Na wah o.
I only wish some businesses can see the importance of customer service in Nigeria, I do understand that some people also take advantage o that is customers who refuse to pay. During my build, only my pop guy and roofing company had exemplary customer service. nobody else.

true2home:
Its very hard to be truthful as a Nigerian in Nigeria. Every few ones left are pressured by their peers to join the club of dishonorable. I have a person i worked with since 2001 and supported him all the way till 2015 when i sadly had to fire his A**. He is my favorite cousin and i still help him despite his shortcoming till this very day.

He went the rogue way out of pressure from people he was surrounded with. I funded a business worth 10M with him and never ask him how or what he does. He was doing everything with integrity till he started to feel inferior because he was acting like the owner of the business and people thought he owner it for a long time. But a day came, he fought with his best friend. Of coarse, his friend exposed him to public that i was the owner of the business. Guess what, after that, he started to act up and started to demand to own the business for himself. I laugh so hard that day, i almost die.

The business was his business all along, i was just helping him to be profitable by funding and supporting him with knowledge and connections that i have. In return, i get whatever he has in the bank for me whenever am on vacation. Anyways, i gave him the business and hands off.

Guess what? the business died a horrible death within two months after i stop supporting it. PEER PRESSURE SPOIL GOOD NIGERIAN TOO AND OF COARSE GREED IS A MAJOR FACTOR TOO. Well, i still sent my cousin #50k to pay his children's school fee in January. I praying for him to have a change of heart for his own sake.

mavverick:
Mr Osaz,

You dont know me, and I do not know you personally although I have been reading your articles for years and posted them here a few times. I am sure you know or have heard of Brabus BOSUN SHOYOYE, look at him now ?? !! An accuse before a magistrate court on a criminal matter. He was once the envy of a few with so many fancy google pictures and sub-standard practices, wetin camera sabi. Camera will just be taking pictures because thats what you tell it to do, but we do not know the quality of what he was doing.

Anyway, make amends with your client/former client and sort this thing out, don't be arrogant or silly with your comments. If you have done wrong, apologise/move on and learn from it. If you feel there is some kind of misunderstanding, you are a grown man and I would expect you to sort it out. These name calling/abuse is one that happens as a last resort when other peaceful means have been exhausted.

Sure. Thanks for your timely and valid advice. The matter has now been fully resolved by all parties, to the glory of God.

mavverick:
Na wah o.
I only wish some businesses can see the importance of customer service in Nigeria, I do understand that some people also take advantage o that is customers who refuse to pay. During my build, only my pop guy and roofing company had exemplary customer service. nobody else.

Apart from outright dishonesty and NO customer service, my experience has a lot to do with poor budgeting skills. Majority of tradesmen/women in Nigeria tend to eat their profit upfront and part of the project funds as well and hoping to make this up with either the next segment of payment or from a new client. And if business is slow with no new in-coming client to fill the void created by spending profit upfront or client refusing to cough up more funds until previous funds are justified, trouble starts.

My experience with my casement window was a case in point. After the normal referencing I commissioned the windows for N1.4 million. The guy asked for N600k as mobilisation which was paid. So I got on the plane and came back home. A month after mobilisation, nothing on ground. So I called. Excuses of being busy which is a good thing. I like busy tradesmen. Two months; still nothing. Three months.......oh please Sir it's not my fault. I deposited money for materials with the aluminium company so they are producing as we speak.

So I verified the "company" and made a call to the company. Nothing of the sort! Got back to Aluminium guy; ha yes I've asked for the money back and I will now go to Onitsha or even "Asaba sef" to get materials. Five months from mobilisation he now got some materials from wherever. The original plan is to commission the windows flat by flat but now the guy is asking for more funds as according to him he has bought ALL the alu profile so no funds to execute. So I disbursed another N300k making N900K with N500K balance. We are in month six going seven. At month 9, some windows were delivered to site and mounted and my foreman on ground sent me photos. Hell broke loose! The design of the partly delivered windows is not what was commissioned. I'm building a traditional purposely built flats so I want it to have some character, not the childish letter "T" and inverted letter "T". See pix. We argued about this and I was told by my Oga aluminium tradesman that my chosen style is old fashion; "excuse me Sir, na this style dey reign that your style don reign pass". I was prevailed on by my folks to let go, so I did. Now what about the quality?

My foreman complained about the quality of the windows delivered. The mitre not cut properly, the windows are not "lapping", the glass pane are falling out and almost all the windows can't open fully. In fact it was a classic case of a botched job. The "protectors" are out; some spacing are too wide apart some too close. Some are so wide that a grown man can go through sideways. Another argument between the window guy and my foreman. Window guy said my foreman was hyping things up to win favour from me. But I went with my foreman, so I asked work to be stopped, I'm flying over. But before I got on the plane, window guy pleaded for more funds, that he will complete the project but not install as I've instructed. When I come if there's any mistake he will correct this and then install "as I dey there". Fair enough, so I disbursed yet another N300K remaining N200K balance. Two days after disbursing I received a call that the window guy's mother died two weeks before and the burial is "next week".

Month 11 and I got home. Horror! All what my foreman said are confirmed and more. I drove straight to the window guy's residence. He has moved house. When? About the time I mobilised him 11 months back to a three bedroom apartment from a modest two-rooms apartment. Fair enough. Upward social mobility is good. I finally tracked him to come to site and his workshop to reconcile the job. It was agreed that my foreman was correct. Instead of installing the partly delivered window, it became a case of cut and join damage control on site. Please see pix.

Now money remaining is just N200k. Remember the window guy pleaded for the last N300k to complete the project before my arrival. Nothing! What happened? Excuse me Sir, no vex my mama die. So money was used for burial? yes sir.........money was also used for renting a new apartment? Not all money; my wife contribute the balance. Now there is stalemate. Almost a year after mobilisation. How do we move forward? Ok Sir, give me even if na N150k sef I will complete the job. But I costed what remains to be done, N200k will not complete the job. Giving him more money is throwing good money after bad which I've been doing all along. I should have cut my losses earlier. Now should I send the community youths after him? The youths will beat him up and abuse his human right. Do I want to be a part of that? He's a man with a wife and a child. Should I go to court? And then my mum stepped in. Nothing of the sort. De-commission him and move on. And I did.

I paid a further N930K to put things right by another window man from the estate who not only completed the job, but also re-worked all faulty windows and revert to the original design. See pix.

So what happened? The first window guy obviously passed referencing. He had verified work in the estate and "I know am reach house". The answer is simple. He misappropriated the funds, expended his profit and more upfront and misappropriated further money to the burial of his mother thinking he could make up with new business but non came along. So the job was just scrapping about for off-cut here, remainant from previous job there. Any Alu profile he could lay his hands upon, he assembled as casement window for me. But you can't hide a scrap job.

diordaves:


Apart from outright dishonesty and NO customer service, my experience has a lot to do with poor budgeting skills. Majority of tradesmen/women in Nigeria tend to eat their profit upfront and part of the project funds as well and hoping to make this up with either the next segment of payment or from a new client. And if business is slow with no new in-coming client to fill the void created by spending profit upfront or client refusing to cough up more funds until previous funds are justified, trouble starts.

My experience with my casement window was a case in point. After the normal referencing I commissioned the windows for N1.4 million. The guy asked for N600k as mobilisation which was paid. So I got on the plane and came back home. A month after mobilisation, nothing on ground. So I called. Excuses of being busy which is a good thing. I like busy tradesmen. Two months; still nothing. Three months.......oh please Sir it's not my fault. I deposited money for materials with the aluminium company so they are producing as we speak.

So I verified the "company" and made a call to the company. Nothing of the sort! Got back to Aluminium guy; ha yes I've asked for the money back and I will now go to Onitsha or even "Asaba sef" to get materials. Five months from mobilisation he now got some materials from wherever. The original plan is to commission the windows flat by flat but now the guy is asking for more funds as according to him he has bought ALL the alu profile so no funds to execute. So I disbursed another N300k making N900K with N500K balance. We are in month six going seven. At month 9, some windows were delivered to site and mounted and my foreman on ground sent me photos. Hell broke loose! The design of the partly delivered windows is not what was commissioned. I'm building a traditional purposely built flats so I want it to have some character, not the childish letter "T" and inverted letter "T". See pix. We argued about this and I was told by my Oga aluminium tradesman that my chosen style is old fashion; "excuse me Sir, na this style dey reign that your style don reign pass". I was prevailed on by my folks to let go, so I did. Now what about the quality?

I was told by my Oga aluminium tradesman that my chosen style is old fashion; "excuse me Sir, na this style dey reign that your style don reign pass". I was prevailed on by my folks to let go, so I did. Now what about the quality?

I thought I was the only one the, always do these to. Most of these artisan doing what they want not what the are told to do. The worst part of it, they do it without consulting the owner. I believe some of them deliberately do it to maximize their profits. Even when some of them contact the owner, most time is after the may have cut all the material so one may be force to do it there way. To sad, these happen every time.

diordaves:
My foreman complained about the quality of the windows delivered. The mitre not cut properly, the windows are not "lapping", the glass pane are falling out and almost all the windows can't open fully. In fact it was a classic case of a botched job. The "protectors" are out; some spacing are too wide apart some too close. Some are so wide that a grown man can go through sideways. Another argument between the window guy and my foreman. Window guy said my foreman was hyping things up to win favour from me. But I went with my foreman, so I asked work to be stopped, I'm flying over. But before I got on the plane, window guy pleaded for more funds, that he will complete the project but not install as I've instructed. When I come if there's any mistake he will correct this and then install "as I dey there". Fair enough, so I disbursed yet another N300K remaining N200K balance. Two days after disbursing I received a call that the window guy's mother died two weeks before and the burial is "next week".

. Please see pix.

I think we need to start naming and shaming some of this scammers! There can be no moral justification for this "get-rich-quick" approach to service delivery.

If you look at the quantum of advertisement of "landed properties"especially in the lekki/ibeju lekki region on nairaland,you can begin to imagine how lucrative it is to scam people and get away with it easily. We need to sanitize nairaland,otherwise it will be a reference point for fraud and fraudsters. Money ain't easy to come by easily.

Let us name and shame fraud and fraudsters whether online or offline.

Oga

Your story is not new, and you did the right thing by moving on, saying that there are other methods though like seizing tools, going with a few mallams to pack major tools. Collecting money and not delivering is fraud, simples. I also absolutely hate it when people mess up and then try to say, this is the latest style bla bla bla. I had some work destroyed at the artisans cost as a result of this. My style is, we agree a spec, agree payment terms, and my spec gets delivered & you are paid, I dont care if its from the 60's.

All the people i had issues with were artisans that they supplied materials. Where i supply materials, any messups once, twice and the person is out.

Your building is simple and very cute. Well done. I can envisage what it will look like with a 2 tone paint colour and nice white by those cement pop designs.

diordaves:
Now money remaining is just N200k. Remember the window guy pleaded for the last N300k to complete the project before my arrival. Nothing! What happened? Excuse me Sir, no vex my mama die. So money was used for burial? yes sir.........money was also used for renting a new apartment? Not all money; my wife contribute the balance. Now there is stalemate. Almost a year after mobilisation. How do we move forward? Ok Sir, give me even if na N150k sef I will complete the job. But I costed what remains to be done, N200k will not complete the job. Giving him more money is throwing good money after bad which I've been doing all along. I should have cut my losses earlier. Now should I send the community youths after him? The youths will beat him up and abuse his human right. Do I want to be a part of that? He's a man with a wife and a child. Should I go to court? And then my mum stepped in. Nothing of the sort. De-commission him and move on. And I did.

I paid a further N930K to put things right by another window man from the estate who not only completed the job, but also re-worked all faulty windows and revert to the original design. See pix.

So what happened? The first window guy obviously passed referencing. He had verified work in the estate and "I know am reach house". The answer is simple. He misappropriated the funds, expended his profit and more upfront and misappropriated further money to the burial of his mother thinking he could make up with new business but non came along. So the job was just scrapping about for off-cut here, remainant from previous job there. Any Alu profile he could lay his hands upon, he assembled as casement window for me. But you can't hide a scrap job.

battleaxe:


Are you asking for labour or materials?

For materials, you can estimate this yourself roughly.

1. Get the length, breadth and depth of your decking.
2. Based on your concrete mix ratio (e.g 1:2:4), calculate the volume of each required material. I think there's a factor to be applied as well.
3. Based on the volume of each material obtained above, calculate the number of bags or tippers of sand and granite required.
4. Remember to put in some significant contingency for losses/ shrinkage.

C'est Fini!

Get a caster with his own concrete mixer to come give an estimate.

Thanks a lot. I really appreciate your advice. but I would appreciate it further if I can have a rough figure for both materials and labour. a local Mason gave me a quote but the figure sounds rather crazy.

This was why when I built from diaspora, I only pay 2-3weeks before I land 9ja and Installation has to be done before I leave.

Also I learnt a thing or 2 from the old folks. If you hear say an artisan wan marriage, just born or somebody close to am like him child born or him person die or ileya(muslim festival when them kill ram) no send am money cos na scrap and off cuts them go take make things for you. Na money way dey ground them go take celebrate or commiserate.

Also I try an avoid January, April and September. I just help them by removing temptation so as to make a success of my project. Always thinking of the 9ja factor.

diordaves:


Apart from outright dishonesty and NO customer service, my experience has a lot to do with poor budgeting skills. Majority of tradesmen/women in Nigeria tend to eat their profit upfront and part of the project funds as well and hoping to make this up with either the next segment of payment or from a new client. And if business is slow with no new in-coming client to fill the void created by spending profit upfront or client refusing to cough up more funds until previous funds are justified, trouble starts.

My experience with my casement window was a case in point. After the normal referencing I commissioned the windows for N1.4 million. The guy asked for N600k as mobilisation which was paid. So I got on the plane and came back home. A month after mobilisation, nothing on ground. So I called. Excuses of being busy which is a good thing. I like busy tradesmen. Two months; still nothing. Three months.......oh please Sir it's not my fault. I deposited money for materials with the aluminium company so they are producing as we speak.

So I verified the "company" and made a call to the company. Nothing of the sort! Got back to Aluminium guy; ha yes I've asked for the money back and I will now go to Onitsha or even "Asaba sef" to get materials. Five months from mobilisation he now got some materials from wherever. The original plan is to commission the windows flat by flat but now the guy is asking for more funds as according to him he has bought ALL the alu profile so no funds to execute. So I disbursed another N300k making N900K with N500K balance. We are in month six going seven. At month 9, some windows were delivered to site and mounted and my foreman on ground sent me photos. Hell broke loose! The design of the partly delivered windows is not what was commissioned. I'm building a traditional purposely built flats so I want it to have some character, not the childish letter "T" and inverted letter "T". See pix. We argued about this and I was told by my Oga aluminium tradesman that my chosen style is old fashion; "excuse me Sir, na this style dey reign that your style don reign pass". I was prevailed on by my folks to let go, so I did. Now what about the quality?

What typically happens in nija around that time (January, April and September). how about xmas also when a lot of people might want to go village ?
I think school fees is another one you should include, i had that with kitchen cabinet maker. He did however complete the job, just 1 month late.

gabbytabby:
This was why when I built from diaspora, I only pay 2-3weeks before I land 9ja and Installation has to be done before I leave.

Also I learnt a thing or 2 from the old folks. If you hear say an artisan wan marriage, just born or somebody close to am like him child born or him person die or ileya(muslim festival when them kill ram) no send am money cos na scrap and off cuts them go take make things for you. Na money way dey ground them go take celebrate or commiserate.

Also I try an avoid January, April and September. I just help them by removing temptation so as to make a success of my project. Always thinking of the 9ja factor.

mavverick:
Oga

Your story is not new, and you did the right thing by moving on, saying that there are other methods though like seizing tools, going with a few mallams to pack major tools. Collecting money and not delivering is fraud, simples. I also absolutely hate it when people mess up and then try to say, this is the latest style bla bla bla. I had some work destroyed at the artisans cost as a result of this. My style is, we agree a spec, agree payment terms, and my spec gets delivered & you are paid, I dont care if its from the 60's.

All the people i had issues with were artisans that they supplied materials. Where i supply materials, any messups once, twice and the person is out.

Your building is simple and very cute. Well done. I can envisage what it will look like with a 2 tone paint colour and nice white by those cement pop designs.

Thanks. Building in Nigeria is a lesson and battle of wits. If you no get patient, you go kill person one day. The project was stalled going two years just because of one window man.

gabbytabby:
This was why when I built from diaspora, I only pay 2-3weeks before I land 9ja and Installation has to be done before I leave.

Also I learnt a thing or 2 from the old folks. If you hear say an artisan wan marriage, just born or somebody close to am like him child born or him person die or ileya(muslim festival when them kill ram) no send am money cos na scrap and off cuts them go take make things for you. Na money way dey ground them go take celebrate or commiserate.

Also I try an avoid January, April and September. I just help them by removing temptation so as to make a success of my project. Always thinking of the 9ja factor.

Spot on! There's always one "bukata" or the other with tradesmen in Nigeria. Once sizeable amount of money enter their hand, there's an outstanding bukata to solve and divert funds. It's a serious will power to stay financially disciplined and execute the project paid for.

You got it its school fees time. Them get 4-6 children for private school so how for do. Xmas time too.

mavverick:
What typically happens in nija around that time (January, April and September). how about xmas also when a lot of people might want to go village ?
I think school fees is another one you should include, i had that with kitchen cabinet maker. He did however complete the job, just 1 month late.

Another reason i advise friends to stay away from big duplexes/apartments when building to rent. The world inc Nigeria is changing.

gabbytabby:
You got it its school fees time. Them get 4-6 children for private school so how for do. Xmas time too.

Hi Guys,

So I am building this 8 bedroom all en suite duplex with gym, laundry room, library, study room, 2 family rooms with 2 bars. I am not in Nigeria. Now the contractor has sent me a quote for the roofing. He said that we will need 1300square meters of shingles for the roofing and estimated the cost per sqm at N3700. Now my guy has given me estimate of about NGN7M including wood, labour and supervision for the roofing alone. I am at a loss as to how we got here. He explained that my house is 3 times the size of normal duplex in Nigeria. Even though the house is gig, I find it hard to believe that it's as big as 3 duplexes. I have seen duplexes roofed with 600sqs or even 800sqs for very big ones, but not 1300sqs. Our process is that he gives me quote for each stage of work, and I send him money to buy the materials and execute. I must say he has been steadfast in execution from foundation until this stage. I am just perplexed as to why roofing alone would cost NGN7M. I am dead now. Can somebody tell me how to verify this? By the way, how much does a sqm of original New Zealand stone coated roofing shingles cost in the eastern part of Nigeria?

Tbh the price of everything has gone thru the roof. I bought my tilcor new Zealand at 2,400 per sqm in 2015. I asked 2 weeks ago for a friend. I was told 5,600. Tilcor is more or less same as Gerrard.

Now. With your quotation. I will advise you get a roof plan from your architect, and maybe a 3D. Let 3 people give u quotation for wood. The roof sqm cannot be correctly determined until you do the wood work. So take it easy one step at a time.

I had 4 quotes with mine, compared them and I then arrived at my own harmony figure.i bought the wood and only had to buy like tiny amount to balance up as the original order was not enough. You also need to ensure they count the wood when it's dropped, and also treat it. The roofing company can also measure up after wood work for free.

There are a few good wood types akun, melina etc

good luck.

Onyema1:
Hi Guys,

So I am building this 8 bedroom all en suite duplex with gym, laundry room, library, study room, 2 family rooms with 2 bars. I am not in Nigeria. Now the contractor has sent me a quote for the roofing. He said that we will need 1300square meters of shingles for the roofing and estimated the cost per sqm at N3700. Now my guy has given me estimate of about NGN7M including wood, labour and supervision for the roofing alone. I am at a loss as to how we got here. He explained that my house is 3 times the size of normal duplex in Nigeria. Even though the house is gig, I find it hard to believe that it's as big as 3 duplexes. I have seen duplexes roofed with 600sqs or even 800sqs for very big ones, but not 1300sqs. Our process is that he gives me quote for each stage of work, and I send him money to buy the materials and execute. I must say he has been steadfast in execution from foundation until this stage. I am just perplexed as to why roofing alone would cost NGN7M. I am dead now. Can somebody tell me how to verify this? By the way, how much does a sqm of original New Zealand stone coated roofing shingles cost in the eastern part of Nigeria?

Onyema1:
Hi Guys,

So I am building this 8 bedroom all en suite duplex with gym, laundry room, library, study room, 2 family rooms with 2 bars. I am not in Nigeria. Now the contractor has sent me a quote for the roofing. He said that we will need 1300square meters of shingles for the roofing and estimated the cost per sqm at N3700. Now my guy has given me estimate of about NGN7M including wood, labour and supervision for the roofing alone. I am at a loss as to how we got here. He explained that my house is 3 times the size of normal duplex in Nigeria. Even though the house is gig, I find it hard to believe that it's as big as 3 duplexes. I have seen duplexes roofed with 600sqs or even 800sqs for very big ones, but not 1300sqs. Our process is that he gives me quote for each stage of work, and I send him money to buy the materials and execute. I must say he has been steadfast in execution from foundation until this stage. I am just perplexed as to why roofing alone would cost NGN7M. I am dead now. Can somebody tell me how to verify this? By the way, how much does a sqm of original New Zealand stone coated roofing shingles cost in the eastern part of Nigeria?

Sir,

Get another quote from a different contractor

gabbytabby:
This was why when I built from diaspora, I only pay 2-3weeks before I land 9ja and Installation has to be done before I leave.

Also I learnt a thing or 2 from the old folks. If you hear say an artisan wan marriage, just born or somebody close to am like him child born or him person die or ileya(muslim festival when them kill ram) no send am money cos na scrap and off cuts them go take make things for you. Na money way dey ground them go take celebrate or commiserate.

Also I try an avoid January, April and September. I just help them by removing temptation so as to make a success of my project. Always thinking of the 9ja factor.

This is also not really a safe bet. Due to the recession, most schools now allow for part payment of school fees. Some even allow a carry-over of payment of school fees to the next term. Some will just withhold the child's result until you complete payment and doing this can be in February, March, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. So, which month is left out that you will now choose from?.

NL1960:


This is also not really a safe bet. Due to the recession, most schools now allow for part payment of school fees. Some even allow a carry-over of payment of school fees to the next term. Some will just withhold the child's result until you complete payment and doing this can be in February, March, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. So, which month is left out that you will now choose from?.

Lol....As it is we might have to start consulting the oracle before we mobilize the contractors

I think a safeguard is to have a written agreement, no matter how simple a contract is...

I was very lucky to meet very good artisans during my building project .
Some other factors contributed to the success as well. The good experiences shared on this platform .

So I want to encourage everyone to first of learn about what and how to avoid stories during these period.

aonag:
Oga M, abeg no vex OP say i am derailing your thread. I saw one of your comments when you talked about this amaoula paragon guys and you said you used them. I want to ask you how do they sell their PVC strips? is it expensive and how much did you buy from them at the time you bought it and at what year was this?
thanks...

@Aonag

Are they good. YES. But they have got expensive lately o. You can move this thread to the "General-Topic" thread so are not disrupting this.
So expensive that I will just use POP instead... I bought mine few years ago.

Hajji M.

mufutau55:


@Aonag

Are they good. YES. But they have got expensive lately o. You can move this thread to the "General-Topic" thread so are not disrupting this.
So expensive that I will just use POP instead... I bought mine few years ago.

Hajji M.

man...I thought as much. I called them today and the price they called for me, na dangote kine price o.. I dont even think 200k can buy materials for a standard bedroom size. damn

Hello

Does anybody know about this company "Brains and Hammers" and the quality of their work?

Help a brother

Thanks

aonag:

man...I thought as much. I called them today and the price they called for me, na dangote kine price o.. I dont even think 200k can buy materials for a standard bedroom size. damn

You should look for other better option price wise... if not just go all the way out for POP at reasonable cost.
Building materials are not easy in Nigeria anymore o. God save us.

Hajji M.

olawale100:
I am writing this review not to cast aspersion on anybody's character but to guide and inform would be (future) clients on the likely quality of service they may get when you engage Engr Osaz – real name Osazuwa Enobakhare
I wanted to do pile foundation for a property at Ikate Elegushi, Lekki area of Lagos.
I got three quotes from nairalanders and after careful analysis and comparison, I decided to go with Engr. Osaz. I must confess my decision to go with Engr. Osaz was after reading the nice review written by one of his client, a medical doctor about the good job Engr. Osaz did for him at Isheri and also because he repeatedly stated that he is a structural engineer and will ensure the project will be properly & personally supervised.

After initial discussion and a quote was sent, I requested for a contract, he mentioned it won’t be necessary because the job is not that “big and serious”.
He sent his quote and I did not negotiate at all because I believe I am getting a value added service after Engr. Osaz assured me that he being a structural engineer will ensure the project is properly supervised and handled.
After mobilizing him with about 25% of the project cost, he came to site with some equipment, I enquired from him where the drilling machine is, I was shocked when he said he will use hand drilling option. I informed him I am not comfortable with this option because the piles are 10 meters deep, and 450mm diameter for 45 pile points. At no time did he specified that hand drilling will be used. Lesson learnt is that when dealing with people, there should be no assumption at all.
He reviewed the cost upward. At that time I was not willing to go ahead with him again. He had dug a borehole (I agreed to provide the submersible pump). I informed him that he should deduct the cost of the borehole and transport for the hand drills. I stated categorically that I will only use mechanical drilling machine, he said he review the cost and get back to me. He reviewed the cost upward by 300k. I perused and informed him he should just refund me less borehole and transport cost, he later sent another email that he has reverted to the original quote.
At this point, I sensed it may be difficult and hectic to retrieve money from Engr. Osaz without it getting ugly or resulting to waste of time, I decided to go ahead with him. He requested for additional funds. I was not willing to part with more funds without seeing the drilling machine on site. He persuaded me that once I move the funds to him, he will bring the machine and move to site and ensure there is good progress on the project. After paying him, it took about two days for him to bring the machine to site. I lost my cool and reached out to him. I practically called him about 2o times within a period of 5 hours, his phone did not go through, always going to voicemail.
Eventually, the next day, they started drilling, I got to site, I could not see any casting machine, I asked Osaz, Osaz said they will use dry mix. I have a supervising engineer on site who at this time became so furious and refused to allow work to proceed until a casting machine is brought to site. Osaz refused to provide a casting machine, stating the cost will be borne by me. I made arrangement for 6 days for casting machine and operator. I paid from my pocket for this. At this point, Osaz had been paid about 78% of the project cost.
My supervising engineer is always on site and was not happy with the handling and execution of the project. Osaz apparently subcontracted the drilling job to someone else and was not there to supervise as he had promised. About the 4th day, 26 pile points had been drilled and casted.
On day 5, Osaz came late in the evening to site and was having challenges paying the caster 10,000. Nobody was supervising the casting process. He charged me over 3 times of what he was paying them. My engineer informed me about this and I was really upset.
I came to site the next morning, the caster informed me that the casting crew are not happy with the rate Osaz is paying them, they had casted 5 points the day before and each of them got 1,000 each. I arranged 6 workers, promised to pay them 2,200 per point, bought shovels and decided to take over the casting as I was really disappointed with the way Osaz was going about the project.
In the Afternoon, I got the greatest shock on this project, the drillers down tooled, Osaz had only paid them for 20 points and they were supposed to be paid for another 20 points before they can proceed. I had to breach protocol, I engaged the drillers because I cannot afford my project to be stalled. (I am also paying for the casting machine on a daily basis) I enquired how much is being owed for the remaining 25 pile points. They told me it is 375,000. I moved 300,000 to the owner of the drilling machine and he immediately directed his boys to commence work. Osaz was no where to be found, he was incommunicado. He had the effrontery to call me and tell me cock and bull stories. I told him I have left him to God but I just had to let people know the type of person this guy is.
AT the end, I paid for the concrete job for the last 12 points, I paid the drillers a sum of N375,000
Net, I lost some money but not so much, Osaz abandoned the job after he had collected a huge chunk of money from me for the project.
He stopped coming to site altogether and most painful is when you call him and his phone does not go through. His is the most irresponsible behavior I have seen in a “professional”. I told him that most of my artisans that are not educated are more reliable and protect their reputation better.
Osaz is not a man of his words, as a feedback, I will never engage Engr Osaz again and if I know anyone that is interested in engaging him, I will advise the party accordingly.
That is my personal experience with this man

Been in the construction field with diverse experience on and off nairaland... served so many Nairalanders till date, I find it so difficult how individuals come in here portraying themselves as Engr,QS,Architect without being certified or even qualified in any way.
It's time, We all make proper consultation on any so called contractor on Nairaland and beyond.

Onyema1:
Hi Guys,

So I am building this 8 bedroom all en suite duplex with gym, laundry room, library, study room, 2 family rooms with 2 bars. I am not in Nigeria. Now the contractor has sent me a quote for the roofing. He said that we will need 1300square meters of shingles for the roofing and estimated the cost per sqm at N3700. Now my guy has given me estimate of about NGN7M including wood, labour and supervision for the roofing alone. I am at a loss as to how we got here. He explained that my house is 3 times the size of normal duplex in Nigeria. Even though the house is gig, I find it hard to believe that it's as big as 3 duplexes. I have seen duplexes roofed with 600sqs or even 800sqs for very big ones, but not 1300sqs. Our process is that he gives me quote for each stage of work, and I send him money to buy the materials and execute. I must say he has been steadfast in execution from foundation until this stage. I am just perplexed as to why roofing alone would cost NGN7M. I am dead now. Can somebody tell me how to verify this? By the way, how much does a sqm of original New Zealand stone coated roofing shingles cost in the eastern part of Nigeria?

Call/WhatsApp 080-85-310-359 for your Roofing Sheet..
Stone coated and Aluminum Roofing..


Current Price of Roofing Sheet in Nigeria.. See here >> https://www.nairaland.com/3364135/roofing-sheets-cost-various-types

adebaxton:


Been in the construction field with diverse experience on and off nairaland... served so many Nairalanders till date, I find it so difficult how individuals come in here portraying themselves as Engr,QS,Architect without being certified or even qualified in any way.
It's time, We all make proper consultation on any so called contractor on Nairaland and beyond.

Seasons greetings Sir.

Hope you're well.

EgunMogaji:


Seasons greetings Sir.

Hope you're well.

Been up and kicking.

A factory For a Nairalander at Ikorodu https://www.nairaland.com/3662091/ongoing-construction-factory-project-nairalander#54245174
and A Country Home for a Nairalander in Awka, Anambra State

Just trying to build up the threads, been very busy.

adebaxton:


Been in the construction field with diverse experience on and off nairaland... served so many Nairalanders till date, I find it so difficult how individuals come in here portraying themselves as Engr,QS,Architect without being certified or even qualified in any way.
It's time, We all make proper consultation on any so called contractor on Nairaland and beyond.

With due respect sir, why don't you show case your job here first for global scrutiny before criticizing other competence?

kopell:
With due respect sir, why don't you show case your job here first for global scrutiny before criticizing other competence?

I do that, At a point I got so fixed up not until today that i just started a thread for the Factory Project for a Nairalander I started since mid last year.