A 3-bedroom bungalow is the most common family home people build in Nigeria: three bedrooms, a sitting room, a kitchen and two or three toilets, all on one floor. The plan you choose decides how the house lives day to day, how well it fits your plot, and how easy it is to extend later. This guide walks through the common layouts and the choices behind them, so you can brief an architect with a clear idea of what you want. It does not quote building costs, which change with materials and location.
What a 3-bedroom bungalow plan usually contains
- Three bedrooms, one of them the master bedroom, usually en suite with a walk-in or built-in wardrobe.
- A sitting room, often with a dining area beside it or opening into it.
- A kitchen, with a store and sometimes a laundry or utility space.
- Toilets and bathrooms: an en suite for the master, and one shared or two more en suites.
- A visitors' toilet near the sitting room, so guests do not pass the bedrooms.
- A porch or veranda at the entrance, and often a back veranda by the kitchen.
Optional extras are a study or fourth room, a family lounge separate from the formal sitting room, a carport, and a boys' quarters (BQ) in a separate building at the back.
Five common layouts
| Layout | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Central corridor | Living spaces at the front; a corridor leads to the bedrooms at the back | Narrow, deep plots; privacy for bedrooms |
| Split bedroom | Master bedroom on one side of the living area, the other two bedrooms on the other | Parents who want distance from children or guests |
| Open plan | Sitting, dining and kitchen in one connected space, bedrooms off a short hallway | Smaller floor areas; families who want one shared space |
| All rooms en suite | Every bedroom has its own bathroom, plus a visitors' toilet | Letting out rooms, adult children, or later resale and rent |
| L-shaped | Living wing and bedroom wing at right angles around a courtyard or garden | Wider plots; cross-ventilation and outdoor living |
Fitting the plan on your plot
A standard Lagos plot is 648 square metres, about 18 by 36 metres, and many estates sell plots of about 465 square metres (50 by 100 ft). Our guides to land sizes in Nigeria and plots in an acre explain the measurements.
- Setbacks: every state requires the building to sit a set distance from the front, sides and back of the plot. Your architect takes the current figures from the planning authority.
- Plot coverage: planning rules limit how much of the plot the building may cover, leaving the rest for parking, drainage and green space.
- Parking and gate: decide early where cars enter and park, because it fixes where the front door goes.
- Septic tank and soakaway, or sewer: they need their own space and distance from the house and any borehole.
- Borehole, tank stand and generator house: plan their positions now, away from bedroom windows for the generator.
Design choices that suit Nigerian conditions
- Orientation: place long walls facing north and south where you can, to cut direct sun on the walls in the afternoon.
- Cross-ventilation: windows on opposite walls let air move through rooms when power is off.
- Roof overhangs and verandas: deep eaves shade the walls and keep rain off windows.
- Ceiling height: higher ceilings keep rooms cooler; agree the height with your architect.
- Drainage: raise the floor above the surrounding ground, and plan where rainwater leaves the plot.
- Backup power: plan space and cabling for an inverter and batteries, or solar, from the start.
- Security: burglar-proofing, a secure back door, and a fence and gate in the plan, not added later.
Planning for a second floor later
Many owners build a bungalow now and plan to go up later. That only works if the foundation, columns and roof slab are designed for the extra floor, and the staircase position is reserved. Tell your architect and structural engineer at the start, and have the future floor shown on the approved plan. Otherwise, a bungalow is best treated as a single-storey house for good; see duplexes in Nigeria if you need more rooms on a small plot.
From plan to approval
- Confirm the land title and get a current survey plan.
- Brief a registered architect with the layout you want and the extras you need.
- Have architectural, structural and services drawings prepared and signed by registered professionals.
- Submit them for building plan approval; see the Lagos building plan approval guide for how it works in Lagos.
- Build to the approved drawings, with the stage inspections the state requires.
A free plan downloaded online can be a useful starting point for discussion, but it is not a buildable design: it has not been fitted to your plot, your soil or your state's rules. Our guide to how to build a house in Nigeria covers the construction stages that follow.
Buying instead of building
If you would rather buy or rent a finished bungalow, browse houses for sale or houses for rent on Cabans, and message the owner or agent on the listing for the floor plan. Our bungalow guide explains the types you will see in listings.
Frequently asked questions
Will a 3-bedroom bungalow fit on one plot?
Usually, yes. A standard Lagos plot of 648 square metres (about 18 by 36 metres) comfortably takes a 3-bedroom bungalow with parking and a small garden, and a 50 by 100 ft plot of about 465 square metres takes a compact one. The setbacks your state requires, and whether you add a boys' quarters, decide how much room is left.
How big is a 3-bedroom bungalow?
A compact 3-bedroom bungalow with a sitting room, dining area, kitchen and two or three toilets is often around 110 to 140 square metres of floor area. Plans with all rooms en suite, a study or a large living area can go well beyond that. Ask your architect for the gross floor area of each option, because it drives cost and plot fit.
What is the difference between a bungalow and a duplex plan?
A bungalow has all rooms on one floor; a duplex spreads them over two floors joined by a staircase. A bungalow needs more land for the same number of rooms but no staircase, and is easier for older people and children. A duplex fits more rooms on a small plot.
Can I build a bungalow now and add a floor later?
Only if the structure is designed for it from the start. The foundation, columns and slab must be sized for the future floor by a structural engineer, and the approved plan should show it. Adding a floor to a bungalow designed as single-storey is risky and usually needs fresh approval.
Do I need approval for a bungalow plan?
Yes. In every state a building plan needs approval from the state physical planning authority before construction starts, with drawings prepared and signed by registered professionals. Building without approval can lead to a stop-work order or demolition.
Related guides
Bungalow in Nigeria · How to build a house · Building plan approval in Lagos · Buying vs building · BQ meaning
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