Building a Home in Davao

[jimeve]

33 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Good progress on the house in the past few days...

Scaffolding in place and holes for foundations being finished.

Huge rocks that may stay in place next to foundations.

Bunkhouse just built for the 10-12 workers so far.

Metal scaffolding, you're spoiling them lol. We used coco lumber for scaffolding. Did you hire or buy the scaffolding? keep the pics coming in Tom.

[Tommy T.]

2 hours ago, jimeve said:

Metal scaffolding, you're spoiling them lol. We used coco lumber for scaffolding. Did you hire or buy the scaffolding? keep the pics coming in Tom.

It's all handled by the contractor. They are bringing everything in. I am glad of this - up to them to supply it all and the guys and I just have to sign the checks... I am too old to organize a project like this and too ignorant to source everything here. I am really pleased with the professionalism of the contractor. I just drive out to the site every few days with some chicharon, Tanduay, Cokes... If this goes like the house my ex and I had built back in USA in  '83, L and I will still be friends with the contractor when the house is done... stay tuned!

So far, so good...

Edited September 14, 2019 by Tommy T.

[Dave Hounddriver]

4 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

L and I will still be friends with the contractor when the house is done..

Judging by your attitude on this forum, I have no doubt you will still be friends with the contractor.  It is in your nature.

[Tommy T.]

And I am having great difficulties with this website today - only this one. That's why there was a double posting - I hit submit and then the site "froze". I have rebooted the computer, my wifi too... nothing is fixing this...

Thank you so much for your help!

[Tommy T.]

Visited the house site Wednesday and today.

They have poured the footings (all but one) and will start the posts (11 in all) next week for the next couple of weeks.

The only real problem is that there are a lot of REALLY BIG rocks! There is one so big they could not remove it from the post hole and it is smack dead center for the post location. It must be 2 meters or more by at least 1.5 meters. They are going to hire some sort of machine that can break it up into maybe three or four manageable pieces. I don't know if that photo does it justice, but that puppy is huge! So we will have our own mega-rock garden when it's time to landscape. Maybe we can start a rock theme park??

More scaffolding going up too. We always thank the boys - usually 10-12 but today only 7 - and leave them a bottle of Tanduay and bag of chicharons again...

They have all the comforts of home - half a dozen chickens, stereo, at least two dogs and one cat, a make-shift shower and a kind neighbour who is renting out power, water, a CR and extra sleeping space. I am truly amazed at the brute strength of these guys. I could never imagine working as hard as they do in the heat. Indeed, my hat's off to them.

[Dave Hounddriver]

8 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

REALLY BIG rocks! There is one so big they could not remove it from the post hole and it is smack dead center for the post location.

Shhh, it is sleeping.  That is a "Bed Rock".

[bastonjock]

Your building on the same type of ground that my house is built on , the big rocks are a pain they caused a lot of problems. 

What are you doing for water ? I had to pipe mine in from a spring 1.5 km away , 

As far as electricity goes , we used a joker called Allan , if your sparkie is called Alan  double check his credentials with davao light ,ive also caught neighbour's tappung into my supply, all sorted for now 

Good luck and make sure that you have any cash payments witnessed,  we paid the foreman and he blew a lot of the money diwn at the cock fights that caused a lot of hassle 

[Tommy T.]

7 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Shhh, it is sleeping.  That is a "Bed Rock".

Dave... are you in the right topic here? Should be in puns? Unfortunately...they will have to disturb this fella (I mean the rock) - Otherwise I would let sleeping stones lie...

Edited September 21, 2019 by Tommy T.
Fix spelling

[Tommy T.]

2 hours ago, bastonjock said:

Your building on the same type of ground that my house is built on , the big rocks are a pain they caused a lot of problems. 

What are you doing for water ? I had to pipe mine in from a spring 1.5 km away , 

As far as electricity goes , we used a joker called Allan , if your sparkie is called Alan  double check his credentials with davao light ,ive also caught neighbour's tappung into my supply, all sorted for now 

Good luck and make sure that you have any cash payments witnessed,  we paid the foreman and he blew a lot of the money diwn at the cock fights that caused a lot of hassle 

Thanks for the tips Baston!

Only that one huge rock is an issue due to location and size. But it's the contractor's problem, not mine. I am sure they have contingency for things like this - but they aren't super pleased about it and it's throwing off the timeline a little.

There are only two neighbours - one next door who already has his water and power (cords hanging in mango tree branches - nice). The other is maybe 75 meters away and also with power and water. That one is friendly and the contractor made a deal with her to rent a small house there, connect with her outside water tap and also her electricity. So no problems with any of that. The water is municipal water supply and the main is 200 meters away on the barangay cement road. There are a couple other small houses that are 100 meters away or more - the rest is fruit grove right now, but the owner is trying to develop it so we will see what happens. We are building a fairly high fence even though the neigbours don't have them and two sides of the property are rights-of-way so there won't be cozy neighbours on those sides. The closest has his house at the far end of this property from our house so that is good. He won't be happy though, because - against code - he built his house less than one meter from the property line (it's supposed to be two meter set-back, minimum) so our fence will block light and air from one side of it.

I am being careful with the money and receipts. The contractors are reputable and been around a while. They built the apartment building here and it was the owner who recommended them, so I can see their work - mostly pretty good. A few things are a bit wonky but I have already made notes to avoid these. Also, the apartment owner went as cheap and ordinary as possible and it shows in things like the cabinetry and ceiling material. The house will have a one year warranty - much better than the one month warranty another contractor offered.

We think we have everything covered, but there will be things we forgot or miscalculated, I am sure.

[Tommy T.]

Went out to the building site this morning.

Luckily there has only been a bit of rain - and that, just this morning. So things are progressing and no rain-soaked soil or work stoppages - yet. I know the rains will come and stop work now and then, but at least now the footings are in place and setting up nicely. I was a bit concerned about that.

The boys were very proud to pose behind that BFR (Big F****** Rock)! The contractor bailed out and sprang for a large block and tackle rig to pull that monster out of the ground.

Now they are setting the re-bar for the underground support beams. More digging and much more re-bar. They are also starting to make forms for the cement in the beams. So you can see trenches and preparations.

Again, I left them a bottle of Tanduay, some cold Cokes and chicharon...