An Hustler's Guide to Affordable Homeownership

Contrary to what a professional should do, I’m making a case for DIY as a practical strategy for affordable homeownership.

Don’t get me wrong, this does not intend to undermine or downplay the importance of professional expertise required for building projects. However, after being actively involved in the planning, construction, and delivery of (just a few scores away from) 1000 home units in Lagos alone, and a few above 200 across other states, I’ve come to regard professional services as it concerns (private) homeownership from 2 perspectives:

1. Although professional fees make up a part of building costs, how many average/low-income earners can afford ‘benchmark’ professional fees?

2. The market size and economic value of DIY projects CANNOT ‘move the needle’. For context, how will you structure remuneration for a N6m (inflation included) home-building project that will run for 5-10 years?

I guess I could attribute my bias for affordable housing to my early-age exposure to DIY construction. As far back as I can remember, I have always been involved in building projects, and before turning 18, I’ve been a part of 12 of these DIY ones and a handful of standard procedures. It was no surprise that I’d go on to study architecture.

One of those that would profoundly impact my professional background with lessons and experiences was Daddy Tosin’s House.

My relationship with Tosin, with my direct and indirect interaction with his dad, created an impression that would later on deepen my understanding of Housing, DIY construction and its significance to financial independence, stability and wealth creation.

A true “low-key man with doings”, Daddy Tosin, a bricklayer whose side hustle was cocoa farming. I remember watching him set out, supervise excavation, make corrections and brick upon brick, complete more than 2 buildings from scratch to finish. On a few occasions, whenever we were not playing ‘actor and boss’ in bushes and uncompleted buildings, Tosin and I would help for free but always got paid whenever we did more than “just” help. On these occasions, I dared not allow my parents know.

In my young mind, I always wondered how in comparison to the ‘hat-wearing’ engineers, he knew the ‘what’, ‘how’, and ‘when to’ of building with so much confidence. You see, Daddy Tosin didn't have a formal education, but he was not only a skilled/experienced artisan (I learnt 'pegging' -setting out and ‘plumb-level’ simply by watching, helping and paying attention to him exercise his craft), he was also a sound businessman. Forget the glamour of cocoa farming, man was ‘grassroot’, and he understood earlier on, how to set his family on the path to stability, independence and wealth creation.

Daddy Tosin started small, a modest 3 bedroom bungalow first for his family, located in proximity to (literally behind) his children’s school and his wife’s workplace, and common to every home-building project, it was a lot of hustle and compromises. I remember a certain day, while having a conversation on site, he said something that would stick for a lifetime.

“Mi a se ju’ra mi lo o” in Ekiti, meaning ‘I nor go do pass myself’.

From an outsider’s perspective, things started falling into shape, their lifestyle kept improving. We lived across from each other on the same street and attended the same primary and high school, and even though it didn't make any difference to me at the time, it was no surprise that Tosin became ‘effico’ within 2 years of them moving into their home.

The stability from owning a home transcends just escaping rent or attending ‘Landlords association meetings’.

Another similar but personal experience was my father's involvement in driving an initiative that helped his colleagues own land and houses. At the time, my dad was a member of the executive team of a then-popular Cooperative union of secondary school Principals in Ekiti State. Prior to this, he, like Daddy Tosin, had completed two houses on his civil servant salary and had also assisted some friends and family members in managing their own building projects within budget.

The initiative involved buying a large piece of land in the name of the Union, allowing members to (through a structured repayment plan), purchase portions later at their convenience for a small profit for the Union. They leveraged each other’s DIY experiences, relationships and referrals for technical/personnel construction resources.

As a young architecture student, it was easy to observe when disputes arose over land sizes, payments, and construction issues. It became clear to me that it was only by leveraging this initiative that a number of the union members, being senior school principals could afford to own or build a property.

As I grew older and started having a grasp of the Nigerian housing situation, it became clear that my Dad, Daddy Tosin, and many others, employed this strategy to achieve their goals, and despite the difficulties along the journey, they were able to do it within budget/means. The process is typical and has become a template.

• Get a Plan (Keep to bungalow to avoid needing structures) for approval,
• Source or create materials locally where possible,
• Get an experienced bricklayer (or builder) in charge,
• Engage friends and family as subsidized labour,
• Consult the ‘drafter’ if you encounter any challenges,
• Do it in phases as it fits your finances,
• Cut your cloth to your size and keep expenses low.

With this template, Daddy Tosin went on from managing to complete his 3 bedroom bungalow to owning multiple real estate assets.

These experiences and many others like them would later on birth my passion for helping people towards homeownership.

A stack contrast and a reality check (of sorts) between then and now is the sharp decline in required skill/experience. The world has changed and our society generally undervalues vocational studies. Young people no longer consider skilled trades or artisanship and this contributes to why we are abandoning this approach with many looking towards ready-made housing that is either unrealistic on their income or forces them to settle for conditions that do not optimise their quality of life. This reality is common in cities where people pay top money for bare minimum housing far away from the life they want. An implication of this is spending hours in traffic commuting to and fro work.

So when unsure or in doubt, get a professional...an architect at the least, in your corner, is your best bet to getting a good deal and optimising your value.

I could go on and on about this…but the bottom line is that affordable housing in the absence of a mortgage is possible.

Of course, DIY is a hustle, but it remains a practical approach to owning a home within your means in the face of the current economic reality. Your journey may be easy or difficult depending on how you approach it, but it is very rewarding in the end.

I have created a free WhatsApp discussion group that helps and guides individuals through the various steps to affordable home/property ownership.

Simply type 'interested' in the this form and I will send you the link to join via DM.

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