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.