Dumaguete Info Search


Trades & Labor Best Posts in Thread: House construction Labor vs Material Costs

  1. Sedona

    Sedona DI Forum Adept

    Messages:
    384
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Ratings:
    +673 / 102
    The coco lumber is usually not used as part of the structure. It is used to build scaffolding and create concrete forms with, and that's always what they use.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
    Sedona, Feb 6, 2020
    #5
  2. Crystalhead

    Crystalhead ADMIN Admin ★ Forum Moderator ★ ★ Global Mod ★ ★ Moderator ★ ★★ Forum Sponsor ★★ ★ No Ads ★ Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Army

    Messages:
    1,906
    Trophy Points:
    371
    Occupation:
    retired
    Location:
    Canada and Neg. OR.
    Ratings:
    +1,991 / 1,090
    My Wife and I built 3 homes in the Philippines. Currently utilize 2 and gave the 3rd (1st build) to my Wife's parents. All 3 the Labor was approximately 1 third. First home built was 15 years ago (half concrete, half wood) 2nd was 7 years, third was last year (both concrete and steel). We have over tripled the value to date (even having gifted the 1st home). Agree also that location means better turn over. We are a perfect location for rapid appreciation. All the builds I used 12 to 16 workers plus a Fore-Man 6 days a week so factor in the daily snacks and H2O for an average of 4 Months than a tip for each at end build. We built a 1 bedroom Nippa hut also on our Farm 18 years ago, minor cost to up-keep and we rented it out for 14 years and the labor on that was 1/5th the materials with a 2 Man crew.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
    • Thanks Thanks x 1
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2020
    Crystalhead, Feb 8, 2020
    #21
  3. Roadwitch80

    Roadwitch80 DI Member

    Messages:
    219
    Trophy Points:
    85
    Ratings:
    +315 / 62
    Labor is usually 30% of material cost. That’s the standard rate. Contingency is 5-10%.

    To get an overall ballpark figure of what you should be spending, do the cost per sqm. Dumaguete cost per square meter is usually around 18k per square. This includes structural, architectural and MEPF. The figure you come up with will go up or down depending on the quality of your materials.
     
    • Thanks Thanks x 2
    Roadwitch80, Feb 7, 2020
    #10
  4. Mikal

    Mikal DI Member

    Messages:
    150
    Trophy Points:
    53
    Ratings:
    +139 / 12
    There should be an equally detailed list of labor costs, right? That's what you want to pick through and if anything seems 'high' than ask for justification.

    The percentage thing can be a bit misleading - using materials that cost 20% more would (typically) drive the percentage allocated for labor lower. It's not hard to use tiles that cost 2, 5 or even 10 times more than low-end tiles, but you're not increasing your labor cost 2, 5 or even 10 times. I hope.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    Mikal, Feb 7, 2020
    #6
  5. hiddenuser

    hiddenuser Guest Guest User

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0
    we live in an older rent house of concrete block and coconut wood. the wooden part is slowly dissolving due to attack by termites. that is the first thing i would review. make it concrete block and steel.

    second would be to have a competent attorney look over the contract. nathan who is officed at JP's restaurant on the highway as you near Bacong proper would be my choice but there are others.

    i would shudder at the idea of building a house here without a competent and reliable construction manager to protect my interests. someone totally independent from the construction staff and responsible only to me.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Thanks Thanks x 1
    hiddenuser, Feb 6, 2020
    #3