₦airaland Forum

presiade:
That's my point- land utility would be low, as you have in your design. He intends to build a main building and a boys-quarters but such land would not permit that.

meohio7777:
Good evening House, I got this quotation for a Septic Tank Size 12 BY 12 and 8 FT DEPTH in a water log area. I want to know how reasonable this is. Thanks
1 TONS OF 12 MM .......................N237,000
8MM IRON..10 PCS@ 1500............N15,000
BINDING WIRE HALF ROLL @........N 8,000
IRON BENDER WORKMANSHIP.......N46,000
SINKING SEPTIC TANK.................N68,000
FILLING INSIDE SEPTIC TANK.......N45,000
CEMENT 68 BAGS @2700.............N183,600 (DANGOTE)
WATER PROOF CEMENTS @ 1000 X 20BAGS...N20,000
WATER PROOF LYLON................. N15,000
BRICLAYER
=======
CASTING WORKMANSHIP.............N35,000

CAPENTER
=======
2 BY 3 PLANKS @N300 X 60................N18,000
1 BY 12 PLANKS @N1450 X 84...............N121,800
NAILS 3 INCH HALF BAG @N5000...........N5,000
WORKMANSHIP.....................................N35,000
40 TONS OF SHARP SAND @45K PER 20 TONS....N90,000
GRANITES 20 TONS @60K PER 10 TONS.....N120,000
TOTAL.....................................................N1,062,400

Thanks again.

Daboomb:
Hmmm.. this probelm can be very frustrating, my friend went through hell, before he sorted his own.
I was with him all the way because 'l told him what does not have mouth, cannot be wiser than two intelligent adults'.

I want to see if l can request him to post me his pictures, so l can share it here.

- Since the leak is from the side edges, it is due to hydrostatic pressure from underground water.
- The more you seal it, the more the pressure increase, as water must find its way.
- Nothing can stop that pressure, except the type of 'instant dry cement mix' used in consturcting bridges but you are not Julius Berger so you wont have that.

Here are what you need to do:

Requirement: Concrete mix sealant like HydroSeal. (Contact this guy, Peter Olabode 07060415187. A 5Litre keg was 16K)
One length of 3" pipe. A few Bags of Cement. Enough PVC Construction Nylon to cover the base of the tank. Sand, some Granite and Iron Rods.

1. You are buying Concrete Sealant which you will mix with the Cement mixture, used in flooring the base.

2. You are going to lose some depth since the problem is already there. Leave the side leakage alone, let it leak.
You will be creating a completely NEW BASE. (But you can save cost by reducing the amount of iron since the first/current base is strong enough to prevent collapse but not enough to prevent water ingress.)

3. Get a good, working Water pumping machine on ground. You will need this to pump water continiously for at least the first 12hrs and intermittently afterwards, depending on how quickly the water returned.

Important: The 'sucking' rigid hose of the pump (the hose part that sucks the water from ground into the pump machine) should be less than 3". You will need to remove the strainer at the end, so it can enter a 3" Pipe.
Suck all the water out first and then proceed as below.

4. Put 6" blocks, randomly on the current floor of the tank (about 12 to 18 blocks will do, depending on the size of your tank(let us call this floor, 'floor 1', for easy nomenclature). The new one will be called 'floor 2'.
The blocks will support the new wooden base of 'floor 2' while also allowing water to pass around between them.
Dont crowd the floor too much with blocks but put enough to support the weight of the new floor and the person who will be casting it!

5. Put 1x12" wooden planks on the blocks to form a platform, so the new platform has a height of one block, above the old 'floor 1'.

6. Using a plum-line, mark out a new baseline for the tank (all around the walls, just along the plank line).

7. Chisel about 2" deep (horizontally and vertically into the wall, all round the tank wall, at the edges of where the wooden platform will start from.
The idea is to create a good bond between the wall and the tank base you are about to construct so that the water does not have a 'direct route' upwards, when it tries to come up.

8. Cut a hole at the centre of the wooden platform, just let it be big enough to allow you to insert the 3" Pipe. No bigger, No smaller please.
Important: dont cut the hole at the side, water pressure is greater at the sides and more difficult to manage! Pumping machine hose will also be difficult to handle, from the sides.

9. Lay the PVC Nylon on the wooden platform. Leave enough Nylon at the sides so you can push them into the crevase you chiseled earlier. This is to increase the difficulty of the water in sneaking past the the tank wall and make it even more water-tight.

10. Cut out a 4.5ft length of the 3" pipe.
Important: dont cut longer (difficulty ot handle).
Dont cut shorter (it wont likely hold the water long enough and the water will come back to spoil the job).
4.5ft is just about the best length.

11. Insert this pipe into the hole cut into the wooden platform.
Let it tilt at an angle of about 60-degrees to the floor (or 30-degrees from the vertical).
chuck all the surrounding edges where the pipe meets the wooden platform with more PVC Nylon.
All the excess Nylon will be buried within the Cement, when you are doing the flooring.
Dont let any of them stick out otherwise, that is where the leakage will come from.

12. Put some iron rods on the wooden platform, enough to give the new tank base some/enough strength (a few rods, criss-crossed will do. nothing elaborate)

Now that you have prepared the floor,
13. Insert the pump's hose into the 3" pipe, let it touch the old floor (floor 1) and suck out ALL the water that would have accumulated between the blocks and the wooden platform.
Leave the hose inside the 3" pipe and start the pump once in while, maybe every 15-20mins, depending on how quikly the water rises.

14. Mix adequate amount of Cement with Sand, that can give you a tank base thickness of about 3" - 4".
Add a few granites to it (not too much as to make it too dry or have air pockets/holes! ).
Add adequate cement please so that it can pour in a manner that will fill all hole/air gaps and so it can dry quickly!
Shovel the mixture properly to give you a good mix.

15. Add the rquired amount of HydroSeal (as per instructions on the Container), to 'enough water' in a bucket.
This is the water you will use to mix the Sand-Cement-Granite mixture.
Stir properly and pour into the Cement mixture.
Mix properly and add enough of this Hydroseal/water to the Cement mixture until you have a good slurry that is wet enough to 'pour'. (Dont know how to better explain this but the mixture must not hold shape, when shoveled into a head pan, it must stretch-out like a slurry).

16. Pour this onto the wooden Platform.
Let the Bricklayer work it into the chiselled edges properly and around the 3' Pipe.
Keep pumping out the water from under the platform, through the 3' Pipe.

17. As long as you keep pumping out the water through the 3" pipe, never allowing it to get to the level of the new platform, for at least 18-24 hours, (when the misture should begin to be strong enough to withstand some pressure), you will be okay.

keep pumping for about two days. The water will start rising through the pipe and may even spillover through it, ONTO the new flooring!
You may see some of this water and other water on the new tank base but dont worry about them, that is just the Cement 'spitting out' the water you used in mixing it (my friend nearly has a heart attack when he saw this water the next day, thinking the thing has failed again! )

18. keep mopping and drying-off all the water on the new floor (dont crak it with your weight, if it is not yet strong enough to carry a humanbeing).
Watch it for another day but this time, pump-off the water rising through the 3" pipe and dont allow it to spill over to the floor, just to ensure there is no leak afterall.
The pressure is what is pushing the water up the pipe and if it were not long enough, it will spill onto the new floor before it is adequately dry and not being dry, it wont be strong enough to withstand the pressure (e go leak!)

19. Finally, Suck out all the water underneath the new floor (floor 2) again and immediately use a lot of PVC to block the pipe (pushed down its length till it is under the floor, upwards till it is about the height of the wooden paltform.
Then pour dry cement down the hole and end it with a mixture of Hydroseal mixed with just dry cement only (No sand, No granite). Dont make it too wet (unlike before), just enough to wet the Cement.
Fill it up all the way to the end of the hole, meaning about 2-3ft above floor level.

20. Cut off any excess pipe after this 3ft.
It should dry-up before the water rises to push it off.

Now you have conquered the water.

NB: I have tried to make this as detailed as possible (long story!), so it can benefit anyone who has the same challenge or anyone about to engage in the process, a first time.
Twice my friend has to break and remove a particular Septic tank becaus just wont stop leaking, until we did it this way.

Daboomb:
Do you put the weather, (temperature the felt will be constantly exposed to), in Nigeria, compared to the UK, into consideration?

Once felt is laid, very low temperatures as obtainable in the UK, keeps it hard and thick.
In Nigeria, a felt that is exposed daily to temperature in the late 30's, everyday, will soon start to melt away (the gum/tar), as we have seen on some houses and even on tarred roads.

What about the suggestion of using a Hydor-sealant, mixed with a little Cement, to refloor the Decking such that it provides a water-repellant layer, ontop of the decking?
That l think should take care of the seepage.

my opinion though, my one cent.

spyder880:
Hello friends, this lovely thread should not be allowed to go scanty, lest it becomes boring. So let me add a few pictures of wall decorations I have seen used on outside walls of buildings in no particular order. This is not an advertisement, but a way to show what is possible in case someone is trying out a bit of design combination, I don't sell these tiles, just feed your imagination and have a happy weekend.

Modified: these tiles sell for about N5,500 per square meter.

gbadexy:
let me help hajji out here.
screeding is done after plastering the building. cement screeding is smoother and better in my opinion. I used to have pictures of cement screeding of different projects but i don't have them anymore. However, I will post pictures of a painted project that cement screeding was used.
just for the record, I don't get involved in any form of screeding, I'm just giving my personal opinion. I've seen countless of pop screeding on sites and I've seen cement screeding and I only speak from my observation.
On a professional level, cement screeding doesn't set fast and won't waste materials.
it's smoother because it has longer open time to work it and has free lime to make it flexible when working before it sets.
water doesn't affect it, and water in paints also combine with the cement to further hydrate it. The water won't evaporate from the wall but would rather be soaked in by the cement to further hydrate it and make it stronger. The paint would therefore be chemically linked with the wall. it's won't peal off easily unlike pop screeding.
There is no cement/sand plaster that can give the level of smoothness as screeding. no matter how many times the sands are sifted.
you only need to compare the aggregate of both. The aggregate in pop emulsion paint used as the aggregate is calcium carbonate powder. you are basically comparing plaster sand to calcium carbonate powder in smoothness.
I've seen very well plastered walls that doesn't require screeding for matte emulsion to be applied on it, however it would still need to be screeded for satin to be applied on it. satin is thin and light and the tiny pores on cement plaster would be obvious and won't give that perfect smooth finish.

modified to include cement screeding

Nwokeomajayb:
Hey guys I’m planning on giving my land it’s title. Please what’s the estimate of completing this 4 bedroom bungalow?
I’ll appreciate that so much. I’m tired of this so called friends quotations. A land of 1.7m they took 3m because I based abroad. Guys I need help here.
I’m even thinking of giving the contract from foundation to above linter level then I’ll take it from there. What do you guys reckon? Which way is more considerable cheaper for me?

Nwokeomajayb:
Hey guys I’m planning on giving my land it’s title. Please what’s the estimate of completing this 4 bedroom bungalow?
I’ll appreciate that so much. I’m tired of this so called friends quotations. A land of 1.7m they took 3m because I based abroad. Guys I need help here.
I’m even thinking of giving the contract from foundation to above linter level then I’ll take it from there. What do you guys reckon? Which way is more considerable cheaper for me?

Nwokeomajayb:
Hey guys I’m planning on giving my land it’s title. Please what’s the estimate of completing this 4 bedroom bungalow?
I’ll appreciate that so much. I’m tired of this so called friends quotations. A land of 1.7m they took 3m because I based abroad. Guys I need help here.
I’m even thinking of giving the contract from foundation to above linter level then I’ll take it from there. What do you guys reckon? Which way is more considerable cheaper for me?

Nwokeomajayb:
Hey guys I’m planning on giving my land it’s title. Please what’s the estimate of completing this 4 bedroom bungalow?
I’ll appreciate that so much. I’m tired of this so called friends quotations. A land of 1.7m they took 3m because I based abroad. Guys I need help here.
I’m even thinking of giving the contract from foundation to above linter level then I’ll take it from there. What do you guys reckon? Which way is more considerable cheaper for me?

Nwokeomajayb:
Hey guys I’m planning on giving my land it’s title. Please what’s the estimate of completing this 4 bedroom bungalow?
I’ll appreciate that so much. I’m tired of this so called friends quotations. A land of 1.7m they took 3m because I based abroad. Guys I need help here.
I’m even thinking of giving the contract from foundation to above linter level then I’ll take it from there. What do you guys reckon? Which way is more considerable cheaper for me?

Bimpsyyyyy:
This is when a quantity surveyor comes in, i dont no why we neglect them in construction. Oga, you can build abroad and nobody will cheat you or cut corners with your money. You need an architectural drawing, i will give you a bill of quantities, a bill of quantities shows the stages in construction with amount spent and the total amount.

Dennis3D:
Is the quote for foundation alone or for the entire building?

jabolo:
In my opinion, and from recent experience, paying for a QS in this price-dynamic market is a waste of resources.

I'm not trying to put sand sand in your garri but I think I've only looked at my original BofQ once or twice before deciding it was junk. I've spent almost double the original estimate.

If I was doing it again, I will come to a place like this, or any other builders' gatherings, to ask about prices for other people's projects and set my budget accordingly.

Again, in my experience, no fighting.

gabbytabby:
Where is your project and what type of soil There is conflict on costing need for blocks versus digging cost and others.

Rubbiish:
It is normal practice sir.
Hardcore is also another alternative, but nylon still remains the best if u ask me, due to its high water resistance level.

meetmonde:
how big is 50/40 piece of land and what kind of structure can be developed on it and at what estimate cost please.. anyone with idea should help me out please.. thanks and God bless in advance

shelliz:
Good day all. Please i need the help of this honorable thread to help me cross check the 2 lists that were given to me by 2 différent Électrical engineers for the initial électrical piping work of my project. The différence in prices is enormous, i am a complete novice in this field and would need your help. The plan of my project is below. Thanks in advance .

ENGINEER 1
 8 Digniti pipe 20mm uk = 6500 × 8 =52000
1 A$B 18 fuse = 25000
 1 A$B 12 fuse = 16500
2 original cooker box = 1500 × 2 = 3000
3 main bush 20mm = 1200 ×3 = 3600
3 copular 20 mm = 1200 × 3 = 3600
8 pcs of Adaptable Box = 400 × 8 = 3200
17 Mk Box = 700 × 17 = 11,900
6 Ubox = 1200 × 6 = 7200
Nails 3inches 8 pans = 200 × 8 = 1600
Cement = #2550
Labour = #60,000

TOTAL = #192, 150

ENGINEER 2
  25mm pipe (15) at #170 × 15 = #2550
 20mm pipe 2 bundle = #5000
McB (3 phase 12 ways) = #25,000
mcb (1 phase 8 ways) #15,000
 Cooker box (2)= 800 ×2 = #1600
10 Mk box 3/6 (10) = 100× 10 = #1000
M box 3/3 (8pack) =500× 8 = #4000
Conduit box (2pack)= 1500 × 2 =  #3000
Adaptable box 6/6 = #1000
 Labour  #40,000

 TOTAL = #98150

earthrealm:
wouldnt this form a thin layer btw the foundation and decking??, and make the cement not to be continous/separate easily.
my builder said he doesnt like using it/not necessary, when i pushed for it, cos i hate that water sepage issue. claiming that several builds he has done..he didnt use it..and no issues. that he ensures his dpc is well done to prevent the water rising

i hv seen on this thread that people use it in foundation and decking

Rubbiish:
@bold no sir.
i am afraid your builder is wrong.
How does he ensures his dpc is well done to avoid water sepage without using damp proof membrane?