Idealer:
Does anybody here have direct live-in experience with a decked roof (house with flat concrete decking as the roof)? I know all the theories for and against but I will like to hear from someone who is actually under one in our climate. I lived in one for a year in Kuwait. it even had a rooftop pool diagonally above me. It was also a 5-floor apartment complex. Utilities were inclusive with rent so the AC was perpetually on hence I cannot use that as a reliable form of reference plus the weather is no were like Naija. In fact, I have often said that if you stay in the middle east for a few weeks you will become born again; my thinking if this is still earth and it is this hot then I definitely don't want to go to hell.

.

iphenon:
Hello, I need advice from Real Estate agents in the house.

For the past few months I've been able to save up to 1.6million naira from my freelance business and I'm still working.
When I told my Parents about the money and how I was thinking of the best way to invest it, they advised me to buy a land. We got a land (100x100ft) at a very good location and already on the verge of paying for it (1.4m)

Now here's my worry. The thought of building a house at this point frightens me. I want to make plans for four units of 3bedroom flat, but I have no idea of how much it would cost me (location: Benin).

My plan is to save like 2m then start building, and take things little by little. Is this a wise decision?

bro 2m for four units of 3bedroom flat you are just scratching the surface, you should think very well, because you need nothing less than 10m(beign modest) to complete that project. Am telling you this so you understand the magnitude of the project you are about to embark on then ask yourself these questions

1. Do i have a consistent and guaranteed income that would provide the money needed to complete this in a number of years?

Mup4life:
bro 2m for four units of 3bedroom flat you are just scratching the surface, you should think very well, because you need nothing less than 10m(being modest) to complete that project. Am telling you this so you understand the magnitude of the project you are about to embark on then ask yourself these questions

1. Do i have a consistent and guaranteed income that would provide the money needed to complete this in a number of years?

Thank you so much. About the source of income, I'd say yes, to an extent.

EgunMogaji:


I'm not an agent but I think that Real Estate has always been a sure buy but you have to do your homework to make sure that you're buying properly.

You can build in steps like I am doing and continue in stages as funds, and time as in my case, permit as long as you don't mind some rabid dogs that may bark themselves hoarse saying it's taking you years to build. Rome wasn't built in a day.

Good luck.

Thank you. Like how much should I be looking at overall for such project?

iphenon:


Thank you so much. About the source of income, I'd say yes, to an extent. I finished from Pharm, still waiting to be posted for internship. For now I'm freelancing, and make on average of 500k, pending when I'd go for internship training - one year, and another year for service. So I'm not in a rush at all, and I don't have any major responsibilities (I'm 24).

per month or per annum?

Mup4life:
per month or per annum?

per month, for now till I stop working

iphenon:
per month, for now till I stop working

Good enough.

iphenon:
Thank you. Like how much should I be looking at overall for such project?

In my opinion, if you look at it in totality you might get discouraged.

If I were you and in your situation this is what I will do.

1) Buy a standard plot of land (where/price/etc is up to you) and immediately fence and gate it. Don't buy it unless you can do this in one shot.

2) Get together with an architect on here to design you a structure that you can build in stages. I recommend Darenyx as an Architect.

If it were me I would design a modern two flat bungalow with a monoslope roof.

4) Get all the paperwork / registration sorted out.

5) Start buying and stocking block, granite and sharp sand as money and time permits.

6) Do the foundation and german floor

7) Raise the walls

Do the roof

You can then focus on one flat, either yours or the other one for a renter.

9) Wire - use good quality made in Nigeria - I did.

10) Plumbing - use good quality made in Nigeria - I did.

11) Do the POP ceiling, the cost is not prohibitive when you shop around properly and it has a fire resistance benefit.

12) Paint

13) Move in or move your renter in first. I prefer you move a renter in first.

14) Use the money collected from the renter to do final finishes on the other flat.

15) Continue to develop your homestead as money and time permits.

Don't look at it like you need N25 million in one go.

Good luck.

For garage and external flooring, Elephant Superset or regular?

Thanks.

Mup4life:
bro 2m for four units of 3bedroom flat you are just scratching the surface, you should think very well, because you need nothing less than 10m(beign modest) to complete that project. Am telling you this so you understand the magnitude of the project you are about to embark on then ask yourself these questions

1. Do i have a consistent and guaranteed income that would provide the money needed to complete this in a number of years?

Problem with most first-time builders is that they usually bite more than they can chew!
They seems to want to impress somebody so they start a "Big project" that they may struggle to finish in a very long time (some even abandon theirs half-way and blame their village witches).


The man in question has saved 1.6M, he has bought land 1.4M and he wants to build FOUR Units of 3-beds flats!

Depending on 'levels' of finishing, you are looking at between 30M to 50M.

Instead of putting yourself under pressure, why not he just build two units of 2-beds or two units of self-contianed, just at one corner of the land.
Later, if you can save like 20M cash, then you can embark on a 'big project', using the land still available.
You are sure of not sweating at it for the next God-knows how long.

Anyway, what do l know sef.

Daboomb:


Problem with most first-time builders is that they usually bite more than they can chew!
They seems to want to impress somebody so they start a "Big project" that they may struggle to finish in a very long time (some even abandon theirs half-way and blame their village witches).


The man in question has saved 1.6M, he has bought land 1.4M and he wants to build FOUR Units of 3-beds flats!

Depending on 'levels' of finishing, you are looking at between 30M to 50M.

Instead of putting yourself under pressure, why not he just build two units of 2-beds or two units of self-contianed, just at one corner of the land.
Later, if you can save like 20M cash, then you can embark on a 'big project', using the land still available.
You are sure of not sweating at it for the next God-knows how long.

Anyway, what do l know sef.

Experience is the best teacher, i was in his shoes bought the land a year ago, decided to do only a 2bed flat and move in when i saw the cost of building.

peterphd:
Hello house, who can help me estimate

1. The cost of interlocking 300m Sq of floor for a compound.

2. The cost of installing a 6m high steel tank support.
Thanks.

PS: What's the opinion of the house on flooring a house using asphalt?

I don't think I've seen a house floored with asphalt. It's a semi solid form of petroleum. It burns. It smells.

KolaShangOne:


I don't think I've seen a house floored with asphalt. It's a semi solid form of petroleum. It burns. It smells.

Some compound of top politicians & churches are floored using asphalt.

KolaShangOne:


I don't think I've seen a house floored with asphalt. It's a semi solid form of petroleum. It burns. It smells.

I think, or maybe hope, that he’s talking about the compound

EgunMogaji:


If I were you and in your situation this is what I will do.

1) Buy a standard plot of land (where/price/etc is up to you) and immediately fence and gate it. Don't buy it unless you can do this in one shot.

This is a tall order in places like Ajah Lagos. From what I see unless you pay close to 10M, you seldom can fence right away in most of the marketed estates especially those that are likely to appreciate significantly due to their low initial buy in.

EgunMogaji:


I think, or maybe hope, that he’s talking about the compound

Yes o, it's the compound

peterphd:


Yes o, it's the compound

My brother, you got us all worried

Good luck on your project.

Idealer:

This is a tall order in places like Ajah Lagos. From what I see unless you pay close to 10M, you seldom can fence right away in most of the marketed estates especially those that are likely to appreciate significantly due to their low initial buy in.

He's in Benin.

I don't even know why they need fences if those estates have a fence and security already.

.

SoulSearching:
Hi guys, please how much does a truckload of gravel cost. how much does a truckload of sand cost?

This depends on location.

.

SoulSearching:
Lagos and Calabar .Please also tell me the size of plot in those two locations .

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just one kind local Ibadan boy. I don't know prices of those lofty areas, just Ibadan.

@Checkitaut will provide at least Lagos prices.

SoulSearching:
Lagos and Calabar .Please also tell me the size of plot in those two locations .

In Nigeria plot sizes are normally 60ft by 120ft or 50ft by 100ft.

.

iphenon:
Hello, I need advice from Real Estate agents in the house.

For the past few months I've been able to save up to 1.6million naira from my freelance business and I'm still working.
When I told my Parents about the money and how I was thinking of the best way to invest it, they advised me to buy a land. We got a land (100x100ft) at a very good location and already on the verge of paying for it (1.4m)

Now here's my worry. The thought of building a house at this point frightens me. I want to make plans for four units of 3bedroom flat, but I have no idea of how much it would cost me (location: Benin).

My plan is to save like 2m then start building, and take things little by little. Is this a wise decision?

Very good decision young man you have take, a journey of 100 years start with a step. I hope the don't have land dispute issue in that location. Never pay for land and leave it on developed even if 2 rooms with a toilet is what you can afford for now, stat building it tommorow morning. To have complete possession of your land.

iphenon:
Hello, I need advice from Real Estate agents in the house.

For the past few months I've been able to save up to 1.6million naira from my freelance business and I'm still working.
When I told my Parents about the money and how I was thinking of the best way to invest it, they advised me to buy a land. We got a land (100x100ft) at a very good location and already on the verge of paying for it (1.4m)

Now here's my worry. The thought of building a house at this point frightens me. I want to make plans for four units of 3bedroom flat, but I have no idea of how much it would cost me (location: Benin).

My plan is to save like 2m then start building, and take things little by little. Is this a wise decision?

Excellent decision.
After the purchase of the land, do all proper documentations, survey and get it registered.
If you won't be building within the next 12 months, kindly use the land for farming and do a 4 course block perimeter fence.
Consult with an Architect your set choice of structure and you can insist he provides you with a bill of quantity for the structure per stage and you use that as reference in planning.
Determination is more expensive when compared to building a house.
Good Luck.

Engr's and Builders
Please is it wrong to cast a pillar (or column) seperately from the lintel or roof beam? I think I see this being done with the frame structure build and not block build? In other words is it a must to cast column and lintel at the same time in a non frame build?

ceelog:
Engr's and Builders
Please is it wrong to cast a pillar (or column) seperately from the lintel or roof beam? I think I see this being done with the frame structure build and not block build? In other words is it a must to cast column and lintel at the same time in a non frame build?

I'm not an engineer, while it can be done it'll be more intense to do both at the same time.

EgunMogaji:


I'm not an engineer, while it can be done it'll be more intense to do both at the same time.

Asides intensity, I ask the question from a structurally stability pov. Always told a monolithic cast is best. But what if funds don't permit it?
Thanks

ceelog:


Asides intensity, I ask the question from a structurally stability pov. Always told a monolithic cast is best. But what if funds don't permit it?
Thanks

Professor @AbdulWastecx, a thesis is requested from you Sir.