Dynamic Cost Consideration of Local Materials for Mass Housing Construction in Nigeria

Abstract

There are lots of building materials that can be sourced locally for building construction purpose. Material is a major component of construction cost and a reduction in the cost of material can also result to reduction in overall construction cost. The cost of building materials poses a significant threat to both the construction industry and people aspiring to own houses. One major way to bring down the cost of materials for affordable housing is a shift toward the usage of local materials. This study therefore investigates the dynamic cost consideration of local materials for mass housing construction in Nigeria. The objectives are to ascertain the available local materials used in housing construction in Nigeria, the factors affecting the use of local building materials for housing construction in Nigeria, and examine the benefits of using local materials for housing construction in Nigeria. The study utilized a literature and field survey research design. The population of the study was the construction professionals that are involved in the usage of local materials. Purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 46 from the frame. Frequency and percentage were used to analyze the data. The study reveals 11 local materials in Nigeria but most of the materials are either “rarely used” or “seldom used” with the exception of just eight of them that are “often used”. The literature survey also reveals that earth or soil local materials are largely used for housing construction floor finishing. Durability and cost of production contribute most among 14 factors that contribute to the usage of local materials with 57% while air quality properties have least contribution. The result equally showed that provision of affordable housing and reduced construction cost stand top among the eight benefits of local materials highlighted in this study from 65% of the responses. The study recommends that government should formulate policy that should play down the agitations on the use of imported building materials by encouraging research in the production of local building materials. Producers of local materials should also take cognizance of the factors that contribute to the usage of local materials and ensure that they are incorporated in the materials to enhance their usage. The study will contribute significantly to the usage of local materials and improvement of their qualities. Keywords: Building Materials, Cost, Benefits, Housing Construction, Local Materials.