IF THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR BUILDING IS WEAK: DON’T PANIC, JUST UNDERPIN

Most building collapse scenarios across the world have been attributed to faulty, weak or unstable foundations/sub-structures or issues of overloading of certain structural members within it. Many may wonder if there is any remedy to damaged or poorly-constructed foundations. 

Pay and Pack in” or “Pay, Pack in and Pay More

You have paid your rent, Agency and Legal Fees and perhaps a Caution Deposit. So your expenses on your rented apartments should over. Yes and no. Take the case of Laide, who moved into an apartment in Ipaja and found that some parts of the house were giving her electric shocks. She complained to the Landlord who referred her to the Agent who referred her back to the Landlord. When it was obvious that both men were ‘playing’ her, she sought legal advice and found out that she would have to pay about N150,000 to her lawyer and spend an undermined time in the courts to get redress. This was against the N75,000 bill the electrician had given her to fix the problem. She settled for the latter option of paying the electrician.

Before you build that Big House…

 

You have ‘arrived’. Congratulations. Now it is time to put up that mansion that you have always envisaged.  A room for every family member and the family dog is in order. What about a room for the grandchildren that will come in future? Now that the bedrooms, all en-suite of course have been sorted out what about the living areas? There’s the formal parlous, the family living room up-stairs and surely there must be an ante room to receive such callers like the mechanics etc. who cannot be invited into the main sitting room. There’s also the small matter of political ambitions so there must be another parlour where to level consultations with ‘my people’ can be held in secrecy. Apart from the living areas there is also the prayer room, the study and the gym where Oga can do a few rounds on the treadmill.

Recession Architecture: Proposed Lagos Car Park and Event Centre

 

There is no better discipline equipped for responding to these essential changes than 21^st century architecture, and this unique opportunity allows us to delve deep into our local nuances and mythologies, to come up with not only novel narrative themes for formal compositions and responses.

REMOVE STRUCTURES UNDER HIGH TENSION POLES….Lagos Govt. Warns

Lagos Govt. Gives Owners 7-Day Ultimatum,  that all structures and properties built under high tension cables across Lagos State must be removed within 7 days from Thursday 28^th July, 2016, according to a directive from the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development Tpl. Anifowoshe Abiola.

In his words:  ‘having residential buildings or conducting business under High Tension Power Lines constitute a danger  to lives and properties that could have fatal consequences’

According to the statement, the State’s Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010, not only prohibits building under the centre-line of over-head electricity wires, it also in very clear terms specified  the  distance to be observed between  a Property and a public utility such as the PHCN High Tension Cables,

The Law “required setback for buildings from the centre-line of over-head wires and horizontal distance between such buildings of not less than 6 meters for 11KV wire lines, while 9 meters is the recommended distance for 33KV wire lines. Furthermore, the recommended setback for 132KV wire lines is 15 meters, while a 22.5 meter setback is recommended for 330KV power line.”

Approval Orders: What Can You Build on Your Land in The Lekki Axis?

The Lekki sub region is a vast area and is the subject of different Approval Orders, so to get a grip on this subject, it is wise to segment the area. The best way to do this in planning terms is to differentiate between Government Estates and privately held areas. The Government Estates where land is available for sale are the Lekki Phase 2 and Abijo GRA Estates.  It should be noted that there are plots complimentary to residential living like plots for places of worship and corner shops. In the two Government Estates, the buildings on the plots must give a setback of 9metres to the front fence, have air space of 3 metres to the side fences and 6 metres to the back fence.  Only two family units are allowed to be built on a plot, no matter how large the plot is, and the buildings must not exceed two floors. In certain blocks, penthouses, which must not exceed 30% of the preceding floor, are permissible.

 

The  Lekki Master Plan

 

Outside of the Government Estates, land is held by several land owning families of which the largest landowners are Elegushi, Ojomu and Olumegbon. generally, in land owned by these families (Ikate Elegushi, Osapa, Agungi, Ikota etc), the set back is 6 metres from the road and the air spaces are 3 metres. Generally, maximum floors allowed is 3 floors but there are exceptions. With respect to the number of units you can build on a plot, this is determined by the number of parking spaces you can provide on the plot, as the Approval Order requires two parking spots per family unit. Note that these parking spots must be unhindered, that is, not dependent on another car moving before the spot can be assessed by the car. so if you put 12 family units on a 600 square metre plot, your architect must find a way for 24 parking spots! An important point to note is that if more than 2 family units are put on a plot, a charge of N500,000 per additional unit will be levied. This charge is known as Infrastructural Development Charge (IDC)
Within the fiefdoms of the land owning families, estate developers have bought large acreages for estates. So we have NICON Town in Ikate Elegushi, Friends Colony in Agungi on Ojomu land etc.

The rule is that any estate purchased from the land owning families that is above 1 hectare (10,000 square metres) must have its own Approval Order and the promoters of these estates   have used this opportunity to tie future purchasers of land in the estate to building in a certain way. For instance, Northern Foreshore on Ajiran land insists on a setback of 9 metres from the road, insists on dwarf perimeter walls and that houses be painted in a prescribed colour. NICON Town’s Approval Order requires that only one house be built on a plot with two inbuilt car garages, despite been on Elegushi land which has no such restrictions. So if you are buying in these estates, clarify the position with the estate office and ‘shine’ your eyes to the developments already in the estate. They are that way because of the Approval Order
Contact
This article gives a general overview of what is permissible in the Lekki axis. To get detailed advice on your plot and if what you want to build is permissible, visit the local District Office of the Planning Office which is at KM 20, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ikota Bridge, Right Turn Immediately after Total Petrol Station

Some Properties in Lagos Scare Buyers Away…ESV Sam Eboigbe

Rev Sam Eboigbe is an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), a member of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) and the Acting Chairman, Faculty of Estate Agency, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers. He was a Branch Manager at Osas & Oseji (Lagos). He is currently the Principal Partner at SAM EBOIGBE & CO.

In the following interview he shares his experience in the real estate industry.

What is the biggest transaction your firm was involved in?

We have, in conjunction with other professional firms, collaborated in the consummation of develop-able land in a prime location in Victoria Island.

Who has been your most difficult client ever?

There was an individual who used to be a top executive of a multinational construction firm. He gave us his property on the Island to manage but he would not give us the freedom to screen tenants that were suitably ideal for the property. He hardly ever appreciated our professional services. Hence, we wrote to him recently to withdraw our services.

What is your quickest deal in terms of when it started and when it was concluded?

It was a property in 1004 Estate. Within 2 weeks, the property was offered to a prospective purchaser and payment was made without delay.

Could you share your experience on the most awkward property your company has been given to sell or rent?

It was an undeveloped acre of land (Valley) somewhere at Anthony Village. Whenever we took clients to the site they didn’t ever proceed to the site proper before they would make a U-turn just a few meters away from it.

What was the first property you sold or rented? Give some details.

It was a 3-bedroom flat at Dolphin Estate in 2009.

How much did it sell or rent for?

The flat then went for about N17m.

Capital Appreciation in Tough Economic Times

It’s more likely for land valued at N1m to be valued at N1.2m (capital appreciation of 20%) in say twelve months than for a N100m plot to move to N120m (the same 20%) in these times. This is because there are more people who can afford the N1m land than those who can afford the N100m plot. Besides those who can afford the latter plot also have wider choices. Because of this demand for lower priced property, our recommendation for our readers who are interested in investments that will yield higher capital appreciation is to look land below N3m.

In Lagos axis, this means such investors will be limited to three major areas: the Ibeju Lekki axis, Ikorodu Town and the Mowe/Ofada axis. While all have potentials for growth, based on our analysis above, we believe that the Ibeju Lekkki axis will outstrip the other two locations based on the investments of both the private and public sector in that area.

Lagos State Government Threathens to Take Over Abandoned Properties on the Island

 

The Attention of the Lagos state Government has been drawn to the growing number of abandoned properties (buildings/ structures) in ikoyi and Victoria Island which constitutes environmental hazard and poses serious security threat to lives and property, in contravention of Lagos State Laws.

In order to get rid of squatters, miscreants and criminals’ element who seek refuge in abandoned structures out of Ikoyi and victoria island, the Lagos State Government has identified and comiled the under listed properties for necessary remedial action by Owners/ Developers. This step is necessitated by the fact that the activities of these criminals are depriving these areas and the good citizen of security, peace and serenity which is hitherto one of the characteristics of the area.

In view of the foregoing, Owners/ Developers of such and similar building/structures are given 90 days’ notice from the date of this publication to take physical possession to ensure that such properties are completed, restored and fit for habitation.

Please note that failure to comply would result in enforcement of the relevant provision of the law

1. A 3-storey building at Alfred Rewane Road opposite Southern Sun Hotel
2. A storey building opposite Total Filling station at Awolowo Road
3. A storey building at No 31 Cooper Road
4. A storey building at No 17B Adeyemi Lawson Street Off Macpherson Sreet
5. A storey building by Day Light Micro Finance Bank at Adeyemi Lawson Street
6. A house opposite No 25A Adeyemi Lawson Street
7. A A storey building at No 22A and B Cooper Road Off Bourdillion Road
8. An Uncompleted Building opposite No 6 Machperson Avenue
9. A storey building at No 38 Cameron Road
10. A storey Building at No 49 Glover Road
11. Block of Flats at Glover Road besides Istitute of Directors office
12. A building opposite No 6A Ikoya Avenue
13. A story Building at No 50 Bourdillion Road
14. A cornerpiece of uncompleted detached house at Ikoya Avenue Off Machperson Street
15. Uncompleted house at No 13 Ilabere Avenue
16. A detached house at No 26A Illabere Street
17. A detached house at No 25 Illabere Street
18. A shopping complex opposite Etisalat Shops at Adeola Odeku Street
19. A storey building at No 8 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive
20. A storey building at No 22 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive
21. A story Building opposite Divisional Police Headquarter at Oba Elegunshi Road Off Mobolaji Johnson Avenue
22. A story Building beside House 26A Lugard Avenue
23. A storey building at Abagbon Close by Ologun Agbaje off Adeola Odeku Street
24. A detached house formerly known as Chines and Asian Cuisine beside Laggon Homes Loan saving at Ajose Adeogun Street
25. A corner piece building by Shoppers Delite Supermarket at Ademola Adetokunbo Street
26. A storey building at No 9B Milverton Road Off Bourdillion Road
27. A storey building at No 3 Milverton Road Off Alexander Road
28. A detached House beside Grocery Restaurant at Akin Adesola Street
29. A Bungalow at opposite sterling Bank Adeola Odeku Street
30. A storey building beside Elizade Showroom at Akin Adesola Street
31. An uncompleted building behind Nurses House at Ahmed Onibudo street
32. A storey building opposite Benis Apartment at Ahmed Onibodu street
33. A detached house opposite MTN office at Adeola Hopwell Street
34. An uncompleted Office complex beside IGI Insurance at Hopewell Street
35. A detached house opposite Dream Plaza at Aboyade Cole street
36. A detached house opposite No 22 and 24 Balarabe Musa Crescent
37. A Detached house beside Vanguish Court at Balarabe Musa Crescent
38. A storey building at Buraimoh kenku street, off sani Fafunwa
39. A property opposite Plot 1689 Buraimoh kenku street, off sani Fafunwa
40. An uncompleted building beside Church gate House at Church gate street
41. 44, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi
42. A Detached house beside Nurse House at Church gate street
43. An office complex opposite Agip House at Engineering Close
44. A story building beside Eye Foundation Hospital at Idowu Taylor Street
45. A detached house at No 18B Idowu Taylor Street
46. A wing of duplex opposite commerce House at Idowu Taylor Street
47. 19, Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi
48. A Block of Flat at No 10 Idowu Taylor Street
49. A Multi storey office complex known as Ecobank building Former oceanic bank building along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue
50. A storey building in between No 155B and 154 Prince Ade Odedina Street off Sinari Daranji Street
51. A detached house at No 14 Kofo Abayomi street
52. A Bungalow beside Cosharis Motors at Sanusi Fafunwa Street
53. 32a Cameron Road, Ikoyi
54. 3-5 Macdonald Road, Ikoyi
55. A storey building at No 25A Kofo Abayomi street
56. A storey building at No 20b Ologun Agbaje off Adeola Odeku Street
57. A storey building beside GTBANK at Tiamiyu Salvage off Modupe Oshikoya way
58. A storey building at Saka Tinubu street beside Etisalat office
59. A detached hpuse at Moshood Olugbani street close to No 188
60. A wind of duplex beside No 4A Oko Awo street off Karimu Kotun sreet
61. A storey building at No 5B Oko Awo street
62. A Bungalow opposite Vanguish Court at Balarabe Musa Crescent
63. An uncompleted building beside Keystone Bank at Ahmadu Bello way
64. A storey building beside GTBANK at Adeola Odeku Street
65. A block of Flat formerly used by Oceanic Bank at Idowu Martins street
66. An Office complex formerly used by fin bank Plc at Ahmadu Bello Way
67. A block of Flat beside EDG Water Hotel and Resort at Ahmadu Bello Way
68. A Gigantic building at Plot 1222 Ahmadu Bello Way
69. An uncompleted building at plot 1220A, Ahmadu Bello Way
70. A building formerly used by Afex Bank at Idowu Martins
71. 12, Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi
72. 11, Cameron Road, Ikoyi
73. 38, 69, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi
74. 56, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi
75. 18, Cameron Road, Ikoyi
76. 9, Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi
77. 15b, Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi
78. 11, Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi
79. 32, Glover Road, Ikoyi
80. 29, Glover Road, Ikoyi
81. 18, Oniru Road, Ikoyi
82. 101, Awolowo Road
83. 9, Macgregor Road, Ikoyi
84. 3, Macgregor Road, Ikoyi
85. 6, Adekunle Lawa Road, Ikoyi
86. Gerrard Road, Ikoyi
87. Obalende Road, Beside Union Bank
88. 2, Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi

...

PHOTOS: ESV Stephen Jagun Emerges First IFMA Fellow from Africa

 

At the International Facility Management Association (IFMA)  World Workplace Conference in San Diego 2016, Stephen Jagun was awarded the IFMA Fellowship. This makes him the first one in Africa.
According to the Association’s website “The Fellowship program was established by the International Facility Management Association in 1992 to recognize members who have distinguished themselves by achievement in and around IFMA and the field of facility management. The first class of Fellows included founders of the association and the IFMA Foundation, early IFMA leaders, facility management researchers who defined the profession, luminaries, authors, industry giants and a prominent journalist/publisher. Subsequent classes of Fellows have been equally diverse and significant. Fellowship is the highest honor bestowed by the association. Because IFMA is the world’s largest network of facility management professionals and the recognized leader, IFMA Fellowship is unparalleled and unmatched among workplace-related recognitions.”

So rare is this honour that there are barely one hundred persons named as IFMA Fellow worldwide.
Stephen Ola Jagun is the principal partner of Jagun Associates. He is a graduate of Estate Management and holds a Master’s degree in Project Management from the University of Lagos, Lagos. He has work in various practising firms; Yinka Sonaike & Co, Bode Adediji Partnership, Jide Taiwo & Co and have wealth of experience in practise.

Pastor Stephen Jagun receives the IFMA Fellowship

He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV); Registered by the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON); Member, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM); a Certified Facility Manager (CFM) of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) based in America, a Certified Facility Manager of Japan (CFMJ);  member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) of America; Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) of United Kingdom and Fellow of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).
He is the immediate past Chairman of the Lagos State Branch of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Chairman of the Property and Facility Management Faculty of NIESV and a Past President of the Nigerian Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).

He an IFMA International Qualified Instructor and was awwarded the 2015 IFMA International’s Distinguished Member/Professional of the Year Award.
Other IFMA Fellows honoured this year are: Peter Ankerstjerne, MBA, FRICS, COP, IFMA Fellow of ISS World Services A/S, Søborg, Denmark; Jon Seller, IFMA Fellow of Optegy Limited, Hong Kong; and David (Dave) Wilson, CFM, IFMA Fellow of Effective Facilities Limited and Morphose Limited, Canterbury, United Kingdom.

PHOTO: Here's the status of Lagos Real Estate Market

In its Q3 2016 Nigeria Real Estate Investment Report, MCO Real Estate focuses on this very pertinent question.

Land
Prime land prices have generally retained their value in Naira terms through the challenging 2015-2016 economic cycle albeit with a considerable fall in pricing in Dollar terms and an increase in the
supply of prime locations up for sale suitable for commercial development particularly in Victoria Island and Ikoyi.

Residential
Demand is such that even in the downturn, buyers are prepared to purchase property where they feel that they are getting value for money. Developers that are able to offer good quality residential units in attractively located estates that tick the boxes for buyers will still sell out.

Retail
The retail sector has been hit by a triple whammy of reduced consumer spending, a falling Naira leading to inflationary pressures on imported consumer goods and supply constraints in sourcing foreign exchange to buy the goods to stock shelves. This has negatively impacted retailer’s turnover with a knock-on effect on their ability to pay rents.

Office
The commercial office market continues to suffer from a supply overhang initially due to a strong development pipeline but now aggravated by a fall away of corporate demand due the constrained economic environment.
The upshot of this is the weakening of rents and the increasing prevalence
of sweeteners to attract new tenants to fill space

Hospitality
A challenged hospitality sector will continue to track the performance of the wider economy. It will however be a major beneficiary of any pick-up in economic activity particularly on the back of stable or rising oil prices.

Finance
International investors remain reluctant to invest in Nigeria as a lack of convergence between the official and parallel market rates, continues to
draw attention to the lack of liquidity and currency risk inherent in the foreign exchange market.

REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF ESTATE AGENCY IN LAGOS

The perception of the populace on the activities of estate agents particularly in our major cities where housing has always been a crucial issue is that of greed, deceit, and extortion, as it is now a commonplace occurrence as the atrocious estate agents have become a source of sorrow for the hordes of accommodation seekers in Nigeria.

Accommodation seekers in Lagos are more vulnerable to the whims and caprices of the estate agents for reasons of inadequate housing stock, size and population, occasioned by its cosmopolitan nature being the former seat of government in Nigeria and the commercial nerve centre of the West African sub-region, making the city attractive to those seeking greener pastures.

Just recently, the media was awash with the news of an estate agent who reportedly collected huge sums of money from prospective tenants over and above the number of available apartments in a property.

It must, however, be noted that there are quite a number of honest and professional agents out there. Determined to provide the missing link in the quest to checkmate the rate of disturbing neglect and fraud ravaging the state in the real estate sector as part of its responsibility to see to the welfare of the citizenry of the state, the Babatunde Raji Fashola’s administration inaugurated the Lagos State Real Estate Transactions Department (LASRETRAD) to strictly monitor and regulate the practice of estate agency and prosecute those who contravene the laws on Real Estate in the state.

The agency which is expected to be a one-stop shop for all activities and enquiries on real estate transactions in Lagos State has since commenced operations in line with the enabling laws that established it.

It is pertinent however to state that as much as the government is committed to the regulation of estate agency practice, legalistic approach alone may not be enough to solve the problem of quack agents. It must be a collective resolve to push the dubious agents out of business.

Every stakeholder in real estate sector, Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Architects, Civil Engineers and Builders and other professionals in the property business must key into the initiative and join hands with the government to make a success of the efforts. The government on its part must demonstrate, as it has done in the past, a committed spirit to ensure that this regulation is given enough ‘teeth’ to bite whenever it is necessary.

LAGOS ARCHITECTS URGE REVIEW OF PLANNING APPROVAL

Except planning approval processes are reviewed to sooth the prevailing city growth, the work of urban designers, predominantly, architects, and all stakeholders in the building industry, whose efforts are geared towards seeing the Nigeria space transformed into urban settlement will continue to be a mirage, the Nigerian Institute of architects (NIA), Lagos Chapter, has said.

In a communiqué issued after the Lagos Architects Forum, NIA said the time to ensure total review of the planning approval process is now. According to them, the building approval process needed to be simplified to ensure speedy project delivery, which impacts positively on the overall economy of the city.

Under the theme of the Conference, the architects said that planning laws must be reviewed to make them compliant with global best practices.

Still on planning, NIA said that the inability of professionals to have access to requisite planning documents that may guide and specify building regulation requirements, under their efforts on city planning and urban design, as the various levies made to government for approval process is enormous and hinders development in Lagos State.

The 5^th edition of LAF conference, which had about 1000 participants, had attendees from the public service, private practice, academia, allied professionals in the built environment, manufacturers and suppliers of building materials.

The theme focused on evolving an efficient urban space via the art of creating and shaping of cities in three dimensional (3D) form and character to make them livable and sustainable through the application of planned multiple buildings, public spaces, transport systems and infrastructure in the public sphere.

Scientific sessions with seasoned professionals on topics ranging from planning in urban centres, international standards in planning and development processes, introduction to urban design, urban spaces and social conflict, urban projects with case study in Dubai, real estate development and mass housing, made some observations on militating against urbanization including absence of collective ownership gives rise to urban social conflict and private developments of iconic standards are not surrounded contextually by supportive facilities that may enhance their urban value.

 Lagos Island

Also, they observed that bureaucratic bottlenecks created at the approval authority with the time line for obtaining approval is unduly long, which impacts negatively on the life of the project and overall economy of the city.

They recommended that there must be integrated planning which takes into cognizance the way of life and culture of the people so that it reflects on the urbanization of the city as well as involvement of local participation to meet the challenge of attaining a fluid urbanization process.

“There is need to foster collaboration amongst professionals to create sustainable and prosperous urbanization and review the historical development of public housing concepts which have thus far created social conflicts of isolation.

“Cities should be planned appropriately for economic growth as they affect the productivity of the people; involvement of local content participation to meet the challenges presently faced by conventional construction, by exploring alternative construction systems, which aid speed and efficiency.

“A checklist of building approval requirements should be made available to architects’ firms to enable them comply with requisite building regulation requirements from the conceptual stage, which will cut down on time required to secure building approval.”

DANGOTE BACKS GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

As part of its efforts in tackling environmental problems bedeviling the country, the Dangote Group is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of the Environment by sponsoring the 9^th National Council on Environment.

A statement from the conglomerate said the group decided to sponsor the NCE given its penchant and track record for environmental issues.

“We are an environment friendly group. Our factories are run with the global acceptable standard. The Dangote Cement’s emission level of 30mg is far below that of the EU, which is 50mg,” the statement said.

The group noted that last year, it donated N2.5bn to help mitigate the impact of flooding across the country. 

The statement said “Dangote Cement, for instance, has uncompromising investments in state-of-the-art bag filters at all its plants to ensure minimal dust emissions, making Dangote one of the industry’s greenest cement companies not only in Nigeria, but across Africa.

“Pollution control is accorded to priority with regular monitoring with action plans put in place to reduce emissions in tune with national and international statutory control guidelines.”