ENSIBUM PROJECT ROUNDING OFF : REFLECTIONS ON LESSONS LEARNT

By Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu
Project Architect

ENSIBUM is short for the : Enugu-South international Building materials market. The first phase of its development is 95% complete. This zone is for sale of reinforcement bars. 

It features a small 3m x 2m office space with large 6m x 12m frontage/ per occupant for stacking the reinforcement bars for sale. A total of 200 single units have been completed so far, and is on sale to the general public at a flat rate of N2,500,000. 

As we know the developer is Mc.Donalds manufacturing and industries ltd. The technical consultancy service from scratch was rendered by GEOMETRIX consultants and Builders ltd. while the construction was done by MALDINI construction company ltd. our sister company. I have been the project manager here for over a year now.

This post highlights my personal reflections about the project as it gradually nears hand over. As a great man said: "in life, we never really lose, its either we win or we learn something". I can say I have picked up a thing or two while working on this project.

1. Never forget who you are directly answerable to. While assuming the perfect courtiers posture to everyother interests.

2.

Never conive secretly or openly with your staff to loot the company. It will be blown out of proportion when they speak of it and you will be made to look like a thief..just like them. As much as you can, keep the books tidy.

3. Dont assume you know everything just because you have a college degree. Listen to others ideas but remain the decision maker.

4. No matter how lonely she is at home, never bring your spouse to the site. Let work be work and family be family.

5. Monthly paid or at least weekly paid staff, perform netter overall than daily paid staff. They also offer greatter degree of dependability.

6. Dont live inside your own box, ask around elsewhere for broader ideas, methods and rates before you decide on your own project.

7. Dress for the job. Wear suitable clothes for the work always..make sure there is clear distinction between the worker and you.

8. Never employ anyone who is too old or way above your physical and psychological control. Make sure your staff remains loyal to you and you alone. Do not invite them to sit with the m.d when you are having a meeting, else they get a false sense of belonging and grow rebelious. Discharge such rebellious ones at once else they plan a mutiny against you.

9. Diplomacy is the key to manipulation. Use it always to get your way, without force, plead when you have to, enforce when you need to, coerce people to do your work happily.

10. If the project does not provide a vehicle, buy one for yourself!

11. Be reacheable and ready always.

12. Dont forget to learn!

PRODUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF DECORATIVE CEMENT SKIRTINGS

posted By : kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu

Architect: and Skirting Moulders

There are many methods of producing decorative skirting used at the corners of columns, walls,Windows etc.  

There is the traditional plaster-of-Paris skirting made from white P.O.P cement. This is used mostly for suspended ceilings and waist level skirtings within the interior of buildings. This type has the advantage of being lightweight and mouldable into almost any shape or design. The challenge however with this type is that it is not very resistant to water and thus it is seen to depreciate in aesthetics when exposed to prolonged dripings especially when used in exterior locations.

There is however an alternative method; THE USE OF ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT moulded to shape and finished with white (or any color)  paint. Skirting made from portland cement are typically resistant to water and last longer than those made from P.O.P cement. It however tends to be limited in versatility of design, due to its heavier weight. it is usually used for window trims, wall edges and fence trims, and other exterior needs etc.

At the ENSIBUM market project, we decided to use skirting made from cement to add some mass to the already gigantic entrance gate. This post is dedicated to describe how we made these skirting in-situ and installed them.

STEP 1: MATERIALS REQUIRED; semi coarse sand, soft texture sand, water, cement, a custom mould. 

STEP 2: PREPARE THE BASE : start by making a mound of about 4ft. length and about 6" high  using the semi-coarse sand. this will serve as base for the skirting, as well as separates it from the ordinary earth after the cement has cured and hence makes it easy to lift and shift. Use two range devices to protect the boundary on both sides of the mound. Using concrete nails to support the ranges along the lenght, making sure the space between them is even all through.  This will provide for a perfect edged skirting in the end.

STEP 3: MIX THE CEMENT: The skirting is made completely of cement mixed with water and a little fine texture sand.( when necessary).  A bag of cement can be properly mixed with about 15 - 20lts. of clean water. it should be stirred properly in a bucket or bowl or any open container that will allow for ease of scooping while molding.

STEP 4: MOULDING :

Pour the cement paste gradually onto the sand mound. Use the hand held, locally carved  mould to shape it into desired pattern (as shown here) and allow in same position for at least 12 hours before attempting to remove.

Remember to make nail size openings along the skirting to allow for nailing during installation.

STEP 5: INSTALLATION: 

By physical inspection, you can tell when the skirting is strong enough to be handled without breaking. You can then raise it neatly, and carry to point of fixing. The plumb device is used to mark straight positions along the wall. this is to ensure that the skirting is not slant at any point which will look bad to the viewer.

Nail the skirting onto the wall, siupported by wooden noggins and use cement to dress the edges neatly!

BEFORE CEMENT SKIRTING

AFTER CEMENT SKIRTING

WRITING QUOTATIONS FOR PROJECTS

Posted By:  Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu

As an Architect, you will be required to prepare work estimates in form of job quotations for proposed projects. Your ability to predict or forecast real life site requirements from your drawing board will be tested.
Whether you fail or succeed has serious functional implications through the project timeline. Some contracts do not leave room for future amendments while some do. Whichever the case is, it is advisable to predict and provide for as much as possible afore time.

AN AFFORDABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PLUMB DEVICE

By kosi Emmanuel chukwujindu

Architect: How to make your own Range device

As Architects and project supervisors we often require perfectly level/flat surfaces for floors, walls, lintels e.t.c. To achieve this, the practice is to make use of a device called the plumb. It is a horizontal steel pipe with a liquid trapped in a clear glass such that when the pipe is placed on a level surface, the air space is exactly at the center. This will indicate to the Architect or supervisor that the given job is okay. 

The challenge however is that for large  construction projects that have a lot of edges/surfaces to be confirmed, it may be quite expensive to procure the plumb device in large numbers. Moreso if there is no guarantee that they will all be returned after use. It becomes very wasteful to provide one plumb for each worker. In such case, about 2-3 workers can be assigned a plumb device while an alternative instrument -the range, is shared among all.

The range is similar to the plumb in shape. It is also a steel pipe which is about 6ft. Long x 1" wide. But it does not have the liquid trapped in clear glass. It is usually made of heavier metal than the plumb. It is especially useful in verifying how level a surface is. It can be used in the vertical or horixontal positions. And it is far cheaper than the plumb. It can be easily found at building materials markets or stores, but it is cheaper to make your own. 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN RANGE DEVICE IN PLACE OF THE PLUMB.

STEP 1:

Visit your local welder or steel pipes vendor,and ask for the 2" x 1" x 24' hollow steel pipe. In Enugu state, This sells for about N900. 

Step 2: 

Ask him to cut same into three pieces each  of 6' lenght. (Nb: you may vary this according to how much length you require). 

Step 3:

Ask him to weld some scrap metal over the two open ends of each pipe to prevent sand and other debris from entering the pipes while in use at the site. 
Once this is done, congratulations you have your self made range device ready for site work!

AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE CONCRETE FASCIA

posted by
Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu

Concrete fascia detail sketch by Arc Jude Uche; M.D /C.E.O Geometrix Consultants

Conventional Nigerian builders will construct a wooden/metal formwork to the shape of the desired fascia right about the roof edge/building wall, install the reinforcement bars and cast the whole volume with concrete. well this is the 'text-book' thing to do, right?

Unfortunately, The problem with this method is that it typically consumes much more materials (steel, concrete and woodwork) and when the building(s) is a large one or are numerous, it becomes simply impractical and time consuming.

Goodnews is; the Architects at Geometrix have over the years through experience under the leadership of the meticulous Arc. Jude Uche, developed an alternative method of constructing the concrete fascia. This method (as in sketch above) involves a pre-cast moulding of the fascia and a systematic fastening on exposed reinforcemnet bars sticking out from already existing roof beam using 6mm binding wires.

step 1: ROOF-BEAM:  the traditional roof beam which is done right around on top of the last course of block, is done, but the 4- reinforcement bars are not completely covered with concrete yet, the top two are exposed in order to receive the binding wire that will be used to fasten the pre-cast fascia.

step 2: PRODUCTION: moulders are vigrously moulding the concrete fascia on site using only cement and sand. (NB: this eliminates the need for reinforcement bars in the curved concrete fascia (CCF). they are allowed to cure and set, on the ground before cutting and lifting to avoid breakages. the final product is quite heavy. tiny openings are provided at intervals to allow for passing of binding wires.

step3: CUTTING TO SHAPE: once the concrete fascia has set (usually 36 hours after molding) it can then be cut into desired lengths according to the building corners. a typical piece would be 4' - 6' long. The cutting is done with a concrete sawing machine. the same type used to saw through block walls.

step4: INSTALLATION: After the cutting, two workers lift up piece by piece, insert the binding wires and with the help of in-situ scaffolding, climb and actually fasten the wires on the

two top exposed bars in the already made roof beam.

step 5: STRAIGHTENING & FINAL CASTING:

the straightening is done externally using a long plumb device and then held in place by wooden supports along the body of the wall. The binding wire that has been passed through openings on the pre cast concrete fascia is tied onto the top exposed bars tightly and is then covered with a second layer of concrete to hold it in place forever. 

step 6: JOINT TREATMENT: 

The final step is to 'tack' the joints properly with same binding wires and short pieces of wood which help prevent the different piecs from shifting until the final casting is done. they will be removed once the concrete sets. the thin openings at these joints will be covered with neat mortar and painted.

ADVANTAGES OF PRE-CAST CONCRETE FASCIA:

i). reduced volume of concrete.

ii). elimination of reinforcement bars in the fascia.

iii). reduction in overall weight of the fascia.

iv). same result as in-situ cast, sometimes even better!

v). If production begins early enough, Its installation takes less time.

vi). reduced cost of production due to elimination of materials such as reinforcement bars and wooden form work.

LIMITATIONS OF PRE-CAST CONCRETE FASCIA

i). shortage of trained staff, may delay work

ii). curing time may delay work where production is not started early enough.