Building a Home in Davao

[Jack Peterson]

 Tom you're putting Foundations around Tree Roots? 

[stevewool]

What’s your budget for the build if you don’t mind me asking .

[Old55]

5 hours ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Tom you're putting Foundations around Tree Roots? 

I noticed that as well.

[Tommy T.]

10 hours ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Tom you're putting Foundations around Tree Roots? 

Good observation, Jack...

No, actually... They left that lancones tree for a while to provide shade. It will be removed soon.

I kid the contractors that I will have a lancones tree in my kitchen, right next to the kitchen sink!

[Tommy T.]

7 hours ago, stevewool said:

What’s your budget for the build if you don’t mind me asking .

Hi Steve... Well, sorry, I don't mind you asking if you don't mind me not saying?

[intrepid]

Tommy, I know it is early in your build but if you have not already decided about electric outlets, plan now where you want them and how many.  Much easier to install while constructing then after complete and need to install.  As you know most locals are satisfied with one per room.  One per wall in each room is better.  Every 2.5m if it is a long wall.  Seems like you found a good builder and know how to keep him happy.  We have all heard so many bad stories and even I was expecting issues when we built.  I feel good that we had no issues when building and no over budgets.  I'm excited for you and wish you all the best in this adventure of building. 

[Tommy T.]

23 minutes ago, intrepid said:

Tommy, I know it is early in your build but if you have not already decided about electric outlets, plan now where you want them and how many.  Much easier to install while constructing then after complete and need to install.  As you know most locals are satisfied with one per room.  One per wall in each room is better.  Every 2.5m if it is a long wall.  Seems like you found a good builder and know how to keep him happy.  We have all heard so many bad stories and even I was expecting issues when we built.  I feel good that we had no issues when building and no over budgets.  I'm excited for you and wish you all the best in this adventure of building. 

Hi Intrepid. Thank you for your kind remarks and great advice! I appreciate the supportive comments and suggestions that many here have offered... It's so very easy to overlook something that may seem obvious later on or to someone not involved directly.

So far we haven't really looked at all outlets a lot yet, so it's another thing to add to the list. The apartment which they built where I am living has outlets mostly only 2 meters apart with a few exceptions, so that tells me they did this right in the past. There are some we still need to plan. We definitely don't want to have any of those stupid, ugly plastic covered wires running around as afterthoughts! Mostly the kitchen and master's bedroom have been figured out but still have to finalize for living room, library, dining and laundry, aircons, ceiling fans and where on the outside walls for the weatherproof outlets too.

We made an extensive list before signing any contract about things to include or how to do various parts of the build. Already we have pointed out to them - hmmm... are you making allowance for this? or that?... And they look and either take care of it right away or assure us that it is already being handled. It helps to go out and look around and I will be doing a lot more of that when it comes time to start putting up walls, plumbing, electrics and all the rest. I, too, expect there may be some issues but we are trying to head them off early on. They are in full agreement that it is better to talk and draw and point before things are set in cement!  It helps that the contractor sent us a plan schedule for the next six weeks so we can compare the schedule with the included notes and check them off one by one.

[jimeve]

20 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

So far we haven't really looked at all outlets a lot yet, so it's another thing to add to the list

We had to have all the electrical and plumbing submitted  in a blueprint to get a building permit, but that was a long time ago and in a different Island. 

[Tommy T.]

8 minutes ago, jimeve said:

We had to have all the electrical and plumbing submitted  in a blueprint to get a building permit, but that was a long time ago and in a different Island. 

Yeah... we have those blueprints and all the others already submitted - 70 signatures for me - one on each sheet in 7 sets!. However what is on that paper and what the finished product will be may not be the same and I have been assured it won't be an issue here. It's not like in Washington State where everything had to be perfect to code, match the plan... The end result seems "flexible!"

[intrepid]

15 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Yeah... we have those blueprints and all the others already submitted - 70 signatures for me - one on each sheet in 7 sets!. However what is on that paper and what the finished product will be may not be the same and I have been assured it won't be an issue here. It's not like in Washington State where everything had to be perfect to code, match the plan... The end result seems "flexible!"

We had to go through all that with our permits as well.  However, not once did anyone ever come do in inspection during construction.  The only inspection was after completion two men came to the house and did a walk around and measured the outside walls.  I suppose to make a calculation for property taxes.  So another piece of advise is to as you are doing now, "your own inspections".  Catch mistakes early before they get out of hand.