An examination of the effect of the rising cost of building services on property development in uyo urban

Thesis Overview

<p> <b><b></b></b></p><p><b><b><b>INTRODUCTION</b></b></b></p><p><b><b><b></b></b></b></p><b><b><b><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>Background<br>of the Study</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Building materials cannot be<br>precisely defined, but it covers a wide range of materials basically used in<br>the building construction industry. These materials vary from their natural<br>state to those partially or completely processed in the manufacturing industries.<br>Therefore, building materials include aggregate, bricks, timber, ceiling,<br>cement, paint, doors, windows, roofing sheets, iron and steel product, sanitary<br>wares, electrical fittings etc. building materials include materials components<br>used in the building industry. </p><p>The changes could be<br>attributed to a number of factors such as government policies, that is, effect<br>on modern technology which necessitated development and use of new materials<br>and quicker methods changes in tastes of client due to need for better property<br>development, high professional service charge etc. These factors continue to<br>present themselves and if they are ignored as it is the case now, they will<br>continue to pose problems on the generally of the populace because value in<br>whatever form, be it residential, commercial or industrial. The project is<br>aimed at assessing the relationship between the high cost of building services<br>and residential property development and at the end of the findings, possible<br>control measures shall be propose as recommendations.</p><p>Building services engineers<br>are responsible for the design, installation operation and monitoring of the<br>mechanical electrical and public health systems required for the safe,<br>comfortable and environmentally friendly operation of modern buildings. The<br>term building services engineers is widely used in Nigeria.</p><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>Statement<br>of Problem</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>This research work is to<br>determine the factor that led to the inflation of the market prices of building<br>services and the attendant challenges on property development in terms of time,<br>quantity and quality.</p><p><b>1.3 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>Aim<br>and Objectives of the Study</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The aim of this research<br>work is to examine the effect of the rising costs of building services on<br>property development in Uyo metropolis, Akwa Ibom State.</p><p>The objectives of this study<br>are as follows:</p><p>i. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To identify the need for building services in<br>property development</p><p>ii. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To identify the challenges of lack of<br>suitable building services on property development.</p><p>iii. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>To determine the cost of these services in<br>relation to the cost of developing real estate.</p><p>iv. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>To reconcile the rising cost of building<br>services and property development in order to provide accommodation for the<br>teeming population in Uyo.</p><p><b>1.4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>Research<br>Questions</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>i. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Is there any need for building services in<br>property development?</p><p>ii. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What are the challenges of lack of suitable<br>building services on property development?</p><p>iii. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>What is the cost of these services in<br>relation to the cost of developing real estate?</p><p>iv. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>How can we reconcile the rising cost of<br>building services and property development in order to provide accommodation<br>for the teeming population in Uyo?</p><p><b>1.5 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>Scope<br>of the Study</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The scope of this research<br>is limited to industrial, residential and commercial property development in<br>Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State, and it is limited to Uyo metropolis.</p><p><b>1.6 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>Significance<br>of Study</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Findings from this study<br>will educate the general public on the current cost of building services in Uyo<br>and its effect on property development in Uyo. The result of this study will<br>sensitize the policy makers and the government on the need to make and<br>implement policies that will reduce the rising costs of building services in<br>Uyo metropolis, thereby encouraging massive housing development all over the<br>state capital. This research will also serve as a resource base to other<br>scholars and researchers interested in carrying out further research in this<br>field subsequently.</p><p><b>1.7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>The<br>Study Area</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Uyo is the state capital of<br>Akwa Ibom, an oil-producing state in Nigeria. The town became the capital of<br>the state on September 25, 1987 following the creation of Akwa Ibom State from<br>erstwhile Cross River State. The University of Uyo is located in this town. The<br>population of Uyo, according to the 2006 Nigeria census which comprises Uyo and<br>Itu is 427,873 while the urban area, including Uruan is 554,906.</p><p>The city can be reached by<br>road via the A342 highway, as well as Abak road, Nwaniba road, Calabar-Itu<br>road, Oron road, Idoro road and Aka road. Nearby airports include Akwa Ibom<br>International Airport at Okobo and Margaret Ekpo International Airport in<br>Calabar.</p><p>Uyo is a fast-growing city<br>as it has witnessed some infrastructural growth in the past nine (9) years. It<br>was in intensive network of road such as the IBB way, Atiku Abubakar Avenue,<br>Udo Udoma Avenue, Nsikak Eduok Avenue and Edet Akpan Avenue which are eight<br>lanes super-highway and currently the widest road in Uyo.</p><p>Uyo lacks modern rail<br>infrastructure as in common in most new post colonial towns in Nigeria, taxis,<br>buses and tricycles are the major means of transportation. Motorcycles are<br>restricted to the city limits and tricycles are restricted from operating<br>within 10 kilometres radius of the city centre.</p><p>Uyo is home to many notable<br>housing districts such as the Ewet Housing Estate, Osongama Estate and Shelter<br>Afrique. The city of Uyo is notably next and hospitable to foreigners and its<br>aborigines. Highbrow residential in Uyo include the prestigious Ewet Housing<br>Estate, Osongama Estate, Shelter Afrique and a host of other choice arrears in<br>the town and its environs. The city boasts recreational areas such as the Ibom<br>connection popularly known as “Ibom Plaza” and the prestigious Le Meridian Ibom<br>Hotel and Golf Resort, the Ibom Tropicana entertainment center. Uyo also has a<br>green recreational park known as “Love Garden”.</p><p>Uyo is home to the<br>University of Uyo, formerly known as the University of Cross Rivers State. Its<br>name was changed in 1991 when the government of Nigeria established it as a<br>federal university. It is campus in Ikpa road, permanent site main campus in<br>Nwaniba road, UUTH/medical campus at Abak road and Ime Umana campus at Ediene<br>Abak. Uyo also houses various secondary schools which are both public and<br>privately owned.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>THE<br>MAP</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.8 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br></b><b>Definition<br>of Terms</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Development:</b><br>This is the carrying out of building engineering mining or other operations on,<br>in, over or under the land or the making of any materials change in the use of<br>any building or on the land.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Services:</b><br>Building services are the utilities in a building to serve and give comfort to<br>the occupant of the building e.g. are electrical fittings, water supply,<br>sanitary fittings, etc.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Developer:</b>&nbsp;By<br>this, we mean an individual or body engage in improving quantitatively and<br>qualitatively the supply of building or properties (Ndaji, 2003).</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Estate:</b>&nbsp;An<br>estate is a legal entity denoting the character and quality or rights an owner<br>posse in a property or it is an extensive area of land in the country, usually<br>with a large house, owned by the one person, family or organization.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Investment:</b><br>This means the tying down of money in landed property with the aim of securing<br>future annual income or a future capital sum from the property (Mary and<br>Richard, 2010).</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Survey:</b><br>This is the plotting and surveying or contours on map or plan. &nbsp; </p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Flats:</b>&nbsp;It<br>is a block units of accommodation on one floor for a single family occupation<br>with all the service located within the units.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Semi-detached<br>Bungalow:</b>&nbsp;Two units on one floor for two family occupations<br>separated from each other by a partition wall will all services located within<br>the units.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Terrace<br>Bungalow:</b>&nbsp;There are several units of accommodation still in one<br>floor for several family occupations with all services located with the units.<br>There are more than two bungalow jointed together.</p></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b> <br><p></p>