Krucifax:


At OP, it's best to speak to people that are already doing anything you want to venture into. I shuttle between London and Abuja and I'm currently on the construction of my second house in Abuja.
The first thing you need is a building plan. This will guide your budget. In Nigeria a Valuer/Quantity Surveyor can get this for you and for very cheap in this recession.
The second thing is your budget. This will determine how grand or otherwise the building will be. Cost of materials are almost always the same all over Nigeria except for things like windows and doors and tiles and roof materials. So therefore it's the main structure that will affect your pocket including finishings like fence and type of fence.
As a rough guide my first house was a 3 bed bungalow it cost less than 6 Million naira not including the land and estate fee a few years back. You need north of 10 Million naira as a guide. Not including cost of the land.
The third bit of advice I'll give you is to keep costs down as much as possible. Because you are almost certainly to discover you'll go over budget at some point. Ask anyone who has built. Especially if you take over a year to complete the construction. This happens because of inflation. The price of a bag of cement in January last year is very different from the price in September last year.
The very last bit of advice I'd give you is to be very careful where you want to build. Airport Road is a very contentious area. It has seen AMAC/FCT/AGIS destroy many people's houses over the years because they built on illegal land. Do not under any circumstances build on stand alone land on Airport Road or else you want to cry. Your safest bet is to buy estate land and buildings within the estate. Is this what you have done and which estate is it?

Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate.
Regarding the strong caveat on Airport Road, and how "AMAC/FCT/AGIS has destroyed many people's houses over the years", are you implying a willful collusion among these government agencies to exploit or punish people? I want to believe that approvals for the affected constructions have always come from the very same agencies!

[quote author=nameoh post=52830564][/quote]
Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate.

mjbaba:
Depends on your taste. The kind of finishings. Budget between 25-35m accordingly

I'm guessing its a small duplex on a plot not larger than 500 sqm.

Yeah, kind of small. But the plot size is around 900sqm

jeftalene:
Try CostAID
or simply check out the cost of all building materials at www.engineerosaz..com

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll see about that.

Hi folks.

Could any one please help me with insights into the cost of building a 4-bedroom in Abuja (Airport Road), as things stand currently. I understand that a lot of variation can arise out of options made, especially regarding finishing, so a middle kind of course would help just fine.
A detailed compilation would be more useful than a sweeping summary.

Finally, I'm your regular guy with no extras bucks to throw around , so a good quality project, not compromising basic safety standards while keeping costs down, is the goal.

NB: I would really gone for a bungalow, but I understand that the FCT now has a policy of NOT approving such low-density buildings in these areas.

Thanks all in advance.

So the last portions of the post, dealing with costs, seems to just have broken off. What does this solution cost for my average clinic?

This has been my exact sentiment! For a couple of days now, its been perplexing to see what MTN has been billing on calls to my FAF contacts.
I wish someone could come forward and:
1. Explain this fiasco
2. Apologise appropriately and
3. Compensate adequately for all overbilling on record.
That is my verdict!

abbywax,

I've made great effort to go through your post and evaluate it with as much fairness as possible, and I've come to the following conclusions:

The heart and soul of your argument is that sites made by Nigerian Nigerians are generally of a low quality. Let me ask you: Which other product, or line of products made by Nigerian Nigerians are reputed as world-class? Just name one,

So, basically the problem transcends the narrow zone of Web Development, but is rather a pervading "cancerworm" (that word THEY like to use so passionately!) all over the land! Almost, like you said, a culture of mediocrity, or the reverse of a culture of excellence.

One thing that reeks out or your post, however, is that you almost sound gleeful about the fact that "All Nigerian web designers are amateurs". That is enough to set many of us wondering what you were really out to achieve; rubbing it in? It didn't quite sound best to throw that challenge: I DARE YOU, SHOW ME YOUR PORTFOLIO!

Therefore, as one priviledged non-Nigerian Nigerian, I expect you to sound more concerned about how YOU can make a difference. Rather than speak down on us (no, please note that I am NOT a web professional, only a medical practitioner), much better to proffer solutions FIRST to the Authorities and Decision-makers in the land, who can make the big difference, and THEN to the less fortunate Nigerian developer, as may come around this forum, tips and encouragement. While it is a positive thing to CRITIQUE others, it is another matter altogether to CRITICIZE. This is where I suggest you observe the modus of MY2CENT,

I'll conclude now: Yes, there's too much mediocrity around, but also enough excellent people (just like you!). When the playing field is fair (just consider constant NEPA, for instance), these guys'll excel (just like you!). One by one, we folks could decide to stick to standards, but it's only when the Powers-that-be, PUSHED and COAXED by priviledged diasporians (like you!), get committed to "fairing" up that playing field, that a real REVOLUTION will happen.

Let it be so for now.

Guys,
I personally loathe this European football craze all over the place, with a passion. I think that too much resources are wasted making noise about what is essentially Other People's Business (and when I say business, I mean business).

Its a bigger shame that rather than look back home to develop the sports infrastructure right here, our 'leaders' only look to capitalize on people's passion in this area, for selfish reasons.

Until stadia, mass media, especially well-equipped TV OB systems, "NEPA", etc are strengthend and standardized, you'd never love what you see of Nigerian football. Everybody should copy me and altogether wean themselves off football (except of course if you're a football professional!). The country needs our energies in critical development-oriented areas like IT and Medicine!

Guys,

The problem with Nigerian banks' websites is not unique to that sector. As a matter of fact, the truth is the banks are even probably better off! Everywhere else its worse. In the health sector (where I belong - yes!), web presence is at best, infantile.

I briefly discussed this issue on my young, yet to be 'positioned' blog: http://www.gottkannmusic..com/

Something must be done to improve this.

Igwe,

Forgive me but I noticed the footnote later, and was able to visit your site. In any case, I do believe the heart and soul of my comments still stand. Cheers.

Igwe and my2cents,

You guys have really been having a robust ruffling all day! Anyhow, I think its a healthy development, provided everyone keeps up with 'no hard feelings'.

my2cents,

I was able to visit a couple of your sites, and well - what strikes me most is their simplicity. Yeah, they're rather low on graphics (and for an ordinary person like me with a lousily slow Starcomms 1x internet access, that's actually a significant advantage!). But seriously, and with all due respect, don't you think you should look into, say, hiring an artistic adviser towards improving visual appeal?

And by the way, the my2cents alias: any relationship with that rapper of similar appellation?

Igwe,

O ga-amasi m ima otu m ga-esi kpa nkata. Ana m eche na I ga-enwe ike inyere m aka n'udi di iche iche, basically, n'ihe gbasara web development na ndi otu ya. Ebee ga ka sites gi di? (Everyone, please understand that Igwes are more properly addressed in the appropriate tongue!!)