oluking:

I would say we are practicing democracy.we are at an evolving point. we are  customising the concept of democracy to suit a unique diversity.its nots going to be a short process,but we will get there.

DEMOCRACY? Hell no. The elements of a democracy are;

1 A constitution agreed to by the people
2 Free and fair Elections at all levels, not imposition,selection or consensus candidate.
3 Obedience to the courts by all concerned and not according to status in the political space


I would call or present arrangement ELITETOCRACY. Government by the elite, by the elites for the benefit of the elites.

Mr Larimo, you problem like most Nigerian clients, is refusing to employ appropriate professionals who would have saved you tons of money for a small fee.

You should have gotten an independent quantity surveyor to prepare a bill of quantities from the working drawings and structural drawings.

You should have called two or more contractors to bid for the contract based on the bill of quantities.

You should have had your architect supervise critical stages of the construction process, to make sure the design is being built according to design and material specifications.

If you have done these you would have had some checks and balances on your contractor and any increase in cost or material would be accounted for.

Now no use crying over spilt milk, so i would look at your complaints and add mu 2 cents, just for academic purpose.

larimo:

Fellow Nairalanders,

I need your technical input as regards my twin duplex under construction!  The calculated estimate was given as 18M-23M by a professional. I hv spent over 5M already on the foundation being adjudged to be water-logged, 100% above d estimate. I hv recently done the casting and the next stage is filling. I have been so turned off by the skyrocketting costs. The foundation is 5 boards in place of 3/4 boards with 10 tons of reinforcement! Does this change in foundation the previous estimates from the ground floor up to roofing?

See below a breakdown of future costs from the filling to roofing:  

65 trips of filling sand of 20 tons + labour @25,000/trip=, 1,625,000
Concrete work(granite,sharp sand,cement,e.t.c)=, 1,500,000
Reinforcement 5 tons, N650,000
Hardcore 2 trailers, N200,000
DPC membrane(nylonlike material for stopping water from going up), N40,000
Renting of compacting machine (4days),  N100,000
2 trips of sharp sand, N100,000

Soak away
Concrete for (2), N370,000
Reinforcements 2 tons, N260,000
Planks 120, 172,800
2 x3 & 2 x4, N22,500


GROUND & FIRST FLOOR
Blockwork to first floor, N1,814,400
First floor slab=1,500,000 +132,000, 1,632,000
Reinforcements 8 tons, N1,040,000
Columns concrete, N1,320,000
Reinforcements 3 tons for columns, N390,000
Lintels + Arc concrete, N184,800
Carpentary for lintels  132 planks +transport, 95,040
Carpentary for slab + beam 1005 planks, 723,600
Props (bamboo to carry first floor slab), 258,500
2 x 3 (240), 96,000
Labour for carpentary, N700,000
Nails + binding wire, N160,000

Blockwork to roof level same as g.f, N1,814,400

Roofing aluminium, 1,632,000
Carpentary for roof, 1,245,472

TOTAL=18,146,512!!!!!!! This means 23M+ already higher than estimated project cost!!

I am stunned, confused and speechless. Any encouragement and criticisms would be welcome. Thanks!!!

Like battle axe mentions your laterite looks way over exaggerated.

It is very difficult to comment on the concrete work without knowing the exact volume of concrete required and the concrete mix used by your contractor. You have so many confusing figures for concrete;

Concrete work(granite,sharp sand,cement,e.t.c)=, 1,500,000
First floor slab=1,500,000 +132,000, 1,632,000
Columns concrete, N1,320,000

Explain these figures, also the columns concrete looks way off.

The 1005 planks for the slab is obviously exaggerated for a 27 x 12 slab you would not require more than 450 planks. So also the bamboo it is exaggerated.


If you have spent over N18million for your "structural carcass" expect to spend a similar amount for your finishes and and landscaping.

I also want you to get in touch with me for advice with your finishes at wirinet @ yahoo.com

Mowe is not in Ikorodu, it is half way between Ikorodu and Shagamu on the Shagamu-Lagos road in Ogun State . It is where NNPC depot is located, and is an undeveloped area.

You can find probably find Land at N300,000 in Ikorodu, but it would be inside bush, the ones closer to access roads are N700,000 and upwards.

I have land very close to the Sagamu Rd at Odogunyan and the asking price is N1.35 per plot.

I reside in Ikorodu. I could go and find out the current status of the land if you want.

If you furnish me with the site plan, i could give you a sketch design. If we agree on a design, we can then move on to presentation and working drawings. That is how Architects are meant to work.

The land is ideal for schools or for housing estates as it borders the Barracks and a very quiet residential area. It is also very suitable for individuals who want to get away from the usual congestion, hustle and bustle of Lagos mainland and Island

I did not want to get into this debate because i hate discussing tribal issues, but i agree 100% with JosBoy4Lif that we need to get rid of Traditional rulers or at least render them ceremonial only, because monarchy and democracy is like oil gunpowder and matches - they explode.

Who say monarchy is our culture- i laugh in Sumarian, Monarchy is the most primitive form of government and all societies start out monarchical. It is when the society advances that it gets rid of Monarchies or at least render them ineffective. Monarchical form of government is too unstable. All advances societies from England to china went through that evolution on their road to advancement.

In the case of Nigeria, apart from the instability it bestows on the nation, it is also a drain pipe on the economy. It is appalling that in addition to providing to the luxuries of over 500 legislators, we are also providing for the luxuries of hundreds if not thousands of unproductive monarchs and their institutions.

The said property was only recently released by the federal government after close to a decade of negotiations with the original owners. So the property is genuine and problem free, all necessary paper work would be provided to interested buyers.

I discussed with the owners about their asking price,  a lot of people inquiring have been complaining that the price is  too high for the said location.  So they have reviewed their price downwards to N1.35million per plot for now.

A parcel of land of measuring over 50 hectares very close to the barracks and at a distance of less than 200m from the Lagos - Shagamu road,  has just recently become open to the public. Further information would be provided to interested persons.
 
Asking price is  N2 million per plot.

Appreciable discount would be given to people purchasing multiple plots

Any further inquires can be directed to [email]wirinet@yahoo.com[/email]

johnie:

How is a duplex more secure?

A duplex is more secure than a bungalow because all the windows are within reach from the outside, especially the bedrooms. So an assassin would only need to break the glass (maybe quietly with a diamond cutter), tear the mosquito net and aim a gun at the person sleeping to kill his target. In a duplex, it will be a little bit harder.

Also the roof and ceiling of a bungalow are weak points for gaining entry into the building. That is why i advise people building bungalows to make sure they lay the blocks beyond the ceiling level for the external walls thereby reducing the space between the roof and the ceiling.

Furthermore, the ground floor can be effectively sealed from the top floor by the use of security doors thereby denying intruders (during sleeping hours) access to the bedrooms.

johnie:

The poster has only expressed his view and wants to find out what others think. I think we need more of such intelligent discourse on this section rather than just adverts. In my estimation, only about 1% of the threads in this section are of such intellectual discourse. Please note, I have nothing against the adverts.

Thank you for your support, it is highly appreciated.

johnie:

@poster,
For an elderly couple,  a bungalow may be ideal as the stress of climbing stairs may be too much.

You are right, a bungalow is more suitable for elderly people. That is why i always emphasize that a duplex must have at least one bedroom down stairs for the elderly and guests. Even for young couples, they might have their elderly parents or uncles visiting from time to time.

Also if the elderly people are rich enough, they can still enjoy the benefits of a duplex by installing a moving chair to the stairs. They are quite common in the US and Europe.

What pains me with these debates on NL is that everybody holds a certain hard stance in his head, locks the door and throw away the keys. So the person is closed to seeing the merits of opposing views, no matter how valid the points are.

As for me i see the merits in the posters concern and i also understand the views of the other side.

First the US would not be wasting funds and time with training Nigerians (even carrying out aggressive advertising campaigns) if they do not hope to reap some reward sometimes in the future. especially when the enormous cost involved could be put to solving problems of ignorance and poverty that lead to the instability in the first place. History has no shown the US and indeed any western nation as being selflessly charitable in the relations with others - especially black Africans.

Also the US is using the Roman Model to dominate the world. They conquer you either militarily or economically and then Americanize you (especially if you have something they desperately need like skills or resources). You then become an American with full rights, rights which you were probably denied in your home country. Under such circumstances you lose all allegiance to your home country and owe strong allegiance to the US of A. That was how Rome was able to conquer be ancient world - By Romanizing others. America is also succeeding in its conquest my Americanizing others.

I raised this topic in order to compare a Bungalow to a duplex in terms of cost, aesthetics and efficiency, in order to determine which is better and under what conditions.

A bungalow is a type of single-story house that originated in India. It originated from the word Bengali and Such houses were traditionally small, only one story and thatched, and had a wide veranda.
In Nigeria a bungalow is referred to a one-storey house without regards for style of size.

A duplex originally defined as a two unit apartment,  a house that is capable of accommodating two different families on the same plot. But within the Nigerian context it is erroneously defined as a two storey family house, which should rightfully be called a detached house.

So lets start our comparism of the two;

In terms of cost which is the most important factor in the considerations, it is obvious that a bungalow is cheaper to build than a duplex all other factors like area, specifications and  finishes being equal. The problem is by what ratio is duplex more expensive than a bungalow. Here is my analysis;

The most telling cost factor of a duplex is the cost of the decking and  beams + pillars to support the decking. The extra cost of concretework for an average 4 bedroom duplex ( 1 bedroom down and 3 bedrooms upstairs) would cost around N2million depending on the concrete mix

Also the Foundation would be a major cost factor in water logged areas where raft foundation would have to be used, which can add up to an extra N1.5 million to the cost of foundation.

But the Bungalow will occupy at least 40% more ground space that would be occupied by the duplex, so in effect the cost of foundation would be approximately 40% more for the bungalow. so also would be the roofing. 

Now in areas where the land is very expensive, this extra 40% would be a major factor. Imagine a site where land is N60m per plot, the cost of land per square meter would be 92,000/m2. In such a place a bungalow would not make sense.  Furthermore even in relatively cheaper site, the value of having extra space for landscaping, parking and recreation is priceless.

In terms of aesthetics, i agree that a bungalow can have quite an appealing beauty, especially with an architect that can make use of the horizontal emphasis presented by the bungalow. But duplexes can also offer a compact look. Often a lot of architects combine the two effects to get the best of both worlds, by having a sprawling ground floor and a small compact upper floor.

In terms of efficiency of distribution of spaces, i believe you cannot beat a duplex. A duplex allows you to distribute and segregate spaces more efficiently. You can separate the private spaces from the public spaces and even the circulation spaces better. Then there is the added advantage of having balconies on the top floor overlooking the surroundings.

So i will only advice bungalow over duplex in situations where we have ample land, and the land is very cheap.

Let me hear what others think.

BYKdetty,

Hello, I am an architect and i am from Warri, but i live in Lagos. I am sorry i cannot conjure up the cost of building a modern 4-bedroom bungalow with adjoining facilities as demanded by you. We will need to talk in order to come up with a design that meets your requirements. It is only then can we come up with a cost estimate.

If you are interested in further discussions mail me on awiribenjamin@yahoo.com

My own contribution to this thread is to advice people to take a generalized cost estimate with a pinch of salt. There are to many factors that can determine the overall cost of a building project and a lot of them are being overlooked here. Because when people talk about a 3 bedroom bungalow i hope they are talking of a habitable 3 bedroom bungalow.

These are some of the facts to consider in costing a livable 3 bedroom bungalow;

1. Cost of filling to make up level, if the site level is lower than the road level or sight is very sloppy.
2. Cost of foundation; especially if the site is waterlogged or on unstable soil (this can be considerable)
3. Cost of fencing and putting up a gate (this also depends on the stability of the site)
4. Cost of soakaway/septic tank and manholes
5. Cost of water supply system including borehole and overhead tank (this is varied depending on location)
6. Nearness and availability of building materials like sand, aggregate, iron rods, etc
7. Type and quality of finishes used ( this can vary widely, as ordinary taps can cost from N500 to N10,000 each, also electric cables can cost between N,2000 for china to N5,000 for Nigeria)
8. The cost of the design itself; The floor area, ceiling height, no. of toilets, wardrobes ( and believe me wardrobes can be expensive), etc