Question To Ask A Potential Contractor For Hire.

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graham59
Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Whatever happened to the OP, russellmania? Several of us have responded to his query...so where did he go? Did we (my) comments scare him away forever?

He's busy looking for a rental property right now ? :mocking:

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Terry P
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4 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

Direct example of that here... The sparky for the contractor generally does good work and knows how to wire a home. However, as chronicled in my build posts, we asked him if he could install the electric opener. He said yes he could and proceeded to read the manual. We knew he had not done one before.

Well, he tried but really did not know what he was doing. It was also obvious, after a while, that he did not understand the manual. He laid the sensor magnets aside without a clue that they were essential to stopping the gate at the proper places when fully opened or fully closed. He didn't know what they were at all. So we paid the professional installer who, really, was very professional. He also installed the doorbell system with video and voice intercom. Believe me, finding the true professional made it look effortless and those two systems work flawlessly now.

I'm still learning.

Don't know how it works back in Canada Tommy but specifically to what you've said. here in the UK these systems would be done by a specialist contractor anyway. Your spark would run mains power to where it was needed then they'd pick it up from there. Sounds like it should be the same there fortunately you picked up on it in time

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Terry P
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6 hours ago, hk blues said:

The big difference here, Terry, is that over promising and under delivering is more common than in the UK - I doubt a contractor here would turn down work because they thought it may be beyond them.  

Over promising and under delivering is something I see regularly here also HK. That doesn't make me a perfect builder but I've followed someone in on a number of occasions where I've lost the contract initially because I refused to over promise.

I much prefer to work on projects where the client has employed an architect. He can keep his client in line when they ask for the impossible at a ridiculously low price.

Sometimes a little knowledge is dangerous

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hk blues
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21 minutes ago, TerryP said:

Over promising and under delivering is something I see regularly here also HK. That doesn't make me a perfect builder but I've followed someone in on a number of occasions where I've lost the contract initially because I refused to over promise.

I much prefer to work on projects where the client has employed an architect. He can keep his client in line when they ask for the impossible at a ridiculously low price.

Sometimes a little knowledge is dangerous

The construction industry in general is notoriously "dodgy" wherever we are.  

That last line is exactly what I mean - it is soooooooooo true here.  The concept "I live in a house so surely I can build one" is how it goes here (I'm exaggerating for emphasis, of course). 

Example - I had 2 roofs built in 2019.  The contractor did everything (3 man team) from steelwork to concrete work to carpentry to electrics (very basic mind you i.e. extending the existing light fitting a couple of metres) to painting.  You know better than me that in the UK that type of project would have had at least 5 trades.  

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Terry P
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3 minutes ago, hk blues said:

The construction industry in general is notoriously "dodgy" wherever we are.  

That last line is exactly what I mean - it is soooooooooo true here.  The concept "I live in a house so surely I can build one" is how it goes here (I'm exaggerating for emphasis, of course). 

Example - I had 2 roofs built in 2019.  The contractor did everything (3 man team) from steelwork to concrete work to carpentry to electrics (very basic mind you i.e. extending the existing light fitting a couple of metres) to painting.  You know better than me that in the UK that type of project would have had at least 5 trades.  

It's all down to standards HK. I can do all the above and more besides to a standard without relying on other trades that would probably satisfy most there. Building a house to Western standards is a niche market there. It would be foolish to presume every tradesmen if that is the correct term could live up to expectations. They are there it's a matter of make your choices and pay your money

Pay peanuts you get monkeys

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hk blues
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31 minutes ago, TerryP said:

It's all down to standards HK. I can do all the above and more besides to a standard without relying on other trades that would probably satisfy most there. Building a house to Western standards is a niche market there. It would be foolish to presume every tradesmen if that is the correct term could live up to expectations. They are there it's a matter of make your choices and pay your money

Pay peanuts you get monkeys

The problem is, as you say, the standard expected.  Here, people in general don't look for so much so contractors of course work to meet this (low) expectation.  The problems start when us pesky foreigners look for something better and the contractors are either unwilling to or incapable of upping their game.  

Following a couple of not so great experiences, I learned to ensure that my wife sets expectations before we agree the price and contractor.  I make it clear I don't mind paying  a premium (small) for above average work.  That way, at least we have set a baseline.  Now, that doesn't necessarily mean all is well but it at least gives a better chance  of  a better result.  

Your last line simply doesn't work here - the amount we pay, or are asked to pay, is disconnected from the quality of work.  The final price is a function of the negotiation skills of both parties and the bare-faced cheek of the contractor and the naivety of the client. 

There are no morals or ethics when it comes to business here. Mostly.

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Terry P
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12 minutes ago, hk blues said:

The problem is, as you say, the standard expected.  Here, people in general don't look for so much so contractors of course work to meet this (low) expectation.  The problems start when us pesky foreigners look for something better and the contractors are either unwilling to or incapable of upping their game.  

Following a couple of not so great experiences, I learned to ensure that my wife sets expectations before we agree the price and contractor.  I make it clear I don't mind paying  a premium (small) for above average work.  That way, at least we have set a baseline.  Now, that doesn't necessarily mean all is well but it at least gives a better chance  of  a better result.  

Your last line simply doesn't work here - the amount we pay, or are asked to pay, is disconnected from the quality of work.  The final price is a function of the negotiation skills of both parties and the bare-faced cheek of the contractor and the naivety of the client. 

There are no morals or ethics when it comes to business here. Mostly.

"I told him before he started"

"That's not what we asked for"

Meanwhile back in the dog and duck

"Got an extra couple of grand out of them numpties"

"Just crash it out Phil I'm sick of that bitch"

It happens here frequently HK. Unfortunately that's the nature of the game for many. No morals no ethics. Just tends to be a bit more subtle face to face.

Small works are a bit of a wing and a prayer without prior research wherever you live

Building a house without employing an architect to oversee the project is at best sleepless nights plugging all the holes he could have prevented in the first place. Well done if you manage that much. In the UK or Philippines.

At worst you end up with a property hardly fit for purpose (your purpose)and a severely depleted bank account.

If you want a hassle free dream home in a warm climate where their standards are much lower than your own. Forget it buy a sunlamp and stay in Dundee

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russellmania
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14 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

I will add a bit more here since I am now on a roll...

The contractor employees working here were pigs. I don't mean that biologically, but in their habits. We have had several different people come here since the construction essentially ended to pick up all the mess the workers left. It's no wonder there were rats here.

Just last week, two of the boys were here re-working some bad stainless joints in the railings on the roof deck. I went up there last night for the first time since they left. The deck tiles were almost all blackened from the polishing and grinding they did up there. So they finally showed up again today and I gave them a gentle, but firm lecture that they needed to clean up right after their work. They said they were going to clean it up today anyway, but I told them that is not good enough. These two are some of the best workers, so I did not berate them, just nudged them a bit, and they seem okay with that. I know I am a bit picky, but even L was pissed that they left a mess.

So, my point - that I just belaboured to death - is that anyone hiring workers or contractors should keep an eye on them during and at the end of their work. At least here, they just toss their used materials onto an adjacent property - brushes, cans, empty sealant tubes and much more. Also, as HK or Graham alluded, they often don't have their own tools and don't respect the tools supplied to them. It just isn't the way I was brought up...

Unrelated question...

Whatever happened to the OP, russellmania? Several of us have responded to his query...so where did he go? Did we (my) comments scare him away forever?

Hahahaha...no man yall didn scare me. I just dont frequent the forum everyday thats all. I read all the advice here and I will proceed with caution. My GF is haggling the price currently down from the P6500 the seller listed price to P5000 for 200 sqm in Minglanilla. I have seen several YouTube vloggers in the Philippines that have built small to large houses with little or no problems. So if a guy does his homework building a house in Philippines can be done with minimal problems. Search in YouTube: xxxxxxa..this guy built a huge western style house in the Phils!

 

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russellmania
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9 hours ago, graham59 said:

He's busy looking for a rental property right now ? :mocking:

Negative..GF haggling sellers asking price for the lot this week.:6:

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Terry P
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4 hours ago, russellmania said:

Hahahaha...no man yall didn scare me. I just dont frequent the forum everyday thats all. I read all the advice here and I will proceed with caution. My GF is haggling the price currently down from the P6500 the seller listed price to P5000 for 200 sqm in Minglanilla. I have seen several YouTube vloggers in the Philippines that have built small to large houses with little or no problems. So if a guy does his homework building a house in Philippines can be done with minimal problems. Search in YouTube: xxxx a..this guy built a huge western style house in the Phils!

 

Extremely professional video shoots especially the drone sequences. That guy really knows how to put a movie together

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