Building a Home in Davao

[Viking]

9 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

Thanks for the thought...

I never heard of that before, but it sounds smart and interesting, if a bit complicated. I honestly am not sure that could be done properly here unless by factory trained technicians or workers with proper equipment. I read some of the tech articles you referred to and it sounds sturdy. Perhaps someone here is familiar with that system?

However, Viking, the die is already cast for the construction and it is already prepared for the hollow block. I asked around a bit and there are basically two standard construction methods that are most common here. Hollow block is one.  And the other is framed homes similar in construction to those in USA and elsewhere using a material called Hardie-Flex that seems to be similar to gypsum board. Wood is expensive and prone to infestation so hollow block seems to be the winner, although some builders use aluminum framing also. The workers are very experienced with the hollow block and, although it is not my favourite, I know they can do a good job and it is so common. It will also make the home possibly more salable in the future if need be?

I understand it´s too late for you to do this now, I was more curious if this was a method you considered before you choose what way to build your house? You already gave the answer to that in your last reply, thanks 

The way I understand it one of the advantages with this method is that it is "easy" to do with simple tools and unskilled labour, its also faster, you get insulated walls and it is very strong. I only know of one guy who built his place like this, it´s "Eden Resort" in Liloan Santander, not far from Dumaguete.

If I was going to build my own house, I think I would do it this way.

Your place looks to be very nice and I am sure you and your woman will get a great house to live in 

Pls keep the pictures and updates coming!!

[Tommy T.]

4 hours ago, Viking said:

I understand it´s too late for you to do this now, I was more curious if this was a method you considered before you choose what way to build your house? You already gave the answer to that in your last reply, thanks 

The way I understand it one of the advantages with this method is that it is "easy" to do with simple tools and unskilled labour, its also faster, you get insulated walls and it is very strong. I only know of one guy who built his place like this, it´s "Eden Resort" in Liloan Santander, not far from Dumaguete.

If I was going to build my own house, I think I would do it this way.

Your place looks to be very nice and I am sure you and your woman will get a great house to live in 

Pls keep the pictures and updates coming!!

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Viking. I neglected to mention before that, even though this looks like an interesting and great alternative to the "standard" building practices here, I would not necessarily use it in our home construction, at least not at this time. I am hesitant to use new (although I see this has been around a while) technologies or systems until I see them used elsewhere first. I would want to see it actually installed in a few homes and hear local feedback. I would not want to be the first - or only -  guy in this area to try it. However, if I saw that it was being used I would seriously consider it. I like the idea and I also realized my first impression was inaccurate about it being complex or requiring special tools and training. I really only skimmed a few of those articles you referenced and should have read more.

We are maybe going to improve or re-build the "small house" on the property where some materials are stored and the workers sleep, relax, cook and eat. If we haven't totally depleted our budget, that's on the list and I will definitely take another look at this method.

[Tommy T.]

I visited the site twice this week - alone, since L is always busy at her work as a school teacher...

There was a bit of discrepancy between us and the builder regarding the hollow blocks. We have insisted that machine made blocks will be the only ones used to construct the house walls. They seem to have accepted that finally. So they will use the hand-made blocks for the fencing only, and that is fine with us.

The fencing I saw is very straight and true - no complaints there. The boys are making a lot of progress with that.

I finished negotiations with the kitchen cabinet supplier last week and window supplier just yesterday. I am a bit surprised that the costs for this entire home will be similar to a home built in USA. Labour is cheap, but materials are very expensive... My budget is straining at the seams! But the build quality is still good and we are pleased with it.

We figured out how to construct and install a sliding gate in a way that will look good, be secure and also work well.

The beginnings of the fence. Because the land is sloping, the fence will have staggered levels. We needed to coordinate that with the foreman so he would make it look neat. The foreman is really very wise and experienced. He offers us suggestions all the time to either make things work better or to save money or both...

 

So we are still pleased with the quality and progress of the build.

[Tommy T.]

Yet another visit to the home site early this morning.

It was a bit distressing for me because the two neighbours closest were playing radio or something fairly loudly - just noise to me... I think I might have to buy noise cancelling software for our stereo? The tall fence should cut a lot of that noise when it is completed...

Lots of progress on the fence. It is a bit distressing and also a bit funny when we looked at the fence. There were some sections where the masa (filler cement) was finished very neatly - similar to what one would see in USA. And there were sections that looked like a kid had just splashed some cement onto the blocks leaving huge gaps in places and called it good. I pointed out the discrepancies to the foreman who immediately shouted out to the workers that I noticed things that he had supposedly already lectured them about - sloppy work... He seemed eager to be backed up. But it was done somewhat laughingly too so no hard feelings... Even the lesser quality work looked better than most of what I have seen in other parts of Davao city where there are ongoing home and commercial construction projects.

The main thing, for me, was that the fence is very straight and true. I was reassured that the masons (and mason trainees, I suspect) were still packing the cement into the hollow blocks with pieces of lumber to really make the walls solid.

We are still thankful that the foreman is very smart and keeps advising us about design, functionality and cost of various parts of the construction. I will add here that he seems very eager to please us and is also very grateful when we express our appreciation to him when he offers suggestions - most of which we accept and adopt.

The fence going up next to the south side of the house.

The fence going to the back of the property. This is the finished height of the hollow block portion. There will be another 1.5 meters of steel angle iron with sharpened tips installed atop this. They will position the steel right at the edge of the hollow block wall, and also slope the top of the hollow block wall to make it more difficult for someone to get a toe or hand hold onto it... Admittedly, a determined thief or miscreant will be able to scale the fence, but we are just making it as difficult as possible to keep the punters at bay. The nasty, loyal guard dog will be the second perimeter of defence...

The fence is a bit challenging due to the land being sloped in two directions. Neither us or the contractors noticed that before the build commenced and it is causing a few headaches and concerns as we all deal with it. But the foreman, Don Don, has offered great solutions, based on previous experience mostly, and they will display good results and a very nice finish to the place. We will buy him a nice gift for Christmas... Any suggestions for a nice gift for a quality foreman from you guys here? (Please...less than P5,000!!)

 

Edited December 8, 2019 by Tommy T.

[hk blues]

23 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

It was a bit distressing for me because the two neighbours closest were playing radio or something fairly loudly - just noise to me...

The nasty, loyal guard dog will be the second perimeter of defence...

Oh well Tom, at least the barking from your dog will drown out the noise of the neighbour's music! 

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

Oh well Tom, at least the barking from your dog will drown out the noise of the neighbour's music! 

Shame on you HK... Our dog will be quiet as a church mouse - except when there is an invasion.

Maybe I will just have to break out the Jimi Hendrix, Doors or Led Zeppelin tunes on the new stereo? (But then the neighbours might love that and demand more???).

[jimeve]

9 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Shame on you HK... Our dog will be quiet as a church mouse - except when there is an invasion.

Maybe I will just have to break out the Jimi Hendrix, Doors or Led Zeppelin tunes on the new stereo? (But then the neighbours might love that and demand more???).

Good taste in music. We have non stop bangs from the kids with those bamboo canons. My dogs are going crazy, every year I have to put up with it. Before anybody says it....welcome to the Philippines. 

[Tommy T.]

10 minutes ago, jimeve said:

Good taste in music. We have non stop bangs from the kids with those bamboo canons. My dogs are going crazy, every year I have to put up with it. Before anybody says it....welcome to the Philippines. 

Your post, Jim, requires what I cannot provide here for icon - sad and laugh and shock! So I pick laugh...not meaning disrespect or lack of sympathy for your situation... Maybe I can also break out James Gang, Iron Butterfly, Vanilla Fudge, Cream, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Creedance Clearwater? Just not Beattles (so overplayed to me and not Proud Mary...)...... Or maybe the 1812 Overture if I want cannon fire?

Edited December 8, 2019 by Tommy T.

[jimeve]

37 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Your post, Jim, requires what I cannot provide here for icon - sad and laugh and shock! So I pick laugh...not meaning disrespect or lack of sympathy for your situation... Maybe I can also break out James Gang, Iron Butterfly, Vanilla Fudge, Cream, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Creedance Clearwater? Just not Beattles (so overplayed to me and not Proud Mary...)...... Or maybe the 1812 Overture if I want cannon fire?

Not so keen on the Beatles myself. Most of the rock group you wrote I like especially Pink Floyd.

[Tommy T.]

1 minute ago, jimeve said:

Not so keen on the Beatles myself. Most of the rock group you wrote I like especially Pink Floyd.

Yeah... now we are totally off the topic, but I started it and I don't care!!! The rock groups from the 60's and 70's that had soul, meaning and creation. Maybe I am just a miserable old fart here - all that great music, the drugs, sex and all from those days. It all seemed to have a lot of meaning to me. Today's modern tunes seem to not have the soul or heart of "our" music. Am I just an old, drunken dinosaur or just a worn out old man? or???...... but the stuff I hear here is just boom, ba boom ba boom...onward and endless for a half hour or more... Even my girl, L, complains about it... The new "music" here just does not seem to have heart, in my opinion... Maybe we will need to have someone start a new topic if this takes off?