₦airaland Forum

Rerin:
Hello house, please can I use 6inches block on a decking with 1 feet shootout even though i used 9inches all through at the ground floor? I used 35 pillars at the ground floor flats, can i reduce them to 20pillars at upper part flats of decking?
Is it manually made blocks are better or machine made with a bit of stone dust blocks. Please enlighten me more. Its not water logged, 6units of flats

I am not a building expert tho....I think you can use 6inches for the upper floor to reduce load on the decking and ground floor pillars/column...one foot is not really much.....check out some thread here from:
@spyder880,
@rotecch77,
@Timol,
@Dennis3D,
@n3xt
etc
to see and get insight of what are possible in the building construction.

But reducing the pillars to 20 could have some effect on the structure.....I would advice to maintain the same numbers of pillars for the upper floor.

I hope they notice your questions for a better answer.

Abolarin91:
Yes! Satin is water resistance and it also exist in Nigeria. Dulux product is good and better

I am aware Dulux and Levis were the best paints brands in quality in Nigeria then...I wasn't sure if they were following up the trends of different paints for different situations like we are use to in Europe.
Noted the abysmal electricity situation will make the extractor fan not be put to use regularly, but with better air flow in the kitchen steam and moisture will dissipate easily and satin paint would protect the wall against any penetration.

Focusmind:
My brother, too much sense no go kill you. That was what came to my mind. I was in a guest house in PH and that beautiful expensive tile was only done on the wet side of the kitchen. The whole kitchen was painted in an immaculate shiny and beautiful white paint.

Same with the bathroom. Only the bath area (cubicle) and wash hand basin had these beautiful Spanish carrara tiles. You don't need to tile the whole wall. It is common in Nigeria. Check out houzz website, you hardly see tiles on the whole kitchen.

Men, I will use that tile for my area but just in a small wet place. The other places will be painted. That's why I smooth-plastered my kitchen and bathroom so that I would have option painting most part. I am not going to tile the whole space.

Nigerians are fond of wasting tiles in name of protecting the wall from water and moisture, it's no longer rocket science that satin based paints are specially made for kitchen, bathroom or wet areas, you can clean them....unless they don't exist in Nigeria.

michlins:
I spent two years learning this job, along the line, I had an accident and broke my left leg on my way from work and spent two years hospitalized. Came back and spent another two years. So yes I learnt this job and put my blood along the line. I make the doors and more

Planning, focus, dedication, patience and determination never disappoints.

Keep it up.

rotecch77:
Actually plaster and looks more smother than sharp sand
It’s also has much gum than sharp sand
But in some area like Benin they used to supply sharp for all work bcs there sharp sand there looks like mixture of plaster sand and sharp sand

In my region in Delta State I have only seen sharp sand been used for walls plastering, it's mostly sourced in rivers and sea, while clay are mostly sourced in swamps.
I am a bit confused when I hear plaster sand, the kind of sharp sand found in my region are most mixture of very tiny stonelike and smooth sand like you see in the picture.

rotecch77:
You can go this way for DIY PROJECT

Plaster sand 3trip @7k= 21,000
Sharp sand 1.5trip @14k =21,000
Cement 20bags @2500=50,000
Plank for standing =12,000
Total. N104,000
Keep rest for labour N 46,000

Ground total N150,000

Labour breakdown
A room 2 skill labour @3500 or 3000=6or7k
1 unskilled labour @2000 or 2500=2k or 2.5k

Mean to plaster A room will cost you 8k or 9.5k

Finally means you can only covered 3rooms, A kitchen and 1 lobby with N46,000.

Cement for the calculated area is 20bags

This cost can only work DIY system.


The remaining part like
Toilets
Sittingroom
Dining
The remaining lobby
Walk in closet area.
Ante room.
Can be done later

Forgive my ignorance, what are the difference between plaster sand and sharp sand? I have always believed sharp sand and cement are used for plastering walls.

I guess the sand in the attached pic is called sharp sand.

EmptyGarden:
Sabotage.

No, it became rocket science after the boast!

Dennis3D:
100%

Sure...the saying that you don't just change a winning team hold some truth....if someone does a good job and I am satisfied I see no reason not to keep him for the same job or something similar next time..... it's not just about saving cost but results.....the carpenter and iron bender that did my decking were so good at their job I see no reason to look elsewhere, despite not being physically present they brought my expectations to reality.

spyder880:
More.......

Spyder, why did you opt for external sewage pipes, is it in a way cheaper than internal sewage pipes as I have noticed in most of you construction projects?

n3xt:
The same guy can recommend a carpenter.

I love using the same team for my roofing project. It saves lot of headaches and blame game.

“Na carpenter’s responsibility” “Na roofer suppose do am.” If you understand what I mean as owner-builder.

Same tactic, it improves confidence and reliability.

So the pilot didn't use the ejection seat or the jet doesn't have one? Seem like a true Chinese product!

I have a general question house,
I hear the cost of labour for bricklayers and helpers for ground floor are different from first floor, what are the modalities involved for determining the cost of labour for first floor labour/work, and what percentage should the difference be?

Over to our honourable experts.

Thanks.

mufutau55:
My brother... I thought I was the only one that hates those pillars that the bottom are not standing on anything but just postruding.
I had same sitiation on one of my project, I had to tell the bricklayers to put one extra courses of block as to make the pillars stand on a base that makes it levelled.
I hate those pillars without base. Lack of finishing.
Thanks.

Hajji M.

I find it very annoying that we are adopting a style and proud about something that look like a collapsing building with the foundation being eroded by erosion.

The first engineering idea about stand or pillar is to support and spread the load over a particular area, if a certain part of the pillar/stand is not fully resting on a solid firm base then it's only a part that carried the load which inturn diminished the strength of the pillars or stand, unless it's different in architecture which is not my field.
If the design is just a decorative pattern it still has to show the look and functioning of the building than looking like a collapsing building.

n3xt:
On interlock, here are important things to note:

For 6cm thick mold only

36 pcs of stones make 1 sqm using Double T
36 pcs of stones make 1 sqm using Zenith shape
50 pcs of stones make 1 sqm using “I”

30 tons of Stone Dust will produce 280 sqm of 6cm thick stone

1 bag of cement will produce 3.5sqm of stone.

Good pigment to add colour is sold +/- N50,000 per bag.

Labour charges varies from 500 - 700 per sqm for casting and laying. This depends on your bargaining power. Some people will even charge you more if they notice you have no idea.

Compactor rentage is between 10,000 - 15,000 per day. I have my compactor tho used for the project. https://www.facebook.com/199049746782483/posts/3778095355544553/?vh=e


Don’t mind the heavy guy posing on the job

Are you the body builder swaggering on the job?

Why can't the pillars have complete footing/stand, I mean why is a portion always sticking out?

This kind of pillars are only common in Nigeria or should we call it Nigeria architecture?, it always look like an amateur job/design looking at it, worst of all every Diccck and Harry's just copy.

I am curious about building in Abuja.... especially the process and cost compare to Lagos.

money121:
Monitoring spirit infact that pics shocked me

You need to do that often, it's good for business!

n3xt:
I checked Nairaland and many other sites online. I didn’t see anywhere pier/pillar cap was mentioned. I guess it’s part of those things we class luxury (meant for the selected few).

Well since my client specifically made request for it (Pic: Proposed Gate Design), I’ve got no choice than to make it happen at the most reasonable cost.

I believe 5k not 50k is a good price to pay for this.

So many things are possible as long as you don't know they’re impossible. - Mildred D. Taylor

Fact is, people like us into technology incline profession can easily make things happen with some creativity.....pity Nigeria is still a place where simple hand tool and materials is a luxury. Fabrication and creativity is big business and hobby is most part of the world....and are mostly rampant in technical school and artisans or hobby level.

Focusmind:
My kind of design. Simplicity at its peak. I hate it when people do all these over designs on POP with all these useless rainbow colours. These seems common in Nigeria builds.

What you have there is what they call contemporary minimalist POP design. The exact flat shape and edge gaps design I like.

People use over design to kill their POP making them to loose aesthetics appeal. The simpler and straighter a POP design is, the better. But what you have their looks more like fibre board ceiling than POP.

Thumbs up to the Architects. Very modern but that kind of house will require constant AC. Person no go stay for that glass house without AC.

Seconded!

n3xt:
Pier Cap Update

I’ll be glad to sell 5k per pcs on Jiji so more people who wish to use same in their build but couldn’t afford it can now buy.

I’m working with a 70 year old welder and Baba knew exactly how to get it done without worries.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGiVg4-zEpE

#experience

Way to go....being innovative and creative!

spyder880:
My brother, na so we see Nigeria o, apart from us all turning to saw millers, using our hands to cut wood from the trees, the only option open to us is to make the best use of the terribly flawed materials in every market.

I wonder if they replant trees, I remember African Timber and Plywood use to replant when they existed...every tree cut down will take about 25 years to be replaced..this practice will come to haunt us in the future.

flyingpig:
Made in nigeria abi assembled in nigeria. Awon using mechanics and carpenters to co-join imported machine parts

What have you co-join yourself? Give them the credit, if they can assemble they have the technology to make sail.

Mynd44:
Mention 5 countries moving forward please

Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Benin Republic, Senegal.

They are doing well even with covid-19 scare. This administration is not proactive.

n3xt:
When I saw the original felt, I cannot but shout “Father Lawd!”

“Standard Organisation of Nigeria” is just a joke.

There are different grade of quality roofing felt....the good thing is the lowest standard will get the job done with warranty or guarantee on it. In case of failure due to production error you are free to exchange it or ask your money back without hassle and most products have exclusive 2 years guarantee after purchase.
The product standard has be set by the EU so every country or importers can't go less, The Chinese businesses don't dare misbehave by bringing in rubbish or substandard product, there will be consequences....Talking about standard the Germans always set the pace with constant innovation while others try to catch up. That is the beauty of the competition. But generally most products undergo upgrade every 2 year.

n3xt:
Nice idea. Especially here where there are too many fake roofing felt.

The original felt are very expensive.

All product are standardised here so fake product hardly find their way into the market. A role of bitumen sheet or felt of 7.5m cost an average of €61/28k.

chimexdnice1:
Good day experts and non experts. Please I will like to know how feasible it is to do parapet and leave it for a few months(about 5months)? I remember a question like this was handled sometime ago, but I can't remember the response the person got. Please what are the pros and cons of taking that step. Thanks alot.

I am not an expert though but I would advice doing your parapet and once it has cured you go for roofing within a short period, I am looking forward to the experts to answer this.

EgunMogaji2:
I have an upcoming build that has a hidden roof on all four sides.

Please educate me on how you’ve done it. Please with pictures if possible.

I’m clueless on how the water runoff on the downward slope will be handled.

Also, is .7 gauge roofing material in the market?

Muchas Gracias.

The water run out is almost similar to what you see in the pic, in combination with bitumen roof cover against moisture and water leakage and damages to the concrete roof.
Pic 1....I spread granites on mine to protect it from direct sunlight on the bitumen sheet but is not compulsory, pic 2. water run off pipe.

spyder880:
More belts nd designs being done in this house today.......

Spyder,
How long can those bamboo scaffolding stand or be used before they start losing their strength and rigidity or become unsafe to stand on?

Beside, that parapet really stand out and in combination with the roof is adding swag to the building, especially from distance.

Next time don't forget to hang TigerKen Banners in your project site, it's very relevant for recognition and promotion.

spyder880:
We have done wall tiles on the whole kitchens, toilets and bathrooms in this house..........

Well done,.... I think with a good water and moisture resistant paint the upper/untilled part of the wall can be protected.

Teewhy2:
Sir,
Am surprised because I have offcuts and unused polystyrene in the open in my compound as far back as 4 years ago and rat, insects, lizard, cat don't touch them.
Pictures don't lie see below. The ones destroyed by insect, rats e.t.c might be the ordinary polystyrene using in packing electronics.

Tomorrow I will try to share the pillars expansion gap we covered with plates after rodent attacks back in 2011.
Then we had to constantly engage someone to clean them up because public qualities control can visit unannounced till everything were fully covered.

I wouldn't want to add that to my building.

Teewhy2:
Sir,
I am not saying you wrong or right but from what I also got from Google now which I believe is your source of information see below.



http://epsa.org.au/about-eps/what-is-eps/

Like I said I don't go about taking photos of everything I saw, the pictures I use were for illustration purposes that polystyrene are not actually safe from rodents and not to authenticate the article....that said........personally I have witnessed countless situations that polystyrene are prone to damages from insects and rodents......that situation has also contributed to innovation and development of other materials such as gyproc/plasterboard, cavity and glass wool plates.

kopell:
You have seen it regularly? Can you please show us pictures of aftermath attacked of those rodents, you saw regularly. Very curious to see it too.

I don't go about taking pictures of everything I see man. I am not just comfortable with rodents and polystyrene.

Most older houses here were insulated with polystyrene and woods...both walls and attics.....are mostly prone to insect and rodent attacks.....Back in Nigeria I remember how rats and mice took special interest in cracking, digging into and using polystyrene for their nest.....same here too because is easier to dig and broken into than wood, simple.

Most factory building pillars expansion gap in the 50's were lined with polystyrene and I have seen countless situations of damages.

Do a little research and you will see it's not safe from rodents.