Architect in Batangas?

[Maxheadspace]

My wife and I are planning the build of our home in Batangas.  We've been searching for an architect and all of my wife's friends and relatives are pushing their "favorite" architect, all of whom are asking seriously jacked up prices because they know I'm American.  Anyone have a line on a decent, reasonably priced architect in Batangas?  Although I'm not sure the architect actually needs to be in Batangas, so I'm open to suggestions.  

Many thanks!

Max

[Clermont]

3 hours ago, Maxheadspace said:

My wife and I are planning the build of our home in Batangas.

We had a bit of trouble like that when we did the ancestral home up, but we used a trusted member of the family to do all the leg work /supervision and arguing of payment. It worked well and I'm one of them blokes that likes to keep a tight rein on things but sometimes it's best to sit back and enjoy what you came for.  A parent or a sibling with a bit of construction work under his belt worked for us, plus do a bit of scouting around how much a house like the one you want to build costs. enjoy.

[hk blues]

Yep, it's always an issue here unless you're using a tried and trusted contact.

My dilemma is always the "you get what you pay for" theory so I'm hesitant to negotiate down too much as the final quality can be similarly reduced. But, sad to say many have no shame here so higher price is no guarantee of higher quality.

I'd say, take a look at the work done by anyone recommended if possible, try to find out the true cost - folk here often over/understate prices for their own purpose so you don't always know the real numbers.

Good Luck!

[Maxheadspace]

8 hours ago, hk blues said:

My dilemma is always the "you get what you pay for" theory so I'm hesitant to negotiate down too much as the final quality can be similarly reduced.

 

That is on my mind.  I guess the true questions is, "what's the going rate for an architect in the Philippines?"  My wife is usually a cut-throat gangster when it comes to negotiating these things, but she gets soft when it's a relative or close friend.  Have to maintain peace in the family.  I've been pressing her to avoid the inner circle altogether, which has paid off so far.  

[scott h]

6 hours ago, Maxheadspace said:

what's the going rate for an architect in the Philippines?"

Max, I will relate our home building experience, a bit long winded, so sorry in advance.

We also used a "cousin" who basically has built all the homes and buildings of our extended family. If memory serves (and I will confirm with the wife when she wakes up) The architects fee was a set percentage of the estimated cost of the home PRIOR to construction, so any cost overruns or additions were not added to his fee.

Prior to us moving here, we used a computer program and "designed" our home. A year before we retired during a visit we gave our design to the architect on 12x8 piece of paper, gave him a few thousand pesos and asked him to draw up some blue prints. On our next visit he gave them to us, we approved. We then had my brother in law do all the running around getting the needed permits etc. 

When we made the move and were ready to go to my surprise our architect turned out to be a "super contactor". He referred the demolition crew to tear down the old home and the construction crew to build the new home. He visited the site every couple of days to check on the progress and make suggestions to the foreman.

Unlike in the states, we were responsible for the weekly payroll of the construction crew and to supply the needed materials. So every day the foreman would hand me a list of the stuff he needed for the next day (or what he forgot the day prior ) and I would schlep down to the hardware store and order the materials. 

Surprisingly our finished home turned out to be almost exactly as it looked on our 12x8 sheet of paper lol.

I do remember going a bit rouge over the fixed percentage aspect of his fee thinking we were going to get gouged but the final cost was really really close to the estimated cost.

All in all we are happy and 9 years later the house is still standing.

 

[hk blues]

On 12/19/2021 at 5:23 AM, scott h said:

Max, I will relate our home building experience, a bit long winded, so sorry in advance.

We also used a "cousin" who basically has built all the homes and buildings of our extended family. If memory serves (and I will confirm with the wife when she wakes up) The architects fee was a set percentage of the estimated cost of the home PRIOR to construction, so any cost overruns or additions were not added to his fee.

Prior to us moving here, we used a computer program and "designed" our home. A year before we retired during a visit we gave our design to the architect on 12x8 piece of paper, gave him a few thousand pesos and asked him to draw up some blue prints. On our next visit he gave them to us, we approved. We then had my brother in law do all the running around getting the needed permits etc. 

When we made the move and were ready to go to my surprise our architect turned out to be a "super contactor". He referred the demolition crew to tear down the old home and the construction crew to build the new home. He visited the site every couple of days to check on the progress and make suggestions to the foreman.

Unlike in the states, we were responsible for the weekly payroll of the construction crew and to supply the needed materials. So every day the foreman would hand me a list of the stuff he needed for the next day (or what he forgot the day prior ) and I would schlep down to the hardware store and order the materials. 

Surprisingly our finished home turned out to be almost exactly as it looked on our 12x8 sheet of paper lol.

I do remember going a bit rouge over the fixed percentage aspect of his fee thinking we were going to get gouged but the final cost was really really close to the estimated cost.

All in all we are happy and 9 years later the house is still standing.

 

Good to hear a positive review on building "stuff" here