from uphill.

It's not a cheap solution because you'll have to take care of your property and all beside you to get result. The solution can mean acquiring the next plot to you to protect your property since no one is building after you and you're at the receiving end.

Cribpark:
Quite true. Seems you are very experienced in this field

I'm Brabus. Almost closing in on a decade of active blogging on related issues on Nairaland.

Experience have shown me so many.

A typical example of where people get it wrong is in the Building Plan and Specifications. It's the most important thing after your land that determines your build cost. But what do you see, you see people asking for estimate to build a 3 bedroom bungalow neglecting the fact that the design matters a lot.

It's cheaper to build, modify or make changes on paper than to do so on site. - Brabus

@ mavverick, 6m spacing is too much. If
You keep it at 4m, you'll have between 15 - 18 points.

Why not excavate the vegetable soil and replace it with good bearing soil. The advantages of these design outweighs its disadvantages. Not only have you been able to adequately secure your perimeters, you have actually been able to deal with water issue by 30% by reducing what gets to your foundation.

This is a standard recommendation for terrains with weak soil. Pile is only recommended where there are no other option.

I can't remember the ID of the Nairalander who excavated almost 4m vegetable soil, replaced with soils with good bearing capacity from his land in Chevron to raise a 3 floor structure.

Why Swamps Should Be Left For Agricultural Purpose?

One of the major cause of Cracks in a house is water and moisture.

Crack is caused by a shift (not necessary a poor workmanship as most people believe) in the building foundation. The shift is caused by poor quality of the soil and a major change in the moisture of the soil content beneath the building foundations. This explains the reason why insufficient bearing soils (peat, sand and expansive clay) may cause the foundation to shift and pull apart.

But I don sandfill na!

Yeah! Sandfilling is good but just like an island in the midst of an ocean, we all know one day it'll be washed away. Although the surface of the ground can appear stable and dry, the insufficient bearing soils beneath the surface will definitely compress under the weight of a building. The more load imposed, the higher the susceptibility to crack.

Sandfilling can only take care of the surface. A short-bored or deep pile is advisable in terrain with high water table.

Why Investigate The Soil When I See Other Buildings Around Me?

A friend here on NL mailed me a while ago to ask the Importance of Soil Test. "Why soil test?", Is this not a mere waste of your clients fund?
__________________________

This is a great question. After all, there are existing buildings in the swampy areas, the extremely waterlogged sites and they were able to stay afloat in midst of the big challenge. So the thinking goes – if those existing homes didn’t have any problems with the soil, why should we have?

The risk and costs of cracked foundations or other structural problems in flood zone are so enormous that the extra cost to conduct a soil test, just makes sense but not compulsory though! Only the government of the day can mandate compulsory soil investigation - and I really wish they do that as part of requirement to get approvals.

What Soil Test Is?
Soil test is work that is conducted by a geotechnical engineer/soil scientist to determine the soil type, strength and quality on any particular site.

What Soil Test Isn't
Soil test is not an investigation carried out on soil where only large and heavy buildings are proposed to be sited. It's not a test carried out only on sites proned to flooding. Neither is it a test carried out by only the rich and comfortable.

Soil Test Explained
Since most foundations contact the soil and not the bedrock (especially in Lagos, Port Harcourt and some lands in riverine areas), a soil test let us know whether the soil can support the planned home (bungalow, duplex, flats, apartments, MDUs, factories, warehouse etc). This test is carried out using variety of tools, but most often by taking and examining core samples at every given intervals until a good bearing soil is encountered.

Let's digress back to the initial question – Why do we need a soil test?
Well, the simple answer is soil test is needed to design a very solid structure in any given terrain based on the bearing capacity of the soil encountered.


So, who builds in a swampy terrain without carrying out a proper investigation of the soil? I think it's a man who is prepared to spend some millions in order to save a few hundred in a terrain that he's not even sure of. Let us not be pennywise and pound foolish.

A common practice when building in these areas (especially those with high water table) is to do a raft foundation which does NOT GUARANTEE anything. Such terrain do not require a "one-size-fit-all" solution but a proper soil investigation needs to be carried out to determine the bearing capacity of the soil.

Terrain With High Water Table

This means the water pressure in the soil is high and the soil in such area is likely to be weaker.
If the building site is surrounded by areas of
higher ground, the underground water will flow to the site and this may cause pressure beneath the floor slab or increased moisture levels and thus leading to settlement of the building; which eventually leads to building collapse

Swamps in cities like Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia etc in South East Asia are used to produce rice and other food crops for their consumption.
But for us in Nigeria, we have not developed these lands into productive agricultural use but instead build weak structures leaning like the Tower of Pisa on them.

Consciously or unconsciously and knowingly or unknowingly, we are building on these viable lands that are hazardous when disasters strike. We have blocked the exit ways for run offs that are supposedly meant to enter the sea and as a result, we do experience large pool of water in the city.

Truth be told, these lands are not good for human habitation but these is where we are and we want to put up our life investment.

Snakes do visit us from time to time and water borne diseases are also inevitable in these environment.

Though construction in a swamp is difficult, time consuming, and expensive, it is possible to accomplish. Tests should be carried out before the land is purchased and before the project is started.

Building on solid ground must be our goal for such land is not in limited supply.

Note: I am not a land seller or broker nor am I promoting them for commission but just appealing for our future safety and to protect our hard-earned cash.

Know what items should be quality upfront and what can be upgraded later.

Reducing cost on buildings is simply knowing where it is safe to economize.

Swamp for growing rice? or Building?

Upcoming blogpost on www.nexthomedesigns.com

@ Teebawse, the estimate is fair enough. Anything less will be very worrisome.

The Chateau in SilverPoint by NextHome

Slabwork in progress.

NwaEzefuNaMba:
sorry I did quote out of ignorant!

Just that sighted that particular paragraph as I was passing by.

Nice one mate. Have a good day!

NwaEzefuNaMba:
Bros planks and nails 50k??
When last did you visit timber marker?

Did you read the part where I said "No matter how much of compromise"

I was only giving a worse case scenario.

Funseyi:
Please what if someone want to build 4 standard bedroom flat?

Cost is dependent on location, design of the building and the terrain (dry or waterlogged)

The figure quoted is not too much for any type of foundation adopted.

Just find out if all the items mentioned below are included in the scope of work (assuming it's a strip foundation):

1. Setting out
2. Excavation
3. Blinding
4. Preparation of Column Base
5. Starter Bars reinforcement
6. Foundation blocks
7. Formwork for the starter bars
8. Sandfilling
9. Surface treatment (Compacting, Laying of Damproof Membrane, Blinding, Mesh reinforcement etc)
10. DPC formwork
11. Rough-in pipe work for mechanicals
12. Pouring of the DPC concrete.

I'm 100% confident that the estimate given is not for a raft foundation.

Also find out the height of the foundation because if it includes materials, labour and supervision, you need to be sure of what you're walking into.

No matter how much of compromise your contractor is willing to make on this build, he will definitely need to make provision for the following if not more:

1. Granite - 150k
2. Sand (4) - 160k
3. Iron rod (1 ton) - 130k
4. Rings and binding wires - 20k
5. Cement (180 bags) - 270k
6. Blocks based on the partitions and 4 block height (1500 pcs) - 240k
7. Planks and Nails - 50k
8. Sandfilling - ??
9. Plumbing materials - ??
10. Miscellanous (DPM, etc) - ??

tossen:
Uncle, theres nothing that cannot be built. But not all buildings a realistically effective. Architecture is not fine art . Many aspiring and young architects think it is. Wowing a client isnt about building a castle in the air, but coming up with minalistic ideas that serve all possibilities. I challenge most of you cant design a square home.

Who are you? A contemporist or just another avid lover of modern architecture.

You just hit the nail on the head.

ganisucks:
See Monkey O. OBJ, best president ever, your government W̶̲̥̅̊åS̤̈̊ a nonchalant Ǧ☺☺ϑ for nothing administration that W̶̲̥̅̊åS̤̈̊ bedevilled by corruption, Godfatherism, impunity, massive inflation, A̶̲̥̅̊Ω̴̩̩̩̥D̶̲̥̅̊ political vindictiveness. Wait a minute, all this is synonymous with this present administration. Congrats OBJ, Y̶̲̥̅̊ø̲̣̣̥ǖ A̶̲̥̅̊Ω̴̩̩̩̥D̶̲̥̅̊ Buhari are twins.

The only good thing his government brought to wailers is the possibility of owning a mobile phone which they're using to feign activists on social media.

No pun intended pretty

NextHome | Window Design Principle

An ideal window should be appropriate to the building. However there are a number of initial things we put into consideration when designing windows on our builds.

• Look at the context – what type of windows characterise similar buildings around you? Are they successful and what would you have done better?
• Take account of the context, what emphasis and style of windows would be appropriate? Should they have horizontal or vertical emphasis?
• How are the glazing bars/top dividers arranged?
• What profile are you using and why?
• *What is the ratio of window to wall space on each elevation of the building? This is very important. Please always pay attention to details
• How do the windows open? Will it obstruct aesthetical details and the ornamentals?
• How are the areas immediately around the window opening treated, such as cills, lintels etc?
• Are decorative features (window hood, stone walls, quoins etc) a character of an area – are they appropriate to the overall design or are they fussy and over designed?

abdulwastecx:
It is not suitable for heavily loaded floor like that of garage, store, factory etc.

That's why I said I'll want to use something like that on a roof slab