₦airaland Forum

Your experiences? I have gone through safia pains.
Nigerian contractors are HIGHLY CRIMINAL!😱

How I went from this home that was built in 2000.

To this newly renovated peaceful environment in 2025. I am still renovating and looking forward to putting up another story building in the compound because the compound is soooooo huge.😍

Space booked.

xxxx xxxxx xxxx

I wonder why Nigerians abroad always swear to never return. If you don’t live in an American state located in the south, cold must pursue you back. The time overseas tires people is in old age when children are already adults with no idea of their fatherland. That is when regret sets in. Many use their pensions to build Nigerian mansions set for their return. It’s best to build the abode while strong just in case.

Kanwulia:
How I went from this home that was built in 2000.

Kalulu44 you don see the picture now? Na so that your house for village wey you write about for your story be? 🤔

Wotowotoman:
Kalulu44 you don see the picture now? Na so that your house for village wey you write about for your story be? 🤔

Hahahaha, something like that but my own na downstairs but the compound big

Wotowotoman:
Kalulu44 you don see the picture now? Na so that your house for village wey you write about for your story be? 🤔

Yes, na so the house be na.

Let me explain how and why I decided to renovate the house. I really was not interested, since I never planned to move back to Nigeria in life or death.✅

My brother wjo also lives abroad was supposed to be taking care of the property, but decided the wahala was too much. My sibling in Nigeria was also not interested and preferred the Lagos-Abuja lifestyles.

Then we got stuck. The only offer we got was for N4million for the land space and dilapidated structure systems within. There was also the problem with my father’s grave on the premises.

What do we do with the grave?🤷🏾‍♀️

Problem 1. Property abandoned by siblings.
Problem 2. What do I do with the grave?
Problem 3. Who will be on ground to supervise the project on my behalf?

I came up with a plan.
I had to pay my siblings N20m to give me the property.👍🏽 I did not want any wahala in the future amongst us. We came to an agreement. Now, the property is solely mine.✅

I knew financing the project would be costly but I had faith. My deadline was to finish renovations within a year, then install the solar equipment after taking a break for 6 months to build up my finances all over again.

Getting help.
1. Working overtime and taking loans.
2. Getting the right contractor

We confirmed we had a step brother in 2022 when we all visited Nigeria from the “abroad”, so I enlisted his help and that of a cousin living in Nigeria to start with the renovation of the fence.

Problem?

There were 3 tenants who have living RENT-FREE for various years and it was time to EVICT them. They REFUSED to leave stating they had nowhere to go. See WAHALA?🙆🏾‍♀️

Unpaid NEPA BILLS ? N500,000!😮

I gave the tenants options to pay up their rent. Some were paying N8000 or N9000 per month. One was owing for 3 YEARS!!! One uncle who was managing the property in behalf of my brother died 4 years ago. So the gateman started running the show and got some miscreants as tenants for ridiculous prices as rental fees. Everywhere was run down.

Kalulu44, hope say you fit see ideas wey you go use renovate that your papa bungalow for village o

Wotowotoman:
Kalulu44, hope say you fit see ideas wey you go use renovate that your papa bungalow for village o

Why you dey harrass this guy/ Na the tory I dey tell so. Many ideas to share. Extremely traumatic! I only just recovered. Like I stated earlier, Nigerian contractors are HIGHLY CRIMINAL. They thought I was going to allow them to cheat me because I was not living in Nigeria. I shocked them.

Rule #1. NEVER ALLOW ANY CONTRACTOR TO BUY YOUR MATERIALS IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

While I was trying to evict the tenants, my team of supervisors(my brother and cousin living in Nigeria) started to work on the reconstructing the fence. No borehole, but we had a well to get water from. Also, our neighbor across the street had a borehole. I we did not have water, we bought a hose to get water from across the street to mix sand and cement.

My cousin boasted he was into 'construction work' in Ogun state and I trusted he knew what he was doing. My brother just followed along to learn the ropes.

Mistake # 1.
Instead of plastering sand and cement, my cousin got a QUACK bricklayer to save money and the bricklayer used plain sand and cement to plaster the walls. I bought over 100 bags of cement and 7 trips of sand. End result, the fence cracked and we had to start all over. What a waste of time and resources.

Kanwulia:
Why you dey harrass this guy/ Na the tory I dey tell so. Many ideas to share. Extremely traumatic! I only just recovered. Like I stated earlier, Nigerian contractors are HIGHLY CRIMINAL. They thought I was going to allow them to cheat me because I was not living in Nigeria. I shocked them.

Rule #1. NEVER ALLOW ANY CONTRACTOR TO BUY YOUR MATERIALS IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

Don't mind my guy, he wants to drag my leg outside

Wotowotoman:
Kalulu44, hope say you fit see ideas wey you go use renovate that your papa bungalow for village o

Something wey dem no finish since

Bag of cement price - N9,000 - N10,000 Feb, 2025.✅

Finally the fence work was completed.✅

Kalulu44:
Something wey dem no finish since

Who no finish am? That your uncle wey wan chance you collect that girl?

You know wetin be superbowl? 🤔

Kanwulia:
While I was trying to evict the tenants, my team of supervisors(my brother and cousin living in Nigeria) started to work on the reconstructing the fence. No borehole, but we had a well to get water from. Also, our neighbor across the street had a borehole. I we did not have water, we bought a hose to get water from across the street to mix sand and cement.

My cousin boasted he was into 'construction work' in Ogun state and I trusted he knew what he was doing. My brother just followed along to learn the ropes.

Mistake # 1.
Instead of plastering sand and cement, my cousin got a QUACK bricklayer to save money and the bricklayer used plain sand and cement to plaster the walls. I bought over 100 bags of cement and 7 trips of sand. End result, the fence cracked and we had to start all over. What a waste of time and resources.

Na the quack brick layer be that for the picture? I come dey pity the guy

Wotowotoman:
Who no finish am? That your uncle wey wan chance you collect that girl?

You know wetin be superbowl? 🤔

Oh sorry I meant to say dem don finish am since.
I have heard of Superbowl since over 20yrs, just not interested in it. Is it not America football final?

Kanwulia:
Finally the fence work was completed.✅

The fence was completed by the quack bricklayer? He tried na

Wotowotoman:
The fence was completed by the quack bricklayer? He tried na

After HEAVY CURSING and refusal to pay for the workmanship after wastage of my sand and cement. Useless prople.🙄

Fixing plumbing issues.
I had to change all the old pipes for the tanks and buy “sumo pump” for pumping water from the well. I also had to dig up the well to get the water to flow consistently.

•Welding the well cover so we keep the sumo pump safe.
• Bought generator to ensure electricity
•Miscellaneous items - freezer, blender, stabilizer.


ALWAYS ASK FOR RECEIPTS AND PROOF OF TRANSFERS FOR ALL PURCHASES.✅

WHEN YOU KNOW YOU ARE BEING SCAMMED BY YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIVES. . . .

1. They collude with the “CON”-tractors to hike up supplies for materials and workmanship fees.
2. Always get at least 3 estimates for the same job.
3. Always know when to get out-of-town contractors instead of those within the “township” limits. The contractors within your town may be “unionized” and work together to “high-ball” you and your budget.

By March, 2025 . . . I had become much wiser.
I NEVER DO FULL CONTRACTS.❌
I buy my materials and pay for labor costs only.✅

Boy! They hated me for that.😂

I started by paying attention to details. I educated myself about units of measurements. I could tell the difference between “a trip of sand” and “a ton of sand”.✅

I could tell the difference between sharp sand, laterite, plaster sand and river sand.✅

I could understand the difference between 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 inch granite stone.✅

I was catching on fast.✅

NEXT PROJECT: GERMAN FLOORING VS STAMP FLOORING VS CEMENT TILE FLOORING VS INTERLOCKING STONES .

All these for a house you will only visit once in three years? 🤔

7yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

That staircase is horrible

Wow. Nice one. Keep it up ! More blessings