Not another building project

[stevewool]

58 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

That looks really great Steve! Nicely done. Interesting paint job on the roof - sort of like dry swimming pool lanes?

That’s the sun coming through the fancy holes cut into the wall.

[Tommy T.]

3 minutes ago, stevewool said:

That’s the sun coming through the fancy holes cut into the wall.

Ha ha ha! You got me!!! But it does look cool!

[earthdome]

Looking very nice Steve. One question, are the stairs really that steep with a short tread? Or is that just some trick of the camera lense?

[stevewool]

5 hours ago, earthdome said:

Looking very nice Steve. One question, are the stairs really that steep with a short tread? Or is that just some trick of the camera lense?

It’s the camera angle , each rise and fall is roughly around 30 cm , we wanted the tiles from upstairs to be the same on the staircase so we just cut the 60x60 in half when the concrete was laid for the stairs it was all over the place and like anything we was not her to keep a eye on things , so it was a lot of hard work trying to get each step the same and virtual impossible  

[Gary D]

2 hours ago, stevewool said:

It’s the camera angle , each rise and fall is roughly around 30 cm , we wanted the tiles from upstairs to be the same on the staircase so we just cut the 60x60 in half when the concrete was laid for the stairs it was all over the place and like anything we was not her to keep a eye on things , so it was a lot of hard work trying to get each step the same and virtual impossible  

Yes we just left our builders to their own devices for a week.   

[stevewool]

54 minutes ago, Gary D said:

Yes we just left our builders to their own devices for a week.   

I must say our builders this time have been brilliant , they listen and give there advice if they think it could be improved and we listen too, 

[Gary D]

21 minutes ago, stevewool said:

I must say our builders this time have been brilliant , they listen and give there advice if they think it could be improved and we listen too, 

On the whole ours have been very good, apart from the roofers. We were in Dumaguete last week and the wife got a message that they needed more grout, ok no problem. When we got back I thought they hadn't grouted the bathrooms because of the dark lines between the light blue tiles. They had grouted them with the grey for the floor and bought more to finish.

[Tommy T.]

20 minutes ago, stevewool said:

I must say our builders this time have been brilliant , they listen and give there advice if they think it could be improved and we listen too, 

Your builders sound similar to ours. I think there may be hope for the future of quality and consistent construction here?

Yesterday I handed the foreman a printout of our latest suggestions and requirements. One item stated that the stairs must be uniform (they will be wood planks on a sloped I beam) and level in all directions. Step #5 on the way to the apartment here on the third floor has a downward slope to it. The same builders constructed this place as are constructing our home. So I mentioned this to the foreman and said that would not be acceptable. He must use a spirit level and not just the water-in-hose leveling that they use for other things. He was fine with that and understood the criticism and suggestion.

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Tommy T. said:

 think there may be hope for the future of quality and consistent construction here?

 

Only if clients are interested in demanding this, and much more importantly willing to pay for it! My experience here suggests they aren't.  

[Tommy T.]

12 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Only if clients are interested in demanding this, and much more importantly willing to pay for it! My experience here suggests they aren't.  

Yeah, HK you are right. I should have phrased that comment this way: perhaps the future of quality and consistent construction here for discerning and financially viable clients in Davao City and some other locations may be possible?

Of course, most people here can only afford and will willingly accept the current and common building construction.

Both L and I agree that it would be great to see improvements in construction practices - many of which would not cost more, but would involve better workmanship and attention to detail. Believe me, she is even more attuned to the construction quality here than me. When she had her home built, she had the contractors tear down some of their work and re-do it because it was not well constructed. I am so pleased and lucky to have her as a partner and construction adviser...