philconprices

Philippine Construction and Materials Prices

House and Contents Insurance Explained

by

We’ve done a lot of research about this and we find this topic not talked about often (or not familiar). Here’s what we’ve known so far.

To think about it, house and contents insurance is not only for the rich. If you are part of the two-thirds under the wealth triangle (those who are not so well-off), then you should have to consider getting one as this is a protection. What would happen to you if you do not have any savings should emergency pertaining to your house arise?

Real scenario just happened while I am writing this.

This just happened this afternoon. In our building fb group chat, a tenant in the next floor chatted that there is an emergency because there is an ongoing burglary in their floor. The tenant managed to secretly film the burglar, called the guards and the police that led to the arrest of the suspect. This all happened in broad daylight on a Saturday morning. The nerve of the suspect makes me cringe!

But, what would happen if the suspect wasn’t caught? The victim would have lost precious belongings. Did you know that there is an insurance that covers burglary? This is called Contents Insurance. Read on to know more.

There are actually two common insurances (Contents and Housing Insurance) that you need to consider if you have a housing and commercial properties. In this post, we will lay down the benefits of getting both Contents and Housing Insurances.

Torn between buying a house or constructing a house? This will help you decide.

Contents Insurance

Content insurance, which is also known as home contents insurance or personal property insurance, is a type of insurance that focuses on protecting the belongings and possessions inside the house, contrary to the typical house insurance which focuses on the structure of the property.

Before you ask me about the probable figure of monetary investment, I think it would be equitable to let you know the importance of content insurance and why taking one is the right thing to do.

Personal Belongings Protections

In the event of proven theft, fire, or other covered perils, your insurance will cover the loss or damage of the personal belongings in your insured property. Normally, your insurance provider will help replace or repair the items inside the insured property reducing the financial burden of the homeowner. This includes electronics, appliances, furniture, clothing, and other valuable items. This is perfect to be paired with home insurance as things inside your homes are not covered by house insurance. There is a bundle insurance called Home and Contents Insurance which is financially helpful in case of emergencies.

Peace of Mind

If it cost you your peace of mind, it isn’t worth it, they say. Thus, if it gives you peace of mind, IT IS worth it. Home content insurances assures you as tenants and homeowners have financial protection in case of unfortunate events, enabling you to focus on other aspects of your life without worrying about potential losses. If you have enough spare cash, why don’t you add this to your insurances.

On the other hand, here are the benefits of housing insurances.

House Insurance

House Insurance, which is also commonly known as Homeowners Insurance, on the other hand, insures your house as a structure. It is crucial to developing countries like ours, the Philippines, because we are more prone to economic vulnerabilities. Further, our country sits right next to the pacific ring of fire and beside the Pacific Ocean. Meaning, we are geologically more prone to natural disasters.  

Here are reasons why you should get one.

Asset Protection

For many people, their home is their most significant asset. In the event of a disaster or unforeseen circumstance, having insurance coverage ensures that their investment is protected. Rebuilding or repairing a home can be costly, and insurance can provide the necessary funds to restore the property.

Boosts Credit Score

Home owners with insurance are more likely to have access to credit and loans. Lenders, to protect their investment, requires insurance coverage as a condition before providing loans and mortgages that are related to housing property. The huge credit line availability will be useful for homeowners and real estate investors to improve their houses to further appreciate its value.

Protection Against Liabilities

Provided this clause is added to your housing insurance, your insurance not only covers damage to your property but also with liability protection. Meaning, when someone is injured inside your insured property and you as the homeowner is found legally responsible, your insurance may help cover the costs of the potential legal fees and medical expenses.

Since lenders are more lenient with percent interests to housing property compared to vehicles (since its value appreciate), be sure to protect these assets and you as well by getting housing insurances.

Natural Disaster and Economic Vulnerability Protection

Developing countries, including the Philippines, are often prone to various natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and landslides. These events can cause significant damage to homes and properties, leading to financial burdens for homeowners. Insurance coverage can help mitigate the financial impact of such disasters by providing funds for repairs or rebuilding.

Setting aside a small amount of money for housing insurance would help you get back on your feet should unwanted incidents happen.

Peace of Mind

Owning a home without insurance can be stressful, especially in regions with a high risk of disasters. House insurance offers peace of mind to homeowners, knowing that they are financially protected against potential losses.

Since you are now familiar with the differences and similarities of contents insurance and homeowners insurance, let’s go dig deeper. You may now ask which companies offer these insurances?

Here’s what we’ve researched, so far.

(Disclaimer: We are NOT affiliated with any of the companies stated here. We just found them in the search engine and we believe they can help you weigh down on whom to choose for your house and content insurance.)

1. Howden Home and Contents Insurance

Founded in London, United Kingdom way back 1994, Howden is one of the largest international insurance company that is headquartered outside USA. Their home and contents insurance that covers a wide range of perils varieties including:

  • Fire
  • Earthquake
  • Typhoon
  • Flood
  • Subsidence, Landslide & Collapse
  • Electrical Fire
  • Bush/Grass Fire
  • And a lot more

You also have the option to include personal accident coverage like Accidental death and dismemberment, unprovoked murder and assault, and burial expenses .

Howden group website link: https://www.howdengroup.com/ph-en/cover/home-and-contents-insurance

2. Malayan Home Protect

When insurance comes into the topic, it is impossible to not mention Malayan Insurance. Their basic perils covered includes the following:

  • Fire
  • Lightning

Other perils that can be covered:

  • Earthquake
  • Typhoon
  • Flood
  • Explosion, vehicle impact, falling aircraft
  • Malicious damage like riots and strike

Other add-ons and extensions

  • Personal liability insurance
  • Replacement of locks and keys
  • Architect & surveyor’s fee
  • Valuable items protection

Malayan Insurance website link: https://malayan.com/products/assets-and-property/home-protect

3. FPG Insurance

Another property insurance that is known in the Philippines is FPG Insurance. What we like about their website is that you can see the amount coverage since it is reflected on their homepage.

Their insurance covers the following and a lot more.

  • Fire, Lighting and Thunder
  • Earthquake
  • Typhoon or Windstorm including flood and overflow
  • Volcanic eruption
  • Subterranean fire
  • Robbery, burglary, and housebreaking

FPG Insurance website link: https://www.fpgins.com/index.php/ph/products/home/

4. AIG Property Insurance

One of the top home and contents insurance of the world, that is AIG. Their Property All-Risk Insurance covers these basic perils.

  • Fire and Lighting
  • Eathquake
  • Typhoon and Flood
  • Falling Aircraft
  • Impact damage
  • Riot, strike and malicious damage

What we like about this property insurance is you can have an option to add Machinery Breakdown, Electronic Equipment, Business Interruption and even Property Terrorism in their policy.

AIG Insurance website link: https://www.aig.com.ph/business/product-categories/property

Since these four companies offer both home and contents insurance in the Philippines, it also is clear to say that they have similarities especially with the option to add accidental death and stuff like that. Go message them and inquire about it. Don’t doubt about it, you need a property insurance if you have properties. Spare some cash for it.

Weigh down which one is best for you. You may need to consider the availability of these insurance companies in your area. Also, you may want to approach several insurance companies and see which one is best for your needs and budget.

We were not able to include every property insurance provider in the Philippines. But let us know what you think.

Connect with us through facebook.

Help us survive and continue on giving you useful information by donating here paypal.me/philconprices

Please let us know how this blog helped you by subscribing, hitting like or share!

How Much Will House Extension Cost Philippines

by

House extension is common in the Philippines as we are used with extended family. It has been our tradition to live with our parents, or perhaps visit from time to time our parents. House extension is one way to save expenses as you would not need to buy another land area and experience all that additional stress when you want to start from zero in constructing a new house.

House or room extension construction cost is also similar with the way builders do a “quick” estimates. They often just multiply base amount with the floor area (that is the house extension cost per square meter method). Oftentimes, they will give you a detailed price construction breakdown to justify that claim. If they do not give you the construction cost breakdown when you already asked them, then, find another contractor. How to determine if you are talking to the right contractor? Click here.

House / Room Extension perspective plan sample (3m x 3.2m) - philconprices

In our example, we will assume that the owner wants to have additional room only. For a room to be completed, we will need two additional columns. By adding columns, we will also add its foundation and the wall footing foundation. Take note that the construction extension cost presented here are different for double stories extensions because double floor extension would require a sturdier foundation, a suspended slab, additional girders and beams.

For simplicity, we will assume the following:

  1. There is an existing house and we will just add a room extension with toilet room inside.
  2. The natural ground line is flat and is amenable to be constructed with a “typical” concrete columns and footings.
  3. Existing house columns and beams are durable enough to be bolted with the extension’s roof framing structure. Also, the existing house’s columns will be perpendicular to the extension’s column.
  4. Additional columns to be concrete, and additional room’s wall to be a plastered concrete hollow blocks.
  5. House extension roof will have a single slanting face. See perspective picture above for visualization.
  6. This is a 3m x 3.2m house extension. As shown in the plan below.
House / Room Extension floor plan sample (3m x 3.2m) - philconprices

The extension room will have its own comfort room.

Now, we will dig deep into the technicalities so stay with us.

We will assume the dimension of the column to be 0.15m x 0.20m. With depth of 0.80m from the natural ground line. Height of the room will be 2.5m from the finish floor line. Since the foundation depth from the ground line is 0.8m and the assumed height to be 2.5m (plus 0.10 for the slab on grade), the total height of our two additional columns will be (0.8m + 0.10m + 2.5m = 3.40m) 3.40m. There will be no additional concrete roof beam, since the roof is just a single slanting plane, we will just use steel tube roof framing (please consult a professional if additional concrete roof beam is needed as steel framing has dimension limitations with respect to the thickness of steel used).

Roof framing will just be rectangular steel tube (ask a professional for the minimum thickness). Roofing sheet is advised to be like the existing roofs for uniformity. If you can find the same material and finish for the existing doors and windows, the better. Don’t know how to punchlist doors? Check our youtube shorts here.

We will put an exterior door so the occupant will have direct access outdoor and indoor. This will also serve as a quarantine room (God forbid, our world to have another pandemic). There will be four windows; three for the bed room extension and one for the toilet room.

Since this is an extension, we will need to demolish a portion of the existing house for the entrance door from the extension room to the existing house. Thus, we will need to have demolition provision cost.

Below are the calculated average expenses when you want to extend your house in the Philippines.

CONCRETE AND MASONRY WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
Excavation2.3cu.m.5001,140.75
16mm – DRB (columns and footings)9pcs4904,410.00
10mm – DRB (wall footing and stirrups)10pcs1601,600.00
Gravel Bed0.66cu.m.1,400922.60
4′ x 8′ – Plywood (formworks)1pc450450.00
8′ coco lumber11pcs90990.00
Cement (concrete works)17bags2404,080.00
Sand (concrete works)0.91cu.m.1,4001,280.30
Gravel (concrete works)1.83cu.m.1,4002,560.60
4″ Concrete Hollow Blocks264pcs143,696.00
Cement (CHB works)14cu.m.2403,272.22
Sand (CHB works)1.04cu.m.1,4001,454.32
10mm DRB (CHB & SOG works)19pcs1603,040.00
Cement (Plaster works)16bags2403,840.00
Sand (Plaster works)1.5cu.m.1,4002,100.00
miscellanous (tie wires, soil poision, etc)1lot5,054.41
Total>>>39,891.20

PAINTING WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
Concrete Neutralizer1.04Gal650675.22
Concrete Sealer / Primer2.08Gal6501,350.44
Patching Compound2.60Gal6501,688.05
Semi-Gloss (2 coats)4.16Gal6502,700.88
Consumables1lot1,282.92
Total >>>7,697.51
TILING WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
30cm x 30cm Tiles95pcs454,275.00
20cm x 20cm Tiles (CR and Wall tiles @ 1.5m Height)168pcs305,040.00
Cement5bags2401,440.00
Sand0.39cu.m.1,400546.00
Tile Grout2bags4080.00
Tile Adhesive2.15bags260557.70
Consumables1lot1,790.81
Total >>>13,729.51
OPENINGS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
Door (Exterior Rear)1pc6,0006,000.00
Door (Toilet Room)1pc3,0003,000.00
Aluminum Window 0.5m x 0.5m (Comfort Room)1pc2,0002,000.00
Aluminum Window 1.2 x 0.5m2pcs3,0006,000.00
Aluminum Window 1.2m x 1.2m1pc4,0004,000.00
Total >>>21,000.00
CEILING WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
1/2″ Fiber Cement Board – 4’x8′7pcs9506,650.00
Metal Studs / Double Furring22pcs952,090.00
Wall Angle 9pcs42378.00
Rivets1989pcs0.81,590.53
Consumables1lot1,606.28
Total >>>12,314.81
CEILING PAINTING
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
Jointing Mesh1roll120120.00
Primer Paint1Gal650650.00
Patching/Jointing Compound1Gal650650.00
Semi-Gloss (2 coats)2Gal6501,300.00
Consumables1lot1,088.00
Total >>>3,808.00
ROOFING WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
2″ x 4″ Rectangular Tube3pcs1,2003,600.00
2″ x 3″ C-Purlins6pcs9005,400.00
A-325 Anchor Bolts8pcs3502,800.00
Roofing Shingles (including flashing and gutters)19sq.m.95017,347.00
Red lead/Rust Converter1L500500.00
Others1lot5,929.40
Total >>>35,576.40
ELECTRICAL WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
Lighting (interior and exterior)4units3501,400.00
Receptacles, Outlets, Switches1lot3,5003,500.00
Conduits and Wirings1lot4,5004,500.00
Miscellaneous1lot1,410.00
Total >>>10,810.00
PLUMBING WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
Shower1set1,5001,500.00
Floor Drain1unit300300.00
Water Closet1set4,0004,000.00
Water Lines and Other Fixtures1lot1,5001,500.00
Sanitary and Waste Line1lot1,5001,500.00
Miscellaneous1lot1,245.00
Total >>>9,545.00
OTHER WORKS
DescriptionQTYUnitUnit CostTotal Cost (PhP)
Demolition (Door size, access to existing house)1lot1,5001,500.00
All in all, the would be PhP 155,872.42 for the materials alone. Assumed completion date would be 30 days and we reckon the labor cost including tools would be PhP 75,000.00. Thus, the grand total would be PhP 230,872.42.

We’ve added the materials breakdown so you can just change our assumed unit cost (based in your local construction prices) so you can get an amount that is closer to reality.

We won’t be giving the structural details plan so there is a need for you go to your nearest professional. Some contractors would say that P25,000 per sq.m. construction cost in the Philippines is just bare finish. But it is not always the case. Afterall, it still depends in the market condition. With the right contractor (provided that you got the one with the best value for money), you can construct a decent house with that base factor (but don’t expect it to be excessively beautiful). On the other hand, expect to shell out around P30,000+ per square-meter in the urban areas.

For this room extension cost guide to be of further help, here are the things to watch out for if you want to do house extension renovations in the future. Click here if you want to find way on how to reduce house construction cost.

  1. Be sure that there is no important underground tank beneath the extension room like septic tanks, rainwater tank or grease traps. It would be a difficult and expensive if you have already developed/renovated it just to find out you need to do maintenance works on these tanks.
  2. Be sure that the room extension is still within your property. There are setbacks that need to be followed. Ask a professional about it.
  3. Be sure to properly seal roofing connections between the existing house and extension house. Since water will always find its way through tiny cracks and holes. Do necessary roof leak test before proceeding with the ceiling works.
  4. New roof’s gutter will be properly tapped gutter to catch basin or area drain to prevent flooding.
  5. There are no existing ground line embedment that may clash with the new sanitary and waste line. Seek advise to Master Plumbers or Sanitary Engineers as they can give you proper solutions in case there are.

To get a more accurate estimate, please consider consulting your trusted architects or contractors. They can give you all the help that you need including ocular inspection, specific offset requirements and detailed cost estimate based on your circumstance and location. Also, please do not argue with your chosen architect or builder if our computation is not close with theirs as they know better your local markets. IF they have proven good track records, please, believe them.

Keep in mind that you may need to obtain local planning permission and building permits especially for urban areas and you will not get pass through it if you would not hire a professional. It is essential to include these additional expenses when budgeting when extending your house.

Lastly, it is worth noting that house extension construction cost will always be influenced by the local market conditions, labor costs, availability of materials including the delivery costs and these prices vary per regions. It is always a good idea to gather multiple quotes from different reputable contractors, do due diligence and research thoroughly. Please, hire a professional.

DIY House Construction: Bound to Fail

by

House construction is totally different compared with minor things like, sewing, cooking, or cleaning. It is a shelter and you including your loved ones are housed in it. When natural calamities come, you would need something over your head that is rigid enough to withstand that heavy rain. When earthquake comes, you would need a foundation that is strong enough to resist the ground movements. When a fire disaster or any emergency happens, you need a house plan that is safe to be evacuated by the occupants in an instant. These important things are probably not be considered in the DIY house plan you (or your house construction DIYer workforce) are designing.

(Prevent fire from spreading by stacking a handy fire extinguisher here. Car fire extinguisher here.)

Why is DIY house construction bound to fail? Here are some of the reasons.

Final Output is a Responsibility of No One

A risky house practices that Filipinos tend to make is doing a DIY house plan on a piece of paper, with unsure room dimensions and just letting their hired apparent “experienced” laborers to do the rest. Sad as it is, most of these laborers are not even experienced as they claim to be. All the worst, they are not manned or under a supervision of a technical and licensed professional. They lack the license and the expertise to do things properly. You would not know if your house followed the building code and regulation if your house is constructed by these people. If you ask a technical question, all they can give you are shallow answers. They cannot give you in-depth answer of the logic behind engineering and construction principles. And yes, those are red flags.

What is the proper way to go about? Get a professional. Hire an Architect to design your homes. Get a reputable contractor to build it. That way, the final output is a responsibility of someone. Should something unfortunate happens, you will know who to chase after. You are at peace sleeping under your own bed knowing your house followed the building code and that it is built and handcrafted by the professionals.

Time Consuming

It will surely eat away all the spare time you have. You will need to get through that traffic just to canvass the construction materials price of the next Home Depot store. You will have to answer every calls and texts from your workers. They will ask you about when the next materials delivery will be (if you opt to provide your own materials). If you missed to provide the material that they are asking, then you are the sole reason why your house construction is delayed. And, the worst call you would get from them would be – them asking for cash advance, because something emergency have happened. Are you willing to take the risks of handing them cash advance?

“But, what if they don’t return the day after handing them cash advance?”

That is your subconscious asking, we just put it into writing.

These are just some of the stresses you will face if you opt to do your house construction DIY. Do you think it is worth the savings?

This pocket size planner may help you track down your construction progress, it is good as a gift too!

Expensive in the Long Run

Since the final output is not planned and built by the professional, the repairs may be expensive because of hidden mistakes or inadequate workmanship and specs of the materials used. To give you an example which is very common concerns on DIY construction group is the water marks in the ceiling. At first, the ceilings are all looking good, glorious, and superb. But then hiding in those ceiling is a plumbing line that is not leaked-tested. After a few months, the plumbing leaked and the marks can be seen.

How do you repair it? Well, you will need to remove the ceiling, fix the plumbing, leak-test the plumbing, and redo the ceiling including the painting. It would be fine if you are able to find the exact painting match, otherwise, you will need to repaint the entire ceiling. Costly, isn’t it? These extra repair costs should have been avoided if you hired a reputable contractor. In addition, reputable contractors normally have warranties. Just one of the perks of getting one.

Lack of project management adds up to the overhead cost. Since you alone will be the one to coordinate with the suppliers and different trades, it will be likely that you will track its progress inefficiently.  Doing another work instead of the scheduled one (because a certain material didn’t arrive on time) must need technical expertise.

There are still a lot of ways to reduce cost when building your home, here are some of them.

Safety Risks

DIY laborers tend to do things heedlessly just to complete the project. Too fast that they tend to disregard safety protocols. To make things worse, these DIY laborers do things without proper trainings and safety equipment. What would happen to your project if someone got electrocuted because of welding works done with improper wirings? You risk your house construction get those unwanted attention that might trigger visits from the building and safety department. Trust us, if that happens, it will be a bother big time.

Another likelihood of peril may not happen during or after the DIY construction but on the months or years ahead. Since most house DIYers are not licensed, they may not be aware of the standard materials and construction practices. Your house may have fragility not visible to the naked eye. At some point after a few months, these defects may come out one after the other making your house feeble and weak. Adding to expensive repair cost.

While some unlicensed people with experience and extensive knowledge in the actual construction, it will still be a challenging thing to put yourself into. So, properly weigh your options. Would it be okay for you to save some bucks to do your house DIY or you want to be on the safe side and have it built by professionals? We hope you choose the latter.

We will always be pro-professional. BUT, sad as it is, there are people in the rural area that is far from technical services that they need. That’s where we come in.

We have house plans for guide. Not signed and sealed for you to still get a professional advise. Student friendly for your assignments. Check our Shop Page.

Did we miss something? Let us know in the comment section.

Connect with us through Facebook!

Help us survive and continue on giving you useful information by donating here paypal.me/philconprices

Please let us know how this blog helped you by subscribing, hitting like or share!

Bungalow Quatro (67 SQM) House Construction Cost

by

This house is intended for small family. A 67 sq.m total floor area excluding balcony. Three bedrooms with enough space for exploring kids. Two comfort rooms (one in the master’s bedroom). A small balcony is place in front on the house intended to protect incoming member from rain or hot sunshine during noon time. There is also a small portion beside the balcony for future developments, say, a single car garage or garden.

Service area is located in the rear portion of the house for laundry purposes. A master bedroom is put in the front portion of the house to see what visitors coming, both wanted and unwanted. Every room has enough space for the young kids, or even teenager kids to move around and do whatever has caught there attention, be it music like playing guitar, or computer games. Enough space can also house bookshelves or another study table. Don’t know how to punchlist doors? Check our youtube shorts here.

Considering house or room extension? This will help you.

Bungalow Quatro rendered floor plan

Below is the breakdown of the construction cost (if done DIY).

SCOPE OF WORKSAMOUNT (PhP)PERCENTAGE
Excavation and Backfilling16,481.261.47%
Concreting Works324,224.5428.92%
Masonry Works136,645.8312.18%
Plastering Works39,741.373.54%
Ceiling Works69,471.946.20%
Painting Works103,490.989.23%
Tiling Works55,432.994.94%
Roofing Works189,296.8016.88%
Hardware10,316.250.92%
Doors and Windows60,771.105.42%
Plumbing Works84,252.617.51%
Electrical Works31,302.702.79%
TOTAL1,121,428.37100.00%
Bungalow Quatro – Construction Cost Breakdown

These numbers are the most ideal cost estimate. You may spend more for up to x2 or even x4. Prices vary per location. So with the labor cost. Also, the material prices considered are “for pick-up price” only. Thus, the delivery cost of the materials are NOT included.

We hope to see Filipinos build structurally rigid homes. We want Filipinos who tend to do backyard construction have a set of plans for their laborers to follow, rather than just hiring workers and let their worker to their own thing. Since it is inevitable for Filipinos to do backyard construction, we hope this initiative will somehow help them. [Mahirap naman po kasi if we give it away for free, since we are paying for this website, so, please bear with us.]

Torn between building or just buying your own house? This will help you.

Take note that WE DO NOT PROMOTE SELF-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION as this may be unsafe and dangerous in the long run if done incorrectly. But sad as it is, there will always be people especially in the rural areas who opt to “do-it-yourself” as budget is tight. This is the initiative of Philcon Prices since most people especially for rural areas are doing backyard house construction. Meaning, they just hire laborers and spend money without consulting any technical persons, to something that may not last. We will always promote hiring a professional. In fact, we would suggest that you save enough just to hire one. You can never go wrong getting a professional.

Doing the construction DIY? Read this why it is bound to fail.

Get the complete plan (pdf, short bond paper size) with Bill of Materials (excel) incorporated with labor calculations. Just input the labor rates in your area, prices of the materials and viola! You’ll get the total amount and the time needed to complete certain works. More details HERE. or know more on how to pay via Gcash here.

Bungalow Quatro Bundle Amount : Php 900.00

Pay via GCASH at 0920-591-0982 care of RGM, download via Google Drive (24 hours access).

Inclusions:

1. Bill of Materials (How many bags of cement, tiles, reinforcing bars will you need) with Labor timeline estimates (How many hours for a foreman, skilled and unskilled workers are needed to complete a certain work).

2. Floor plan, perspective and elevations.

3. Power and lighting layout.

4. Sanitary and waterline layout with Septic and Grease Trap Details.

5. Foundation Plan.

6. Column, Footing and Beam Details.

7. Roof Framing and Beam Plan.

8.) Structural Details

Limitations: This excel file will only work for this set Plan. Labor calculations are pre-assumed based on average productivity rate of laborers in the Philippines.

Exclusions: Structural Calculations. Sign and seal of Professional Engineer / Architect. You cannot use this to apply for building permit unless re-drawn, signed and sealed by a professional.

Disclaimer: The plans are just guides. That is why it is cheap. Though the structural concepts, depths of foundations, beams and column sizes, reinforcing bars are considered with our intellect and experience as licensed civil engineers, it is ALWAYS advisable to hire a professional that you trust to design your homes, construct the plans at your own risk.

If you have any questions email us at philconprices@gmail.com . Follow us on Facebook!

Let us know how this post helped you by commenting. Stay safe!

Build Or Buy from Housing Developers

by

So you’ve finally saved enough money that you are now torn from buying a house from house developers or build your own house.

We hope this post will help you weigh your decisions. We will try to keep this as direct to the point as possible but at the same time, educational and informative.

Buying a built house and building a house both have their advantages and disadvantages. And for us to be on the same page, we will compare the pros and cons of buying a house from developers and building it on your own.

For context, we’ve worked with developers from the past and we know for sure that they have huge profit in doing so. But then again, they offer amenities, fenced community with security guards roving around. So, would you rather buy a constructed house or build it yourself?

Considering on extending you house or just add another bedroom? This will help you.

Advantages of building your own house

Design at Your Preference

Well, this would be the main reason why people opt to build their own homes. They can design it how they want. With the help of the Architect to help put it into plans, you will be able to do make use of every tiny space however you want it.

Even more, the lot that you just purchased may not be a perfect rectangle, thus, the space and dimensions your house requires is different from the common house’s rectangular or square dimensions. The point is, you can design your house at your heart’s content if you choose to build your own house.

Value for Money

Since, you will be overseeing the project from time to time, you are sure that you get what you have paid for. Do not confuse this with saving money, as this would still require you to get a knowledgeable contractor. Don’t be fooled and check this to know how to determine a good contractor.

What we are trying to say is, you have the last say as the client. You can tick some design, say, incorporate energy efficient friendly design like skylights, bigger windows, wall, and ceiling insulations to save electricity. Plant some trees to make outside air cooler.

Can Implement Strict Quality Control

Don’t get us wrong, we do not mean here that developers do not implement quality control and assurance. But, the quality control would always mean different if it is your own house construction we are talking to. House developers, especially the big ones, have complete set of professionals to ensure its construction quality, since it is their brand that is at stake. But then, these professionals are not supervising only one house projects, but tens, fifty’s even sometimes hundreds (for low-cost projects) of them. It would just be truly difficult to strictly implement quality control.

You even have the option to hire a third-party quality assurance inspector just to inspect your builder’s output. This is advisable if you do not have a construction background. You can always go to your site as often as you want to, in contrast to developers where you need to schedule house inspection with their customer representative. Clients are normally off limits on-site in developers without the customer representative to prevent untoward accidents.

Disadvantages of building your own house

Effort and Time Consuming

Prepare yourself to be extra hands-on if you want to build your own home. This would not just require monetary investment but also, personal time investment. You will spend your weekend travelling to your house construction site and see to it that the construction is going on as it needs to be. You need to see that whatever is billed to you by your house contractor can be seen installed and casted on-site.

This would truly require time and effort starting from choosing the architect for designing, to looking for the right contractor. Expect to be extremely busy if you wish to be hands-on. Welcome stress with open arms but also be civil should your hired builder encounter delays because of weather problems. Further, be prepare for unforeseen delays because of not just weather, but also because of material delivery delays because of an electric post fell to the ground and the delivery truck couldn’t pass through.

Looking for ways to reduce the cost of building your own house? CLICK HERE.

No community amenities

Developers, especially the big ones, boasts its built-in amenities and the peaceful and safe community it offers. Some developed townhouses mostly the high-end ones, have parks, clubhouses, swimming pools, basket ball courts, and tennis courts, which can be used by tenants in the subdivision residence.

Other than that, you may have to build your own sewer and drainage system that can be tapped into the public ones. Sad to say, but it is reality, most of public sewer and drainage systems aren’t really efficient.

On the other hand, if you are wealthy enough to build these amenities inside your own lot, then “sana-all”.

(For context, “sana all” is a slang term used in the Philippines as a term to convey a hope to experience the same thing about a topic, normally, in an in-joke and envious manner).

Advantages of buying a built from developers

No hassle, move-in right away

This is the main reason why most people opt to just buy a built house from developers, they are no hassle and they can move in right away (provided the house is already constructed). In addition, most developers offer warranties and they also guarantee their houses. This way, the buyers will have peace of mind. Ask the property developer about the warranty timeline as some gives six months, while others offer one year warranty.

You may need magnetic whiteboard organizer perfect for refrigerators notes (with pen), check this one.

But there is a caveat. Some developers “pre-sell” their property before the actual land development. By pre-selling, property developers sell the property below the actual contract price to build upfront cost to help finance the subdivision project. Thus, you may wait months, even years, for you to actually move-in. Ask your housing developers about this.

Community amenities

Developed housing subdivision, as stated above, have parks where you can bike and jog. Basketball courts where you or your kids can play, clubhouses for your party locations, running and reserved water tanks, and functional sewer and drainage systems. These amenities may not be available on your house lot location. A systematic and functional drainage and sewer system is really one of the plus points for developed properties.

Furthermore, there is a proper entrance and exits for visitors and property owner in a housing development. Meaning, the people visiting the area is controlled and documented (as some subdivisions have CCTVs). You are safe with robing guards at night and you can sleep peacefully knowing your house is built in a safe and secured community.

Disadvantage of buying a house from developers

More expensive than its actual cost

It really is. Developers will make the most of the cheap lands they bought, develop it into residential lands, put some roads, sewer and drainage lines, few amenities, and then construct tons of houses but with similar designs.

For context (not totally accurate but just to give you an idea), the actual construction costs of the house sold by developers is actually just 30%-50% of the price. Meaning, if you bought a house (from a housing developer) for PhP 1,000,000, the actual construction cost of that house is just around 400,000. Shocked? Don’t be. That is just the construction cost, excluding the price of the lot the house is built on. Just think of it that all the hassle it takes to build a house was shouldered by the housing developer. From the designing, the signing of documents, permits and clearances and do not forget to factor in the days, weeks, and months to do this stuff, including all the stress that was filtered by the developers just to deliver you a house. But then, it is just more expensive compared to constructing your own house.

Restricted customization

Developers tend to restrict customization on high-end subdivision property especially the front elevation for its branding. They want to retain the look of the house with respect to the entire subdivision. Although some developers allow, it would still be limited since all the structural components have been casted and placed. Thus, customizing it would be too expensive if you want to add, say, additional floor level as you would still need to build another footing and foundation to hold it.

We hope you are able to weigh the options and were able to decide which team are you, the construct-your-own-house-team, or the nahh,-I’ll-just-buy-a-house-team. Each of the options has their own pros and cons. We wish you good luck!

How to Choose the Right Contractor Philippines

by
A frustrated person thinking on how to choose the right contractor

A good contractor is never leaving you guessing. If ever you ask certain question, they answer direct to the point. We’ve heard a lot of horror stories even with known personality apparently getting “scammed” by sadly, professionals. Knowing how to determine the right contractor is a must for a typical Filipinos especially those without any background in the construction. Read this guide to determine how to find the right contractor.

A frustrated person thinking how to choose the right contractor.

1. Check the contractor’s credentials.

Do due diligence and ask around. Good thing about these days is you can check if the contractor is truly licensed via Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) Portal. See to it that their registration is updated yearly as mandated by the law. 

To check if the contractor is registered with PCAB, click down below:

https://pcab.construction.gov.ph/verify/

https://pcabgovph.com/verify/

“According to R.A. 4566 as amended by P.D. No. 1746 states that no contractor (including sub-contractor and specialty contractor) shall engage in the business of contracting without first having secured a PCAB license to conduct business. It is an offence to engage in contracting business without a license first being obtained.”

On the other hand, you may ask:

“But, what about those people I know with whom I knew is “experienced” enough to construct but is not licensed?”

Well, If you truly trust the person and it’s okay for you to hand out your hard-earned cash to someone unlicensed, then it is up to you. But, be very ready to take the risk and own it should something unfortunate happens (we hope everything to be fine, though). Good luck!

2. Inquire for Previous Project Portfolio and Check their Reputation

Always, always inquire for previous project portfolio and if you can reach out to the previous client, do so. That way, you can check their reputation and experience. This will help you understand their quality of work and experience.

On the other hand, there are young and budding builders. Scout for them as they tend to charge lesser so they can build up their portfolio. Please do not close your doors for startups. They basically have all the qualities stated in here except for previous projects.

3. Check How They Communicate

Are they responsive? Do they answer you clearly? Are they easy to communicate with? Check these things before you engage into one. You will be working with your contractor so find the one is easy to communicate with.

Anyhow, please do not bombard your contractor with questions and calls and be civil enough. Understand that they are also people who takes care of a business they have worked hard to put up. If you have several concerns, it is best to ask this all in a proper meeting so it will be jotted down on the Minutes of the Meeting which is a proper document. (Tip: Have the minutes of the meeting signed by both parties.)

4. Evaluate Thoroughly Their Proposals

See to it that all the things you want to be done is there and nothing is left out. Everything is clearly written. For example, if you want to construct a stand-alone garage, see to it that excavation, structural rebars, concrete, painting, electrical conduits, and wirings, testing and commissioning, to tapping in existing line are there up to the hauling of construction debris and garbage. It would be difficult to throw away construction debris so take that problem away from you and give that out to your contractor.

Should there be words that are not familiar with you, ask them about it. This is important so you can compare the proposals with different contractors. You may need a technical person to help you with this. Inquire with a third party licensed professional.

5. Get Everything into Contract

Now that you are confident with that certain builder, put the things that you have agreed in a contract and have it signed by a lawyer. That way, both parties are protected. If the contractor used a different material other than what is in agreed, then that contract is breached which is subjected to deductive (or additive). On the other hand, if you, as the client could not pay according to the agreed billing timetable, then you breached the contract and the contractor may file charges against you. This is important to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings later.

In addition, you will know that you have gotten a good contractor if these four key points are transparently put into contract.

  • What is the exact construction job and breakdown

From the excavation to the disposal of the extra excavated earth, the construction of the temporary facility that will house the delivered materials to housekeeping and security. It should be properly reflected in the bill of quantity and contract. You may need help with technical persons on this one so seek advise and hire third party professional if you have enough spare cash.

  • What are the materials and its specifications to be used

Materials grade and specifications should be clearly specified. Normally, Architects provide architectural specifications for architectural plan so this should in included in the contract as well. Look at structural plans and you should see the grades for reinforcing bars to be used in each structural member. If you could not locate it in the structural plan, ask your contractor and they should be able to point it out. These things should be reflected in the plans and contract.

  • How much would it take to do that job

Now, this is main reason why a contract is needed. Normally, contractor breaks this down into labor cost, materials cost, and equipment cost. Every work in the construction contract should reflect it corresponding cost. Ask your contractor to simplify it should you have words that are not clear with you.

This guide will help you in lowering down your house construction cost.

  • How long would it take to complete it

This is the pros on having a reputable contractor because there is a way for you to determine if the project is ahead or delayed based on the project timetable. In construction, there is what we call project s-curve. It is a graph showing the project’s planned timeline versus the actual progress. S-curves is a curvy line that looks like an “s” (hence, s-curve), and the corresponding weekly actual progress. Ideally, the weekly progress line should follow the planned timeline, if it goes below it, then you have a delayed progress, if it goes above it, then you have a positive progress.  This pocket size planner may help you track down your construction progress, it is good as a gift too!

Since you are building your abode that will house for you most of your life, be sure to build it properly. You need to get a reputable contractor or house builder to do so. Now that you know the things about choosing the right builders for your house, we hope that you get the true worth of your money. Know that you are in good hands if ever you get the right contractor.

How to Reduce Cost when Building a House

by

So, you have prepared yourself and your wallet because you are finally building your house, right? Check this easy-to-understand tips on how to lower down the cost when constructing your homes, even non-technical person can understand. Save yourself and your hard-earned cash and let us help you in diminishing the cost of building your house.

Wandering how much would it cost on average in building a double-floor house this year? Click here.

A person contemplating on how to reduce construction cost.

1. Choose the Most Affordable Location

For starters, this is the first step if you want to save big time before the construction of your homes. There are trends these days where people deliberately leave the cities and go in the rural areas to fight off rising living costs. Truly, the cost of lots is way lower than the cities.  These may not be for all but in the long run, but trust me, it would be better. The quality of air is better. And you are also subjected to lesser stress as you wouldn’t be able to spend hours of your day just to pass through that carmageddon traffic!

2. Get the Right Professional and Plan Carefully

Get a reputable Architect to plan your homes. The one that has proven track record. We have been saying this and promoting this all these times. Invest in a professional to supervise your house construction and prevent from just hiring “contractors” based on so called “experience” (especially the ones you just met online, tsk!). Draft a contract stating all the works included including the pricing and have it signed by a lawyer. That way, you have legal means to chase erring contractors should the contract is not fulfilled. Getting the right professionals would greatly reduce your house construction cost because you are sure of the outcome. Go get one.

3. Simplify the Design

Simplified design is not always plain and boring. Grandiose and complicated design is not always beautiful. The way you see beauty depends on the homeowner which is why getting an Architect is important. Architects know how to create house with simple design but it both delightful and beautiful. In addition, you can request for a revision.

4. Value Engineering

Consider materials that is locally available and make the most out of it. If there are readily available bamboo in your area, you can use that as a means of scaffolds (with proper techniques) instead of buying good lumber. Your hired professional should be able to answer this one for you, so, ask them with all the questions you have, make the most of that professional fee, boss!

5. Pursue Energy Efficient Homes

Make it a goal to build homes that is energy efficient. Design your house with an outside landscape that helps aid in cooling your homes apart from using air conditioning systems. Plant trees strategically so that ventilation passes through naturally. Invest in wall and ceiling insulation if you can. Though it is not commonly used in the Philippines, insulation helps in retaining cold air inside (for air-conditioned rooms) and prevent hot air from getting inside. We often use just the double-foiled roof insulator here. But should you have extra cash, invest in ceiling and wall insulations. It would help in saving electrical bill in the long run.

6. Build During Off Season

Construction materials prices tend to be less pricey during off-season. This is because contractors are less busy and the demand of the material is low. Although this may affect the project schedule because of frequent rain (even more that we are a tropical country). So, consult your builder if this is feasible.

7. Hire a Reputable Contractor

How do you know if your contractor is reputable? If EVERYTHING is transparent. There are four key points in a building project and if these four questions are clearly laid in the table right before the project inception, then you have gotten yourself a good builder. Here they are.

  1. What is the exact construction job and breakdown
  2. What are the materials and its specifications to be used
  3. How much would it take to do that job, and
  4. How long would it take to complete it

There is a way for you to know if the project is delayed or is ahead, ask your builder about this. Most reputable contractors have previous satisfied clients. On the other hand, please do not close your door for the young buds. There are reputable ones even without proven track record yet. Support these startups if you can find one.

8. Get Your Own QC Professional

Developers use this technique so why don’t we assimilate? The idea is to check in every milestone the output of the contractors to know if what is planned, what is in the materials specs, projects costs and timetable are all followed. This serves as a cross-checking to determine if there is a breach in the contract. It would mean additional cost, yes, but it would help you get a peace of mind knowing that your house is built that will last. Spending a few cash in the present with the possibility of making your home extend its life for a few more decades is a good use of money.

Like how it helped us, this financial planner may just help you, too!

Now, bear with us. We are not going to leave you hanging and give you real tips and tricks to lessen your house construction cost.

Tip No. 1: When you do the masonry plastering works, use the sieved tiny stones for the masonry fillers. That way, it is not going to be put into waste.

Tip No. 2: Let the concrete wall cure for 14 days before you start with the painting works. That way, the concrete has already dried up and cured eliminating the possible bubbles in the painted walls.

Tip No. 3: Be sure to embed the electrical and plumbing lines before the plastering works and recheck it! That way, you would prevent chipping works and additional cement for covering it again.

Tip No. 4: Be sure that the plumbing embedment is of correct location before concrete casting for suspended ceiling. It would be a pain if the hole for the toilet bowl is not on its correct location. If it is not, there would be a gap between the toilet bowl and the wall, or worst, the toilet bowl would be protruding in the wall!

Tip. No. 5: There should be a proper floor layout for the interior walls before doing masonry walls. So you would know if the square area in each rooms are correct. This would reduce demolition costs and crushing walls because of incorrect wall placements.

Tip No. 6: Suspended wet area like comfort rooms should be waterproofed. Check with your local contractor which waterproofing technique is economical but do the job well. It should pass the leak test (the drainage holes are covered and the floor area left with stagnant water for 24 hours. Check the underneath slab for signs of leakage). If it does not, reapply waterproofing in the area and leak test it again until it passes!

Tip No. 7: Do not do any ceiling in ground floor (if you have two story house or more IF the wet areas above have passed the leak test (waterproofing), flow test (sanitary and waste lines), and pressure test (waterlines). Ask your local contractor about these tests.

Tip. No. 8: Ensure that the slab slope in the balcony and/or comfort rooms goes into the drainage. It would be a pain to see water stagnant and not getting into the drainage. Worst, it will become a mold and mosquito breeding ground! 

If you want to get ahead of your contractor by knowing the things to inspect in a completed house, take a look at this punchlist checklist.

These are some of the tips to reduce the cost of house construction that hopefully a typical person would be able to understand right away. If not, comment down your questions and we will try to answer it!

People That Make Up a Construction Site

by

Manpower is what moves a construction site. It is made up of a lot of people, not just the engineer, architect, foreman and laborer as commonly known by people. It is made up of different people with different expertise on trades and skills.

This post is intended to recognize and acknowledge the people that constitute a construction site. Not just the frontline workers like the architects and engineers but also the hands that is working under the scorching sun. Inside a construction site, everyone is essential no matter the size of the paycheck.

Here is the list of the common construction laborers.

Looking for an updated sample of pricing and breakdown of a 2 story house? Here’s one.

Construction Manager

Responsible for overseeing the entire construction project from inception to project completion. You rarely see them on site, but when they are present, you will know that they are checking some huge construction milestone and their presence is important. They are present from the planning stage, to organizing, and managing all aspects of the project. Why are they important? Because they are the decision-making people. Whatever they decide, with their years of experience and data gathered from site meetings, is for the betterment of the project. Normally, it would take more than five years working on-site to be considered as one.

Site Supervisor

Serves as the “right hand” of the manager. Depending on the organizational chart (provided that asst. managers is not in the chart), he/she oversees the day-to-day construction activities of the construction site. As the name states, he supervises the construction site. He ensures that the materials arrive just in time. He makes sure that the project is on-time, on-quality, and on-budget.

Construction Site Safety Officer

Construction Safety Officers enforces safety protocols for all the people on-site to reduce and prevent the risk of injury or death in a construction site. They are the ones that sets safety standards and regulations that should be always followed, even by the project manager. To become one, he should undergo trainings and get certain licenses. He is equipped with knowledge about the site hazards and is obligated to prevent site accidents. Construction safety officers are responsible for ensuring the safety of all personnel on the site, as well as the safety of the construction itself. They inspect construction site for hazards to prevent the likelihood of falling, electrocution, fire, and others. They also ensure that proper safety equipment is being used and that all personnel are following safety protocols.

Equipment Operators

Equipment Operators are the people that is licensed and experienced to operate heavy machinery such as cranes, bulldozers, backhoes, and other heavy equipment to complete tasks in construction site. Instead of doing the digging manually which would take days even months for huge projects, equipment operators do this thing efficiently and quickly. They play a key role especially during the land development and foundation stage by excavating and grading the land, hauling away debris and moving heavy materials. They also help with the installation of utilities and other structures. With their knowledge of the machinery and their experience with the construction process.

Architects

Architects is one of the key professionals needed to realize and complete a project. They are responsible for designing and creation of the plans that the construction crew will use to build the structure. The architect’s design decisions will determine aesthetic and function of the structure. With their expertise and knowledge, must also ensure that the building complies with all relevant codes and regulations, and that sufficient materials and resources are available for the project. Architects also work with the construction crew to identify problems, provide solutions, and make any changes necessary for the project to be completed on time and within budget.

You may need a leather notebook for your day-to-day journal, here’s the perfect one for you!

Engineers

Construction site comprises of not just single engineer but a lot of them with different trades and expertise. Technically, a construction site should have a civil and structural engineer, sanitary engineer, electrical engineer, and mechanical engineer. They provide technical expertise and knowledge to develop designs, plans, and estimates for these key trades. Engineers are also responsible for making sure that the building meets all legal requirements and is structurally sound. They are the ones that inspects that what is constructed is according to plan. They check that the materials used is according to the required specifications. Without engineers, the construction process would be much less efficient, and the establishment constructed would be of a much lower quality.

Designers

Designers (which may also be Consultants), are group for various professional that develops visual representations of the project. There are a lot of designers that comprise a construction projects, structural designers, architectural designers, fire-protection designers, mechanical designers, and sanity designers to name a few. They create the plans and specifications that detail the scope of work that will be done on a construction project. As experts, these plans, of course, follows all applicable building codes and regulations. They are responsible for developing the design solution for a project, including the selection of materials and construction methodologies. Designers also serve as an important source of information and advice for the contractor, helping them to identify potential problems and solutions during the construction process.

Land Surveyors

You can immediately spot these people when they are around. They are the ones that is looking at that telescopic apparatus. Those apparatuses are not actual just mere telescopes. It is called transits and theodolite. It helps get lot angles and distances to determine the boundaries of a projects. Surveyors also inspects that the formworks installed are in correct elevations before concrete casting for multiple floor projects. Without the services of surveyors, construction projects could be delayed or even halted if boundaries are not properly established. Without the expertise of land surveyors, construction projects may be hindered by disputes and legal issues.

Quantity Surveyors

Quantity surveyors ensure that all the needed construction materials, day-to-day supplies, and labor are procured and managed efficiently and in a timely manner. These professionals provide essential financial advice throughout the construction configuration. They serve as the backbone of the site as they see to it that the materials are bought beforehand, arrived on time, and be used up with low to zero wastage.

Quantity surveyors see to it that the project is within budget, always. They understand the complexities of construction and ensures that all parties involved are properly informed and manage their costs efficiently.

Quality Control Officers

Quality control officers see to it that all necessary standards are met. This includes quality of materials used, quality and scaffolding and formworks used, the specifications of the concrete or cement used and all other things. They inspect every tiny detail that site technical personnel may missed as they are tasked solely to inspect the quality of the structure being built. Quality control officers also monitor the workmanship of the workers to make sure the finished product is up to the specifications and standards. They not only inspect the quality of the materials but also the workmanship, such as proper concrete terminations for large concrete casting and all other more.

Foreman

Foreman serves as the middleman between the technical people (engineers and architects) to the actual laborers. Manages and coordinates the actual day-to-day operations of workers on site. These are highly experience workforce and they know how things work on site. They are equipped with knowledge and understand technical terms. They figure out easily the mandates of the architects and engineers. Foreman is also the one in-charge to assign tasks and providing guidance to the crew.

Electricians

Electrician is one the skilled personnel in the construction site. They are ones responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical systems and equipment. This includes wiring, outlets, circuit breakers, conduits to transformers. Electricians must ensure that all electrical systems are working correctly and safely, and that all wiring is correctly installed according to plan. After all the installation and wirings are done, they test and troubleshoot each electrical lines if there are problems.

Here is every electrician tools must haves!

Plumbers

Plumbers, like electricians are also one of the skilled people on site. They install and maintain of the waterline, sanitary and drainage systems of a building. Plumbing systems carries water, expel waste and storm line, in an efficient way so that it is comfortable and safe to the occupants and nearby areas. Plumbers are the manpower that install those pipes, bathroom fixtures, septic tanks, rainwater tanks and everything related to sanitary, water and waste management, ensuring that the building has a safe, reliable source of water and sewage systems.

Security Guards

Security personnel guards the entire construction site. They monitor the ins and outs of people in the construction site and prevent unauthorize persons to enter. They are also responsible for deterring theft, vandalism, and other criminal activity, as well as the safety of workers. Security personnel provide a visible presence to fend off any misbehavior that may harm any personnel, equipment, and the project itself. They patrol the premises and normally the first one to respond to emergencies. Without the presence of security personnel, construction sites would be subject to a greater risk of unlawful activity.

Your construction site logbook is full? We found logbook with the best review online for you!

Skilled Workers

These people have gained through years of experience (or have trained) to become skilled at something. These people may be a painter, mason, plumber, electrician, tile installer, or carpenter. They are the actual hands doing the hard work on-site.

Unskilled Workers

Though they are ‘unskilled’ do not take them for granted as they play important role in the construction site as well. They deliver the tasks that do not associate with any technical skills. These include basic labor duties such as lifting and carrying materials, digging trenches, do simple errands, and cleaning up the site.

All these personnels at the construction site have each role to play. If you are the construction manager, engineer, or architect, you would not complete your project without the help of those lower than you in the organization chart, so respect them like a human being. For skilled workers, no matter how many years of experience you have gained and you could say you are the best in your craft, technically, you are still at the mercy of those people on top of you, so respect them as they are. Afterall, we are all beings that tries to provide for our loved ones. Be kind, respectful and professional on site no matter the position and rest assured, it will always turn out as the best structure like it should be.

Kudos to all construction workers!

Average Construction Cost for Two-Story Residential Unit

by

Construction materials has been rising like any other commodities. Thus, it would also by correct to say that building a new home would be more expensive than it is compared to the previous years. Constructing a new house is one of the life-goals of every Filipino. A home that is comfortable to go to after a hard day after work and to settle to and build a family with. With this post, we hope you get a grasp with average estimated cost to build a new house.

Want some tips on how to reduce the construction cost of your homes? Click here.

This guide comes with the floorplan including price breakdown. The house design is in the low-mid to mid range house cost. This two-floors house sample has three bedrooms and three toilet rooms with a half garage. The total area to be around 107 square meters considering only the half garage. Material cost, labor cost and equipment cost were all incorporated in the breakdown pricing.

Considering house or room extension? This will help you.

Two-Story House Floor Plan (Ground Floor and Second Floor)
Two-Story Sample Ground Floor Plan Blow-Up
Two-Story Sample Second Floor Plan Blow-Up

Land acquisition is not included in the costing. Only preliminaries is costed including the house’s documents to run through and get approved by the local government. Ask your local builders/contractors the breakdown of the preliminaries section for transparency. You know you’ve hired a good contractor when they explain to you everything to avoid confusions.

This house has a terrace on top of the garage provided a family member would like to “breathe” some air. The garage would only house a portion of the car as seen on the floor plan. One may opt to make it as a full one but it comes with additional expenses.

All three bedrooms is placed in the second floor. The ground floor is to undertake the living, kitchen and dining room. On the second floor, an extra space for mini library, lounge, or be it a mini playground is located. Enough window opening is placed for natural light to come inside the dwelling. Service area is located in the rear portion of the house near the second door on the right. Don’t know how to punchlist doors? Check our youtube shorts here.

It is designed that all floors from ground to upper floor to be tiled. All walls (external and internal) is to be constructed with a traditional concrete hollow blocks, all plastered and painted inside and out. Catch basin, area drain, septic tank, and rainwater tank are included in the price computation.

Roof is to be constructed with rib-type long span and the terrace roof to be assembled with polycarbonate roofing. All roofing structures is metal. The stair is to be steel-fabricated with solid wood planks. Railings in the terrace is designed with stainless steel and half masonry. By the way, this house is drafted with a parapet wall. Meaning, there are no roof eaves.

No demolition of existing structure is inserted in this sample house computation. Only simple clearing and grabbing is included. It is assumed that the land area has no existing structures to be demolished. Demolition cost varies per location (as any construction prices are). Thus, it would be best to directly approach local builders to check their fees.

Below is this new house construction cost breakdown of the plan posted above. As stated above, materials, labor and equipment cost were all included.

DescriptionCost Breakdown (PhP)Rel. WTD (%)
I. Preliminaries240,000.007.99%
II. Concreting Works
Formworks (3 usage)130,962.624.36%
Reinforcement Bars315,924.8510.52%
Structural Concrete195,181.486.50%
III. Masonry
Interior, Exterior, Lintel Beams, Stiffener Columns373,493.7612.44%
IV. Metals
Roof, Terrace, Terrace Railings, and Stair356,608.0011.87%
V. Wood
Wood Plank to Stairs29,400.000.98%
VI. Thermal and Moisture Protection
Roofing Shingles, Waterproofing and Dampproofing90,314.403.01%
VI. Openings
Doors, Windows, Hardware and Accessories166,870.005.56%
VI. Finishes
Cement Plastering151,904.035.06%
Ceiling Works66,324.162.21%
Tiling Works82,418.002.74%
Elastomeric Paint Finish99,231.063.30%
Interior Painting105,070.003.50%
Metal Painting69,300.002.31%
VII. Specialties
Toilet, Bath, and Laundry Specialties22,000.000.73%
VIII. Furnishings
Kitchen Cabinets and Countertop55,000.001.83%
IX. Plumbing
Plumbing Lines, Valve and accesories57,120.001.90%
Plumbing Fixtures, and Tanks139,150.004.63%
X. HVAC
HVAC Piping Provisions32,719.871.09%
XI. Electrical
Electrical wirings and conduits, raceway and boxes and fixtures 116,470.003.88%
XII. Communications
Voice, Data, Audio-Video Provisions6,800.000.23%
XIII. Electronic Safety and Security
Smoke Detector with Sounder6,800.000.23%
XIV. Earthworks
Gravel Bedding, Clearing and Grubbing, Dewatering94,095.323.13%
>>>Total3,003,157.55100.00%

Our purpose is to raise awareness as to how much would it cost (on average) to build a new two story house in the Philippines, from scratch. By “average”, it would mean that it construction total price may be higher or lower.

You may also be looking for a standard three-cubicle restroom floor plan with cost breakdown. Check this one.

Understand that this sample new house construction computation is not 100% accurate so please take this guide leniently (yes, gently!). Builders may bid this house with lower prices, other bids may be higher (with up to 1.5 to 2 factors or even way higher for high-cost and luxurious houses) .We wouldn’t want you guys to argue with your local professionals and contractors. They know the local construction market, so they know better. Trust them.

Connect with us through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Help us survive and continue on giving you useful information by donating here paypal.me/philconprices

Please let us know how this blog helped you by subscribing, hitting like or share!

Stand-Alone Three Toilet Rooms Construction Cost

by

Your business may be running smoothly and the additional visitors means additional toilet room usage. Keep those repeating customers by building a well-built toilet rooms for them.

This guide shows the construction cost if you want to build stand-alone toilets. This sample has three toilets (Men’s, Women’s, and PWD respectively). Everything is considered in the costing from the excavation to the finishing works.

The septic vault is also included as you just can’t blindly tap new toilet rooms to your existing septic tanks. The volume of the septic tank here is believed to be ample enough for a small to medium scale business. Please consult a professional sanitary engineer when in doubt.

Considering house or room extension? This will help you.

Three Toilets Floorplan | philconprices.com
Three Toilet Elevations | philconprices.com

Work Description% TotalCost (PhP)
I. Earthworks
Excavation and Backfilling (Manual)2.08%6,153.73
II. Structural Works
Gravel Bed0.49%1,463.61
Concrete13.21%39,073.62
Reinforcing Bars2.91%8,594.17
Formworks0.54%1,607.32
III. Architectural Works
Masonry Works (including reinforcements)7.67%22,671.90
Plastering Works5.14%15,200.32
Ceiling Works5.68%16,791.08
Painting Works (Concrete and Steel for Roof)6.11%18,077.71
Tiling Works6.32%18,698.32
Roofing Works6.92%20,471.99
Hardware1.60%4,720.31
Doors and Windows10.87%32,142.83
IV. Plumbing Works
Waterline2.08%6,166.00
Sanitary Line2.91%8,594.00
Plumbing Fixtures8.46%25,018.50
V. Electrical Works
Lighting 1.24%3,665.20
Power1.06%3,140.50
Raceway and Boxes2.87%8,479.90
VI. Septic Vault
Septic Tank 11.84%35,023.74
Grand Total100.00%295,754.77

You may think that the cost may be too much, but it actually is. Provided it has six columns and complete wall footing for the entire concrete hollow blocks. Complete floor tile. Painted walls for interior and exterior including ceiling made up of fiber cement boards. The accessories included in the estimation were mirrors, water closet with bidet, tissue paper holder, grab bars for PWD. Solid wood doors and aluminum windows were also assumed in the pricing. This is how much it will take to build three toilet rooms (on average, may be higher or lower depending on locations.)

Here is the approximate materials, labor, and equipment cost breakdown.

Materials CostPhP 202,561.29
Labor CostPhP 79,947.23
Equipment CostPhP 13,291.26

It would take around 3-6 weeks to put this up. Of course, it depends on how skilled your hired contractor is. The labor, material, and equipment cost is also on average. Please use this guide with a pinch of salt. We wouldn’t want you guys to argue with your local builders because you assumed that this is 100% correct.

Building a functioning and comfortable comfort rooms is important for your business to thrive. When you are asking as to how much would it take to build a comfort room, this should is price cost you would need (again, on average).

How to choose the right contractor? check this out.

Connect with us through Facebook!

Help us survive and continue on giving you useful information by donating here paypal.me/philconprices

Please let us know how this blog helped you by subscribing, hitting like or share!

https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-146841859-1
%d bloggers like this: