Building a Home in Davao

[JDDavao II]

38 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

What are those?

 

Panels of aluminum, diamond-shaped mesh. We also have them on the entry screen doors. They're supposed to be a cutting deterrent but also serve as a way to reinforce the screens against our insane felines and humans who open screen doors with their feet.

Edited October 24, 2019 by JDDavao

[intrepid]

1 hour ago, JDDavao said:

The windows slide horizontally and have sliding screens with anti-cut diamond grills on the outside.  The photo id the front-facing window that looks in on the dining area.

I really like sliding windows.  Especially the sliding screens.  It makes it so much easier to open everything unlike the swing screens which it the curtains each time you want to open or close a window.  The only down side compared to casement style windows is you can only get half the opening for airflow.

[Gary D]

We've started looking at windows, 1.5 wide by 1.2 high is looking about 5k single glazed ally frame or about 15k UPVC double glazed.

[Tommy T.]

13 hours ago, JDDavao said:

Panels of aluminum, diamond-shaped mesh. We also have them on the entry screen doors. They're supposed to be a cutting deterrent but also serve as a way to reinforce the screens against our insane felines and humans who open screen doors with their feet.

 

Really? Humans opening doors with their feet? I am allergic to felines (except women) so there will be no cats in our house...

I have seen that type of window protection here before. So far we are not planning on having any window bars or anti-theft protection. We might re-think that after a while. We have discussed this before in the forum but I will re-state that we reckon a fairly tall fence, CCTV, motion detector alarm, maybe one mean and well-trained guard dog... hopefully those will deter most potential thieves? Of course a determined thief will get in... the idea is to make it so difficult that at least kids and other minor miscreants maybe will be deterred...

Edited October 24, 2019 by Tommy T.

[Tommy T.]

We returned a short while ago from the house site. There is a lot or progress, but it doesn't show much:

They have extended most of the columns now to the top of the second floor.

The second floor slab looks good and is smooth.

They have laid - and continue to lay - hollow blocks to make up the foundation walls up to the levels of the top of the ground floor slab. And now they are filling them with cement. The masonry work is not to the same standards as in USA, of course, but it looks better than what I have seen at a lot of other job sites in this area, so I am generally pleased. Another bottle of Tanduay, chicharon and Cokes for the boys to keep them happy...

So I have a question brought up by L. She is quite knowledgeable about construction here. She and I are looking ahead quite a ways to future parts of the work. She tells me that the best masa (plaster) that she is aware of is called Wallright Cement Plaster. Do any of you have experience with this or other recommendations? According to her, this is not a strong cement, but rather a cement designed to not crack as much as maybe some others. I would appreciate, as always, any comments... 

 

[jimeve]

Coming on well Tommy, never heard of that plaster before. Heard of skimcoat . I'm confused what you ask, or you asking for the best plaster or cement? Skimcoat is what they use for plaster, Cement for concrete.

[Tommy T.]

4 minutes ago, jimeve said:

Coming on well Tommy, never heard of that plaster before. Heard of skimcoat . I'm confused what you ask, or you asking for the best plaster or cement? Skimcoat is what they use for plaster, Cement for concrete.

Thanks for your reply, Jim. I am totally ignorant about all of this - that's why I rely on the intelligent L! The term she is referring to is plaster - the cement-like filling and covering for walls and columns that makes them smooth and finishes straight and flat. So, what she mentioned is a brand name, I believe, that she is familiar with. It could, indeed, be "skimcoat" but I really don't know... According to her, plastering is done with cement of different mixture than used for concrete. There are no stones, of course, and it is essentially cement, sand and water - and mostly cement... Does this help?

[Marvin Boggs]

Although I don't know that specific brand, I'll pass along a wise observation from my mother, who is an architectural historian in the states.  Time was, when people knew how to mix the lime, sand, or whatever ingredients, in a way that would allow them to breathe. Mortar between bricks is not rock-hard in old buildings, for a good reason.  In the move to industrialized cement and 'parge' mixes, this knowledge seems to have been lost.  Or maybe it wasn't profitable?  But I think L is onto something, better listen to her!

[Gary D]

Our builder calls it putty that is applied to get a smooth finish.

[jimeve]

4 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

Thanks for your reply, Jim. I am totally ignorant about all of this - that's why I rely on the intelligent L! The term she is referring to is plaster - the cement-like filling and covering for walls and columns that makes them smooth and finishes straight and flat. So, what she mentioned is a brand name, I believe, that she is familiar with. It could, indeed, be "skimcoat" but I really don't know... According to her, plastering is done with cement of different mixture than used for concrete. There are no stones, of course, and it is essentially cement, sand and water - and mostly cement... Does this help?

It's skimcoat, applied for a smooth finish.