Building Stages in Nigeria
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2007
by Emmanuel Omion
http://www.buildingcontractorsecrets.com
At times you get confused on where to start from, how to move and what to do to jumpstart your project. Knowledge of building stages also helps to save time and gives you the opportunity to plan ahead and reduce cost. When you are thinking of building a house what comes to your mind should be in this sequence.
(1) Concerning what type of house you want, what purpose is it going to serve? residential or commercial? or others, this will give you an idea of the location, and the size of land you need to get. It is however important you seek advice from your Architect on what type and size of land can suit your dream of what you are planning. After this you need to see-
(3) Now you need the local town planning authority in your area to make sure that land can be used for the purpose you have in mind and they can give first hand information about development pattern in this area ,Land under Govt acquisition would best be found out here.
(4) Meet the Land surveyor to demarcate your land and draw out the site boundary, he will also put the corner pieces demarcating your land from your neighbour.
(5) The drawings of the land surveyor is what the Architect will use to come out with a befitting plan after talking with you, he may also be responsible for approving the plan in town planning office.
(6) Is now time to move to site, for let's say 2-3 bedroom bungalow at starting, get 2 trips of sand, 2 trips of gravels, look for a secured place you can keep your bags of cement get a tanker or drum where you can always have water to use, after you must have cleared the site. Buy for a starter 1000 blocks or as calculated from your estimation.
(7) It is time of setting out, some bricklayers uses blocks to set out a foundation especially when it is a small building and the ground is level, or your Architect or Builder can collaborate with bricklayer to do this in a more complex plan. They will buy wood, ropes, nails and you have to pay for the services or based on contract as you deem fit.
(8) After setting out digging begins, then concrete is poured round the foundation, then blocks are layed by bricklayer on top of concrete to 3 or more coaches serving as the d.p.c level. It is then filled with sand and rammed (beating to make hard) then oversite concrete or German concrete is poured round to cover the d.p.c (for waterlogged, sloppy or sandy area you may need to apply reinforcements or Iron at the edges of building and nylon-like membrane is used to cover some site especially when there is a threat of water disturbances).
(9) Blocks are now laid to window base, 4 coaches or layers after marking out the doors, then after the 4 coaches you mark out the windows and go another 5 coaches, the entire opening in the house is now ready for concrete lintel.
(10) Get your Iron benders or welders, they will have to make their estimate the carpenter and the bricklayers are all going to work here the welder is responsible for cutting and bringing in the Iron, the carpenter makes the frame or boxes to accommodate the concrete, and the bricklayer with labours or casters pours and see to it that the boxes are properly filled with concrete. After this, add 2 more layers of block and you are ready for roofing.
(11) Get your carpenter, cost the timber or steel for larger projects. The covering roof proper that can be aluminium, asbestos, plastics, galvanised zinc etc.
(12) If you are thinking of conduit wiring or plumbing, then you need the help of electrician and plumbers now, and you can be putting your ceilling after or simultaneously.
Digging of your soakaway pit and connection of pipe services by your plumber should commence, and tillers or terrazo contractor if you are using one comes after plastering by the bricklayer, Electrical work also continues, fixing of door frames, wardrobes by furniture maker, windows and other accessories can also go along based on taste, style or pocket.
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More commentsMr. Emmanuel thank you so much for this write up. Please how can i get in contact with you. I will surely refer my friends to this article.
Hi Emmanuel,Thanks for this write-up..it's very educative and straight forward. I will to findout from you a rough estimate of how much it will cost to make concrete/cast on windows of a four bedroom bungalow. Waiting to hear from you.Thanks.John.Thanks Jones .I am sure you are talking of the lintel, to do that shouldn't take you so much 30-40 thousand naira is ok
thanksss I ve deffinitely learned alot from this. But I would like to contact you cos I ve got lots of projects going on at the moment. Jojo.
Infact u r too much. God bless u.
Thanks Emmanuel for the write up.I am in the process of building in lagos state. Could you inform what type of ceilling materials people are using in nigeria now. What i want is is aclled suspended ceillings pop but i have tried to reasearch it . Not too many nigeria businesses are on the internet and those that are there have poorly designed websites. Also the materials for windows. burglary proof, people who have quoted for me have very different prices that i am confused about the quality and price disparity. kindly inform on these issuesthanks
Thanks Billy, there are a lot of materials that can be used and their prices and quality do varies, but for the ceilling, most of the suspended ceilling works are used for institutional/commercial buildings is rare to see it used for residential but for few cases. Pvc ceilling tiles and pop are the most common now. Windows also depends you can have casement,awning, sliding etc and they also vary in prices. Their will always be disparity except there are specifications design and drawn by an architect. I am an architect so I can design and build for you my username i Nairaland is thirdeye. my phone is 08026228682. Thanks
Thanks Emma you are really God sent in your help with building problems.Am Ann leaving in Germany with my Family of 7,and want to build an upstair at home in imo state with 7rooms+1 big palour with Dinning ,2toilets and2 bathrooms,1 kitchen and a Garage. pls up to how many 9inches blocks will i buy to get this project done?Do you have some beautiful designs that can suit this project using a plot of Land.So happy to recieve your fill back.AnnHi Ann,
Sorry I missed this question one way or the other.
For a 7 rooms you have to look at 7000 blocks of 9 inches allround.
Yes I have fantastic plans that can suit this project my number is08026228682.
thanks
hi Emma,am still chinyere okoro pls am still waiting for your reply to my questions.thanx
hi Emma i really enjoyed ur writeup,u r really God sent. Can u pls help out on d no of cement n blocks needed 4 a 5 bedroom,palour, kitchen,toilet n bathroom jst frm foundation to roofing level. Thank u very much n looking forward 2 ur reply.
Thanks for your write up, it's really helpful. My question is how many block sand how many trips of sand will be enough for two flats house, each three bed rooms.
Thanks
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