Responsibilities of Nigerian Professionals in the Building Construction Industry

(1) The soil scientist:

The soil scientist’s job is to determine the suitability of the soil for which it is to be used. They verify the resistance, the ph content and provide a report on the effects of construction on said land. In fact, they are important to avoid settlements. of land due to the weight of future construction. They use different ways to investigate soil conditions. For simple residential buildings on reasonable sites, they dig several holes about three spits deep, drill holes up to 2 or 21/2 m deep with a hand auger, or drive in a steel bar approximately 1 1/2 m into the ground are usually sufficient. With larger buildings or more difficult sites, the following methods apply.

(i) Excavation of test pits approximately 1 1/2 m deep outside the perimeter of the building.

(ii) Drilling of wells by percussion or rotary methods. The percussion method uses a steel drill bit with a chisel point screwed into a steel rod. rod.

(iii) Load tests often using a reinforced concrete slab of approximately 1.20 to 1.50 m2 and 300 mm thick, to which loads are added at intervals of approximately 2 hours and the amount of settlement determined with a level. The safe bearing capacity of the soil is found. halving the applied load before appreciable settlement in the area of ​​the slab.

(2) lawyers:

Lawyers are needed from the moment you want to buy your land, they help in all legal dealings. From contracts to agreements between you and the landowners “omo onile”; you need them. It’s a lawyer’s job to find out the true owner of the land because the person selling you may not actually be the right person to do it, they will do a thorough scrutiny of the deal documents and give their legal advice on your investment. The money you pay for this service may be worth considering the possibility of losing your money if you refuse to contact them.

(3) Surveyors:

These people draw a map of the area or parcel of their land. They make sure your land is properly demarcated from your neighbor with their instruments and skill, they will give you the exact length of your plot. The drawing is what leads the architect to design the building for her. She also needs a survey plan for her land validation when she wants to register it.

(4) architects:

They communicate with you, that is, with clients, one by one to achieve the type of building you want. Architects provide professional support to clients not only in the design of the building, the execution, but also in general, including the feasibility of the building. An architect’s work is extensive because they are usually closer to their clients than any other construction professional. He is in the best position to know what fulfills his dreams and how to help him achieve it. He conceives or dreams and puts pen to paper and outlines what you have in mind, gives you criticism to adapt it to what you want correctly and makes the necessary adjustments. He is the bridge between you and the other professionals and craftsmen on the site. by his position he is the head of the construction team.

(5)Quantity surveyor:

This professional estimates and ensures that you do not start a project that is beyond your financial means. They cost and determine the amount of money you’ll need to build your house so you don’t end up abandoning your project midway. . These people are very important, unfortunately Nigerians today do not see the need for them and that is why we have abandoned projects that dot our landscape. It is good to have a beautiful and suitable house. It also helps promote the architects who designed it for you when your house is very beautiful, although for small projects your architect can give you an idea of ​​what your building will cost. but he may not really get the perfect, unsentimental estimate of what a surveyor will give him. The surveyor has nothing to lose if the house is very ugly, his job is to make sure that he has a financial understanding of what he is about to start. On large projects, they keep and give money to craftsmen and labor based on each worker’s input.

(6) Civil or Structural Engineers:

The civil or structural engineer in the construction industry must ensure that the stability or structural arrangement of his building is not compromised. I mean they give calculations and recommendations based on the Architect’s drawing, what kind of reinforcement or iron or any other structural element that can make your house stable and not collapse. And they come out with the drawings on this to help the on-site builder do his job effectively.

(7) Mechanical Engineer

These people deal with the mechanical aspects of the building, especially large projects, they deliver detailed drawings and specify the plumbing work in the building, the plumbers work with them and help carry out the instructions for the good of the project.

(8) Electrical Engineer

As the word implies, they make sure that the house is properly lit. Dangerous electrical connections have caused the death of several people. I will advise you to have the electrical engineer in your plans when embarking on a construction project. They instruct the electrician on large project sites.

(9) The builders

These are one of the most important professionals in the construction industry, unfortunately today’s Nigeria is a case of dog eat dog. A situation where he claims that he can do someone else’s work and there is no law that discourages him against such impersonation, that is what we are seeing in the construction industry today. “Collapse of buildings” The builder is qualified to carry out or execute on site or transform or make real on site the plans and intentions of all other construction professionals, whether they are Architects, Civil Engineers, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers. . Engineer. His duty is to make sure that all the craftsmen or workers on the site carry out their work effectively. Unfortunately, all the unemployed people with some money in Nigeria now claim to be construction contractors and people out of ignorance don’t even know the difference.

Even other professionals are also competing for each other’s work. A situation where a planner or surveyor claims that he can design a house plan for you or where a surveyor is doing the work of a builder will not give you the best you deserve. A building contractor yes, he is important in the construction industry, but his job is not to bypass any professionals, but to work with or consult with the professionals to carry out the project effectively, except if the contractor he is a professional. They will probably be the ones financing the construction project at times, but to get a really good job you need to insist on meeting the professional they will be working with.