Building Requirements

[Ynot]

My wife and I are looking at building a small house in Dipolog City, we already purchased the land and now we are in the process of obtaining a building permit.  In regard to the requirements of building the house are there stipulations as to how many workers you must employ?  The house is about 130 sqm and we have been told that we are required to employ 7 workers and provide them with all the appropriate safety gear (helmets, work boots etc).  I would have thought the workers would already have these things given they have worked at other sites?   Also does anyone know the wages you pay these workers, are there set minimums.  I did have a look at the Department of Labor and Employment and it talks about Non Agricultural employing more than 30 workers 316 peso that was 30 July 2018. So I suppose I am interested in the finer details about the requirement to employ a minimum number of workers, and what there rates would be etc.  The cost quoted to us is 1,500,000 peso. Concreting and Masonry work 498,460 peso, Roofing and Trusses 270,000 peso carpentry works 193,050 to name a few costs which does not include labour.

Looking at my Concreting and Masonry work at 498,460 which does not include labour, you need to add 30% or 149,538 taking it to 647,998 peso.  When I compare the cost of what I have seen on OFW Simple House Structural 250,000 Congrats Sir Ricson Saudi Arabia, their cost to plate height (No roof but ready to build a roof) was only 250,000 for 118 sqm.  This build was January 2020.  So I understand materials  and a slighty larger house will increase the cost but my cost is almost 2.6 times more.    Can anyone confirm the requirements about minimum number of workers you must engage and where I can locate the minimum wages payable for the various classes of workers etc.   Appreciate your help and or advice

[hk blues]

In my experience there are 2 different rates - the minimum required by law and then the minimum you need to pay to get someone to do the job - the latter is always higher than the former!  

In my area - 500php for labourer/painter etc, 700php for carpenter etc and maybe 1,000php for an electrician.  Per day. 

[Joey G]

For the money your are spending you should have a construction manager... and one you can trust enough to give the answers you're looking for.  If you don't have one, or they can't provide you the rates you're asking about... expect to spend at least 25% more than you are being quoted by the time you're done.  

[scott h]

5 hours ago, Ynot said:

building a small house in Dipolog City,

Welcome to never, never land Ynot. Not meant to be a criticism but forget everything about building a house and labor relations that you might know about. 

Here is my story. 8 years ago we started building our home and on our building permit all those requirements were listed also.

5 hours ago, Ynot said:

provide them with all the appropriate safety gear (helmets, work boots etc). 

I saw this and almost freaked also. On the day construction was to begin I happened to be standing outside when a Jeepny stopped and 12 guys got off. All were wearing shorts and sandals. A few had hammers, one had a hand saw, another a live chicken (for lunch). The trooped to our building site and promptly started building their barracks which they lived in the next 3 months. During the whole time I don't remember seeing anyone wearing shoes let alone boots. They wore sweat bands but never helmets.

5 hours ago, Ynot said:

required to employ 7 workers

Prior to construction we were asked how many workers we wanted in the crew. I asked how many were in the crew and was told the more the faster the job is done. So we started with about 20, but got the feeling that i could be as many or as few as we wanted.

5 hours ago, Ynot said:

and what there rates would be etc. 

The labor will vary on where you live and the type of worker. If memory serves the basic laborer was around 300 a day, welder, plumber and electrician around 500. Forman got 700 or something like that. 

5 hours ago, Ynot said:

Appreciate your help and or advice

We planned our home for several years while still in the states. Had the plans made by a licensed architect and brother in law got all the needed blue prints, licenses and permits prior to us moving here. We (really me, the Paranoid foreigner) wanted to do it right and not get in trouble. Construction started, blocked street with deliveries for 3 months off and on. Had a huge cement pumper block the street and entire day while we poured the second floor all the things that happen during the construction. Why am i telling you this? During the whole process we never received a visit from barangay or city officials. When the house was finished we go the city inspectors in. They had a merianda, glanced at the fuse box, talked for a bit, signed off and left, never even went up to the second floor. So my advise? get your permits and stuff to cover your butt, then stand back and let the locals do what the locals do. 

 

 

 

[Tommy T.]

11 hours ago, scott h said:

On the day construction was to begin I happened to be standing outside when a Jeepny stopped and 12 guys got off. All were wearing shorts and sandals. A few had hammers, one had a hand saw, another a live chicken (for lunch).

Goodness... that sounds a lot like when they started to build our home... Flip flops here are the only safety gear. Maybe gloves when handling hot metals at welding... that's it. If if it is okay with them, then it is fine with me...

[Ynot]

As part of the requirements there are a few pages listing first aid stuff and the ppe and someone has written the number 7 against the ppe which means apparently we have to buy 7 pairs of safety boots, hard hats etc. Im still trying to find out why 7!  But given someone had 20 maybe 7 aint bad!  From looking at videos of house construction Ive not seen anyone wearing safety boots or helmets so I wonder if they receive them and then sell them to someone else.  But thanks for the advice its been good

 

[scott h]

9 minutes ago, Ynot said:

As part of the requirements there are a few pages listing first aid stuff and the ppe and someone has written the number 7 against the ppe which means apparently we have to buy 7 pairs of safety boots, hard hats etc.

I know this might be hard to believe. But the only places that use any safety equipment like you are referring to are the huge construction projects. 

I am going to recommend you dont worry about it. You most likely have an architect and for sure a site foreman. Unless they ask for this equipment then and only then start thinking about it. 

I talked to my wife about your post, she said, "I am glad we did not get all that stuff, the guys would have just "lost" it and asked for a replacement."

This is boots on the ground advice. If you buy PPE and stuff, not only will you be the only one but it will open the door to being taken advantage of down the road. 

I understand your concern, I was once in your shoes, but you really dont have to worry about it 

[fillipino_wannabe]

On 7/16/2020 at 12:43 PM, Ynot said:

 I did have a look at the Department of Labor and Employment and it talks about Non Agricultural employing more than 30 workers 316 peso that was 30 July 2018. So I suppose I am interested in the finer details about the requirement to employ a minimum number of workers, and what there rates would be etc. 

This is just referring to how the minimum wage works, small businesses with less workers are allowed to pay a slightly lower wage, doesn't mean you need a minimum of 30.

[expatuk2014]

where I live the going rate for builders is labourer 400 pesos ,carpenter 400-500 ,electrician 500 per job.

we employ several guys on a casual basis when they are avail for tree cutting and odd jobs, inc building work ! hard hats, safety boots, goggles, yes they might wear them the first day but they would have  sold them  by the 2nd ! we also feed them 2 Meriendas and lunch happy workers are good workers.