Decent construction contractors in Davao?

[RBM]

23 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

I hate to disagree with you, RBM, but I must in this case...

I have not seen even one instance of pre-fab cement slabs used here. Of course, I can be wrong. But then I don't get around much these days either.

 

Yes Tommy you have disagreed with me, TUT TUT......

My experiences were of viewing  large construction sites in or close to the lovely Ayala mall area. Must of been 10 years or so ago.  I remember discussing this at the time and remarking how unlike Cebu it is.  I do not recall this slab construction on housing Tommy.

[RBM]

22 hours ago, Gandang Smile said:

 

No offense to L and your loved ones, but spending these first few weeks here and dealing with Davaoenos again is just reminding me why I left Davao in the first place. 

 

Perhaps Gandang Smile your generalizing a little here. We all from time to time get the run around and attempted small rip offs which we remember, do we likewise remember the suttle little good experiences like.....

Recently during heavy rain my front tyre was flat, walked over the road to the vulcanizer explained its a brand new tyre and I wish not drive it, even slowly. Told him just wait until rain eases and bring a jack over.  OK....what happened he immediately came in the down pour, removed wheel, dragged about 200 meters to his shop, effected repair and refitted wheel. When I paid him, not only did he refuse any more than a normal charge, he insisted I stay for lunch.....

For many such experiences happen in Davao just we tend to ignore or forget.

[Gandang Smile]

48 minutes ago, RBM said:

Perhaps Gandang Smile your generalizing a little here. We all from time to time get the run around and attempted small rip offs which we remember, do we likewise remember the suttle little good experiences like.....

Recently during heavy rain my front tyre was flat, walked over the road to the vulcanizer explained its a brand new tyre and I wish not drive it, even slowly. Told him just wait until rain eases and bring a jack over.  OK....what happened he immediately came in the down pour, removed wheel, dragged about 200 meters to his shop, effected repair and refitted wheel. When I paid him, not only did he refuse any more than a normal charge, he insisted I stay for lunch.....

For many such experiences happen in Davao just we tend to ignore or forget.

Great story, @RBM, thanks for sharing. At least one particular Davaoeno went the extra mile to help you. Not wanting to rain on your parade, but with lockdown and the massive damage to businesses of all sizes, I am not surprised shop owners would do anything to procure themselves business. Kudos to the vulcanizing shop owner, who at least showed some genuine care in order to get you as a customer.

My "positive" experience in Davao is mostly about people who just want to get paid without much at all to show for. And, to a lesser extent, people who are happy to show you friendliness so long you're the one who pays for the beers and the pica-pica 

And let's not start on the ladies...

 

Edited February 25, 2021 by Gandang Smile

[Gandang Smile]

1 hour ago, RBM said:

Yes Tommy you have disagreed with me, TUT TUT......

My experiences were of viewing  large construction sites in or close to the lovely Ayala mall area. Must of been 10 years or so ago.  I remember discussing this at the time and remarking how unlike Cebu it is.  I do not recall this slab construction on housing Tommy.

My condo building (Aeon Towers) has been built with all the latest foundation, slab and reinforced cement technologies. I acknowledge that because I was living in Davao while the structure was being built.

The price we all had to pay: 3.5 years of delay, equivalent to 100% of project duration, a 10M cash investment that hasn't yet paid a centavo (it would have made at least 50% in the same period, had I invested it elsewhere), and even a developer who, by their own admission, didn't know what they were doing and ended up barely breaking even on the project.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Gandang Smile

[Tommy T.]

2 hours ago, RBM said:

My experiences were of viewing  large construction sites in or close to the lovely Ayala mall area. Must of been 10 years or so ago.  I remember discussing this at the time and remarking how unlike Cebu it is.  I do not recall this slab construction on housing Tommy.

I see. Again, I have not paid much attention to big building constructions here, virtually all I see is residential, including some three and four story buildings. I am not surprised to learn they used slab on newer, commercial construction.

Not to belabour the point, but I took this photo yesterday of a new home construction nearby L's apartment building:

This is fairly representative of the masonry performed. There are many places where partial hollow blocks are sort of mashed into place with globs of the cement, none of the files seems straight. I suggest anyone viewing this enlarge the photo to pick out the detail close up.

The strength of the structure is in the posts and beams. However, even these looked a bit dodgy in my opinion. And we didn't check the rebar for size, quality or quantity as these walls were constructed as we only visit that area once or twice a week... So this photo is for potential homebuilders to see what they may be in for...

Edited February 25, 2021 by Tommy T.

[RBM]

20 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

I see. Again, I have not paid much attention to big building constructions here, virtually all I see is residential, including some three and four story buildings. I am not surprised to learn they used slab on newer, commercial construction.

Not to belabour the point, but I took this photo yesterday of a new home construction nearby L's apartment building:

This is fairly representative of the masonry performed. There are many places where partial hollow blocks are sort of mashed into place with globs of the cement, none of the files seems straight. I suggest anyone viewing this enlarge the photo to pick out the detail close up.

The strength of the structure is in the posts and beams. However, even these looked a bit dodgy in my opinion. And we didn't check the rebar for size, quality or quantity as these walls were constructed as we only visit that area once or twice a week... So this photo is for potential homebuilders to see what they may be in for...

Yes understand Tommy, as said the strength is in the beams and up rites, from my understand the blocks are just a fill in. having said that Davao appears earthquake prone so one would not want walls caving in. 

That photo seems particularly  shoddy to me, one of our walks here we pass three town houses, two completed. Have seen them being built from scratch, similar to your pic, the two that are finished look a million dollars, if buyers only knew..............

The last two years have been in a condo, very happy, limited space but my time now is my own.....necessary in my ripe old age.

[RBM]

22 hours ago, Gandang Smile said:

My condo building (Aeon Towers) has been built with all the latest foundation, slab and reinforced cement technologies. I acknowledge that because I was living in Davao while the structure was being built.

The price we all had to pay: 3.5 years of delay, equivalent to 100% of project duration, a 10M cash investment that hasn't yet paid a centavo (it would have made at least 50% in the same period, had I invested it elsewhere), and even a developer who, by their own admission, didn't know what they were doing and ended up barely breaking even on the project.

Could you explain why such absurd delays if using the slab construction, I have been watching a whole sub division shoot up like grass not far away using slabs.

[Gandang Smile]

1 hour ago, RBM said:

Could you explain why such absurd delays if using the slab construction, I have been watching a whole sub division shoot up like grass not far away using slabs.

All sorts of excuses: skilled labour was hard to find due to construction boom, Davao City Hall slow in giving permits. I think the reality is, they ran out of money because, as it usually happens, only 10% of the prospective owners had put down a decent amount of deposit and/or secured a mortgage.

The final result is not bad at all and pretty good, at least considering what's currently available in Davao. Was it worth the wait and the investment? Probably not.

[Tommy T.]

3 hours ago, RBM said:

as said the strength is in the beams and up rites, from my understand the blocks are just a fill in. having said that Davao appears earthquake prone so one would not want walls caving in. 

RBM...

The scary thought is that the work shown in that photo is very much like that done in the new buildings at her school...

You may or may not remember my early posts regarding our home build? We were lucky that the foreman - even though not a professional mason, knew enough to add some extra rebar into our walls. And we also had the workers stuff the cement down into the hollow blocks, not just slop haphazardly into the holes and between blocks. The walls were also tied in with a fair amount of rebar that was imbedded in the posts and beams. L already knew the size and quality of the rebar required and made sure that the proper materials were used.

After more than a year and a number of earthquakes, the walls are not showing more than a very few superficial cracks. L did inform me before construction that we could have had commercial grade hollow blocks instead of the contractor-made. She said there was a big difference in strength between the two types. "Asiana" and "Safecon" are apparently the only quality manufacturers, according to her. There is also a large difference in price and so we decided not to use the commercial grade. So far, everything is good... but we will see over time.

[hk blues]

1 minute ago, Tommy T. said:

And we also had the workers stuff the cement down into the hollow blocks, not just slop haphazardly into the holes and between blocks.

Just a  quick question, Tom, isn't that pretty much a standard practice when doing blockwork?  I have no idea but having watched several houses go up from the ground around me, it seems this is always done.  Of course, the amount added is variable.