Contractor build house & purchase of suv

Wayne 07 wrote:

Hello everyone I am new member

Will try keep this brief. Been in and out of Philippines since 70's. Station in Subic 87-89. Retired Marine and soon retire civil service worker.
Know very well people, culture, and Philippines.
My wife is from Philippines, Bicol region. Married 25 years. Leaving California to live in Philippines in 2015 April.

I need to know of someone who has contact with a honest contractor to build us a home in Bicol. Wanted to know also any one who has contact with someone who wants sale a Toyota Suv. I prefer the landcruiser. Wanted anything from 2010-2013.

Hi Wayne,
Although I am not in a position to buy land/build yet, but I have designed a house (with software I have on my iMac), looked into the options and can share a few key prep steps.
1.  Determine the best construction method(s) that are to your liking/available here before you do a wide search on a General Contractor. 

Example:  Will you do the construction using the:
1.  'column, beam and hollow block process'
2.  'poured concrete walls' or
3.  'prefab or precast concrete wall panels'

2.  Concrete mixes here in the PI are as random as the weather and you may want to clearly specify the type, grade and mix ratios that are acceptable to be used (refer to the paperback book published by the Portland Cement Association -  'Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures' as your guide and the guide you require the contractor to use, as per your contract with him.

3.  Sand - be very careful with the sand source and make sure it is proper sand.

4.  Being a native Californian, I also focused on such things as 'Philippine Fault Zones' and the stated quake ratings from each contractor.  What was their position on the 'Philippine Mobile Belt' vs. their construction methods?  At least 4 of the 6 contractors I made initial contact with in 2011, did not include ratings in their 'column, beam and hollow block process' and would not provide the design engineering tools they used for their designs  (i.e., they never designed for earthquakes).

A good source for this map is:  http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ … /gshap.php

After almost a year of research in 2011, I decided on the prefab option as my first choice.  One of my main reasons was the rating of conventional hollow block walls here in the PI (around 800 pounds of force per square inch (psi), where as the precast walls are designed to withstand about 4,800 psi). 

I did look into the sources in or near the NCR that could support a build in the Cavite area (Tagaytay - Alfonso) and the one source I was impressed with was 'Deca Homes'*.  There is a better article on this method found at:  http://www.philstar.com/real-estate/201 … ses-8-days

*Note:  I have not actually used them and only exchanged a few emails to get info on build times (8-10 days), quality and materials.

I think this info may assist you a little in your final approach to building a home here.  Best of luck on this new road.

Gary

FilAmericanMom wrote:

When are you planning to start building the house?  If your plan is to start construction now so that by April of next year when you arrive here your house is ready for move in, forget it. There are honest contractors out there.  But if you want peace of mind that your house will not collapse on you just like that, you need to be here and visit the construction site often enough, if not everyday. You should be here to check on the progress of construction, make decisions on which materials to use, issue checks. There's also a lot of paperwork: clearances from local government offices, permits, etc. which you (or a person with a power of attorney) to sign or approve.  It's all so complicated. 

I have started construction on my house at the beginning of this year. We used better than standard materials and construction methods.  But right across us, there was a house being built to be sold, and building materials and construction were below standard. The posts used a third to a half the number of metal rods and were thinner. Hollow blocks were about 1" thinner.  (Our perimeter fencing was sturdier than their 2-storey house wall!) The beams also used less metal rods.  The difference in price between the metal and blocks that I used vs the ones the neighbor / developer used is probably PhP300k.  I am really appalled that for something the contractor will sell for PhP12-14 million, they would skimp on key materials.  I and my other neighbors feel sorry for whomever will buy the house.

You really have to be here to oversee construction of your house.

Be a good citizen by reporting it to the Provincial builders board and let everyone know about their shoddy construction...They could be seriously fined if it is not within code..

vetretreat wrote:

Be a good citizen by reporting it to the state builders board and let everyone know about their shoddy construction...The could be seriously fined if it is not within code..

A neighbor on the same block who first noticed it said she had already reported it. I don't know if inspectors have already checked it. As of now, the posts have been poured over.  So you cannot see the rods anymore. 

Fines is not the solution to faulty construction. The house is not safe. Period. I doubt that city officials would order the house razed to the ground. If caught, the developer would probably reason out that he / she would be the one occupying the house anyways, so it's their risk. And they would sell the house later on when the issue has been forgotten.