Why is Mowe-Ofada going to be hot

1) Number one thing working for m.o is the hype, there are other virgin areas elsewhere but you can't compare the hype m.o is enjoying from the media. This will help her to grow very fast.

2) Easy accessibility to lagos is also one factor that is helping m.o

3)Interest- A lot of people are asking for land in that area.

4)Vehicular movement/ human traffic-people likes busy area the numbers of vehicle and human traffic passing through the expressway that link m.o to Lagos will help her to grow faster.

5)Churches are acquiring very big lands in m.o. And churches generates a lot of traffic especially on sundays and days of convention, businesses will sell and more people will resettle in this area.

6)Good express road- The road is a dual carriageway and is good to ply, good road is inportant and this will also help m.o

7)Estate trends- When estates are mapped out they are usually well planned and design, this is what most areas in lagos lacks. A big number of estates are springing up and also been allocated in m.o. These estates will attract people when others areas have been overbuilt.

8)One major one. You can't find large areas of land in lagos again that is close to what you have in mowe ofada.

To build a house or to buy one which is better

Buying a land or building your house afresh which will you prefer? Not a few people have reached crossroads over this decision, side by side we will consider the advantages of one over the other.

1)Ongoing building may collapse .A standing house may not likely collapse, for one it is standing for the period of you acquiring it.

2)Substandard materials may have been used for a standing building while you can actually monitor materials used for an ongoing project.

3)Fresh building can be easily customised or designed to suit your taste perfectly. With A standing building you can achieve little with changing or remodeling.

4)A bad contractor may do you in when you are building a fresh house, you can easily detect a badly built house and avoid it when you want to buy one.

5)You can choose from a variety of what is available in market and in your preferred location,depending on the size of your purse . But you are only constrained to one design the moment your house is already built, no going back.

6) A lot of problems are encountered by people building these days one of them is the town planning permits/government allocation. You may have problems getting approval for the building project, but already built one is most likely approved, so you don't need to bother yourself about town planning authority.

7)Building a house afresh is most likely going to cost you less especially if well managed while buying one from an agent/real estate person will cost more because those that builds also expect large profits for their project.

8)You will avoid great stress of monitoring your building project.

9)If you want to move in very fast then you need to buy rather than build.

10)Rate of development is probably slightly higher where you already have a completed and standing building.

11)When you buy then you must have cut contractor from cheating, the only person that can cheat you then is the property seller.

12)If you buy a house then you have avoided harrasment from omo onile and area boys.

13)For an ongoing project you have the choice of materials you'll like to use for your house and is also easily modifiable but for a standing building, materials have already been applied.

Types of foundation and their uses

Foundation of building as the name implies is the starting of a building construction on site really. Types of building, nature of soil and environmental conditions are the major determinant of type of foundation you will use for your building.
1)Strip foundation-This is the most common type, it is mainly used where you have strong soil base and non-waterlogged areas. Most small buildings of just a floor are constructed with this type of foundation .
Depends on the structural engineers recommendation , the depth of your foundation could be from 600mm to 1200mm mostly for small scale buildings . When the soil is excavated, a level at which the concrete will settle evenly is established, then concrete is poured this may be from 150mm(6”) thick to 450mm(18”) thick depending also on building after that block is set round the trenches at the center of foundation ,the foundation usually follows the block lines. The blocks are then layed to d.p.c level before another concrete is poured on top, this is the german or oversite concrete. This type seems to be the cheapest.
2)Pad foundation-This is where isolated columns (pillars) are casted from the foundation to carry a slab at the top of the ground. This is mostly used when you want to make use of the under of building as parking space or when the other space is not conducive to have foundation. Imagine you are planning to build a house across a flowing stream and you want a situation where you can use your boat to pass under the building because the stream is under . Then you may not need to dig foundation that will cut across the river but just by applying columns (pillars) at the edge of the river like a bridge, this columns are thus isolated and there foundations are reffered to as pad.
3)Raft foundation-This is where you have concrete spread around your building from the base of foundation all through to the german floor/oversite concrete/ground floor slab. It is mainly used in areas where the soil are sandy and loose, you spend more on this than the other previous two most of the time. It is also recommended in waterlogged areas but with buildings of less storeys
It has a ground beam which shuts out from the foundation base and is also attached to the ground floor slab to form a network of concrete embedded round the building space. The ground beam are usually from 600mm to 1200mm for low buildings.
4)Pile foundation-The most expensive and the strongest type of foundation, this requires specialist engineering to do. The soil are bored deep down the earth and filled with concrete to be able to support loads of multistory building on top. Most skyscrapers are constructed with this foundation type, a waterlogged area of high building may also require this.
It is the costliest hence it is used for high rise building mostly.

Steps to securing a branch development building contract from the nigerian banks.

It may not have come to the notice of those that are not in the construction industry that the sector is now seriously growing at a very high speed, all thanks to banks 25 million naira consolidation.
Banks are spreading like wildfire due to large funds available to them ,the average third generation banks are opening more than 100 branches a year. Contractors are getting more jobs ,building professionals are getting better pay and more jobs are been created by the day.
You need to have an office where you can be traced to, the banks need a legitimate businessman.
You also must have registered your company with corporate affairs commission
For transparency the bank may require past projects your company had done . You need to include all in your profile that you are going to submit to the bank. This is where you may need to team up with a more established company if you don’t have any past project. Enter with the established company agree with percentage share with the owner and later on with your connection and experience you can then veer off and register with your own name fully.
The most important you need a guarantor from the bank that will stand for you and introduce you to the bank. Usually this person is one of the directors or high officers of the bank. So who you know may be very necessary.
One thing you need to organize yourself and be bold enough to walk to the branch development /property unit of the bank ,ask of the head introduce yourself and talk to him or her.
Building projects in banks are not solely doneby one person, there are a lot of subcontractors that are usually involves in a project like the electrical contractor, plumbing or mechanical contractor, cctv, borehole contractor e.t.c even some banks now have demolition as part of a building contract awarded to some contractors.
To get a contract from these banks you only needs to get a good quantity surveyor, agood site engineer (you have them everywhere at present) though if you are just starting is better you use an engineer conversantwith that particular project.
When the banks has consulted the building professionals for the drawings (the architect, M$E engineers,structural engr, then Q.S) then it is time for tendering , registered contractors with these banks will be called upon to tender there quotations , this is the amount of money and rates you can take for the building following the architectural plans details and specifications of all consutants involve.
Banks usually choose the lowest bidder though this may not be ideal but if you are called the norm is to pay you 25-50% upfront because of the usual urgency of their projects. The competition atimes makes some banks to build very fast so that they can open before others that are in the same vicinity.
Therefore you need experienced and highly qualified team that can see your project through.
When you have finally secure the project then learn all the intrigues and politics on and offsites to be able to be recognized and successful with your projects.
Stages of payments varies most pays by milestones e.g first floor slab casting roof carcass covering e.t.c to determine how you are paid ,payments could be in stage 1-3 or 4 and a period after the completion of the project is usually set aside to watch for any defects on building so the contractors 5% money is retained with the bank until when the 6 months is over before release in case there is a defect , then the contractor is liable within this period and he is expected to carry out the repair.

Setting out of building

As simple as setting out of a building may look majority of us do not bother to find out what it is all about
Setting out is simply the physical transfer into the ground what was initially on plan or in paperwork. Transfering the building professionals drawing (the architect) plan onto the ground is a process of setting out.
Setting out can be complex yet simple. For more accurate transfer some engineers uses the services of land surveyors to get their set out right especially in large projects. Theodolite is often used by the surveyor or any engineer that has a good knowledge of the application to get the level of a subject place in relation to a decided point around the building area.
But we are going to concern ourselves with the simple pegging which is common and later talk about setting out with using blocks.
Assuming you have a rectangular site of 50ft x100ft what you should take note first of is the four corners where we have your pillars. Put pegs at each points or very close in case you have disturbing concrete . After establishing these four corners put nails on top of each peg and then run rope round the 4 pegs.
Of course I need to tell you that you will get peg and thin wood (or tie rod] from the sawmills (the number required has been worked in your free sample estimate you get when you subscribed for my articles )
Next is to establish a point by measuring out a setback from fence to your building line. Taking just one side measure the setback from back of fence to the end of building lines in that particular angle, then come to the front and measure the setback also as given on your drawing plan .
After this go back to the rear or you may use the front as a point mark depending on which setback is more important to you in case the survey plan did not tally with what is the actual measurement on ground.
Measure the setback from fence establish this two points with pegs then put a rope to cross both pegs and make them form a right angle or 90 degrees , this is necessary because of it ease and most drawings are drawn to follow straight right angles. To determine if your rope are at right angle put a checker popularly called ‘square’ by bricklayers, this will direct you if you need to shift the other rope that can be varied since one is already fixed to form a base mark( i.e the rope running through two pegs from the rear to the front either on left side or the right side.
After establishing a right angle, do your measurement to correspond with what is on plan and then use the square at the other end to now establish the other two points. When establishing these points be conscious to place your peg at 1m or 3 ½ ft behind your building line i.e where blocks will actually pass through.
After this, nails peg at 3m interval round under the rope marking your building line, then nail tie rods (flat thin wood) on top round the entire area.
You are ready to start measuring and transferring what is on plan to the profile boards (flat thin wood on top of pegs) establish each room measurement by nails ( you require four nails at each measurement, two to establish the two sides of block you are going to place later on then the other two at both ends to serve as the points where you will excavate ,the length of this is usually three times the width of the block you are using that is if you are using a 6“ block then expect to excavate or dig a trench of 18” wide.
The type of digging also depends on the type of foundation recommended by your structural engineer.
Establish the depth based also on recommendation and you are ready to cast your concrete. After casting of foundation, use the nails on your profile board to determine where your blocks will follow from ground to complete foundation courses (note this is variation of application in raft and more complex foundation where reinforcements and concrete will be applied more.
Set your blocks 3,4 or more coaches / courses/ layers as recommended before casting your ground floor slab or oversite concrete or german floor.

Planning your Bathrooms

Bathrooms as unimportant as you may think, has a lot you can do with it to enjoy yourself.
The first thing is to get the basic planning right to suit your taste and budget.

Types of bathroom
1) Built in bathrooms
This is designed to provide plenty of storage space
2) New looks in old bathrooms
These are refurbished bathrooms that blends the old styles with more contemporary ones you are upgrading to.
3) Bathrooms with unusual décor.
This has unconventional fixtures such as round or period style tubs.
4) Supermordern or ultra-streamlined bathrooms
5) Specialised bathrooms
Specialized bathrooms are equipped with whirlpools and saunas, shower stall rooms master bathrooms and powder rooms.
The bathroom should be one of the most inviting rooms in your home. Try to make it a combination of warmth and luxury with easy to clean fixtures.

The steps you should take
Find a brochure on designs, go through them, choose the one that catch your fancy ,then call your builder or architect to help actualize and see how what you have in mind fits into the plan of your bathroom.
You can visit specialist shops that offers wide range of tubs lavatories fixtures in many shapes and sizes. Your interior designer could be someone you need contact in this aspect. Colour choice is another thing to consider, how will the plumbing wares colour fits in perfectly with the colour paint of your building.
You need to also know how changes in your bathrooms affects your plumbing, will it require you spending too much on it to fix?
To start one from scratch then you need to measure the room and draw the shape showing—
Size and location of door and direction it opens,
Size location and type of windows
Location of hot and cold water supplies
Hot water heater location and capacity
Radiator or heated towel rail
Electrical outlets and switches
Mirror positions, hand drier
And putting in mind whatever you want to keep

CHOOSING FIXTURES
Remodelling your bathroom does not necessarily mean changing the fixtures if they are good. If the colour is bad you can easily call specialist companies to get them resurfaced for you,this they would do on site. But when your fixtures needs replacement look through the catalog.
It is important to note the fixtures locations, the space around them and the best ways to position them.
Your wc and other fixtures like bidet ,lavatory and tub, when they are on the same plumbing line whereby you connect them to the main stack i.e the big pipe which goes down to the main waste line reduces the cost of plumbing.

POSITIONING FIXTURES
The bath usual site is one side against a wall or both ends against adjacent walls. However you can also achieve an interesting bathroom by going unconventional placing the bath at the center and giving space for you to decorate spaces left round the bath.
Lavatory
You need to install this close to your toilet if it is in the same room, provide towel rack and space for a toothbrush holder and soap dish.
Toilet
Ideally it should be separated from the bathroom,but lack of space makes it impossible in many homes. The usual thing is to locate the toilet or wc close to a window where you can have ventilation.

Why you should build a house before buying a car

For a young graduate starting life, your first asset after the basic furniture in your room is to buy a car. But this is where most of us will always get it wrong, The obsession for car has put a lot of young people in the rat race life. See the advantages of building a house before buying your first car.

1 A house appreciates in value while a car depreciates' A car right from the first day you bought it have been taking already as second hand ,so a car loses its original value the moment it gets out of the garage while the more a house takes long in a place the more the value rises.

2. A house is easier to maintain to car, the house maintenance is fixed and requires basic materials to get it done, its maintenance can tarry for a while to allow for the owner to mop up enough cash for the project, in the case of a car, when you see the slighest fault then you need to move to the mechanic immediately.

3. It takes longer time to renovate a house, for a car you have to service at most six months.

4. Your house can last for lifetime and still stand for centuries especially when built and maintain with good materials. Your car can not last more than 20 years, only on exceptional cases you can see a car lasts longer.

5. Money generated from house rent usually rises yearly, but for a car the rentage value will reduce drastically as it adds more years.

6. House in a good location is a super money maker, check out the rate at which banks are taking over some of these houses and modify them to their branches. They pay millions to acquire these properties ,hence you can become an instant millionare by just building a house now, wait for 5 to 10 years for development to meet up the place and then sell for millions of naira.