I am glad you all have been given the mandate by the people to Govern your individual states.Now it is time to get down to some serious work.I noticed something about the South west and that is that housing is ridiculously expensive.Our people need proper and affordable housing.I have heard that some few individuals in Nigeria hold the monopoly over the production of construction materials so i will like to suggest an alternative to what is currently obtainable.

[size=30pt]Container Housing[/size]

Yes you heard me right,container housing.The containers which are being used to transport cargo on sea vessels are capable of providing affordable housing for low income earning Nigerians.You Governors should do some research on this idea.I believe that there are a lot of Uk/AUS based contaniner housing fabricators you can invite to Nigeria to help you set up an experimental housing development.I am looking forward to the day Nigerians can be able to buy a 3 bedroom house for just N800,000.


These U.K/AUS based fabricators can be invited to Nigeria to build  affordable container homes to train young Niegrian on how to convert container in residential homes.This of cousre will create cheap housing as well as jobs for some unemployed youths.I will also urge you Governors to allocate some parts of your state where afforable land can sold to low incoime earning people.Land especially in Lagos is discouragingly expensive.I am hoping that this situation can be reversed over the next couple of years.

I am aware that some construction companies in Nigeria like Julius berger provide such housing to their staff but what i am talking is not a temporary residence but a fully fitted permanent homes.I have been in contact with some of these U.K/AUS companies and they have told me that they no have problem going to Nigeria to work on such a project.

After studying this container fabrication idea for the past 2 weeks i realized that these containers can be used to build :

Hostels for University Students

Small community Clinics

Small Apartments

2/3 Bedroom Homes

Small Community Libraries

Small Community Schools

The usage potential of containers are limitless and i am sure more people will come up with more ideas for its usage.


Of course as per Nigeria there is the issue of electrocution that one must take into consideration.I remember when i was growing up in Lagos ,several times when our power line were over loaded the electrical cable in from of house will spark and drop to the ground in front of our gate thereby constitution a dangerous hazard to us.I don't know if such is still happening.If it is i will suggest that all electrical cable around the housing development be passed underground inside hardened plastic tubes to prevent electrical leakage in the estate.


Here is a link to a Google images page displaying several pre built container homes and designs:


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=container+homes&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1600&bih=1109


One more thing,it may be i am asking for too much but i will love to see you guys build a BULLET TRAIN network that connects all the states of the southwest together.Imagine if i could travel from Lagos to Kwara in just 1hr 30 mins or less.More people working in Lagos will be able to travel home regularly to see their relatives and this will greatly reduce roads accidents not to mention the jobs it will create like Train drivers, Train hosts/Hostesses,Train Chefs e.t.c I know it will be expensive because SA spent $3.3 billion to build it's current bullet train network. However you can commercialize the industry.Let say you get 5 different bullet train companies ,they merge together to build the trains and the tracks after which they run their bullet train service independently.They take the money from the passengers and they pay some sort of tax or percentage to the State Governments of the South west as well as the FG.

^-- You mean thus Gautrain stuff? High speed rail isn't going to be economical in naija, I don't think (or in most places in the world without massive subsidies.)

I think the best bet is to try to do 150-160 mile passenger rail using ordinary tracks that can also be used for freight.

Working on a feasibility study/newspaper piece with a friend of mine; hopefully this will get the ball rolling.

The container housing is not a bad idea though.

Can you give some more info? How big is a container? How much does it cost to acquire? How much to retrofit into a home? Etc, etc?

Finally, I thought it is usually land which is the lion's share of the cost of a home, not the actual physical structure.

Hrm, though with cheap container homes, you could replace slum/shanty towns with something clean and neat. Hrm. . .

I think another thing we need is some sort of credit scheme.

Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae sort of thing for the SW. If you make it easier for people to acquire homes on credit, then there will be higher home ownership.

This is a brilliant idea. These containers are dirt cheap!

Why isn't it being done yet in naija?

ekt_bear:

^-- You mean thus Gautrain stuff? High speed rail isn't going to be economical in naija, I don't think (or in most places in the world without massive subsidies.)

I think the best bet is to try to do 150-160 mile passenger rail using ordinary tracks that can also be used for freight.

Working on a feasibility study/newspaper piece with a friend of mine; hopefully this will get the ball rolling.

The container housing is not a bad idea though.

Can you give some more info? How big is a container? How much does it cost to acquire? How much to retrofit into a home? Etc, etc?

Finally, I thought it is usually land which is the lion's share of the cost of a home, not the actual physical structure.

Hrm, though with cheap container homes, you could replace slum/shanty towns with something clean and neat. Hrm. . .

The bullet Train project could be economical if there are no corrupt activities in the allocation of the project.Since the train companies are running the show themselves they will get their money back within 10 years.It is all about planning.It is economical in SA so i don't see why it shouldn't work in Nigeria. As long as they allow the foreign companies to run and manage the system ,it will be solid and reliable.The Government can set up a commission or department to regulate the train fares to keep the companies in check.I just read an article now where they talked about bullet train overtaking airline sales spain because it is affordable and relatively fast.I know it is a long shot but i will really love to see it happen in Nigeria.I ride the Gautrain occasionally when i am lazy to drive and i must say that is unbelievably fast.I don't have to worry about traffic jams or annoying red lights stops.It also allows me to travel to very distant areas i wouldn't go to on a regular basis.It has made my commute around Gauteng very pleasant.

I'm not an expert, I've only been reading lots of articles the past couple of days.

But most of the high-speed rail projects don't seem profitable: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2010/07/26/000334955_20100726032714/Rendered/PDF/558560WP0Box341SR1v08121jul101final.pdf

Gautrain specifically isn't economical: http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/gautrain-will-not-be-a-profitable-venture-economist-2008-08-29

Rather than high speed rail in Yorubaland, we should do 150-160 mile per hour speed rail, on tracks that will allow freight traffic. That is the current sense I have of things. . . I'll let you know how my opinion changes as I gather more information.

Anyway, there is another thread that focuses on transport. . . let's focus here on housing!

Wont people bake in these things?

Gekko:

Wont people bake in these things?

Found this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRq4UJLqLDI

Amazing technology, lol

ekt_bear:

^-- You mean thus Gautrain stuff? High speed rail isn't going to be economical in naija, I don't think (or in most places in the world without massive subsidies.)

I think the best bet is to try to do 150-160 mile passenger rail using ordinary tracks that can also be used for freight.

Working on a feasibility study/newspaper piece with a friend of mine; hopefully this will get the ball rolling.

The container housing is not a bad idea though.

Can you give some more info? How big is a container? How much does it cost to acquire? How much to retrofit into a home? Etc, etc?

Finally, I thought it is usually land which is the lion's share of the cost of a home, not the actual physical structure.

Hrm, though with cheap container homes, you could replace slum/shanty towns with something clean and neat. Hrm. . .

ekt_bear:

This is a brilliant idea. These containers are dirt cheap!

Why isn't it being done yet in naija?

You asked about the sizes of the container? Check out this link it should give some better insight to their sizes : http://www.foreign-trade.com/reference/ocean.cfm

In regards to fitting the containers,prices vary.If you are doing this by yourself ,it will depend on your taste ,architect and which fabricator is helping you to the fit the containers.If the Government wants to do this they will have to go for a cheaper option.What is impotent is the insulation of the containers to protect the inhabitants from heat,cold and static electricity.The fabricators in Malaysia are cheaper than the U.K fabricators but i have not spoken to those guys yet.You can see the second picture in my first post which features a family posing in front of their home in Thailand.I heard you can get a crib like that for under $10,000.Obviously if the government wants to do this ,they will build houses in mass numbers and the fabricators will of course offer them huge discount.

It will be nice if they can produce :

1 bedroom units and sell for around R500,000 (fully fitted with toiled ,kitchen e.t.c)

2 Bedroom units and sell for around R700,00 (fully fitted with Bathroom,Kitchen e.t.c)

3 Bedroom units and sell for around N1,000,000 (fully fitted with bathroom ,Kitchen e.t.c)


Obviously if the Government can bring in fabricators to set up a technical school where Nigerians can learn the trade,we will enjoy cheaper options in the near future.You know we Nigerians are fats learners.

The Governors collective Goal for the SW should be 1 Man, 1 House.This unit can also be powered by Solar panels so it does not need to be connected to the national Grid.This is eco friendly housing at its best.The major issue is LAND.Can the Government sell affordable lands ,i mean lands for like N20,000 ? A Government project of this nature should only be made available to people who have never owned any property before ,this will give the low income earners who never believed they will ever own a house life in their lives a chance to own one at a minimal cost.

P.S Have you ever thought Dolphinm estate in Ikhyi? I mean how the pr fabgricated walls look like container walls?  

Dolphin estate was a brilliant idea but it defeated its own purpose because it was not affordable.They have started manufacturing prefabricated container homes now in Europe but they are  also very expensive as compared to fitted shipping containers.Below are two videos i will like you to watch:

First Video : These guys ( www.urbanspace.com) are one of the pioneers of container housing and their buildings are relatively cheap to buy or rent:

[flash=425,344]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65C9OLvmjpI?fs=1&hl=en[/flash]


Second Video : These Container are built and fabricated from scratch.They are beautifully fitted but unfortunately expensive.

[flash=425,344]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9UiaGp1y3I?fs=1&hl=en[/flash]

ekt_bear:

Found this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRq4UJLqLDI

Amazing technology, lol

Thanks for sharing this video ,i agree amazing stuff.Anyways ,one won't expect anything less from NASA.

[flash=425,344]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRq4UJLqLDI?fs=1&hl=en[/flash]

ekt_bear:

Found this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRq4UJLqLDI

Amazing technology, lol

Fascinating, so the answer is Supertherm Ceramic insulation that reflects heats.  We have the most the resources to construct these structures and it will be perfect mobile clinics, shops etc.  Culturally, i can't see Nigerians wanting to live in these boxes. Good find!'

Gekko:

Fascinating, so the answer is Supertherm Ceramic insulation that reflects heats. We have the most the resources to construct these structures and it will be perfect mobile clinics, shops etc. Good find!

Exactly ,let us just hope they are listening.They can't give us excuses when there are cheap solutions like these.

@playmode: Keep posting here and answering people's questions. But at some point, you should write up an op-ed and submit it to a newspaper. Get this to Fashola and cos attention, let everyone in the SW become aware of the possibility and demand it from the government.

If we can meet this $5,000-10,000 price point for nice, modern homes, then that would be a wonderful, wonderful thing. That is a low enough price for a short mortgage scheme to become feasible.

Regarding land. . . remember the mighty land use act! Land can be found.

ekt_bear:

@playmode: Keep posting here and answering people's questions. But at some point, you should write up an op-ed and submit it to a newspaper. Get this to Fashola and cos attention, let everyone in the SW become aware of the possibility and demand it from the government.

If we can meet this $5,000-10,000 price point for nice, modern homes, then that would be a wonderful, wonderful thing. That is a low enough price for a short mortgage scheme to become feasible.

Regarding land. . . remember the mighty land use act! Land can be found.

You are right bro,that is a very good idea.I try to do that.

You are also right about the mortgage scheme,our people deserve to start enjoying the real fruits of a genuine democracy.


Check out this massive house in Malaysia for middle income to higher income earners.It estimated to cost below $45 per square feet.

Here is the link to the article : http://www.containerhome.info/building-in-malaysia.html?show=slide

[flash=425,344]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IVYfdeNwnQ?fs=1&hl=en[/flash]


You can get a lot info from this website : http://www.containerhome.info

playmode:

Exactly ,let us just hope they are listening.They can't give us excuses when there are cheap solutions like these.

Playmode, here is another website you can check out for unique housing ideas if aren't aware already,

http://inhabitat.com/

I'd like to see a breakdown of how they reached that $45 figure. Hmm

And what is the current cost like per square foot in say Nigeria, or the western world via traditional construction?

Gekko:

Playmode, here is another website you can check out for unique housing ideas if aren't aware already,

http://inhabitat.com/

Nice one bro,please keep them coming ,all ideas are welcome. 

ekt_bear:

I'd like to see a breakdown of how they reached that $45 figure. Hmm

And what is the current cost like per square foot in say Nigeria, or the western world via traditional construction?

I will love to see that too,i will search for the company's details and write to them to provide me more details.I am not sure of what the current cost of house per square feet in Nigeria.I will like to use Mowe Ofada for the comparison as it is the most Affordable area in the Lagos - Ogun region.

how much is a container please ?

lol both container house and any kind all is build for igbos to come and pay high rent.

It is sad that Malaysia was at same level as Nigeria 50 years ago, but now they have surpassed us. They now export more palm oil than us, even though they learned from us!

EzeUche__:

It is sad that Malaysia was at same level as Nigeria 50 years ago, but now they have surpassed us. They now export more palm oil than us, even though they learned from us!

and who's fault is that ? if not PDP and tribalism

a country where we can not all work together without a group trying to surpas the other

alj harem:

how much is a container please ?

It depends on where you are buying from.

Below there are the average values attained by shipping container prices:

Prices for purchasing new storage container: prices vary between $2,300 and 3,300;

prices for purchasing used shipping containers: starting from $500 and reaching the maximum of $2,500, depending on the degree to which the containers have been reconditioned.

In Nigeria i believe it should be cheaper,but once the Sea port agents/companies realize what people are using it for the price might skyrocket,naija style.That is my only fear.Only government can step in to regulate the price so that greedy businessmen do not turn this container option in to a rich people's only housing option.I remember when i was still in lagos ,many guys who used to import cars from Europe used to leave their shipping containers in their compounds or on the side of the street unattended.

I am sure if you drive around Lagos for example ,you will find a few shipping containers that were just abandoned.

alj harem:

and who's fault is that ? if not PDP and tribalism

a country where we can not all work together without a group trying to surpas the other

I blame the North. As the world can see, it is the weakest link. Southern Nigeria would be a much more prosperous place if we did not have to worry about the North.

EzeUche__:

I blame the North. As the world can see, it is the weakest link. Southern Nigeria would be a much more prosperous place if we did not have to worry about the North.

we should not push blame on any group

let us all see how we can work together, whether north or south

the funny thing is that if we can not work together, we are not going anywhere

Affordable office building.Exterior.

ERR, let's not derail this thread into North/South bullsh1t. Housing only.


@Playmode: I just called a few companies around my area, the containers cost quite a bit more than I thought. Used 20 footer is $2600, used 40 footer is $3700. From this, it basically makes no sense to do any projects involving 20 footers, I think. . . everything should be 40 footer if you want to save money.

EDIT: I called exactly 2 companies, not "a few." So maybe shopping around more would give better results. But I'm wondering if steel prices have gone up or something, so those old prices listed on these sites might not be as accurate. Or maybe I'm just in the wrong location, where there aren't many used containers available.

EDIT #2: Yeah, I think steel prices must have gone up. See the prices listed in the recent Time magazine article: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2047072,00.html

ekt_bear:

ERR, let's not derail this thread into North/South bullsh1t. Housing only.


@Playmode: I just called a few companies around my area, the containers cost quite a bit more than I thought. Used 20 footer is $2600, used 40 footer is $3700. From this, it basically makes no sense to do any projects involving 20 footers, I think. . . everything should be 40 footer if you want to save money.

EDIT: I called exactly 2 companies, not "a few." So maybe shopping around more would give better results. But I'm wondering if steel prices have gone up or something, so those old prices listed on these sites might not be as accurate. Or maybe I'm just in the wrong location, where there aren't many used containers available.

Wow that is a little bit high.Hopefully you can get it cheaper elsewhere.Don't you think if Government was involved ,they will be able to get it cheaper especially if it is a mass order,maybe as low as $2000 for a 40 foot high cube container.Perhaps if the Ajaokuta steel project was complete ,they could just manufacture the containers locally to custom specifications.

___________________________

Office building.Exterior

^--- See my second edit above. You might want to google and call your local companies too, see how much they are charging.

ekt_bear:

^--- See my second edit above. You might want to google and call your local companies too, see how much they are charging.

Ok i will do that tomorrow,i am based in Johannesburg which is landlocked.Durban is where SA's busiest sea ports are so i will call some of those Durban shipping companies tomorrow to find out the prices.

playmode:


You asked about the sizes of the container? Check out this link it should give some better insight to their sizes : http://www.foreign-trade.com/reference/ocean.cfm

In regards to fitting the containers,prices vary.If you are doing this by yourself ,it will depend on your taste ,architect and which fabricator is helping you to the fit the containers.If the Government wants to do this they will have to go for a cheaper option.What is impotent is the insulation of the containers to protect the inhabitants from heat,cold and static electricity.The fabricators in Malaysia are cheaper than the U.K fabricators but i have not spoken to those guys yet.You can see the second picture in my first post which features a family posing in front of their home in Thailand.I heard you can get a crib like that for under $10,000.Obviously if the government wants to do this ,they will build houses in mass numbers and the fabricators will of course offer them huge discount.

It will be nice if they can produce :

1 bedroom units and sell for around R500,000 (fully fitted with toiled ,kitchen e.t.c)

2 Bedroom units and sell for around R700,00 (fully fitted with Bathroom,Kitchen e.t.c)

3 Bedroom units and sell for around N1,000,000 (fully fitted with bathroom ,Kitchen e.t.c)


Obviously if the Government can bring in fabricators to set up a technical school where Nigerians can learn the trade,we will enjoy cheaper options in the near future.You know we Nigerians are fats learners.

The Governors collective Goal for the SW should be 1 Man, 1 House.This unit can also be powered by Solar panels so it does not need to be connected to the national Grid.This is eco friendly housing at its best.The major issue is LAND.Can the Government sell affordable lands ,i mean lands for like N20,000 ? A Government project of this nature should only be made available to people who have never owned any property before ,this will give the low income earners who never believed they will ever own a house life in their lives a chance to own one at a minimal cost.

P.S Have you ever thought Dolphinm estate in Ikhyi? I mean how the pr fabgricated walls look like container walls?  

Dolphin estate was a brilliant idea but it defeated its own purpose because it was not affordable.They have started manufacturing prefabricated container homes now in Europe but they are  also very expensive as compared to fitted shipping containers.Below are two videos i will like you to watch:

First Video : These guys ( www.urbanspace.com) are one of the pioneers of container housing and their buildings are relatively cheap to buy or rent:

[flash=425,344]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65C9OLvmjpI?fs=1&hl=en[/flash]


Second Video : These Container are built and fabricated from scratch.They are beautifully fitted but unfortunately expensive.

[flash=425,344]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9UiaGp1y3I?fs=1&hl=en[/flash]

I like this part. Well done.

Container Residential Apartment Building - France.