How much does it cost to build a 3-bedroom bungalow in Lagos?
The most-searched construction question in Nigeria. Full breakdown — foundation, blockwork, roofing, finishing, plus the materials list and labor cost.
🧱 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: ₦35,000,000–₦50,000,000
Lagos Construction Labor Rates
Daily and monthly rates for construction artisans in Lagos
| 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
"How much does it cost to build a three-bedroom house in Lagos?" is probably the most-asked construction question in Nigeria, and the honest answer is a range, not a single number — because the total depends on decisions you make, not just on the design. The three-bedroom bungalow is the benchmark because it is the most common family build, but even for that one layout, basic, standard and luxury finishes produce very different final figures.
Break the cost into stages and it becomes controllable rather than mysterious: land (often the biggest and most variable line, and usually quoted separately), foundation, blockwork to lintel and roof level, roofing, then finishing — plastering, tiling, kitchen, doors, POP, painting, plumbing and electrical. The shell (structure and roof) is fairly predictable and tracks material prices — cement, rods, blocks, roofing — while finishing is where your taste and budget swing the total by the widest margin.
The reason the figure moves so much over time is that it is built almost entirely from volatile materials. Cement, steel and sand-and-granite all shift with fuel, the naira and the season, so a build costed last year rarely costs the same today. The practical defence is the same one experienced builders use: estimate quantities early, buy structural materials in bulk during a softer price window, supervise the structure for quality, and decide your finishing level up front — because that single choice, more than any other, decides where your final number lands.