Hi NL Property Followers,

I just completed this project some months back and I purposely followed my advice to you all on how to save / reduce cost of construction (see my signature - if you missed those threads) and its time to share them with you....

For each stage, I'll be explaining how cost was saved where we did, and other advice along the way....

Lets start with DAY1 pics below where againt my expectation the 'bushes' on site had not been cleared 100% - so we had to get to business and quickly so.

Lesson 1: Always make sure the site has been cleared days to; on this day we were lucky there was no trees, just overgrown bushes.

While the bushes were been cleared - we quickly marked out the space for those to dig the SEPTIC TANK and SOAK-AWAY

Our plan offcourse is to minimize the filling we wld buy and also use the septic tank for water storage.... because we had rented a tank for use on Day2 and Day3 already...

and the basic material were already on site
2 Trip of sharp sand,
20 tonnes of granite
and some 200pcs of blocks - with more yet to arrive..

DAY 1 saw us peg and commence digging of foundation; but the pics below are from DAY 2

Where the foundation septic tank digging had moved far ahead - we discovered the land was a rocky one -Notice the Big Gravel Stone excavated from the soil...

and the foundation was also progressing along too..

The next group of pics shows that Foundation digging completed, foundation is been cast and while one set were casting, the other set was laying the first course of blocks before it solidifies

No Time - To Waste Time

Also, Soak-away digging was 100% and Septic Tank in progress......

we started the foundation closer to those digging so as they dug out the soil/rock, they threw them into the foundation (filling) AT NO EXTRA COST advantage me.... (as shown in pics 4)

Let's have an aerial view of our work so far .... Day 3.

Notice that Room 6 (close to the septic tank) is almost filled already, even b4 foundation work is complete...

what better way to save cost of filling later? - In-fact we got Room 5 and Room 6 filled for free using this method..

also on site is our rented tank which we wouldn't need soon...

Very quickly (Not building related) - necessary to enhance the final look of the property, we gave the existing grave on site a face lift... something befitting for the property to come..

see the process in 4 pics below....

At this stage, the foundation work had been completed - the septic tank guys were still battling with the MIGHTY rocks in the ground, we're yet to buy filling sand - but we have enough to work with before buying.

we also decided to fence out the grave.

Up Next is Our Bore-Hole

Another necessity to reduce while we continue with the filling..

Notice Plater sand in Pics1 - This was brought to allow us complete the septic tank / soak away 100% - including plastering..

THE FILLING IS DONE - FILLING ALSO WELL COMPACTED - WHAT NEXT?

Casting of our 'German Floor' and Notice the hose in the Septic tank..

we had no use for tanks again, buying water etc - we also used some of the excavated rocks for hardcore while casting our floor...

A LOT OF PEOPLE OMIT THIS STAGE - But on the long run, its cheaper for you to at least cast 4 inches ( 100mm) of floor before commencing block setting.

I always recommend you do.....

Isn't this a beauty?

There's nothing better than doing your German floor - now, we're out of the ground and ready to build..

we left the bore-hole pipe still long, to be cut down later....

This is one aspect where I expect everyone to save big on the building.

for a job of this size - Lintel works should have cost me about 250k - 300k

carpenter wld claim about 100k, welder wld get about 20k, and bricklayer shd also want close to 40k MINUS materials, transportation et all..


BUT I SPENT ONLY 14K for workmanship now do the maths ( 160K - 14K ) = 146K LABOUR ONLY SAVED.

How did I do it?

I went to the iron store, brought the iron and paid the guys about 5k to cut it to required sizes,

I got to site and got my employed labour to arrange the blocks as shown in pics below (offcourse you also save on numbers of reinforcement used)

For those who would query how strong it is - Iits stronger than the basic need of a lintel which is = (to bridge the space left by an opening)

We still had wood from our German floor and these came in handy

I had to explain to the labour how to cast the lintel and i paid him twice of what he wld have gotten as his day work with the bricklayer..

the result see PICS 4 showing how it was used..

The next stage is block setting, I'm sure we're all familiar with this stage..

so lets jump it and move to roofing..... but not without some pics.

we had:
2by6 for king post @ 1200c/c
2by4 for rafters, struts @ 1200c/c
2by4 for tie-beam (building span isn't much) @ 1200c/c
3by4 for wall plate
2by3 for purlins
2by2 for ceiling hangers
1by12 for facial

lets take a closer look at out carcass

up next is our roofing sheet.

always ensure to use 0.45mm or 0.55mm thickness for your roofing, depending on your pocket.

anything less, then you're better with asbestos roofing sheet....

its better to do it right and you're better for it.....

OK -

Lets touch a bit of everything - At this stage, its a busy site...

Here we have our first real view of what the building cld be like..


a beauty or not (see pics4).... we ensured we used quality materials even thou its a public building....

on the long run, its cheaper..

Our wiring was done with Nigeria Cables.....


this is one product you cant compromise on - for whatever reason..

Dont just try it...

we had to buy a pole - to draw our power line thou.. the tanks are up and burglary in place...

:PLETS HAVE A VIEW OF THE PRODUCT AFTER ABOUT 4 MONTHS OF WORK....

I went with different colours for the flats, to give it a unique look different from all other hostel in the area.... at this stage everyone wanted a room in our new hostel.....

I was also busy with new works in Lagos and couldn't travel to take final pics of the project; but what we have here is close to the final pics.

Lalasticlala for a project in Ilese, Ogun State beside the School of Health - what do you think?


Thanks for following - Let's discuss.

Hey,

Well done, good work. is the owner going to do landscaping?

GOOD GREAT JOB.
KEEP IT UP Bro.

Total cost is over 8 million Naira and less than 9 million Naira... That's a very reasonable amount.
Now, I'm having some new ideas.

Great job Op, hoping to get in touch with you soon!!
God bless our hustle!

for real?

thanks Seun, Lalasticlala and Nairaland team for this forum...

excellent job

adewaleID:
Hey,

Well done, good work. is the owner going to do landscaping?

we plan to build the 2nd phase opposite this b4 landscaping or site work

Hello poster, please how much was the total cost from start to finish.
Thanks

nice

Quite lovely and interesting

Nice 1

Good one op, I hope the location is good in terms of financial returns considering the amount spent for this lovely project.

Considering doing a roof parapet?
check out price comparison between a concrete cast in suite against polystyrene parapet.
Polystyrene parapet is light weight and doesn't have much impact on the land.
excellent usage on swampy environment.
click below for more details.

https://www.nairaland.com/3726763/alternative-building-material-expanded-polystyrene/4