Construction Under Way....well Kinda...

[RBM]

This is how they do it when you are not around.

Do they really use hearing protection? Wow, never thought I'd see that in the PI.

 

We will be using http://solidcon.ph/ to build our house. They send photos every other day during construction. Talked with 2 satisfied expat customers, and I'm convinced it's an honorable and competent company. They promise to stick to the price agreed upon at the start, barring modification of the plan.

Interesting site. Would you mind to inform us where your building?

I spoke to my engineer about solid pouring the walls with all pipe and wiring inside. According to him to expensive. Strange as just needs the forms and no need spending endless hours chiping out walls for pipes.

[Jack Peterson]

no need spending endless hours chiping out walls for pipes.

 

 

 Only when something goes Wrong, Inlaying in the Pour could put them very deep and not knowing where they are, at least with chasing out you know more or less to the Inch where they should be.

Pouring concrete can sometimes move pipes and cabling quite a distance and misshape the lay of them   I have known pipes and cables get damaged on a Pour. Mind if his masons have done the job right, allowances for pipes etc: can be made on Rendering (Finishing.

 

JMHO

 

JP :tiphat:

[chris49]

20 workers is huge, and I can only imagine....nah, I wouldn't even comment. Must be contract basis and I shudder to think really..and as for you not being there full time....OMG....really??

 

I built a 4M base cost townhouse front unit in QC...plus extras, home sauna, covered car port, deluxe master bathroom ensuite to main bedroom. Two stories plus attic, changed mid plan to 2 large bedrooms, not 3. All granite kitchen (pictures are available)....prefab woden flooring, expanded balcony..kitchen outdoor, so called dirty kitchen under the balcony, as well as main kitchen inside the house.

 

The most workers I saw on site was 6. Two solid all rounders, 4 general laborers. Electrician called in, plumbing they could handle...EDIT: We put up the steel frame for the roof. Roof and guttering was a separate contract,

 

That was in 2009-10.

 

Year 2013. Here in Ilocos  Built a 2 room house, with a plan for a kitchen. 2 laborers....family and me general support....I was there every minute of the time and even then I was correcting mistakes every day I am also a novice, but learned from the first project. 250k pesos all up. I'm 65 and carried cement by the bucket...no mixer all manual, 3:1 mix as much as I could and yes we had several extra deliveries, cement and blocks. Wood, hard wood from a tree, we bought all they had 7000 pesos, saved mega pesos.

 

Phase 2 is next month. 50k budget, extend the roof, outdoor tiling, in effect making a 3rd room, more like a verandah, not enclosed.

 

Pictures on FB...will link if requested.

Edited February 16, 2015 by chris49

[RBM]

wow some of you guys sure earn my respect, no way in the world would I ever contemplate undertaking such a project alone without knowledge and several more buckets full of patience on top of the little I have.

 

yes correct my job is contract, I do not care if one worker or one hundred, if they sleep or what ever. I am aware the cost is around 20% more. Even yesterday a friend suggested they down tools and start building my coffin as I will soon need it LOL.

 

Apparently the sand truck broke down so they had to have tricycles deliver and on and on it goes, kinda nonsense I am to old and tired to deal with. Its just amusing to me this way. (not the extra expense though)

 

Work goes on steady, one thing I like to throw out as surprisingly the engineer seems a bit vague here.

 

From what I have read, apart from the mix a main beam which is supporting roof should have the two following.

 

1....Dry as possible mix.

 

2....Long as possible curing time.

 

They want to remove sides of the form following day to use again. When I mentioned the latter they said yes we will wet it often, oh yeh only if I around, no doubt. My suggestion was to tie cement bags around it to offer some form of protection once form removed.

 

  Again your comments are all appreciated oh so much.

[chris49]

Sides of form can be removed after 24 hours...eg if 5 PM today, 5 PM tomorrow, if no rain.

 

Mate I'm informed that where I live, Ilocano's are the master builders, Visayan's are the laborers...and I don't even know if it's true, but it does fit with my experience. On the other hand my local guys are not much cop on finishing, it's not demanded here. My guys in Manila, also Ilocano did better, finishing up to Class A, but not deluxe.

 

And for clarification the first house I built was partially under contract, but I was the one who supplied the materials and controlled the cost that way.

 

On your side, I have seen a Norwegian guy here get into a hell of a mess doing self contracting...3 years and his place is not liveable. He is not always here, but I still reckon it's a mess.

 

Your place sounds big...multi millions, and that's in quite a poor area I imagine. I don't envy you, but I do agree, your place is well above the level of self contracting.

Edited February 16, 2015 by chris49

[RBM]

Sides of form can be removed after 24 hours...eg if 5 PM today, 5 PM tomorrow, if no rain.

 

Mate I'm informed that where I live, Ilocano's are the master builders, Visayan's are the laborers...and I don't even know if it's true, but it does fit with my experience. On the other hand my local guys are not much cop on finishing, it's not demanded here. My guys in Manila, also Ilocano did better, finishing up to Class A, but not deluxe.

 

And for clarification the first house I built was partially under contract, but I was the one who supplied the materials and controlled the cost that way.

 

On your side, I have seen a Norwegian guy here get into a hell of a mess doing self contracting...3 years and his place is not liveable. He is not always here, but I still reckon it's a mess.

 

Your place sounds big...multi millions, and that's in quite a poor area I imagine. I don't envy you, but I do agree, your place is well above the level of self contracting.

 

Thanks good advice, no not in the multi millions or even close. A simple little 3 bedroom house 155 sq meters.Location is a small city Negros Occidental.  Be happy to post a floor plan we designed if i could e mail it to some computer literate that can do the shrinking and file format changing etc....must be old age catching up....

 

Only extra expense is we have a slab going on top of the garage to view my beloved Mt Canlaon...

[chris49]

No idea on that mate, I measure up. Rough it out on a piece of paper and put it out for my wife's approval.

 

She's sweet, she will approve initially, Then she will mention a few revisions. After 8-9 sketches we often go back to the first plan and I am sure you know what I mean.

 

We put up a slab over half the carport. You will hold your breathe and wonder if it will fit and hold...the convention is for about 3/8ths of an inch incline away from the house, even with drains, you want the water running away from the house.

[i am bob]

Yup! Keeps me thinking the old "dirt bag" house is the way to go!

:D

[fred]

Just a guess in regards a budget to build a place that size to a reasonable standard without a contractor.... 2.5 Million..

Mind you that guess is with no contractor!

[RBM]

Just a guess in regards a budget to build a place that size to a reasonable standard without a contractor.... 2.5 Million..

Mind you that guess is with no contractor!

Under 2 mil Fred but that without floor tiles and we do out master bathroom interiors and Kitchen interious, aIn exchange we receive extra high ceilings for cooling and a concrete slab on car port.

Happy gp post a pic an floor plan if able e mail them to some kind soul as not the patience to mess about shrinking and changing format....computer dummy writing.

Today the main beam is poured so from what Chris has advised sides must stay 24 hours....Guess good to cover fron sun also. Any tips as always appreciated.