brabus:

Sunday 12 June - Bush clearing was done for N8,000
Tuesday 14 June- 30 tons Granite was bought for N125,000 (extra N2,500 was paid as dev levy to the estate and settlement of suppliers association)
Tuesday 14 June- 20 ton Sharp sand was bought for N48,000
Tuesday 14 June- 30 ton Soft sand was bought for N36,000
Wednesday 15 June- Peg/Tie-rod/Nail (7,200)
Wednesday 15 June- 1000 blocks was bought @ N130 = N130,000
Wednesday 15 June- 50 bags of cement was bought @ N1,850 = N92,500
Wednesday 15 June- 2,000 litres GeePee tank was bought for N27,000
Wednesday 15 June- N1,000 was paid to transport (Tank, Tie-rod)

Total Amount spent on materials as at Wednesday 15 June stood at N477,000

Thursday 16 June - Bricklayer was paid the sum of N70,000 to start the work (Pegging/Setting out/Excavation)
Thursday 16 June - I paid Aboki N1,500 to level the soil for delivery of blocks
Friday 17 June - Bought 2 bag of pure water for the workmen. N200
Friday 17 June - WASTED N4,500 on an effort to get water to the site. (Rent Generator N3,500, bought fuel N300, Paid Plumber N700). The effort was thwarted as the borehole machine is discovered to be faulty
Saturday 18 June - Paid N1,500 to hire another 2,000 litres tank in preparation for foundation laying on Monday 20th
Saturday 18 June - Paid N3,500 to buy water
Saturday 18 June - Paid N1,500 to carry to and fro the tank

Additional N81,700 was spent, so our total expenditure stood at N551,700

diordaves:

Tidy, Neat, Professional, Transparent, Bold. This is what we are used to in the western world. This is what the building industry needs. More grease to your elbow Love-tosin and even more grease, blocks and mortar to your elbow brabus. Keep it up. But one small question: why 16mm rods? The pictured rods; are they 16mm? Stay blessed.

brabus:

Thank you, I do appreciate it.

Question begin for an answer

Column and beam construction must be done with properly sized beams to support a load bearing wall. Columns must be properly located and the choice/size of iron rods to be used should be left to the PROS!
As a matter of fact I always get calls from owner builders who is in the midst of or contemplating a structural modification to their abode. They want me to size a beam for them or know why 16mm is better than 12mm. My answer is ALWAYS the same, Call a structural engineer!

The reason for this is simple. For one thing, each situation is different. The loads above the beam location can be significant or there may be very little load. Columns carry the beam loads and these loads must rest on solid materials. A rookie often forgets this vital aspect of beam construction. Again, this is not a one-size-fit-all or what-I-think-is-right projet!

Back to your question, that's what my structural drawing specify! The pictured rods are 16mm

brabus:

Sunday 12 June - Bush clearing was done for N8,000
Tuesday 14 June- 30 tons Granite was bought for N125,000 (extra N2,500 was paid as dev levy to the estate and settlement of suppliers association)
Tuesday 14 June- 20 ton Sharp sand was bought for N48,000
Tuesday 14 June- 30 ton Soft sand was bought for N36,000
Wednesday 15 June- Peg/Tie-rod/Nail (7,200)
Wednesday 15 June- 1000 blocks was bought @ N130 = N130,000
Wednesday 15 June- 50 bags of cement was bought @ N1,850 = N92,500
Wednesday 15 June- 2,000 litres GeePee tank was bought for N27,000
Wednesday 15 June- N1,000 was paid to transport (Tank, Tie-rod)

Total Amount spent on materials as at Wednesday 15 June stood at N477,000

Thursday 16 June - Bricklayer was paid the sum of N70,000 to start the work (Pegging/Setting out/Excavation)
Thursday 16 June - I paid Aboki N1,500 to level the soil for delivery of blocks
Friday 17 June - Bought 2 bag of pure water for the workmen. N200
Friday 17 June - WASTED N4,500 on an effort to get water to the site. (Rent Generator N3,500, bought fuel N300, Paid Plumber N700). The effort was thwarted as the borehole machine is discovered to be faulty
Saturday 18 June - Paid N1,500 to hire another 2,000 litres tank in preparation for foundation laying on Monday 20th
Saturday 18 June - Paid N3,500 to buy water
Saturday 18 June - Paid N1,500 to carry to and fro the tank

Additional N81,700 was spent, so our total expenditure stood at N551,700

Reference:

Good progress sir, but one very, very, very important thing I have not seen is survey levels. If this building is anywhere south of the Niger drainage is very important. I would have expected that you establish level before commencing works. I can observe that the road outside the compound is not asphalted and I'm sure there are no established drains anywhere around so you are vulnerable to future development but public and private. Consider this very critically. Its not about materials alone.

Reference:

Good progress sir, but one very, very, very important thing I have not seen is survey levels. If this building is anywhere south of the Niger drainage is very important. I would have expected that you establish level before commencing works. I can observe that the road outside the compound is not asphalted and I'm sure there are no established drains anywhere around so you are vulnerable to future development but public and private. Consider this very critically. Its not about materials alone.

Am Alone:

Man, thank you very much jorray!!!!
You are just too much!!!!
Now look at the work you are showing us!!!!
I am very certain, Mr. Tosin wont be disappointed at this one for sure!!!!

Bros brabus, [b]I notice is like you will be mixing the soft sand to the sharp sand for the chalking of
the blocks right? This is one thing I am come to learn. That is helps saves money!!!! right?
Please clarify!!! [/b]Thanks - You Too Much Jorray!!!! - Gud Job!

brabus:

^^^? Help me understand yr question. I'm not waiting though.

brabus:

The land is higher than the road and it wasn't too difficult for us to establish the level since there was an existing foundation on the lot. I think the pic below should explain it better.
Also, there are drains and the particular lot is not in any way vulnerable to anything. I can bet that! The land is uphill. But I must say thank you for the observation. One point to note here is that there's filling sand on the land which makes it look as if we are on the road level. Look more closely and you'll see.

Yeah, copy that. Then consider that the FRL and the base of the drain (whenever that is done) will probably rise another 1 to 2 feet (depending on the gradient of the surrounding terrain). The closed gate (dunno whether its yours) will be below the street level in due course. Your compound FFL should be at least 6 inches above the anticipated FRL and a minimum of 12 inches at the farthest extreme (back fence) to ensure rain water flows to the road (if you do not intend to instal compound drainage. Then the FFL of the building can be anything 1 foot above that.

So all in all your german floor should to be a minimum of three and a half to four feet above the existing road way level. Sounds crazy now but believe me water pumping machines is much more expensive. Consider diligently. Good luck.