EgunMogaji:


So this is part of the reason why a lot of us in diaspora gets into DIY. It's not because we're cheap or workers are expensive. It's partly because we have cheap access to quality tools and materials.

A perfect example is the blueprint for my build. I got tired of explaining my idea to architects, so I simply downloaded SketchUp and drew it out once and for all.

I have table saw, a commercial grade Ryobi, beveling miter saw, jigsaws, etc engine hoist, car ramps, engine stands, etc all professional grade stuff

I like your enthusiasm towards building and technicality. I do wood work and i will be setting up small wood workshop in my house when i build one.

On site i involve myself with my carpenters mostly during formwork in other actualized neat and detailed work.

The major difference between Nigeria construction and those of developed country is attention to details which is made possible by good codes ( which is been followed), competent artisan and availability of specialized tools and machine to make job better and neater

abdulwastecx:


I like your enthusiasm towards building and technicality. I do wood work and i will be setting up small wood workshop in my house when i build one.

On site i involve myself with my carpenters mostly during formwork in other actualized neat and detailed work.

The major difference between Nigeria construction and those of developed country is attention to details which is made possible by good codes ( which is been followed), competent artisan and availability of specialized tools and machine to make job better and neater

You're absolutely right about the codes.

I think this is why many folks in diaspora get had. They are used to a layer of security in having city code inspectors. We don't have that enforcement in Nigeria.

During a typical construction here you will get standard visit at specific intervals where they will come in and check the quality of the build.

Something as simple as pouring foundation slab will have (at least in my area) a city code inspector onsite to verify the concrete mix, the forms and steel work. If they forgot and didn't call for city inspection then the slab gets broken up and repaired.

They check electrical, plumbing, roofing, framing so no shortcuts and thus we can expect quality because it's not just the owner and builder but the government agency that is involved.

The Egbosa alleged leaning pillar and falling parapet would never occur at least in my area and I suspect in most US cities.

We'll get there but it won't be easy, it will be as a result of customers like me who demands quality and will pay for it within reason and builders like you that understand that things can be done better, faster

A lot of these tools are really cheap chinese stuff that should be easily importable into Nigeria.

Thanks for the compliment, I get upset when I'm dismissed off hand that I do some stuff because they are expensive over there. I do my stuff because I actually enjoy working withy hands. In the car talk section, when I used to visit, we have guys there that are doing their brake repairs, change oil, repair their cars, they go the hard way sometimes of ordering original parts from the US/Europe and doing the work themselves.

If you remember my building plan that I shared with you, there is a dedicated 20' X 19' (almost 400 square feet) of space for a 2 car garage. That space is non negotiable as it's the place that I'm the most happiest. The center piece will be the pictured, a four post lift on one side. I definitely should not need to work on cars when I retire to Nigeria but it is the core of what makes me, me

Thinking about it I might need to use hardcore under the garage floor.

abdulwastecx:


I like the lift crane, simple and easy to use.... we love to have one soon

yes it will be a good kit for you as a pro,it beats me when contractors refuse to stock tool and rely heavily on renting or sticking to same old ways of labour for decades.

EgunMogaji:


You're absolutely right about the codes.

I think this is why many folks in diaspora get had. They are used to a layer of security in having city code inspectors. We don't have that enforcement in Nigeria.

During a typical construction here you will get standard visit at specific intervals where they will come in and check the quality of the build.

Something as simple as pouring foundation slab will have (at least in my area) a city code inspector onsite to verify the concrete mix, the forms and steel work. If they forgot and didn't call for city inspection then the slab gets broken up and repaired.

They check electrical, plumbing, roofing, framing so no shortcuts and thus we can expect quality because it's not just the owner and builder but the government agency that is involved.

The Egbosa alleged leaning pillar and falling parapet would never occur at least in my area and I suspect in most US cities.

We'll get there but it won't be easy, it will be as a result of customers like me who demands quality and will pay for it within reason and builders like you that understand that things can be done better, faster

A lot of these tools are really cheap chinese stuff that should be easily importable into Nigeria.

Thanks for the compliment, I get upset when I'm dismissed off hand that I do some stuff because they are expensive over there. I do my stuff because I actually enjoy working withy hands. In the car talk section, when I used to visit, we have guys there that are doing their brake repairs, change oil, repair their cars, they go the hard way sometimes of ordering original parts from the US/Europe and doing the work themselves.

If you remember my building plan that I shared with you, there is a dedicated 20' X 19' (almost 400 square feet) of space for a 2 car garage. That space is non negotiable as it's the place that I'm the most happiest. The center piece will be the pictured, a four post lift on one side. I definitely should not need to work on cars when I retire to Nigeria but it is the core of what makes me, me

Thinking about it I might need to use hardcore under the garage floor.

ahah chey we don know wher we go dey 4 look our cars under on saturday morning be dat.Plz let me know wen teh hydrolic lift completes,I like to see under my car in clear daylight

erico2k2:

ahah chey we don know wher we go dey 4 look our cars under on saturday morning be dat.Plz let me know wen teh hydrolic lift completes,I like to see under my car in clear daylight

You'll be welcome anytime. One of my very first projects will be to buy a Marwa, pull the engine and replace it with a Superbike engine, cage it, improve the brakes and then go haunt posers in their fancy sports cars

The only bad part will be that I will most likely have to have two wheels in front so it will be a give away that something is up

EgunMogaji:


You're absolutely right about the codes.

I think this is why many folks in diaspora get had. They are used to a layer of security in having city code inspectors. We don't have that enforcement in Nigeria.

During a typical construction here you will get standard visit at specific intervals where they will come in and check the quality of the build.

Something as simple as pouring foundation slab will have (at least in my area) a city code inspector onsite to verify the concrete mix, the forms and steel work. If they forgot and didn't call for city inspection then the slab gets broken up and repaired.

They check electrical, plumbing, roofing, framing so no shortcuts and thus we can expect quality because it's not just the owner and builder but the government agency that is involved.

The Egbosa alleged leaning pillar and falling parapet would never occur at least in my area and I suspect in most US cities.

We'll get there but it won't be easy, it will be as a result of customers like me who demands quality and will pay for it within reason and builders like you that understand that things can be done better, faster

A lot of these tools are really cheap chinese stuff that should be easily importable into Nigeria.

Thanks for the compliment, I get upset when I'm dismissed off hand that I do some stuff because they are expensive over there. I do my stuff because I actually enjoy working withy hands. In the car talk section, when I used to visit, we have guys there that are doing their brake repairs, change oil, repair their cars, they go the hard way sometimes of ordering original parts from the US/Europe and doing the work themselves.

If you remember my building plan that I shared with you, there is a dedicated 20' X 19' (almost 400 square feet) of space for a 2 car garage. That space is non negotiable as it's the place that I'm the most happiest. The center piece will be the pictured, a four post lift on one side. I definitely should not need to work on cars when I retire to Nigeria but it is the core of what makes me, me

Thinking about it I might need to use hardcore under the garage floor.

I get it sir, we have all these in our building codes but we hardly enforced it. In city like Abuja, we have a developmental control ( FCDA ) saddle with the responsibility to supervised building construction in any where with the capital territories. The FCDA people hardly come to site and when they come, all that matters is the bribe you will give them.

We need a holistic approach to building construction, from our building materials like the simple sancrete block we normally use for our construction to the way we batch concrete here in Nigeria.

My greatest headache are concrete handling, soil analysis and and reinforcement. Most people focus on the finishing aspect of building bu to me the structural aspect is of major importance because so many life can be lost if not properly done

darenyx:


6 bedroom duplex .. how many floors is it going to be please??

the down floor would be a living room, dining, kitchen, two bedrooms non en suite and a single wc/shower. upstairs would be only four bedrooms en suite. the size would be about 31x34 atleast. i have designed something like that for a plot of land measuring 50x50.

abdulwastecx:


I like your enthusiasm towards building and technicality. I do wood work and i will be setting up small wood workshop in my house when i build one.

[b]On site i involve myself with my carpenters [/b]mostly during formwork in other actualized neat and detailed work.

The major difference between Nigeria construction and those of developed country is attention to details which is made possible by good codes ( which is been followed), competent artisan and availability of specialized tools and machine to make job better and neater

@Bolded...does this imply you can also make furniture and cabinets if you want to? Interesting, i think that will make a difference especially if you bring your attention to detail and creativity to bear...

I look forward to the day a furniture maker will sit down with me, look at my space and understand what i am trying to ask him to create, rather than telling me to just show him a picture or web page so that he can recreate what is there!

EgunMogaji:


You're absolutely right about the codes.

I think this is why many folks in diaspora get had. They are used to a layer of security in having city code inspectors. We don't have that enforcement in Nigeria.

During a typical construction here you will get standard visit at specific intervals where they will come in and check the quality of the build.

Something as simple as pouring foundation slab will have (at least in my area) a city code inspector onsite to verify the concrete mix, the forms and steel work. If they forgot and didn't call for city inspection then the slab gets broken up and repaired.

They check electrical, plumbing, roofing, framing so no shortcuts and thus we can expect quality because it's not just the owner and builder but the government agency that is involved.

The Egbosa alleged leaning pillar and falling parapet would never occur at least in my area and I suspect in most US cities.

We'll get there but it won't be easy, it will be as a result of customers like me who demands quality and will pay for it within reason and builders like you that understand that things can be done better, faster

A lot of these tools are really cheap chinese stuff that should be easily importable into Nigeria.

Thanks for the compliment, I get upset when I'm dismissed off hand that I do some stuff because they are expensive over there. I do my stuff because I actually enjoy working withy hands. In the car talk section, when I used to visit, we have guys there that are doing their brake repairs, change oil, repair their cars, they go the hard way sometimes of ordering original parts from the US/Europe and doing the work themselves.

If you remember my building plan that I shared with you, there is a dedicated 20' X 19' (almost 400 square feet) of space for a 2 car garage. That space is non negotiable as it's the place that I'm the most happiest. The center piece will be the pictured, a four post lift on one side. I definitely should not need to work on cars when I retire to Nigeria but it is the core of what makes me, me

Thinking about it I might need to use hardcore under the garage floor.

do you mind sharing your building plan with me? here's my email greenermodels@gmail.com. the way you keep describing your plan really keeps raising my interest.

[quote author=erico2k2 post=37354242]I saw this direct lift crane, less than N50K in today's money to buy.[/q]

Oga ericko2k2.. I'm laughing here o..
That crane you pasted here is called Chain crane. I have actually used it in Procter and Gamble, Ibadan. (the company that produces Pampers, Ariel etc)

It is used in MANUFACTURING companies not SITES. Where will I get the power source if I go to build in your village? What will happen if NEPA takes light? Will work stop? How do I meet up with the 2 weeks of EgunMogaji to finish a stage? That motor uses inductive power of thousands of Watts. To buy a gen to power this crane will take more than 100,000 naira.

My concrete cutter as small as it is, uses 2200w. My 'big gen' at home cannot even power it. (Pic attached)

Now, what will this crane do for me? Carry cement? Carry blocks or wet concrete? Is it cost effective? NO!

[quote author=KolaShangOne post=37362143][/quote]

We have to apply the correct tool to solve the correct issue. It seems in Nigeria all we have is hammer so all our issues looks like nails.

To meet pesky Egunlas ridiculous timeline I suggest this

Truck arrives on site having been mixing the concrete enroute, can pour the blinding in 15 minutes flat

But yes Baba Ijebu can't afford a one off operation like that but imagine if there were many blindings to be done that day on various sites

I think by now, people in the disapora will think im always talking about how their ideas wont work here. I'M ACTUALLY A BIG FAN OF USING TOOLS.

@Egunmogaji That truck mounted conveyor system U showed now ehn, Just let's ask Oga @Fhemmy how many Millions it will take to import a Tokunbo low-bed truck. Upwards 10million I guess. Then I have to buy and ship the conveyor too.. Is it cost effective?

Equipments are are cheaper over there. Labour is not.
Labour is cheap here. Equipments are not.

KolaShangOne:
I think by now, people in the disapora will think im always talking about how their ideas wont work here. I'M ACTUALLY A BIG FAN OF USING TOOLS.

@Egunmogaji That truck mounted conveyor system U showed now ehn, Just let's ask Oga @Fhemmy how many Millions it will take to import a Tokunbo low-bed truck. Upwards 10million I guess. Then I have to buy and ship the conveyor too.. Is it cost effective?

Equipments are are cheaper over there. Labour is not.
Labour is cheap here. Equipments are not.

Forget Oga Fhemmy, pave your own way Man and cut out the middle man. Jump on the web, do research and have it shipped by ChinoSXL.

I see them on auction all the time for around $5k plus shipping of maybe $3k, but why import? Can't a conversion be performed in Nigeria?

It takes money to make money.

Crack open that wallet and spend some of that Oluyole money and become known as the pioneer builder who has totally embraced modern methods of building

Stop saying labour is not cheap over here, I beg of you. You are completely wrong. Equally stop saying equipment is not cheap in Nigeria, it takes money to make money. Labour is cheap in Nigeria because of the situation not because it is the prevailing rate. On my site some old ladies that were fetching waters were paid like N500 a day or some such nonsense. At the end of the day I made sure that they got paid more than the bricklayers out of my own pocket. We need to stop taking advantage of the labour force and introduce machinery to help them out.

You can hire day laborers in front of Home Depot/Lowes for about $30-50 a day (US income so you cannot simply convert it into Naira and say aha) and some of these Mexican/South American chaps are highly skilled and are some of the ones building American homes but they may not have paperwork, etc

I will agree with you that not all job sites and jobs require machinery but as project managers we should look at ways to reduce the back breaking work that the staff are undergoing.

And what is this about needing an Engineer to man a concrete mixer? Anyone can do that. Start the engine, pour in measured quantity of materials and activate the clutch for a few minutes and then deactivate the clutch and pour the contents out.

PS: I don't think you hate modernization but I am learning from you about the challenges that you are facing as a builder in Nigeria. It makes for an informed client.

I read on a thread that Brabus bought at least one dump truck, now that is moving forward and a way to go in offering clients a total solution. We just need to stop building foundations with 6" blocks - ouch

abouzaid:
the down floor would be a living room, dining, kitchen, two bedrooms non en suite and a single wc/shower. upstairs would be only four bedrooms en suite. the size would be about 31x34 atleast. i have designed something like that for a plot of land measuring 50x50.

Alright.. kudos to you then... but. Where you able to meet up with the minimum requirements for the setbacks, provide adequate parking and properly position the various utilities needed for the structure??

[quote author=KolaShangOne post=37362143][/quote]
This brings us back to the point,i could just point out your flaws and teh mentality of the average Nigerian workman.Now even if the Gen cost N300K wont it be yours? wont it be part of your tools? would it not encourage you to buy more power tools that runs on electric? things like electric cement mixers, compactors,concrete sprayers ,grinders etc?these are how people started here in the west,Only in Nigeria you will see a contractor handling N50M project and they do not have a building yard,everything they use is use and die or rent, cement mixers will cost £280 to buy probably £150 to ship, how many builders in Nigeria own one? or lets limit this to nairaland who amongst builders own one? yet the average daily rental is N10K right?In other the news, I posted three cranes, one is a chain crane and the other two are electric crane one has 1000KG lift capacity that's 10 bags of cement, the other has 1500KG 15 bags of cement,So the question of what you can carry is solved.The whole reason we got to this crane issue was to do with mechanization plus tools of the trade.Right tools makes your jobs cheaper and fast plus consistent.

erico2k2:

This brings us back to the point,i could just point out your flaws and teh mentality of the average Nigerian workman.Now even if the Gen cost N300K wont it be yours? wont it be part of your tools? would it not encourage you to buy more power tools that runs on electric? things like electric cement mixers, compactors,concrete sprayers ,grinders etc?these are how people started here in the west,Only in Nigeria you will see a contractor handling N50M project and they do not have a building yard,everything they use is use and die or rent, cement mixers will cost £280 to buy probably £150 to ship, how many builders in Nigeria own one? or lets limit this to nairaland who amongst builders own one? yet the average daily rental is N10K right?In other the news, I posted three cranes, one is a chain crane and the other two are electric crane one has 1000KG lift capacity that's 10 bags of cement, the other has 1500KG 15 bags of cement,So the question of what you can carry is solved.The whole reason we got to this crane issue was to do with mechanization plus tools of the trade.Right tools makes your jobs cheaper and fast plus consistent.

Spot on Bro.

There's no task that I would need to do now that I would need to buy a tool for because I have collected them over years and are in my arsenal.

We lack foresight at home and we always look for short term gains.

What a thread! Imagine the ideas! I am watching and waiting patiently for the much needed mechanisation of our building processes, no need for anyone to fight change, let us all embrace it and try to adapt.
But I will be sad if Nigeria changes you guys. I expect a full day by day detail of the upcoming project EgunMogaji, we are praying it will be a good success. I will then build my next house alone, who needs to pay workers when I can DIY.

spyder880:
What a thread! Imagine the ideas! I am watching and waiting patiently for the much needed mechanisation of our building processes, no need for anyone to fight change, let us all embrace it and try to adapt.
But I will be sad if Nigeria changes you guys. I expect a full day by day detail of the upcoming project EgunMogaji, we are praying it will be a good success. I will then build my next house alone, who needs to pay workers when I can DIY.

Hmmn. Unemployment!

EgunMogaji:


Spot on Bro.

There's no task that I would need to do now that I would need to buy a tool for because I have collected them over years and are in my arsenal.

We lack foresight at home and we always look for short term gains.

yep thats right,my car will only go to the mechanic wen it needs specialist tools .

now lets move o n, who has seen the tool for placing cement on bricks?

segcymoor:

Hmmn. Unemployment!

segcymoor:

Hmmn. Unemployment!

Laughing like a mad man here

erico2k2:
now lets move o n, who has seen the tool for placing cement on bricks?

Is this in Nigeria already? I will like to lay my hands on one as soon as yesterday. How about the one that can work on hollow blocks?

Do you know that this is very simple to make? I will take my welder to task this weekend, let me make some sketches this night.

spyder880:
What a thread! Imagine the ideas! I am watching and waiting patiently for the much needed mechanisation of our building processes, no need for anyone to fight change, let us all embrace it and try to adapt.
But I will be sad if Nigeria changes you guys. I expect a full day by day detail of the upcoming project EgunMogaji, we are praying it will be a good success. I will then build my next house alone, who needs to pay workers when I can DIY.

Thank you Sir.

You and the others let us see the possibility and what can be accomplished. I hope to break ground ahead of schedule and at least do the foundation in about two weeks time. It will allow the laterite to sink in naturally for a few months before compacting and german flooring. When I go back home at the end of September I want to be able to look down from space on Google Map and see a structure and not just forest

I'll still pay workers but if I call a tiler and he says he'll need two more people plus him, then he'll only need one more person cause him and I are two already He can lay the tiles while I cut the tile on the tile cutting machine

Construction and tools is like going to a buffet diner, you take what you can eat and leave the rest

spyder880:


Is this in Nigeria already? I will like to lay my hands on one as soon as yesterday. How about the one that can work on hollow blocks?

Do you know that this is very simple to make? I will take my welder to task this weekend, let me make some sketches this night.

No its not in Nigeria yet its actually made in the Uk by someone an ex builder who just woke up one morning and made it,Im glad it inspired you like you clearly said, its quite simple yet its impact on the work field is amazing.its cost of 3 sets is £25

spyder880:


Is this in Nigeria already? I will like to lay my hands on one as soon as yesterday. How about the one that can work on hollow blocks?

Do you know that this is very simple to make? I will take my welder to task this weekend, let me make some sketches this night.

Oga Spyder, imagine who many bags of concrete and sharp sand you'll save your customers from less mortar usage and how neat the job will look?

Yes it will take more time, in the short term, but as time goes on they'll go faster and turn out good masonry work.

EgunMogaji:


Oga Spyder, imagine who many bags of concrete and sharp sand you'll save your customers from less mortar usage and how neat the job will look?

Yes it will take more time, in the short term, but as time goes on they'll go faster and turn out good masonry work.

No Egbon, its actually faster, cos with two actions drop and scoop you will achieve a smooth ,level and accurate mortar ready for a brick to lay, the o nly faster method is wen laying of red bricks with holes cos you swob the mortar from the trowel with the brick

darenyx:


Alright.. kudos to you then... but. Where you able to meet up with the minimum requirements for the setbacks, provide adequate parking and properly position the various utilities needed for the structure??

don't make me laugh. in such a design, sacrifices must be made while trying not to deteriorate the living experience. when land is extremely small like this, i aim for a minimum setback of 14.5 feet in front to achieve adequate parking and atleast 6.5 feet else where for adequate circulation and ventilation. if you check online, you would discover that many counties require a minimum setback of as little as 3 feet so what i do is still within reason. designing for a small plot is not easy but as 50x50 plots become more common due to rising land costs, we must adapt.

abouzaid:
don't make me laugh. in such a design, sacrifices must be made while trying not to deteriorate the living experience. when land is extremely small like this, i aim for a minimum setback of 14.5 feet in front to achieve adequate parking and atleast 6.5 feet else where for adequate circulation and ventilation. if you check online, you would discover that many counties require a minimum setback of as little as 3 feet so what i do is still within reason. designing for a small plot is not easy but as 50x50 plots become more common due to rising land costs, we must adapt.

damn, 50x50 wow, I thought 50x100 was small

erico2k2:

No Egbon, its actually faster, cos with two actions drop and scoop you will achieve a smooth ,level and accurate mortar ready for a brick to lay, the o nly faster method is wen laying of red bricks with holes cos you swob the mortar from the trowel with the brick

Yes eventually it will be faster but there will be a learning curve until they get used to not just slopping mortar all over the place like a messy toddler eating mac and cheese

erico2k2:

damn, 50x50 wow, I thought 50x100 was small

50X50 should take a few of these, yes?

erico2k2:

damn, 50x50 wow, I thought 50x100 was small

it's actually becoming more common now. if you build for the poor and the lower middle class, you would experience where people buy and split lands in desirable but costly locations here in the north.