What we want now, is someone to walk the talk. Someone to bring his land, money and lets build him a house with all these methods we are describing her, I know it will work perfectly, but who will bell the cat?

1. Foundation without over-site concrete
2. Slim partitioning walls made with anything but Nigerian bricks
3. Clay pot decking
4. No chain lintels
5. Aluminium parapet fascia
6. Aluminium roofing supports

Volunteers wanted urgently

KolaShangOne:


True. Quality of blocks need to improve. That's why I bought a block making machine as part of my equipments.. I started making just 30blocks per bag and had to pay more for sand from Bakoto. But it was expensive. The client couldn't afford it all through..

one day client called me and said "for the next building we are going to do, I will like to buy Ogo Oluwa blocks at 140". I just smiled and said OKay sir..

nice one

ckenneths:
What we want now, is someone to walk the talk. Someone to bring his land, money and lets build him a house with all these methods we are describing her, I know it will work perfectly, but who will bell the cat?

1. Foundation without over-site concrete
2. Slim partitioning walls made with anything but Nigerian bricks
3. Clay pot decking
4. No chain lintels
5. Aluminium parapet fascia
6. Aluminium roofing supports

Volunteers wanted urgently

Storey 4 the gods

erico2k2:

how about this method of slab?
,there is o ne hard part to it though

I brought this up on the https://www.nairaland.com/2406381/ask-all-questions-building-foundations thread

One of my houses in California was built with a floor similar to this.

I watch a lot of Brit building shows and this seems popular in UK.

EgunMogaji:


Granted I don't know as much as most folks on here but this is what I know:

Unless I'm onsite and supervising the block making mixture then I simply cannot trust the strength of the blocks. That's if I can even trust the cement mixture itself - groaaan.

I'll rather spend the money now than later after I've moved in and all my shyte is in there.

Bross I B think say I harsh, U harsh pass me

EgunMogaji:


Granted I don't know as much as most folks on here but this is what I know:

Unless I'm onsite and supervising the block making mixture then I simply cannot trust the strength of the blocks. That's if I can even trust the cement mixture itself - groaaan.

I'll rather spend the money now than later after I've moved in and all my shyte is in there.

And that is why structural guys are adding as much columns as possible for supports. And even the strong solid blocks we are talking about, are they cheap? What made them produce the lower quality is us, when the owner beats down the whole prices?

ckenneths:
What we want now, is someone to walk the talk. Someone to bring his land, money and lets build him a house with all these methods we are describing her, I know it will work perfectly, but who will bell the cat?

1. Foundation without over-site concrete
2. Slim partitioning walls made with anything but Nigerian bricks
3. Clay pot decking
4. No chain lintels
5. Aluminium parapet fascia
6. Aluminium roofing supports

Volunteers wanted urgently

What about you Guvnor?

Have your wealthy land buyers pitch together and build a recreation hall in your community there

EgunMogaji:


What about you Guvnor?

Have your wealthy land buyers pitch together and build a recreation hall in your community there

I will try as always, but nobody will want to risk government chasing him around because of a failed work, so they might refuse.

EgunMogaji:


I brought this up on the https://www.nairaland.com/2406381/ask-all-questions-building-foundations thread

One of my houses in California was built with a floor similar to this.

I watch a lot of Brit building shows and this seems popular in UK.

Yes sir, this is what they use here, you know the british with their economization lol,they are finding new ways of reducing weight without compromising quality.However with strict building rules these slabs seem to rest on Steel H beams.U know i was saying there is just one problem,these requires heavy lift.So thats back to the Crane.

KolaShangOne:


True. Quality of blocks need to improve. That's why I bought a block making machine as part of my equipments.. I started making just 30blocks per bag and had to pay more for sand from Bakoto. But it was expensive. The client couldn't afford it all through..

one day client called me and said "for the next building we are going to do, I will like to buy Ogo Oluwa blocks at 140". I just smiled and said OKay sir..

How much is the block?

Did you offer it to us on here or just to limited audience like clients?

If it's adequately priced, I'll decide after calculating price of materials and adding a prudent amount for labour, then I'll buy enough to do my foundation. Even if it's made of titanium alloy, there's still a price point for us consumers.

Here is my idea as regards block.Contractors stop using your eyes to gauge the amount of sand you need to mix one bag of cement,.Moulders stop pouring cement on a trip of sand and just mix from there thinking you can just shovel the right percentage needed.I think if you want a constant mix of cement sand and water to make blocks the best and only way is to put all three ingredient unto a mixer and mould with the resultant mix until this is done, no two blocks will carry equal strength, ie 1 bag of cement +xyz amount of sand and required water. am i correct or not?

erico2k2:

Bross I B think say I harsh, U harsh pass me

When I start building my foundation you guys are all going to have a hearty laugh on me.

"What does this Baba Ijebu think he's building, miniature Cocoa House?" because I'll be overbuilding.

I'll worry about armed robbers, snakes, or festival, etc the last thing I want to be worried about when I lay my head down on the pillow is if the whole shebang is going to come down. And some homes have come down in Ibadan.

I have a picture somewhere of a 2 study house under construction that just tipped the frack over, I mean completely in tact

erico2k2:
Here is my idea as regards block.Contractors stop using your eyes to gauge the amount of sand you need to mix one bag of cement,.Moulders stop pouring cement on a trip of sand and just mix from there thinking you can just shovel the right percentage needed.I think if you want a constant mix of cement sand and water to make blocks the best and only way is to put all three ingredient unto a mixer and mould with the resultant mix until this is done, no two blocks will carry equal strength, ie 1 bag of cement +xyz amount of sand and required water. am i correct or not?

You are correct, but let me add that even when you use equal ratios and a mechanized mixing system, the results might still come out wrong if the operators are bad or packing wrongly done, many blocks crack at the point of lifting after they have been made.

And this is why I am careless about manual or vibrated blocks, some vibrated block makers will add more sand and hope the vibration will somehow make the blocks stronger,

KolaShangOne:
Talking about overbuilding or imposing so much weight on foundations, I talked about the use of clay pots in my other thread and wanted Hajj Mufutau to volunteer his project for a residential test-run but FEAR FACTOR and Hajj pulled out.

Most home owners are afraid to try new methods and techniques.. I know EgunMogaji will disagree but its true. Its not their fault though because quacks abound and there's no punishment for failure or even killing people by a collapsed building.

Case of the Popular church that killed over 100 people. Both the. church owner and contractor are still walking free till today.

This is the era of change.. so new, practicable ideas are always welcome.

Trust me Sir, I'm up for trying new ideas. But they have to make sense to me as a non builder.

I just want to make those creative attempts in places where they can be easily corrected. Foundation once done is mostly done. We can change the roof coverings, the paint, doors and windows but not foundation.

The day you change foundation though.. That day won't come.

erico2k2:

how about this method of slab?
,there is o ne hard part to it though

Looks like steel slab.
One major disadvantage of using steel for construction in Nigeria is HEAT. The kind of sun that beats us here ehn, after blocks and concrete absorbs heat during d day, then NEPA takes light during the night, my broda U go sleep for outside or run the gen all night..

Also, iron expands when subjected to heat. Even wood. During harmattan here, wood contracts. Take your mind back to linear expansivity in Physics. Its actually a very good alternative talking about going green.

EgunMogaji:

Trust me Sir, I'm up for trying new ideas. But they have to make sense to me as a non builder.

There are so many alternative building methods to explore and I'm always using my personal project as a test model.

For instance, why must we do coping on fences? I even proposed this to one of my client recently and he felt I'm speaking tongues.

But here's what I did on my own fence. Ornamental works and we used some damaged PVC sheets to cover the block hollows and do a light cement screed over it. In the long run, I was able to save the cost of carpentary, iron bender, caster, plastering and the various material costs because the new method doesn't require this. And it's more beautiful!

Pics below:

1. Pic of a fence I found on Internet.
2 & 3. Installation pics
4. The fence after painting.

EgunMogaji:


Trust me Sir, I'm up for trying new ideas. But they have to make sense to me as a non builder.

I just want to make those creative attempts in places where they can be easily corrected. Foundation once done is mostly done. We can change the roof coverings, the paint, doors and windows but not foundation.

Oga EgunMogaji.. Don't use Sir for me o.. Youre making feel like a colleague.. I'm still very far from retirement age

I agree. Foundations are the most important part of the house and should be the most expensive..

About the blocks, its actually based on request. I had the client tell me how many he wants us to make per bag of cement, took my own and calculated the cost for him.

@ericko2k2 Oga I don't know if they have been duping us oo.. But those machines are almost double the cost you posted above..

KolaShangOne:

Oga EgunMogaji.. Don't use Sir for me o.. Youre making feel like a colleague.. I'm still very far from retirement age

That is a "Colonial Master" way of bribing you in advance for that your "Engineer" we are going to be fighting about soon.

Hajji M.

brabus:

But here's what I did on my own fence. Ornamental works and we used some damaged PVC sheets to cover the block hollows and do a light cement screed over it. In the long run, I was able to save the cost of carpentary, iron bender, caster, plastering and the various material costs because the new method doesn't require this. And it's more beautiful!

I like this alternative way of doing the coping... so what type of PVC was used.... may be more pics of the installations will provide more lectures. Thanks.

Hajji M.

mufutau55:


That is a "Colonial Master" way of bribing you in advance for that your "Engineer" we are going to be fighting about soon.

Hajji M.

I'm on the floor in laughter over here

My coworkers knows me well, they say anytime I call them Sir or Guvnor or Chief that a favor is coming up

EgunMogaji:


I've been a long term proponent of other than concrete lintels on here. We can use steel for lintel. Heck wood can be used on small spans.

The lack of strength of local blocks, some not all, is real.

Also the already doubtful strength of the block is now compromised at plumbing and electrical stage by having life bashed out of them by Monsuru and Alimi

www.nairaland.com/attachments/2791566_rps20150827183315_jpege21c2f90f795211a62e90491c45418cf

KolaShangOne:


Looks like steel slab.
One major disadvantage of using steel for construction in Nigeria is HEAT. The kind of sun that beats us here ehn, after blocks and concrete absorbs heat during d day, then NEPA takes light during the night, my broda U go sleep for outside or run the gen all night..

Also, iron expands when subjected to heat. Even wood. During harmattan here, wood contracts. Take your mind back to linear expansivity in Physics. Its actually a very good alternative talking about going green.

Nah they are concrete slabs moulds. I shall try and take foto of a real life one.I know where they are using them near my house..

KolaShangOne:


Oga EgunMogaji.. Don't use Sir for me o.. Youre making feel like a colleague.. I'm still very far from retirement age

I agree. Foundations are the most important part of the house and should be the most expensive..

About the blocks, its actually based on request. I had the client tell me how many he wants us to make per bag of cement, took my own and calculated the cost for him.

@ericko2k2 Oga I don't know if they have been duping us oo.. But those machines are almost double the cost you posted above..

I shall post exact dale page and even give U numbers to call.as at today's rate the naira is trading 350 to the pound. It's my bed time now.I shall get bck to you 2morrow. Good night everyone and God bless.

EgunMogaji:

I'm on the floor in laughter over here
My coworkers knows me well, they say anytime I call them Sir or Guvnor or Chief that a favor is coming up

I know and can read you like money... we are both born in Ibadan o.

Hajji M.

KolaShangOne:
Talking about overbuilding or imposing so much weight on foundations, I talked about the use of clay pots in my other thread and wanted Hajj Mufutau to volunteer his project for a residential test-run but FEAR FACTOR and Hajj pulled out.

I wasn't that scared o. If it could save me money on the decking and safe I would have gone for it.
But Abdulwastecx whom I trusted to do it is very busy in East and North to come to Lagos, and I don't know anyone else I could trust or anyone that ever even mentioned that "clay ribbed slab" to me. Also as a poor man, taking risk with new implementation without engaging a good professional is not easy, it's costly to fix anything than to construct it. Those are my dilemma. The decking is still not done yet anyway.

Hajji M.

mufutau55:


I like this alternative way of doing the coping... so what type of PVC was used.... may be more pics of the installations will provide more lectures. Thanks.

Hajji M.

I'm not lucky with those old pics. The job was done in early 2013 and painted last year. But the PVCs are just offcuts of the regular types. We just used them to cover the block hollow spaces before pouring the concrete.

brabus:

I'm not lucky with those old pics. The job was done in early 2013 and painted last year. But the PVCs are just offcuts of the regular types.
We just used them to cover the block hollow spaces before pouring the concrete.

Thanks. I will look into way of implementing it. The sides mould is a precast concrete?

Hajji M.

mufutau55:


Thanks. I will look into way of implementing it. The sides mould is a precast concrete?

Hajji M.

Yes it is.

Materials needed:

1. Cement
2. Sharp Sand
3. Plywood (to make the templates)
4. Water
5. Binding wire
6. Concrete Nails
7. PVC sheets or Any other items to cover the block holes.
8. Skilled artisans to cast the precast belts and a bricklayer to finish the top surface.

You can drive down the cost of doing a coping using this method by 50% when you compare the cost with the traditional method and materials needed.

1. Various sizes of planks
2. Nails
3. 8mm or 10mm iron rods
4. Binding wire
5. PVC sheets or any other materials to cover the block holes
6. Sharp sand
7. Gravel or Granite (1/2 inch down)
8. Cement
9. Carpenter
10. Iron bender
11. Casters
12. Bricklayer to plaster after casting
13. Extra cost of plastering

True talk..same here

More of it

rotecch77:
True talk..same here

Oh! Yes Rotecch77. My friend's place. But you did not use PVC for the coping of this, right?
I know you can save me some money on this later anyway...

Hajji M.