How much to build a Block of 4 Flats (2-bed each) in Lagos
A block of 4 two-bedroom flats — the classic Lagos rental investment property. Annual rental income of N4M-N12M depending on location. Payback period: 8-15 years.
🧱 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–₦180,000,000
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
Block of flats na income build first and home second — several self-contained unit (commonly 2 or 3 bedroom) wey dem stack on one plot to multiply the rent wey single piece of Lagos land fit earn. The economics dey work because plenty of the cost dey shared: one foundation, one roof, one set of external wall and services dey carry several rental unit, so the cost per flat dey fall as you add floor and unit. Na exactly why block of flats dey dominate the mid-market rental supply across the mainland.
The total dey driven by the number of unit, the finish level and the structural engineering — more floor mean heavier foundation, more column and more steel. Material cost (cement, rod, block) dey set the shell; finishing, wey dey repeat across every unit, na where small per-flat choice dey multiply to big sum. Because the structure dey repeat, to buy structural material in bulk and to standardise the finishing spec across unit na the biggest lever on the final figure.
If you treat am as investment, the question na yield and phasing. Work the expected rent per unit against the all-in build cost to judge the return, and consider whether to build and let in phases to ease cash flow. Get the structure and the services right once and the same design go pay out across every unit for years — the reason block of flats remain one of the most reliable property play for Lagos.