Practical, plain-English advice for people planning to build in Maiduguri and across Northern Nigeria, written by our team.
How to tell good blocks from poor ones: what sandcrete and Hydraform interlocking blocks are, what to check before you buy, and how to store and lay them for strong, lasting walls.
A practical, step-by-step guide to planning a house or commercial building in Borno State: land checks, budget, design, approvals, materials, the rainy season and choosing a builder.
Practical ways to control the cost of building materials: accurate quantities, buying and storage, waste, theft, price changes and record keeping for homes and commercial buildings.
Practical project management tips for construction owners and builders: scope, programme, cost tracking, communication, risk, changes and hand-over, to finish on time and on budget.
An introduction to strip, pad, raft and pile foundations, and how soil, drainage and building type influence the choice in Northern Nigeria. General guidance, not a substitute for a site investigation.
What a bill of quantities is, how a cost estimate is built, and how owners can use both to compare builder prices, control spending and avoid disputes on a construction project.
Why daily site supervision protects your investment: what a supervisor checks, the stages that must be inspected before they are covered, common defects and how owners can supervise a build.
