Assessment of users' preferences in: Functional spaces, fittings, and finishes in residential buildings in Nigeria

The paper seeks to determine users’ preferences in residential building design and fittings, with reference to their age, income level and geopolitical origin. The research design used is a survey and the instrument of data collection is the use of questionnaire and interviews. 121 questionnaires were analyzed in addition to interviews conducted in the study areas of Abuja and Lagos. People in the age categories of (46-60), (61-100) and people from the South East Geo-political zone love design that takes cognizance of security such as the view of the road from the Masters' bedroom and indirect entry to the building. The general analysis of the study shows that the respondent favours, large architectural design of functional spaces, and ease of traffic flow from one unit to the other. It’s preferred that a typical residential design should have a separate dining room or a space designated as dining area marked spatially or distinguished by non-rigid element such as lighting or colour. There is no much distinction on the preference of people with higher educational level and high income. Both set of people prefer expensive finishes such as the use of marble floor, roofing tiles and P.O.P ceilings. People with lesser educational level and income are satisfied with less expensive finishes. Projected windows are preferred to sliding windows, energy saver light is preferred to incandescent bulb, and many more preferences are highlighted in the study findings. The paper enumerates the important issues that developers’ need to bear in mind to satisfy client’s aspiration in a house.