Building Methods

[Jollygoodfellow]

How safe are the buildings in the Philippines? are construction methods better now or is it still a risk to be in a building.Some of the things that I have seen especially when it comes to concrete or blocks worries me sometimes.Here is an example of what can go wrong

:th_thholysheep:

[retired]

How safe are the buildings in the Philippines? are construction methods better now or is it still a risk to be in a building.Some of the things that I have seen especially when it comes to concrete or blocks worries me sometimes.Here is an example of what can go wrong

:SugarwareZ-037:

This is a third world country for reasons that are not specifically related to GDP . :th_thholysheep: There are people here that can do quality construction but they are very hard to find usually working for some big outfits like Ayala or " out of the country " . Concrete here is another matter . There are at least one or two companies US based that are using better quality concrete and rebar supported in some Philippine locations . In fact many of the newer structures designed for expats here in Cagayan De Oro are basically prefab walls and support with rebar . You just have to find the source which unfortunately i do not know firsthand .But them again this being a volcanic chain i doubt i doubt if rebar would save the day shoild the big one come . :SugarwareZ-015:

[twostrokes]

Unfortunately, this is another area where corruption is running ranpant....Thousand upon thousands of pesos can be skimmed off a construction job, just by changing the ratio of sand to concrete in the mix. Then reduce the size of the rebar to half what it calls for and skim a few more million...The bottom line, you never know....plus inspectors, like every other job is paid poorly....so bribes and kickbacksflourish.Jim

[TheMason]

This is a third world country for reasons that are not specifically related to GDP . :th_thholysheep: There are people here that can do quality construction but they are very hard to find usually working for some big outfits like Ayala or " out of the country " . Concrete here is another matter . There are at least one or two companies US based that are using better quality concrete and rebar supported in some Philippine locations . In fact many of the newer structures designed for expats here in Cagayan De Oro are basically prefab walls and support with rebar . You just have to find the source which unfortunately i do not know firsthand .But them again this being a volcanic chain i doubt i doubt if rebar would save the day shoild the big one come . :SugarwareZ-015:

My wife and I are considering building a home here, but I have serious concerns about the quality of construction we would get. I live in Baguio and earthquakes do hit here. We'd likely be on the side of a hill so an earthquake is likely to destroy a poorly built home, not just damage it. Aside from my own home collapsing, I'm also concerned about somebody else's house sliding down the hill.If we do build here, we'll likely rely on references from family, friends, and neighbors to locate our builder. We've already ruled out a couple of companies based on the condition of houses in the neighborhood. So, when having a home built, how do you know if they are using quality construction magterials and methods? I have no experience with construction and don't know what is and is not a good way to do things. Does anyone know of a good, basic book that shows the layman how to determine if things are being done correctly? Are there certain things to look for in the blueprints or design of the house?

[Mr Lee]

The construction workmanship in our condo leaves a lot to be desired, but it does look sturdy and the first building is still standing, so maybe ours will too .......The walls and ceiling are not flat and when we removed the piece of wall that divides the two units, the floors are off about one inch from one unit to the next....... No big deal and I did not expect good quality control when I bought them, but all in all, I think the place is sturdy and it took a lot of hard work to break open that wall between the two units, so it must have been pretty good cement IMO that they put it up with.

Edited January 27, 2009 by Mr. Lee

[Mik]

I taught myself about construction from reading and doing. There is a lot of information on the internet about proper concrete construction methods, electrical, plumbing and so forth. Learn how to use Google. Research and study. I have done remodel projects over the years on my old house back in the US. I built my first house, the one we live in now, here in Cebu. It's one story with 3 bedrooms, 1 bath and detached garage. I designed the house, bought my own materials, hired my own labor and stayed on-site all day to supervise. Just for the house it cost P2 million for materials and labor. I didn't use a company or contractor for the construction. I did have to use subcontractors for the central air-con, cabinets and roofing. I did have to hire an architect to make blueprints for the various permits. I still used my own plans for the actual building. (The design loosely based on the house I grew up in.) It's easy to make a scale drawing on your computer. I used a scale of 1 pixel = 1 centimeter. Building a house is a lot of work and it will completely take over your life. Also you become pretty much stuck here unless you are wealthy. It's a big commitment.

... So, when having a home built, how do you know if they are using quality construction magterials and methods? I have no experience with construction and don't know what is and is not a good way to do things. Does anyone know of a good, basic book that shows the layman how to determine if things are being done correctly? Are there certain things to look for in the blueprints or design of the house?

Edited January 27, 2009 by M.Morey

[Old55]

Wow, nice house Morey! I especially like the large covered porch.

[Mr Lee]

Very nice house Mike. :th_thholysheep: Maybe you should go into business doing that for expats.

[Mik]

I installed two ceiling fans on the front porch. You can just see them in the photo. I don't want to build more houses. You get burned out from the experience. There are no steps into the house or anywhere on the lot. Just in case I become confined to a wheelchair someday I will be able to roll from inside the house out to the gate. (knock on wood)

Edited January 28, 2009 by M.Morey

[Mr Lee]

I installed two ceiling fans on the front porch. You can just see them in the photo. I don't want to build more houses. You get burned out from the experience. There are no steps into the house or anywhere on the lot. Just in case I become confined to a wheelchair someday I will be able to roll from inside the house out to the gate. (knock on wood)

All I can say is that you do very nice work :wt-hell: and I understand why you do not wish to get involved in the building industry and especially in the Philippines. As for you in a wheel chair, first of all, God forbid, but it is always good to plan ahead just in case. :as-if: Maybe you should write some articles on building in the Philippines and sell them or just do it for fun. Hey, I am just trying to keep my friend busy until we get there. I am sure looking forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks. I cannot wait to get home. :th_thholysheep: and a nice cold SM on ice. :SugarwareZ-037: