Like in other places of the world, building a house in Nigeria entails a step-by-step elaborate process that must be thoroughly observed to avoid an erroneous result. No matter the Nigerian state where you’re building a house, there are a handful of indispensable costs you should bear before you can have the house of your dream on ground.

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Although the costs of building materials vary from one Nigerian state to another, the step-by-step process for building a house in Nigeria is almost the same across the states in the country.

If you’re keen to have insightful information about the considerations that go into the construction of a house in Nigeria, you can rest assured that this very article has got you covered.

Steps for Building a House from Start to Finish in Nigeria

Draft Your Spending Budget

Drafting a list for your proposed expenditure is one of the essential steps at the initial stage of building construction. Of course, the builder or contractor you’re hiring will help you arrive at an estimated expenditure list that you can work with. But advisably, do well to have a personal list incorporating essential expenditure including (i) cost of site (ii) cost of obtaining building plans (iii) government taxes (iv) cost of land (v) building cost, and (vi) cost of house finishing.

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Acquire the Suitable Amount of Land Space

In the course of building a house in Nigeria, one important thing is to acquire a suitable amount of land space while another is to choose a space situated in a location that fits into your expectation. Depending on several factors (including the type of building you wish to erect on it), some of the determinants of suitable land are location, price, certainty of security, presence of amenities, accessibility and proximity to strategic places.

Engage the Service of an Architect for Design Purpose

While you’re certain to have a rough sketch of what you want your house to look like, you still need the professional inputs of an architect. Broadly, working with an architect guarantees the ease of fine-tuning your rough design ideas as well as transforming those ideas into a reality.

Also, the architect will likely help you with crucial decisions and actions as to putting your ideas on paper, ascertaining that the ideas are feasible, aligning your design ideas with location-specific standards and even giving you hints on how to arrive at a cost-effective design budget.

In addition to the professional inputs of an architect, the services of a quantity surveyor or cost consultant are crucial for the success of your house construction. Specifically, the quantity surveyor helps you map out the estimated expenditure on labour, building materials and parts. Quite advantageously, the estimate offered by a quantity surveyor can provide you a sound basis for negotiating construction costs with a builder or contractor.

Acquire Building Plan Approval from Relevant Authorities

You need to be aware of all the building plans required of you by the government before you’re deemed qualified to start constructing your house. On one hand, you’re obliged to secure your building approval from the appropriate authorities. On the other hand, you’ll be required to pay a certain fee at the point of application as well as submit the important documents listed below:

1. Floor plans document
2. Survey plans document
3. Site analysis report
4. Title documents: C of O (Certificate of Occupancy)/Right of Occupancy with payment evidence
5. Documents on mechanical, electrical and structural drawings
6. Design plans
7. Environmental impact report

For the obtainment of your building plan approval, you should contact the appropriate authorities in your state. For instance, the department of development control (under the Federal Capital Development Authority) is the relevant authority issuing building plan approval to people in Abuja.

Hire a Reliable Contractor/Builder

Depending on your needs and expectations, you can hire any of contractor and builder for your house construction. Essentially, a builder ensures that your final house construction reflects the exact approved plans on paper while still keeping expenses within your estimated budget. In the second place, a contractor receives money from you for the procurement of building materials and the hiring of the competent personnel that should help you execute your house project.

Whichever one you’re choosing between a contractor and a builder, it is of paramount importance that you select only a reliable individual with an impressive track record.

Conclusion

We strongly believe that this article has opened your eyes to the essential steps that go into the successful construction of a house from start to finish in Nigeria. Importantly, you’re advised to avoid cutting corners (particularly with regard to indispensable expenditure) so as to avoid a poor end result.