# House design Options



## DED (Feb 24, 2013)

Hi I am usually on the UK site but would like to seek some advise from members (please)

Thinking about building a small 3 bed house in PP. can I ask some questions:
where is best location to see the type of designs/plans available? website or company?
How close to your architect estimated price was the final price?
How long should I estimate for building to be completed (basic shell and roof)
What is normal procedure for paying.... does it all get paid in advance payments or payments on completion of each sector?

look forward to your replies
Salamat


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Hi DED and welcome to this side of the forum. I never went the route your going but the main concern would be to have someone here in the Philippines who has vast building knowledge make sure to monitor these workers at all times and procedures. 

So hopefully we'll hear more from others.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Lots of horror stories on foreigners building here.

I am a construction engineer and most likely would not try that myself and I have seen just about every trick out there. Scamming foreigners appears to be the national sport here. They justify it on the obvious fact that you are rich and can afford it so no real harm.

Substandard workmanship, no quality control, theft of materials, demand wages for work not done, they will sleep all day and still expect to be paid etc. 

If I was to build, I know several Filipino construction engineers and would hire someone I had already worked with or someone that they not only recommended but personally vouched for and then not let it be known that this would be a foreigner's house.

I also assume that you know that you can never own the land under the building and that land scams and questionable ownership is pretty common. Be very careful in protecting your interests in this area.


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## expatuk2016 (Mar 20, 2016)

You definatley need some one here you can trust on the building site, and who actually goes to the builders merchant to buy the materials,i have heard stories of builders buying more bags of cement than needed and dropping some bags off on the way to your site ! And you will be amazed at the number of paint brushes they will need ! They use them and then throw them awsy, cleaning the brushes after use is beer drinking time !
Luvkiky we were here when we built our house and the days we were not around the mother in law kept on patrol !


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

I built our house here. Once we had bought the lot in the location that we wanted, I set about looking at several houses in the same subdivision, asking who had built the ones I liked etc. Having benchmarked several house builds, I then sat with the architect, engineer and builder to discuss my plans. At that point I returned to Dubai awaiting their feedback. The architect sent me a few basic designs, and once I had selected the one closest to my ideas, we set about fine tuning it. He sent me full drawings, which I modified as I needed. Finally, we had the design sorted. The engineer and builder were on board throughout. At that point they sent me a projected cost and timeframe for the build. Again this was fine-tuned. On my next visit here, we finalised everything and made a contract with a lawyer. Everything was detailed in the contract, including the size of rebar, roofing struts, electric cable, concrete mix ratios.........every detail. The full set of drawings were also included in the contract, which was 36 pages, together with the agreed payment structure which was based upon relevant milestones in the construction being met and approved. Up until that point I had not paid a single Fil. 

The agreed contract price included everything, architect fees, blueprints, engineer fees, temporary power connection, City Engineers Office approval and upon completion, inspection by the City Engineers Dept to sign off on the build and issue of the Occupancy Permit.

I visited 4 times during the build and never saw anything that caused me concern. The house was built within the agreed time, within the agreed project price, and to my complete satisfaction. Throughout the build I was sent over 400 photos and videos from the builder. A good friend plus our new neighbour, a fellow Brit also monitored progress for me.

I am now building a second house, beach house this time in Samal, its about 80% complete and again, so far so good.

It doesn't have to be a disaster, but I suspect that if I had decided to go the route of choosing a builder and paid a daily rate plus materials and used family to oversee, then things may have been a lot different. Also I did not go cheap. The builder has a solid reputation and his company have been involved in many large projects as well as building private residences.


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## Rwestgate (Jan 29, 2019)

Pinoyeplans.com has some nice designs with estimated costs


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## DED (Feb 24, 2013)

Thank you to everyone for their thoughts......very interesting & some good advice


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Withstanding Typhoons*



DED said:


> Thank you to everyone for their thoughts......very interesting & some good advice


Another option to keep in mind DED, I was stationed in Guam and all the buildings there are concrete even the roof, the winds in a Typhoon are incredible and the only roof that survives a Super Typhoon would be a concrete one, we had a typhoon in our area we lost our roof and I also noticed the steel bar roofs didn't' hold up so well either.


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## DED (Feb 24, 2013)

Another point which puzzles me is that the land prices go up yet no one is building on them...
There appears to be plenty of land so how do they work out their pricing?

They all want to buy land but the land has little value unless a house / community is built from it
and surrounding plots ....Or that’s what I think 
Last year I see a nice gated community being formed with potential...this year I arrive and no houses built...Animals grazing everywhere and lots of weeds on the streets as there has been no maintenance yet they tell me the plot prices are higher.....why??


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Lack of funds*



DED said:


> Another point which puzzles me is that the land prices go up yet no one is building on them...
> There appears to be plenty of land so how do they work out their pricing?
> 
> They all want to buy land but the land has little value unless a house / community is built from it
> ...


This is how every single community in my area starts out and it can take a couple decades before the property owner can pay off the loan and then you begin to see these buildings rise up in stages as the OFW will save for years but eventually you'll see a community with very nice large multi level buildings.

Just like you mentioned there's this brand new gate or entrance with the lots for sale sign and animals grazing in the back round to these private community's (the land isn't cheap more like $30,000 US dollars for a small square lot) and just as an example the nearest private community in and around Pila Laguna has been stagnate since 1993 and then we began to see foundations and outer skeletons of the house come up in 2010 and unfinished houses walled with no windows in 2014 and now fully finished looking from the outside in 2018. 

It take years and the building is finished in increments it's a life long plan. But you can purchase a condominium warning tiny structures and these structures are cleverly photographed for under or around 1 million pesos.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

There seems to be no science behind land values and often it's looks like a best guess on behalf of the owner, banks will have valuations but usually bare no relationship to what an owner wants. Land can lay unsold for years because an owner won't move on price. The yearly rise is to reflect inflation, yes it must be worth more than last year, go figure.


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

DED said:


> Another point which puzzles me is that the land prices go up yet no one is building on them...
> There appears to be plenty of land so how do they work out their pricing?
> 
> They all want to buy land but the land has little value unless a house / community is built from it
> ...


Investment........
A lot of lots are purchased by OFW's via financing. Its only after the lot is paid for, or in some cases 50% paid for, that you are allowed to build.


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

M.C.A. said:


> But you can purchase a condominium warning tiny structures and these structures are cleverly photographed for under or around 1 million pesos.


Depends where you're talking about. In Davao make that P4m.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

DED said:


> Hi I am usually on the UK site but would like to seek some advise from members (please)
> 
> Thinking about building a small 3 bed house in PP. can I ask some questions:
> where is best location to see the type of designs/plans available? website or company?
> ...


Welcome to the/this forum, as Mark, M.C.A reflects. A lot of great info with previous contributions from those that have done it with boots on the ground as well as those with trusted friends/family to secure a decent build.
I gather (assumption) with your ask/this post that you are familiar with PH. and all it's foibles and simply look for ideas and have a chosen area/locale picked out for your build.

Google will be your best friend for designs given a lot size and no matter a Scandinavian or English design can be achieved in PH. if you have the bucks, local designs ditto,,,,, how long is a piece of string. How water tight is/can your negotiated fixed price contract be? I too look for security within a contract no matter the country, PH. is a little different if you don't watch your "P's" and "Q's".
Only my experience but when building or renovating in PH. you need to be there or trust implicitly your representative to do your bidding.

Cheers, Steve.


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## DED (Feb 24, 2013)

Thank you to everyone for there comments....I have read them all with interest

I guess the overall point everyone is making is that you have to have your boots on the ground while building or have someone there you can trust.
I cannot stay there for the full build and i have no one to help (with experience)
so will either look for a built unit or perhaps build in three sections ...each time employing a local to assist the 'watch' will me as I am a novice
stage1. be there for foundations and drainage stage2. be there to build up to water tight 
stage3 be there when it is fully finished and I can choose the tiles and final finishings.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Look for an already built unit*



DED said:


> Thank you to everyone for there comments....I have read them all with interest
> 
> I guess the overall point everyone is making is that you have to have your boots on the ground while building or have someone there you can trust.
> I cannot stay there for the full build and i have no one to help (with experience)
> ...


Now you're talking and the best route to go "Look for an already built unit" and your are welcome and don't be a stranger to the forum I feel you'll have many more questions before you make that final move.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> Now you're talking and the best route to go "Look for an already built unit" and your are welcome and don't be a stranger to the forum I feel you'll have many more questions before you make that final move.


Another option is to have it architect built, will probably cost you 10% of the build cost they should oversea it.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

M.C.A. said:


> Now you're talking and the best route to go "Look for an already built unit" .....


That will have its pitfalls too.

You never know how well it was built in the first place.

Outside of large commercial/residential types of construction I doubt if there is any sort of permitting process or building inspection system here, and if so it is not followed very well.

Add in the propensity for land scams, difficulty of a foreigner obtaining control (never ownership) of the land, and the risk and costs of having to sell the building just in case, and I think I will just rent forever.

That gives me the freedom to pack my tent and try a new island.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Renting has it's benefits for sure*



Manitoba said:


> That will have its pitfalls too.
> 
> You never know how well it was built in the first place.
> 
> ...


I'm with you Manitoba you have less worries and can move without the hassle of trying to sell your home or condo.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Architect Overseer*



Gary D said:


> Another option is to have it architect built, will probably cost you 10% of the build cost they should oversea it.


I haven't heard of that before but then again I'm a squatter but on our first attempt at building a home we did hire an architect and he sure was pricey and lived a pretty high life spoke perfect English had a brand new full sized SUV I don't think even with the 10% pay he'd of stuck around to make sure it was built correctly they all seem to have other business or keep busy with their family and running around.

You are correct about a home that's already been built for sure it could have problems but at least you have a price to work with and not one that keeps climbing like a construction project and a location you've picked out.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

M.C.A. said:


> ....
> 
> You are correct about a home that's already been built for sure it could have problems but at least you have a price to work with and not one that keeps climbing like a construction project and a location you've picked out.


All you have to worry about is the price of the repairs climbing.


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## Gorn (Aug 30, 2019)

Manitoba said:


> I know several Filipino construction engineers and would hire someone I had already worked with or someone that they not only recommended but personally vouched for


Post some contact info, always helpful to find good workers.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

I like rwestgates pnoy plans ,nice ideas. But preferred a design I saw here in pinas many times that gave maximum room on a 2 or 3 bedroom house. It was an L shape.


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## albertmads (Sep 8, 2021)

This direction is very profitable. The theme of houses is really always relevant


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

My opinion is buy land now if you have any interest in building. The value is going up and you can always sell it or use it for something else.
The house lots are kind of small typically, 150 or 200sq meter. I ended up putting 5 lots together to get a good size lot.
You need someone like yourself or wife watching people no matter who they are and you control every dollar period.
I hired an architect to draw it up and to hash out the design changes. Please visit other homes in the area to see what people do and how it functions. We are retirement age and a single level, no stairs, was critical. 
With the weather you will spend time outdoors more than indoors so design outdoor space with real usage in mind. It is not practical to have aircon for the whole house and will only make you a prisoner to a room. We have very high ceilings and lots of open space in the house. Air flow is important, we designed a breezeway through core of house like in the south US. The kitchen throws off heat and smells, so keep it separate from main part of house. We created a huge patio off kitchen in back of house that is totally screened. This area with no bugs makes eating and playing, singing fun. Orient the house to have sun in part that you are not in during day. Also consider future placement of solar panels. I recommend solar power as a option during initial construction. 
Make sure the architect puts enough electrical plugs in each room and you pre-wired for internet to augment wireless. 
Do not build cheap for foundation, this is more important than any thing else. I would bring in dirt and raise your foundation up off the ground a few feet. Make sure you don't get cheap blocks with too much sand, same for concrete. You need multiple septic tanks, one for each bathroom and kitchen. I would recommend an outdoor CR for guests and guys in general. 
Don't forget storage space, typical houses don't have much. We reclaimed the space under roof to make cheap bonus rooms with a simple stair case along the wall. Buy the construction equipment like welders and jackhammer, etc. You can use it later and it us cheaper to own it. Watch all your tools and don't let them walk off. 
If you buy a lot not in gated community then make sure the seller has provided an access easement wide enough for a car. It is nice to have access from both sides of a large lot.
Plan for water pressure if the city does not have good service. A large tank on a tower provides gravity pressure if pressure tank system fails. A well will also help if you have room on lot. A dual water source.
Build a wall if not in gated community. A nice 10ft or more wall around whole lot. It can be solid or half metal grates on blocks. The wall also helps keep water flowing away from your higher foundation to other parts of neighborhood. 
In the more rural areas a preexisting home built well is had to find. Building your own is best option. 
Buy lot far enough from family they can't walk over but close enough to feel welcome.


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## JonosOld (Aug 25, 2021)

That's amazing that you want to build a house. You have to navigate through the Internet and find good examples.


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

Spending a few nights in other houses will make it easy to identify the design flaws.
I am very happy with building. I had to correct some weird plumbing and strange electrical but it was minor. 
I was concerned about flooding and earthquakes so designed to provide good defense. You need to live in the climate and local conditions to get a design, plans off internet ignored simple facts of life here. Spend time here before building.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Don't expect to get a western house. You won't find a local builder that can come anywhere near close.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

Hey DED,

Make sure your local contractor knows what a level, tape measure and transit are before starting and have them there. I had some remodeling done at my place north of Davao city. the workers showed up with no tape measure, or level. they had wires running crooked down my walls. I had to furnish them with these items to do the job right. they installed a portable water heater in my bathroom and tied the wires into the main wires coming into the house before the breaker box. It would overheat and trip my main breaker when using the water heater. what a fire hazard.

I was a class "C" contractor in the states. I have never seen such ridiculous workmanship in my entire life. the ones warning you to be careful is right about how bad the work is there. this was my first experience hiring someone. I never checked on them. I got them at the Citi hardware from the store telling me how good they were doing the work. 

I LEARNED MY LESSON!!!!

art


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

@Art Your guys are far from the worse. 
I have told before about
/a plumber who put a pipe in knee height diagonal over the room 🤣
/and a enginere leader over a big group who first made the well with holes all the way up so got muddy water, when told he tightened ALL holes so didnt got any water at all in the well 🤣 When the buyer came and tried to tell him how to build the welll, the leader understood nothing, but during that one of the cheap LABORERS took an electric and made holes where they were suppoused to be  So high education dont cure stupidity  
(Half of the SMART Filipinos I have found have LOW education. E g one with only elementary school managed to figuere out a percent math problem a MASTER Business examed FAILED to!!! And an other, who solved it, has only High school while most TEACHERS FAILED!!!)


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I hear you big time Lunkan, all the good ones are working and living O/S.
I have 5 guys here working and they are all related to Ben, I am constantly out there correcting things, explaining how to do it and most times do it myself so it's done properly as so many times things get lost big time in translation.

I set up my laser level when they first started to shoot the levels and only Ben and his brother had ever seen one before,,,,, they prefer the water level and while they work require two guys to operate as opposed to one man on a laser level and much quicker. I won't go into a rant about all the mistakes so far and we are only a little over two weeks in with 4 to 6 months to go. The bonus is that I have lost nearly 4 Kgs in weight since the job started.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

bigpearl said:


> they prefer the water level and while they work require two guys to operate as opposed to one man on a laser level and much quicker.


 Well. When the distance to level is some meters or more then water solution is good enough. (I used it when I made my extention many years ago back when laser was expensive.) Such TIME saving device isnt so important factor in Phils  by labour cost litle.
((For a manufactory I am preparing to start I even hesitate between chosing THREE manual "machines" instead of one one person handled Semi-automatic by if counting 2 years the costs are similar and it would be giving jobs to three instead of one. And cant be sure if the Semi-automatic will last more than two years anyway  

Misstakes lose much more time - and material - anyway. 

((My business partner is eager get things started clearing land, I suppouse partly depending of he need money and the deal is he get pay direct for labour type work he do himself, while "leader" work he will get pay as a share of future profits. But I told him FIRST we collect compleete info, then make plans based on that, THEN the clearing and construction will start. So now he is eager to collect info  and make test we need to do first to see if we will reach "export quality" or not with modified cheaper equipment, which will decide how high aiming in startup.))


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Copy Lunkan but the point is I have a laser level and they are scared of it.
Example,,,, They are preparing to pour a small concrete slab and stiffening beams only 6M x 6M,,,,,, with their water level they set the boxing, when I looked I saw straight away something was very wrong with the levels, when I queried the leading hand he told me it was all set with their water level,,,,,,,,, I put my level on the boxing and it was not level, yes boss it's level, no mate it's not. 
Pull out my laser level to prove. I could see by the looks in the guys eyes "god not that thing again". Shot the levels with foreman in toe and one corner was 50mm too high. Water levels are good if you know how to use them and use them properly. 
Point is that I am now paying the guys to correct their mistake/s every day and as many a wise man on this and other sites have stated? 
If you are going to build something you need to personally be at ground zero.

LOL. now after lunch the leading hand told me one of their lines must have moved, like yesterday and the day before was my retort.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yet another add on. 
Yes while labour is cheap here, 5 guys is less than P 16K for a 6 day week, half a days work for me before I retired. Perhaps if they thought a lot more and didn't constantly muck things up they would/could earn a lot more pesos.

The old saying? If you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Don't get me wrong, they are all good guys and hard workers but not smart workers.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> Copy Lunkan but the point is I have a laser level and they are scared of it.
> Example,,,, They are preparing to pour a small concrete slab and stiffening beams only 6M x 6M,,,,,, with their water level they set the boxing, when I looked I saw straight away something was very wrong with the levels, when I queried the leading hand he told me it was all set with their water level,,,,,,,,, I put my level on the boxing and it was not level, yes boss it's level, no mate it's not.
> Pull out my laser level to prove. I could see by the looks in the guys eyes "god not that thing again". Shot the levels with foreman in toe and one corner was 50mm too high. Water levels are good if you know how to use them and use them properly.
> Point is that I am now paying the guys to correct their mistake/s every day and as many a wise man on this and other sites have stated?
> ...


You are right Steve and I went through this same shoddy maintenance issue with the high-headed workers who DON"T like anyone overseeing their work, my wife got after me several times and she even said if I continue they'll quit and they did just that because there are so many other jobs available.

I'm so sick of their attitudes that I do it myself and I have peace of mind it sort of reminds me of my final days in the military, in order to turn down the stress I just do the work myself, I was so happy retire, what a day that was.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Ah yes retirement Mark but it doesn't mean you stop. Eyes on the ball and your pesos. Problem for me is they are all cousins and one brother the only one with a semblance of thinking is Bens brother but doesn't monitor watch the guys, apparently that's my job even though I pay a foreman (Bens brother) and a leading hand???????? As said, best to have boots on the ground and gently slap when required. Seems to happen a lot (twice a day) with my 2IC. Dim like Harold, that most dangerous of all sheep, a clever sheep that not so much as flies but plummets (Monty Python).

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> You are right Steve and I went through this same shoddy maintenance issue with the high-headed workers who DON"T like anyone overseeing their work, my wife got after me several times and she even said if I continue they'll quit and they did just that because there are so many other jobs available.
> 
> I'm so sick of their attitudes that I do it myself and I have peace of mind it sort of reminds me of my final days in the military, in order to turn down the stress I just do the work myself, I was so happy retire, what a day that was.


 It seem you better move to Palawan and so you can hire Palawan tribe people 
(Although them I know have only built wood houses I believe, because I got asked some about how to build stone houses when we discussed some how to build a manufactory. BUT they DO ask when they dont know and they follow instructions.)

I am fed up with (malay) Filipinos too messing up and not even realy trying to fullfil important made DEALS!!! 
((E g one handle acounting for a municipaly, we hired in start to do our acounting and tax forms for 2021, but she hasnt done it still!!! inspite of she has fooled my business partner to many wasted trips "It will be ready Monday" "Come back the 28th"... Giving us trouble with BIR before we havent realy started  We have even have problems three months to get all BACK!!! When we finaly got them, then she wanted an ADDITIONAL chance to do it "next weekend" and my business partner was prepared to give her that - tribe people are scared of malay Filipinos by being used to be abused by them  but I said NO WAY now when we finaly have got it back, she will not get any more chance to screw up again. I believe he had loud speaker on she heared when I said that  I have told him anyway in all situations he can blame ME when something need to be saiid blunt  
Now we have given all the acounting to an other (malay) Filipino, because I havent found any tribe acountant, "only" lawyer, machine engineer and an experienced business woman.) But left to see how that end up, because she wanted a (standard?) SPA giving her right to SIGN for us in different situations to get access to info from BIR, but I said the ONLY we agree to is she can SEE things needed for acounting. 
My business partner said he want to learn himself. The acounting itself is rather easy, I can teach him, BUT there are to many tax forms, deadlines and laws about details to be worth learning just for the own business. And when we get realy started, he will get short of time to do the acounting too anyway


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## JonosOld (Aug 25, 2021)

I'm glad you want to build a small house. It's a good idea. To make all this work easier and to have answers to all these questions, you should talk directly to a construction company. Thus they will tell you everything about the available locations, price, time, and the normal payment procedure. We recently finished the house we are moving into soon. In the beginning, I paid around 20%, and 80% at the end. And already, everything related to furniture was on our own. And it wasn't very difficult because we didn't change our old furniture, we just chose some new doors from a website, click for more info if you're interested and they also installed us at a very good price.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Back to concreting. The other day I purchased a one bagger conctrete mixer (with grease nipples and hard to find) as we have lots of concrete to mix for slabs, fence posts and core filling concrete blocks, previously the guys were mixing on the 8 x 4 steel sheet by hand. The one bagger will make it much easier for them,,,,,, P 41K delivered.

These guys are not contractors and on a daily/weekly wage. This morning at the 9:30 smoko Ben came in and said to me that the guys are telling him that the normal thing here is when they finish the slab they are pouring today (this one is only 2.8M x 6M) they will finish and go home,,,,,,,,,, By lunch time I said? Apparently that's the industry standard here he said. B/S I told Ben, they are trying to take the piss, they are on wages and not contract and will finish their day with plenty of other duties,,,, but that's what they say is normal Steve, Ben they are on wages and not contract. I told him to remind them of the many times we have sent them home early because rain was coming and pay them for the full day. They agreed in the end.

Also if I didn't have screeds, floats, steel trowels, edgers, wheel barrows and a lot of patience? The work would have been put on hold as they have no tools,,,, well the leading hand has all the tools and looked for them last night but couldn't find and forgot who he lent them to,,,,,,,, knowing for over 2 weeks that we would be pouring lots of concrete.

The saga will continue I know.

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

LOL, I just went out and slapped them for the 3rd time for having the 10mm rebar on the gravel and not in the middle of the concrete where it should be....... as said somewhere else, you can't fix stupid.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

@bigpearl Have you checked they mix correct proprtions and not the normal in Phils breaking much easier by to litle cement "because its cheaper" ?


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Lunkan said:


> @bigpearl Have you checked they mix correct proprtions and not the normal in Phils breaking much easier by to litle cement "because its cheaper" ?


I am a tradesman for 45 years, you think I am an idiot like you claim Mag's is? 

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

It's been my experience that they use far too much water when making concrete. It gives a weaker mix and the surface soon comes off just leaving a stoney surface.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Yes Gary, first mix was like soup, made them put more river mix and cement to show the correct consistency to produce decent concrete.

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

The interesting thing is that we supply them morning and afternoon smoko but they supply their own lunch and and thus earn another P50 each per day even though we supply the rice cooker and kitchen for cooking their lunch.

When I was working as a tradie, we looked after ourselves.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Gary D said:


> It's been my experience that they use far too much water when making concrete. It gives a weaker mix and the surface soon comes off just leaving a stoney surface.


 Some dont put to much water, but almost all put far to much sand compared to cement. They are even TOUGHT wrong. (I have heared the proportions they use, but I have forgot. Far to litle cement anyway)


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Sad, I sacked one of my workers today, the 2IC. Every day he made 1 to 3 mistakes for 3 weeks. In the end I told him that I am paying for him to make mistakes then paying him to fix them, he knew as his cousins have told him from day one to get his act together, never happened. Funny the other four guys are fine.

Cheers, Steve.


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