Another reason not to build.

[Onemore52]

As I have previously stated I am in Australia and cant get back to my home in Bicol but this happened to my partner last week.

My GF was notified last week that the temporary power line to our home has now to be upgraded to a permanent installation and on inspection we need a seperate transformer to be installed at the entrance, why they couldn't explain it is just what the engineer has decreed.

So off to the supplier she goes to dispute this news and asks that the power has been on for 3 years without this additional transformer, so why now?

They replied that there is a lot of new development in the area and that we are using a lot of power, so to prove how much we could be using they gave her a form to fill out, listing all the lights, appliances including the one water pump, the 2 air con units and one washing machine and that if she has problems filling out the form they can provide an engineer to do it for her, at our cost of course. So my GF hit them back with this piece of brilliance "We have been paying our electricity bill for 3 years now, I keep all my bills, so I can work out for you the average monthy consumption as YOUR bills state we have used" That was met with the usual dumb look and I will check with my supervisor, which we are still waiting on.

Into the fray enters the local municipality who wants to know how much the house is worth for local taxes, and another form is dished out on how to calculate the yhe worth of the house. First question IS NOT the area of the floor space, IS NOT what the trusses are made of, or the area of the roof BUT.....drum roll for effect.....HOW MANY BAGS OF CEMENT WERE USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE? I  promise this really did happen, oops i forgot to mention that the total number of bags of cement does not include the side fences.

The cost of this all up for the house to be certified and approved was 25,000 php.

So my GF who has the smarts fronts up to the local offices wanting to know answers, because after the house was completed some officials came out to inspect the house for tax purposes, and so we have been paying annual taxes accordingly, so the mongrels gave us a discount and reduced the price to 17,000 php. Of course a receipt with no monetary figure on it.

Foreigners building in the Philippines..forget it!!!!

[Old55]

I shared this with my wife Onemore. We laughed while shaking our heads at the stupidity and gall those individuals have. Your GF is a keeper that's for sure. Sad you have to deal with this nonsense.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Old55

[BrettGC]

Wow, we're in the process of buying a lot right now, it's hard enough to prove clear title (3 attempts so far, no luck)  but dealing with all that as well...  I wonder if they're doing the same to condo/HOA residences.

Is this at the barangay, city, provincial or national level?   

Most recent build I can think of is Kev - @sonjack2847 - and wonder if he's been through the same thing. 

[fototek1]

We had a similar issue. We got a price of 2 million Pesos for the transformer, new power feed and a Main distribution panel. We decided to take the easy way out and now we have 4 power feeds . Monthly bill for usage is about the same. 

[graham59]

Well at 1400 pesos a month max, I don't think our shack has been draining the local electricity substation.  

 

[Onemore52]

Brett, after we gave money to the owners of the land, and after engaging the services of a solicitor, and after paying him money to do the relevant searches, there appeared 2 aunties of the dead owner who wanted money because they did not get any proceeds of the sale. Then there appeared some daehkcuf from Manila who in his mind wanted to take us to court because we got the land too cheap in his mind, but he was willing to forget all about it if we gave him 3 million php.

My advice and it is free, don't do it.

[Onemore52]

6 minutes ago, graham59 said:

Well at 1400 pesos a month max, I don't think our shack has been draining the local electricity substation.  

 

that is our average a month, there is no phase 3 for a welder, no swimming pool pump.

To make a quote from the movie "The Castle" tell them they are dreaming, but they would lose face and then you would be in all kinds of shite.

 

[graham59]

Well, after 5 years now, I don't have any regrets about having a home to call our own built... do what I want in it and with it, no rent to pay.  

I suppose all our circumstances are different. I do keep a low profile, and look somewhat poverty-stricken and unkempt in appearance though... so most know not to bother asking...  

 

[Snowy79]

2 hours ago, fototek1 said:

We had a similar issue. We got a price of 2 million Pesos for the transformer, new power feed and a Main distribution panel. We decided to take the easy way out and now we have 4 power feeds . Monthly bill for usage is about the same. 

You'd get a decent solar instalation for that and show them where to shove their transformer.  

[expatuk2014]

Luckily my Wife is a EX Agrarian reform Manager so she knows all the inside and out of Philippines law espec land laws , she has dealt with all the legal side of things here since we married in 2002 ! Every thing is in her name which is ok with me her money is my money and my money is her money ! Its been like that from day one.

And she does not take rubbish from anybody.

I also keep a low profile i never go out alone anywhere here we are well known as a couple locally and she will not give money to anyone, we do however employ regular builders etc and we pay no more than 600 pesos a day for electricans etc and we give them merienda .  Our recent expense was a water tank and pump due to very low water pressure and at weekends no water at all.

Maybe next is a solar power system !