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
Five-bedroom duplex na the premium end of the private-home market for Lagos — two-storey house, usually with ensuite master, several other bedroom, generous living and dining space, and often BQ, wey dem site for the estate of Lekki, Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA and the newer development. As storey building e dey carry cost wey bungalow no get: suspended floor slab, staircase, more structural steel and bigger roof, all of wey dey push both the material bill and the engineering up.
Finish level na where the range really open. For standard finish five-bed duplex na already substantial build; for luxury finish — imported tile, fitted kitchen, smart-home wiring, quality joinery, elaborate POP and premium sanitaryware — the finishing fit rival the cost of the structure itself. Material price dey set the shell, but for this size and spec the finishing and the services (plumbing, electrical, sometimes lift or generator house) na big line for their own right. Land, wey no dey here, typically na premium too.
For build of this scale, professional input dey pay for itself. Proper structural design, competent builder and close cost control matter far more than dem dey do for bungalow, because the sum bigger and the mistake more expensive. To bulk-buy structural material still dey help, but the bigger lever na sound design, disciplined finishing spec, and supervision wey dey keep long, complex project on budget from foundation to handover.