WAEC Building Construction Syllabus

Introduction to Building

• Definition of building
• Classification and types
• Introduction to National Building Codes. (Building regulations and Byelaw requirements)

Building Construction and Construction Team

• Definition, purpose and procedures for building construction
• Parties in the construction team.  (Client’s team, contractor’s team and statutory personnel).
• Function of the team members.
• Relationship of the parties

Safety Practices

• Definition of safety, rules and regulation.
• Hazards in the workshop and construction site.
• Causes and method of accident prevention.
• Safety equipment and measures at the construction site.
• First aid equipment, procedures, and safety wear.
• Safety in working with dangerous equipment and materials (electricity, scaffolding, formwork, cement, roof, etc.).

Basic tools, equipment and machines

• Identification and functions of basic.
• Tools and equipment.
• Care of tools and equipment.

Site clearing and levelling

• Operations involved in site clearing.
• Tools and equipment for site clearing and levelling.
• Basic site levelling operations

Site organization and layout

• Preliminary operations in building construction.
• Procedure for site layout.
• Location, boundary lines, hoarding, hutments and access road.

Setting out

• Methods of setting out.  (3:4:5 method, Builders’ square method).
• Tools and equipment for setting out.
• Procedures for setting out

Building Drawing

• Use of drawing tools and simple exercises on plane geometry in relation to building.
• Building drawing symbols
• Scales used in building and their application on site.
• Production drawings and interpretations (Plans, Elevations, sections and details).
• Special details (Detailing building elements including doors and windows schedule).
• Scaling (Enlargement, pictorial and perspectives).
• Definitions and use of Auto-CADD.

Excavation and earthwork

• Classifications, types and properties of soil.
• Definition and function of excavation.
• Methods of excavations.
• Tools, equipment and plant used for excavation.
• Solution to excavation problems (Earthwork support, timbering battering and dewatering).
• Safety rules during excavations.

Foundation

• Definition, purpose and functional requirement of the foundation.
• Types of foundation.
• Factors that determine the choice of foundation

Ground Floors

• Types, functions and functional requirements of the ground floor.
• Methods of construction ground floor.
• Definition of the basement.
• Explain the differences between a building with a basement and one without a basement.
• Problems relating basement in a building.

Suspended floors

• Definition and functions of the upper floor
• Methods of construction of concrete floors and timber upper floors.

Concrete

• Definition and types of concrete.
• Materials for concrete.
• Definitions, types, components and manufacture of cement. Properties and uses of cement, including other alternatives to cement products, e.g., Pozzolana, Pulverize fuel Ash (P.F.A.), Rice husk ash (R.H.A), etc
• Types and uses of aggregates (other aggregates such as palm kernel shell) and periwinkle, etc.
• Types and uses of reinforcements.
• Properties and characteristics of concrete
• Process of concrete production.
• Types of concrete tests

Walls

• Definition, types and functions of walls
• Definition, types and properties of walling materials. (including locally sourced materials).
• Manufacturing processes of walling materials (clay, brick, blocks and concrete blocks).
• Sizes of blocks and bricks.
• Mortar mixes for brick.
• Methods of wall construction
• Timber wall construction.
• Definition and function of wall openings.
• Methods of constructing wall opening.
• Functions of lintels and arches.

Doors and windows

• Definition, functions and types of doors and windows.
• Methods of mixing doors and window frames

Staircases

• Definition, classification, types and uses of stairs.
• Materials used for the construction of stairs.
• Materials used for finishing staircases.

Plumbing installations and drainage system

• Types of fitting in plumbing and sanitary works.
• Materials for plumbing works and fittings.
• Types of sanitary appliances.
• Soil and waste appliances.
• Installation of sanitary appliances.
• Terms used in drainage works.
• Principles and functional requirements of a drainage system.
• Types of a drainage system.
• Types of drainage materials (pipes and fittings).
• Methods of laying and testing drain lines.
• Description of septic and soakaway (inspection chamber, manhole, etc.).

Electrical installation and solar energy system

• Electrical symbols, installation terms and materials.
• Identification and uses of electrical wiring materials.
• Types of electrical wiring.
• Definition, functions and components of solar energy systems.

Roofs

• Definition, purpose, and types of roofs.
• Functional requirements of the roof.
• Materials used for roofs.
• Roof covering materials.
• Protection of roof from wind, rain, lightning, etc.

Finishes

• Floors
  • Types and characteristics of floor finishes.
  • Methods of laying floor finishes.
  • Uses of floor finishes.
  • Care and maintenance of floor finishes
• Walls
  • Types and characteristics of wall finishes
  • Plastering and rendering
  • Types of rendering
  • Methods of applying plastering and rendering mix.
• Ceiling
  • Types and functions of ceiling finishes.
  • Ceiling finishing materials
• External Work
  • Types of fence, materials for fencing and construction of a fence.
  • Types of gates, fixing of gates and production of gates.
  • Types and materials for construction of access roads.
  • Construction of access road.
  • Needs and materials for landscaping.
  • Procedures for landscaping.

Types of Business Organization and Ways of Raising Capital

• Principles and Management of Business Organization in the building industry.
• Types of Business Organization in the Building Industry.
• Types and sources of Capital.

Book Keeping

• Book Keeping in small-scale businesses.
• Books of original entries

Contract Work

• Definition and types of contract.
• Contract documents.
• Parties to a contract

SUGGESTED READING LIST

Barry’s Introduction to Construction in Buildings

Blocklaying and Concreting

The Construction of Buildings VolsI– V

Building Technology Ivor H. Seeley

Building Construction S. C. O. A. Ezeji

Brickwork Vols 1 – 3 Nash

Building Construction Handbook R.  Chudley

Building Construction Vols 1 – 4 W. B. Mckay

Principles of Construction Roger Greeno

Building Construction for Senior Secondary Schools Vols 1 – 3 (Ilesanmi) Adesokan and  M. O. Adeniyi

Construction Technology Vols 1 – 4 R. Chuelley

Advanced Building Construction Vols 1 & 2 C. M. H. Barritt

Recommended textbooks

Suggested reading list

As listed in WAEC’s official Building Construction syllabus (download the PDF). These are WAEC’s suggested references, not compulsory texts; older titles may be out of print, so any current edition covering the same topics will do.

1. Stephen Emmitt and Christopher A. Gorse — Barry’s Introduction to Construction of Buildings (Blackwell Publishing)
2. M. O. Obande — Blocklaying and Concreting (Longman Publishing Company)
3. R. Barry — The Construction of Buildings, Vols I–V (Granada)
4. Ivor H. Seeley — Building Technology (Palgrave)
5. S. C. O. A. Ezeji — Building Construction
6. Nash — Brickwork, Vols 1–3
7. R. Chudley — Building Construction Handbook (Billing & Sons Ltd)
8. W. B. McKay — Building Construction, Vols 1–4
9. Roger Greeno — Principles of Construction
10. Adesokan and M. O. Adeniyi — Building Construction for Senior Secondary Schools, Vols 1–3 (Ilesanmi)
11. R. Chudley — Construction Technology, Vols 1–4 (Longman)
12. C. M. H. Barritt — Advanced Building Construction, Vols 1 & 2 (Longman)