I\'ve been asked to bring this post to our forum here. I DON\'T know everything and I\'m not the most picky in what I will except, a Britt buddy runs circles around me LOL, so keep that in mind while reading.
Location and within a location \"AND\" ones desires in reguards to
housing will set the price in building.
Php400,000 will build a do-it-yourself, (hire your own labor), 3 BR
2 CR NICE hollow block, GI roof 75 sq. meter PINOY style house with
extras. Then there\'s the price for the fees and lot to build on.
Don\'t want a do-it-yourself? Then add 1.5 ± million pesos.
That is, \"IF\" a person know a bit about building and does some
homework on matterial prices before putting the project out for
bids, a mistake most foreigners don\'t do, (bidding and pricing),
will deturmend the cost of the project!
Case in point, I designed, (rough drawing), a 2 story, (69 sq meter
each), apartment building and spec, (foundation,columms, beams), as
a 3 story. I was quoted for the architecture plans, (not included
with the bidding, mistake to include), Php500 to Php1,500 for each
blue print page that included a material list. We used a graduating
college student and got the same thing using the latest computer
programing for Php300 per page and he got a grade for it too. A win-
win situation! BTW, found out later that the local Government
Enginerrs Office will draw up the plans also. Something to check out
in your area.
Evaluating the bids that came in, found materials listed not needed
like 150 kilos, (spread throughout the material list), of 5
different size nail to be used in a hollow block/steel building.
Paint at Php850 per gal. that I paid Php458 per gal. and quoted 200
gals. more then needed. And the list goes ON though the 6 bids that
came in. The bid excepted took some fine tunning and save Php150,000
and with the after thoughts, still missed a few things.
What some say they paid to have something built and I\'ve seen expat
houses after built and KNOW that someone else would have saved a
bundle and got better quality, (common Pinoy that\'s good enought).
But, as long as their happy, I\'m not one to knock it!!
BTW, spent that last 3 years building and remolding here in the
Philippines and I will not use a contrator again with their basicly
stand around, know nothing and that\'s good enough workers and their
screw the foreigner with a smile!! There\'s never a closed season or
bag limit on, (not just), foreigners ya know!!
Oh yes, almost forgot, you\'ve gotta watch the material suppliers
too. They\'ll ship to the site sub-standard materials and their
workers are not the sharpest tack in the box either!
Building and not being on location daily is your BIGGEST and most
COSTLY mistake! You\'ll understand that better during the 1st few
years of ownership.
Addition: Pride in workmanship isn\'t a strong suit with the majority of Filipino workers, (learned the trade on the job and say their EXPERTS)! Therefore, \"that\'s good enough\" is what to expect or send the majority down the road kicking rocks. I\'ve sent many and they don\'t have the foggest idea why, (doesn\'t comput), therefore, I\'m the F\'n foreigner. What they are GOOD at is covering things up to LOOK spiffy!
In the last year I have learned to lighten up with the firing or dealing with Pinoy workers. Finely, the \"save face\" and \"lying\" has computed in my head as part of the culture and will not change! Being hard nose and point blank, (my trates), expecting a Pinoy \"expert\" to know, isn\'t in your favor with the local workers that you will be living around!
B-Ray