HOUSE BUILDING

I don't require air-con, my house 150 SQM x 3 Story. Loung/dining room/ kitchen and stairway open plan...Double entry with sliding grills in front of the house with mossie screen and stairway up to top floor, makes a natural cooling system for the whole house. My master bedroom which I think is too big, 75 sqm. this has a double entry with sliding grills to the balcony, same as the other front bedroom. Not one air-con in the house.

 

I have NO OPINION about work quality or cost. I can say though that Philsouth Builders is a sole-proprietor, local construction firm that is licensed by the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) as Contractor for government construction projects. Coming from this, I can also surmise that, generally, firms like it could be tied up with multi-million public works most of the year. If any such firm accepts home construction in between or squeezed into ongoing government projects, the western home owner, thinking in $, probably agreed to have his house constructed with a $x50++ or multi-million ₱cost estimate -- therefore quite large to be justifiable so -- which possibly explains why some westerners' houses have 50sqm living space, 25sqm master bedroom and extra 20sqm bedrooms. Such a large house in tropical weather requires so much dusting and sweeping even in La Nina weather!

 

I used a local builder (not Philsouth) and for the most part am very satisfied. His price (for the upgrades version - granite, better sinks, toilets, etc) was 21,000 smtr 8 years ago and is now 25,000 smtr.

 

As to materials supply, methinks it may be good to do some looking around first and private price canvassing even before agreeing to the architect's design, proposed ₱-cost estimate, and contract terms because, unlike the old days when the architect or foreman actually count the number of nails required, nowadays it is an AutoCad software that determines material quantity. Also, some materials can be out of stock and need to be ordered with new prices. Most construction material stores in Dumaguete have business email addresses and, from experience, these reply promptly as long as one's inquiry is specific as to size, make, color, etc.

As to supervision, I am advised it is truly best to "supervise" by being around at the project site, daily
if possible, to monitor and control work for the preferred quality and to check out work progress against a mutually agreed timetable, in addition to the architect's technical or the foreman's skilled supervision.

 

The owner needs to be on site every day the work is being carried out, they will cut corners especially with the mixing of cement normally this is a classic mix 1,2,3.
some cowboys will mix too much sand and you will pay the price.

 

Regarding sand for cement, isn’t there also an issue that river sand must be used? I know that in Siquijor, if you’re not careful they will use sea sand and save a pile of pesos. The cheaper sea sand contains calcium chloride which, when mixed with water, turns into hydrochloric acid and rather quickly dissolves the steel rebar. River sand is more chemically neutral... voice of experience here (I had to tear down some of the construction and get it fixed).


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They use local sand here from the beach, as it's darker.

 

Does it being darker mean it is not as corrosive as white beach sand, which has all that ground up calcium (sea shells) which is mixed with the sea water to form Calcium chloride? I really don’t know. I only know what Nale Construction in Siq. told me (must use river sand, not sea sand from the beach).


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Sand is a big issue here and clean washed river sand or quarry sand is what you want, but river sand is not necessarily clean sometimes it comes from dried up river beds and is likely to contain some organic matter, so it should be washed, one simple test is; squeeze a sample of sand in you hand and then discard it, if there is dirt left on your hand you know it has not been washed properly if at all.

Any builder who charges by the square metre can up his gains? by using the cheapest sand available, cutting corners on the build saves time and money. At the build stage it does not really matter to him, when later the cracks form in the finished house he will be long gone with your money in his pocket and there will be very little can be done about that here in the Philippines.

I am not trying to say all the builders here are like that, but finding the better honest ones is a major problem?

 

Dark sand is just as corrosive as white, golden or brown. Billions of tonnes of sand from where ever over the past decade's gone into building homes, hotels, bridges etc. No idea where they got it from.