Job Antoney

If you are planning to build a house in your rural village, Do the following: • Open a bank account. Call it "Project Development Account 2026." • Write a plan. Use the Triple Constraint Theory in Project Management: BUDGET, TIME and SCOPE. • Save 50% equivalent of your rent in the account, monthly for 15 months, eg, if your rent is 10,000, then, save 5,000 in that account every month. • If you can't raise 50% equivalent of your rent to save, then you are living beyond your means. Look for a cheaper house. • Get an architect and a draughtsman to design a house. • Do research, consult, read about building and construction online. Travel beyond your comfort. • Get a Quantity Surveyor to do feasibility and the cost of the project. • At month 15, draw a budget and begin buying material for construction, eg Sand, Ballast, Stones and timber. Stick to the budget. • At month 18, start building. • Get a professional mason licensed by the National Construction Authority. Be present. Supervision by phone calls is disastrous. • Be hands-on. Learn to do the masonry work alongside the mason. Mix the ballast. Lay the bricks. Be part of the team. • Create a rapport and good relationship with a hardware. Let this hardware be the only place you will buy construction material. • Don't live in government houses. Don't buy the so called "affordable houses." Build your house, to your preference and taste. Therefore, if you are intending to build, and you start planning today, then you should be building your house in 2026 March. It is not far. Start today. Be patient. Start. #BetterTogether