Traveled for work but back...

Construction ongoing and making progress.

We exhausted available 9inch blocks so had to mould 250pcs more (10 cement bags).
This was to complete the headroom.

Building is beginning to take shape.
I believe it looks like the design.

kaze4blues:


Thanks for sharing.

The foundation is seven blocks deep. We also used a damp proof material together with the oversite concrete.

This is my first building experience and I’m finding it interesting. Planning is different from when work is being done.

Good practices so far, you are doing well!
True to that, actual work onsite is like nothing I had in my head at planning stage.

Still we build!
I have mentally modified expected completion dates for the project.

Making progress:
Backside pictures showing Before and After.

Now we bought 106 pieces which is 8pcs below the 114 pieces calculated/planned.
Good news shebi?

Why didn't we buy 8pcs or did the Architect cut corners?

I looked at the pictures and saw the front chilling spot is yet to be done; both the columns/pillars and beams/lintel.

Running calculation estimates to see if all is well:
Beam Dimensions are 3m +5m + 3m = 11m lintel length
4 qty x 11m rods will be needed for reinforcement

Column Dimensions are 4.4m high min for each, we have 2 columns
qty-2 11m rods cut in two (as explained above) will complete one columns. We repeat this for second column.
qty 4 x11m rods will finish both columns.

Grand Total = 8 rods no longer missing... QED
No mind me, I too like book

The actual length of partitions dug for the foundation was 53p, this also translates to the length for a foundation beam or lintel full chaining.

1. For the Lintel.
1p = 12ft, 53p = 194m
The kitchen store has been eliminated, this gives us 3m less length
New total = 191m as chaining distance/length of beam

1 Qty 12mm thickness rod was measured as 11m length

191m / 11m = 17.4 pieces 12mm rod will run the full length of the lintel
4 qty rods needed for a full reinforcement; 17.0 x 4 = 68 pcs in total needed for entire beam


2. For the Columns.
Height from current DPC state to 3 courses above lintel = 4.4m approx
Rod length = 11m, when split into two this gives 5.5m each

A column will now need 4 sides with rods, height 5.5m each
= 2 qty 11m length 12mm-rods to complete our reinforced columns

23 total columns as designed = 23 x 2 qty 12mm-rod = 46 pcs in total needed for the entire columns


Grand Total 12mm rods = 68 + 46 = 114 pieces total

1.6 Lintel and Columns costing - Closed
Lengths of about 190m of lintel chain and 115m columns. Maths incoming...
Bought
12mm x106 pcs = N530k
8mm x43 pcs = N129k

These iron rods don kill me!

Olumighty123:

I get it sir. but then again, you can always go solar.

I even hate thinking about it.
I have been looking at the design from day1 we started building and thinking of where a battery pack will be kept, never planned to do solar but it's wiring is very likely so as to make the build 'future-proof'.

greenermodels:
consider adding solar to the electric design, the changeover switch becomes three ways, Nepa,gen and solar, you can install the solar later when you can afford it.

This will definitely be done during wiring as you stated but actual solar hardware will be in the distant future.
Never knew of 3-way changeovers, thanks for the heads-up.

Soakaway construction is Ongoing by the side.
I'll try to separate it's materials from every other thing but that might be hard.

Labour cost only for all the block and column works will be N100k, casting the top slab NOT included in this price.

Previous threads have said a Soakaway usually costs around N400k for everything (all labour and materials starting from digging to final top slab).
Still depends on size, mine is larger than I thought it will be.

I no deh price labour too much or not at all, they work hard so their pricing is fair.

1.1 Block molding - Done
1.2 Foundation to DPC - Done
1.3 Soakaway Digging and Foundation Filling - Done
1.4 Oversite concrete - Done
1.5 DPC to lintel - Done

Modified 1.6 to become lintel as a standalone phase
1.6 Lintel - Done

1.7 Lintel to Roof beam - Next stage
1.8 Roofing


Pictures showing:
External view
Living room
Interior Walkway
Back side

Olumighty123:


Well done boss, I wish you speedy build. Let's handle your everything cctv to electric fence to intercom.

The problem is what it will be powered with.
Electricity is one of the greatest headaches I have going into this. The matter tire me.

That's why I am doing many windows of larger sizes to make use of daylight.

Borehole planned as one of the next steps.
Quote is N2m

Cost looked like a joke at the beginning but that's what it costs here.

Available borehole drilling rig company has a reputation of not wanting to dig further after hitting first spout of water; people complain the water is unclean and can barely be used after spending so much.

Intend to find a different company hours away from the building site.

MackyNaija:


The actual quantity stacked from oversite to lintel was 3,674 (10 blocks to lintel, my windows are a little larger than normal also).

See costing for 1.5 Oversite to Lintel

I had mentioned 1bag of cement can stack 70 to 90 blocks.
Just read another thread that says it can be 65 to 75 blocks. This is very likely as this stage hovered around 70 blocks per bag.


Lintel construction ongoing, I have officially stopped checking the days...
Labor and weather delays have crippled us.

Workers show up whenever they feel like it so I have adapted to work with them that way.
I also started giving monthly bonus pay to the most frequent worker - a mason won for April.

Lintel and Columns casting in progress, the rains have slowed us to only 2 or 3 working days weekly.

kaze4blues:


Thanks for the updates. I’m doing a four bedroom as well at moment. Finished with oversite concrete. Preparing for block setting to lintel.

On estimate, what number of blocks did you need to reach lintel?

My architect insist on size nine because the land abit damp. What do you think about this?

Thank you

I just saw you asked about the estimate; estimate was 5,600 including the foundation blocks but we built a higher foundation than planned so we used more blocks there.

The actual quantity stacked from oversite to lintel was 3,674 (10 blocks to lintel, my windows are a little larger than normal also).
I earlier gave foundation qty stacked as about 2,300.

We'll still use some more for 3 courses after lintel. Will mold more if it's needed.

See costing for 1.5 Oversite to Lintel

kaze4blues:


Thanks for the updates. I’m doing a four bedroom as well at moment. Finished with oversite concrete. Preparing for block setting to lintel.

On estimate, what number of blocks did you need to reach lintel?

My architect insist on size nine because the land abit damp. What do you think about this?

Thank you

I'll share the block figures by tomorrow.

What did the Architect say the correlation is between 9 inches and keeping your house dry?

My understanding is that all blocks (sandcrete) will soak up water if exposed to water.
- high foundation so your house is not soaking in a flood will prevent this
- Isolation of ground water from the superstructure will prevent this (use of damp proof material)
- Sloping the floors away from the sides of the building will also prevent this.

Rany4all:
I believe it's just a matter of personal preference. I did 11 courses before lintel for the external walls of my build, but 9 for the internal walls.

The high windows have a certain appeal and they come in quite handy in terms of ventilation if you have high fence walls close to the building.

You get mind o
Doing 10 to lintel and I am feeling it will come falling down.

What did you do post lintel?
Is it possible to use lintel as roof beam? Just thinking...

greenermodels:
why ten courses instead of nine? Four before window level and additional five to lintel level?

Rany has explained some of this.

1. I need a high ceiling but want the lintel beam to carry less courses.
10 before and 3 after instead of 9 before and 4 after.

2. I am planning on using tall windows of 7 courses for the living room (see the attached picture).
If I do 9 to lintel, window will start at level 2 which might be too low.
So 10 to lintel allows us start the window at Level 3.

1.5 DPC to lintel - Still Ongoing
Any estimated duration will be multiplied by 2 or 2.5, the speed slow die

Regular threads I have been following show neck breaking speed, if you are supervising this yourself... na snail speed o


Pictures showing:
Back side at 10 courses awaiting lintel beam (all round chaining)
Front side gradually getting there.

Olumighty123:


Good to see you around, you left the travel thread for us, LOL, trust you're doing great? Regards

Chairmo, I full ground o. Doing fine too.
Learned a lot from this section so it's my turn to give back, there's plenty info for building on NL but it's in a million different threads.

eziokwunwoko:
Goodevening Sir
Are you saying 89 bags of cement was used for DCP

At the beginning I said the floor area was 13m x 18m = 234 m2
89 + 6 = 94 total bags (6 bags remained from the earlier stage).

Months earlier I had used 233 m2 for a calculation I did (check abdul's links I posted at the beginning)


See a summary:
- Floor area is 233 m2 x 0.1m = 23.3 m3 (assuming 4inch oversite thickness which is 100mm or 0.1m)

- Divide the concrete volume needed by 7 to get the resulting number of cement required for the project. 23.30 m3 / 7 = 3.3 m3

- 1 bag of Cement = 0.035m3 (a 50kg bag of cement is equal to 0.034472m3)

- Total cement qty needed = Floorplan vol / one bag portland cement = 3.33 m3 / 0.035 m3 = 95 bags


So actual and calculated are almost the same. I care less about sand and gravel because it's either a full truck is bought or it's not, no jipiti for those.
This is how I verify quantities and payments for almost everything as I am absent.
I trust my site Architect also so his reporting are accurate.

Racing to lintel.
Burial this weekend will stop work, next week has a better weather though so we should be good.

Clarification: Soakaway digging done, casting undone.
Will dig a little more on all sides to get fresh soil before casting.

Major interest now is to get to the roofing beam. Rain wan finish the workers for site and it's slowing down work.
Yet to see the report but I am guessing they'll still be paid day rate as long as they show up.

********************
The journey continues:

1.1 Block molding - Done
1.2 Foundation to DPC - Done
1.3 Soakaway and Filling - Done
1.4 Oversite concrete - Done
1.5 DPC to lintel - Ongoing
1.6 Lintel to roof
1.7 Roofing

The journey continues:

1.1 Block molding - Done
1.2 Foundation to DPC - Done
1.3 Soakaway and Filling - Done
1.4 Oversite concrete - Done

Oversite is now officially done for Nairaland purposes. I add cost and close the phase.
"Missing" about N150k as it is not on the Architect's report and we don't know what it was spent on i.e. money sent but never shown on the report.

If you wanna save cost, NEVER skip damp-proof nylon as capillary action go make water finish upto 1meter from foundation towards lintel.
About N4.6m spent so far (Block moulding cost NOT part of this).

The journey so far:

1.1 Block molding - Done
1.2 Foundation to DPC - Done
1.3 Soakaway and Filling - Done

The costing for stage 3 is attached. I wish I didn't do these breakdowns as it breaks my heart seeing how much this things I thought were simple cost.

Laterite trip here rolls over/continues from the previous cost posted.
Your site size and especially the foundation depth heavily affect this cost.

Note: For sub or superstructure, 1 cement bag binds 70 to 90 blocks.

Currently finalizing plans for window sizes throughout the house.
They'll all be larger than normal.

When this is complete, we kick off forming and raise the blocks to lintel.

greenermodels:
you just de follow up this project bumper to fender, this 9ja economy no reach your side at all.congratulations once more.

Thanks but no be say money long o, me na office man but earning in usd is the major differentiator; some money deh remain when month end.

Labour cost is also not expensive in Nigeria so building can be achieved as a bulk of the money goes to materials.

The most difficult part of the entire project has been completed successfully.

Cost breakdown incoming (losing track of this, only thing I am sure of is how much I have sent ).
To keep track of costs hard like to physically build the house; supervising Architect deh try.

Superstructure and parapet should not take more than 1 week.

Concrete pour was done over 2 days, kitchen and dinning sides first then the rest the next day.

Kitchen pour complete
Prep of every other area and pour

Complete work for Right backside and left front pictures.

2x additional damp proof nylons bought
Prep for oversite concrete pour.

Plumbing Work done. Neat job with heavy workmanship cost @N50k for a days job.

Oversite prep should start tomorrow.