Building a duplex home is definitely no cakewalk. Apart from the fact that it requires more planning and groundworks than most other types of homes, it is considered to be significantly more expensive and, depending on the number of rooms, more technical. With a lot of people swinging more to building duplexes in Nigeria today, it is essential to take a look at the basic things required, including how much it costs to build a proper duplex.

In this article, we will take a proper look at the estimated amount one should have in mind to complete a duplex. We will also consider some factors to note that might affect the budget and eventual cost.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Duplex in Nigeria?

Estimating the actual amount to build a duplex can be quite tricky. This is because many factors come to play to determine the overall price required. These factors include the location you are looking to build the house, the work force you are looking to use, the simplicity or complexity of the structure and other similar factors.

Here, will run through basic estimate when planning to build a duplex. Here, we will bread the budget down into various stages to help estimate how much each stage costs.

Cost of Buying Land

If you don’t have a land you are intending to use for the project, then you will have to get one. Estimating the amount plots of lands go for is as tricky as estimating how much you need to build the duplex. Prices of land depend on the location.

Depending on the size of the duplex, the minimum of plot of land should be able to fix a standard duplex. As it stands, one plot of land can cost as low as N400, 000 and as high as 12 million naira or higher, depending on the location.

Cost of Foundation Stage

This is the basic stage when you are constructing a duplex. The main determinant of the eventual cost of this process is how much the raw materials required go for. Also, the amount to pay for manpower varies. See below the estimated summary for the various processes involved in this stage.

• Cost estimate for materials required setting out with profiles – N12, 000 – N25, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for excavation and Digging – N10, 000 – N20, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for concrete columns – N400, 000 – N700, 000 (this is largely dependent on the duplex design you are going for and the overall size of the building)
• Cost estimate for materials required for concrete binding – N150, 000 – N300, 00
• Cost estimate for materials required for laying foundation blocks – N130, 00 – N250, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for Filling – N20, 000 – N80, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for casting and flooring – N60, 000 – N120, 000

Cost of Construction of Ground Floor to Lintel Level and Decking

This is the next main step after the foundation construction stage. It should be noted that the prices of materials estimated as shown below is for a maximum of 4-bedroom duplex. It should also be noted that factors including place and period of purchase affect the eventual prices of these materials. This is considered as the main stage and can also be the most expensive, depending on the complexity of the structure.

• Cost estimate for materials required for blocks and labour – N500, 000 – N900, 000 (depending on the design of the building and the place where materials are purchased)
• Cost estimate for materials required for lintel casting – N150, 000 – N300, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for the first floor decking – N800, 000 – N1, 400, 000 (this also largely depends on the type of decking you are looking to achieve and various prices of materials including bamboo, Sand, granite, etc.)
• Cost estimate for materials required for Stair Case – N60, 000 – 140, 000

Cost of Construction of First Floor to Lintel Level

For a duplex, this is the next stage of construction. At the stage, the estimated budget is expected to cover block works which will include various wall partitions. The budget here is strictly based on the types of design, the simplicity or complexity of the first floor and the number of rooms. Here are the expenses to expect at this stage.

• Cost estimate for materials required for blocks and labour – N500, 000 – N900, 000 (depending on the design of the building and the place where materials are purchased)
• Cost estimate for materials required for lintel casting – N150, 000 – N300, 000

Estimated Cost of Roofing a Duplex

This is one of the final few stages to budgets for. The budget here depends on the type of roofing you are looking at and the material you are looking to use. On the average, you can expect to spend between N600, 000 and N2 Million depending on the already stated factors.

Estimated Cost of Finishing Stage

It should be noted that the cost of this final stage depends on the number of rooms, types of materials you are looking to use (for instance, the type of flooring you want to use), cost of and other similar factors.

• Cost estimate for materials required for Floor Finishing – N500, 000 – N1.5 million
• Cost estimate for materials required for electrical work – N300, 000 – N700, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for Plumbing – N400, 000 – N700, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for Ceiling– N200, 000 – N500, 000
• Cost estimate for materials required for Painting and Wall Rendering – N600, 000 – N1.5 Million

Total Cost of Constructing a Duplex in Nigeria

As simplified above, this is an estimate of a typical 4- bedroom duplex in Nigeria. Based on this estimate, one is expected to have between N12 million and N25 million (excluding land purchase). Factors that affect the variation of this estimate include the location of the building, the workforce, prices of the materials to be purchased, among others.