Construction Matters

Written by Abiodun Ayinde   The circular economy is an evolving economic principle that dates back to the eighties and has gained momentum due to the impacts of climate, resource scarcity and high waste generation by countries. Economies of the world have started incorporating this model into their environment because of the estimated economic benefits. The circular economy is an economic model which focuses beyond the lifecycle stages of products through sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, recycling and composting. The circular economy is akin to a system of waste minimization by reintroducing products into the economy. This approach contrasts with the linear economy where products are disposed of at the end of their life cycle. Nigeria generates huge waste from every facet of its environment with little or no means to recoup it for meaningful purposes. The circular economy would benefit a nation that produces over 32 million metric tonnes of waste annually t...

The goal of an organization in a business environment is profit-making. However, delivering and meeting the client's requirements and expectations are key to sustaining the firm business. Effective management of cost and value is the basis for the expected profit. The cost and value are the links between the contractor and 1. The paying party or client 2. Subcontractors and suppliers (allied professionals) The scenarios 1. The contractor presents a cost to the client/ project initiator/ paying party 2. The contractor arranges, manages, and supervises allied professionals to achieve value in the project Cost is achieved through the knowledge of estimating principle, that is developing rates through (a). first principle (b). Specialist cost (c). Past experience i.e., sum. Value is the careful disintegration of bill rates/amounts into different items, packages, and frameworks that will be executed by direct workmen, subcontractors, and suppliers. The difference between the cost and va...

Aside from a series of meetings held during the construction pre-contract stage, the numbers, levels, series of construction project meetings during the post-contract stage might not be countable. The construction industry presents a higher number of meetings over a great number of industries. In construction, the  meeting is an avenue for the appraisal, conveyance, instruction, and enforcement of project requirements. The contractor’s meeting occurs in two broad categories: namely Client (including its representatives or agents) and contractor Contractors and others The first could also be referred to as management or executive meeting, the latter category could be termed as the general meeting. The term used for construction meetings is dependent on the individual and purpose. The classification of the contractor’s meetings is Management meeting Site team meeting Safety meeting Activity meeting- The activity meeting is divided into the programme, trade, and task meeting ...

The information below is intended to guide aspiring candidates wishing to become full members of notable professional institutions in the construction industry. This information is strictly personal and not approved by any individual or body. Regardless of the professional route e.g., project management, quantity surveying e.t.c., to becoming a member of these institutions, you are expected to structure your past experience into three namely Level One - K nowledge and Understanding of your competency Level Two - A pplication of your knowledge and understanding of the competency Level Three - R easoned advice you gave and the depth of technical knowledge showed when performing the competency Furthermore, be mindful that your competency is structured into mandatory and core (technical and optional). Example Route: Quantity Surveying and Construction Competency: Optional Competency area: Insurance Sourcing and Administration Level One Construction is dispute awaiting, and one of the ways...

Tendering is an important function of a quantity surveyor; it is a process that influences the performance of the construction contract. Tendering is a sacred process carried out by cost professionals not only for the award of the project or supply but to also give assurance into the project of its execution and completion. Failure to adhere to the tendering doctrines could give room to negative project consequences during and after the project. Tendering doctrines are ethical behaviours the society expects of a professional to display at all times in the discharge of its duties. Tendering activities are predominant during the pre-contract stage of a construction project, there are possibilities that this process will be performed during the post-contract stage of the project. The tendering process starts after the establishment of the contract budget and ends with the award of the contract package. As a result of the importance of the tendering activity on the overall construction...

ABSTRACT The need for continuous building and infrastructural development is key to gradual easing of the deficiency being witnessed in different types of construction projects across the state. New and upgrading of existing buildings and infrastructure such as road, rail and waterways improve the conditions of users of these facilities. All these developmental projects come with a cost which individual, corporate organizations’ and government must be prepared to pay over the lifecycle of these facilities. From project conceptualization to completion, usage and demolition, project team plays critical roles to achieve client objectives. During these stages, the cost consultant is actively involved in the establishment of different cost elements and cost management of the project, advising both the client and design team. Cost being an integral part of the project, it oftentimes controls the necessity of other project requirements. The research was carried out through administration of q...

 Hi, This exercise has been pending with me for some time now. It is a guide on estimation for modular ceiling finishes.  The breakdown below helps to; 1. Calculate required quantities of a modular ceiling tile with grids 2. Build up your material rate for the same ceiling type Be informed that prime cost of items changes over time; it will be appropriate you adopt the prevailing market rates in your rates build-up.  

Hello, I wish to share the exercise below; it may be valuable for your future assignments. NB: Battens/ Wood studs to plywood run in both vertical and horizontal directions. So, you can assume the size to runs in each direction to aid your material rate. Thank you. Abiodun Ayinde

The material rate breakdown for a single core of lighting cable is shown below NB: The installation (labour) rate was excluded from the exercise below. The material rate breakdown for three cores of lighting cable is shown below The material rate breakdown for a single core of lighting cable is shown below The material rate breakdown for three cores of the power cable is shown below

Written by Qs. Remilekun Bolujo and Qs. Abiodun Ayinde The sudden increase in Quantity Surveying professional specialization within an organization or industry among others is for the promotion of skilled personnel and ease of operation. It could be said that the profession is developing in the nation because of continuous enlightenment and previous professional competencies discharged by senior professional members on projects. The need to mitigate corruption from limited public resources has also aid the engagement of quantity surveyors in different fields. To be competitive in this technological revolving world, upcoming quantity surveyors must abide by professional ethics, build trust and adopt technological tools in discharge of duties. Upcoming quantity surveyor must possess good academic background cum field exposure and experience of what it takes to be Registered Quantity Surveyor. For the emerging Quantity Surveyor to be keenly competitive practice-wise, the following te...

Written by  Moriam Akorede Bakare (MNIQS) The term “Alternative Dispute Resolution” (ADR), is used generally to describe the methods and procedures used in resolving disputes either as alternatives to the traditional dispute resolution mechanism of the court, litigation, or in some cases supplementary to such mechanisms. Consequently, this article highlights the relevance, effectiveness and popularity of ADR in the construction industry in Nigeria. Many researchers have found disputes as a major cause of cost overrun, time overrun, project abandonment and severed business relationships. The complex nature of construction project, characterized with the involvement of a large number of participant for its successful completion embeds disputes waiting to happen, hence the use of ADR in resolving construction disputes cannot be over emphasized. Dispute resolution through ADR avoids what can be best described as brinkmanship and acrimony, reduces hostility and antag...

Having perused through this article, I realized that fundamental issues of the impact of this reduction were not stated; this necessitated this piece. A man-hour is defined as the amount of work performed by the average worker in one hour. Man-hours do not take account of the breaks that people generally require from work e.g rest, eating etc. Engagement of labour in a society like ours is basically determined by the employer or his representative(s) taking full consideration of the company structure and policy. Prospective employee hardly influence his/ her mode of operation in a new working environment all thanks to no effective regulation of workforce. There is no data bank of labour, more-so many organization fails to disclose accurate number of their workforce in most cases. The worse of all is that no body (institution) regulates engagement of labour but individuals are subjected to personal bargaining qualities with their prospective bosses. Furthermore, the condition of eng...

Nigeria is my country (so far it exists); it is an entity that I cherish and will continue to value and uphold her unity. The nation of over 160million people of which 55percent constitutes the youth and larger percentage of this found themselves perpetually unemployed. Hostage is defined according to the free online dictionary as "one that is under the constraining control of another". Over the years, many of us have been taken hostage by individual or groups who termed themselves different names, performed different forms of rehearsals in order to earn public attention; having gotten this attention, they turned to god of the people they solidly solicited their interests and attention. Nigeria has been stolen and nobody thinks of a way to salvage it (not even to restore it) but different verbose had been the terminologies of her looters in order to confuse her hapless populace. From 1980's to this period, virtually all things are recycled in Nigeria from human resource...

Since the president statement that Boko Haram will be crushed after the postponement of the Febuary 14 and 28 elections; record of successes of military operations had been heard in the Northeastern part of the nation which is predominantly affected by the insurgent. One could wonder why the military success immediately follows the C-C statements. Well the success of their operations is what majority of the populace craved for since we are still expecting children allegedly kidnapped by this criminal group for close to a year now. More importantly, the operation of the military is to give individual, families living in this part of the country a new lease of live and to maintain peace and unity of the country. I have read reports which liked the operation of Boko Haram to that of Islamic state and the likely aftermath that will follow military success in the Sambisa forest. An insurgent could be term as a person who could only be identifies or filmy recognized when/ after he carries ou...