HOW TO ACHIEVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING 2!!!

Welcome to Sharp Edge Design Ltd…

Kindly refer to our website (www.sharpedgedesignltd.com) to know what we are about.

We are well aware of the accommodation challenges that most people face in Nigeria and we have resolved to provide a practical solution, taking Lagos as our starting point.

As a firm, we have spent the last one year researching on how to achieve low cost housing with modest finish.

On this website, we will be sharing some of our findings with you, but understand that this will be done with caution for obvious reasons.

We will be looking at a wide range of topics from factors that affect low cost housing, to causes of building collapse, to the integrity of the contractor, to different architectural styles, to grandiose architecture, etc.

Today, we will start a series on the factors that affect low cost housing in Nigeria and they are:

POOR DESIGN:

Most times, the client spends a lot more money when the design is done without taking the client’s “pocket or budget” into consideration.

We have been practicing for years now (please refer to our company profile on this website) and we have had to work with a lot of designs and I can boldly say that well over 70% of the designs we have had to work with are unnecessarily extravagant and mostly not functional.

Some design mistakes that increase construction costs are:

• Unnecessary use of Corridors/Lobbies: This in most cases is a pointer to the fact that the designer/architect does not have a flair for design and is obviously not savvy in space management; the consequence being extra spending on corridors that are not necessary.

• Complex designs: We have found over time that there is beauty in simplicity and that complexity in most cases breeds extravagance and lack desired aesthetics.

• Unnecessary walls: Sometimes you don’t have to wall up every space; there is such a thing as an open design and it will still be very functional.

• Dysfunctional spaces: If a space for instance is not well lighted or ventilated, it then becomes compulsory for the client to artificially light and ventilate it and this will consequently increase the cost of the project.

• Poor circulation: If a major space for instance is unavoidably used for circulation, then it makes it compulsory to get extra furniture to control movement and this will consequently drive up the project cost.

It is very important for the client to know that in design, one single line can translate to millions of naira during construction.

The architect has the responsibility of carrying out a spatial analysis before a design is done especially when economy is a major consideration.

One of our self given goals is to demystify the prevalent belief that you must have millions and millions of naira before you can build your own house.

Please join us in our next post as we continue with our series on the factors that affect low cost housing in Nigeria…

As we enter into a new year, please think twice before you pay that rent again; think twice before you buy that car, think twice before you throw that society party, etc.