How much to build a 5-Bedroom Duplex in Lagos
Large family duplex — the aspirational Lagos home. BQ (Boys' Quarters) often included. Commonly found in GRA estates, Lekki Phase 1, Banana Island.
🧱 How much will it cost to build?
Pick a house type, finish level and location — see the cost breakdown by stage.
Stage-by-stage cost breakdown
Total estimate: ₦120,000,000–₦200,000,000
Labor rates for this build
All construction artisans you'll need for this project
| Role | Daily rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
Bricklayer/Mason Lays blocks, renders walls. The most critical artisan — bad bricklaying means uneven walls and structural issues. Experienced bricklayers charge premium. | ₦5,000–₦10,000 | ₦120,000–₦250,000 |
Carpenter Roofing framework, formwork for concrete casting, doors/window frames. A good roofing carpenter prevents leaks for decades. | ₦5,000–₦8,000 | ₦100,000–₦200,000 |
Plumber Water supply and drainage installation. First fix (before plastering) and second fix (after tiling). Poor plumbing causes the most expensive post-construction repairs. | ₦4,000–₦8,000 | ₦80,000–₦180,000 |
Electrician Wiring, conduit installation, panel board, earthing. MUST be certified — unlicensed electricians cause house fires. First fix and second fix stages. | ₦4,000–₦8,000 | ₦80,000–₦180,000 |
Tiler Floor and wall tile installation. Specialist tilers (marble, porcelain) charge N10K-N18K/day vs N5K-N8K for standard ceramic. | ₦5,000–₦12,000 | ₦100,000–₦250,000 |
Painter Interior and exterior painting. Screeding, filling, undercoat, and finishing. A 3-bedroom needs 2-3 weeks of painting work. | ₦4,000–₦7,000 | ₦80,000–₦150,000 |
POP Installer Plaster of Paris ceiling specialist. Paid per sqm (N3K-N6K/sqm installed) rather than daily rate. Cornices and decorative work cost extra. | ₦5,000–₦10,000 | — |
Welder/Iron Bender Bends and ties iron rods for reinforcement. Also fabricates gates, burglar-proof bars, and railings. | ₦4,000–₦8,000 | ₦80,000–₦160,000 |
Laborer (General) Carries materials, mixes mortar, assists artisans. A site needs 3-6 laborers depending on project size. | ₦3,000–₦5,000 | ₦60,000–₦100,000 |
Site Engineer/Foreman Supervises construction, reads drawings, manages artisans. A qualified site engineer prevents costly structural mistakes. 5-7% of project budget. | ₦15,000–₦30,000 | ₦350,000–₦600,000 |
📝 The Lagos context
A five-bedroom duplex is the premium end of the private-home market in Lagos — a two-storey house, usually with an ensuite master, several other bedrooms, generous living and dining space, and often a BQ, sited on the estates of Lekki, Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA and the newer developments. As a storey building it carries costs a bungalow does not: a suspended floor slab, a staircase, more structural steel and a bigger roof, all of which push both the material bill and the engineering up.
Finish level is where the range really opens. At standard finish a five-bed duplex is already a substantial build; at luxury finish — imported tiles, fitted kitchens, smart-home wiring, quality joinery, elaborate POP and premium sanitaryware — the finishing can rival the cost of the structure itself. Material prices set the shell, but at this size and specification the finishing and the services (plumbing, electrical, sometimes a lift or generator house) are large lines in their own right. Land, excluded here, is typically premium too.
For a build of this scale, professional input pays for itself. A proper structural design, a competent builder and close cost control matter far more than they do on a bungalow, because the sums are larger and the mistakes more expensive. Bulk-buying structural materials still helps, but the bigger levers are a sound design, a disciplined finishing specification, and supervision that keeps a long, complex project on budget from foundation to handover.