The collapse of the Isabela-Cagayan Bridge has sparked discussions about infrastructure safety and an apparent design flaws.
The President has pointed design deficiency as a key factor behind the disaster. However, the bridge’s designer, Engr. Alberto C. Cañete, is not rushing to conclusions. Rather than engaging in the blame game, he emphasizes the need for a proper Forensic Engineering Investigation to uncover the real cause of the bridge collapse.
Was it truly a structural design issue, or were there other contributing factors? Well, it could be construction methodology, quality of materials, or unreasonable overloading, right?
This article explores both perspectives, breaking down the science behind forensic engineering and why a thorough investigation is crucial before assigning fault.
Forensic Engineering Investigation is the Only Way To Go
In the case of the Isabela-Cagayan Bridge, retrofitting had already been performed before its collapse. Thus, raising concerns about its effectiveness and execution. Following the collapse, forensic engineering plays a crucial role in determining the real cause of failure.
A third-party forensic engineering analysis examines all possible causes—design, construction methodology, material quality, environmental factors, and maintenance history—before determining what truly led to the collapse.
Relying on assumptions instead of facts can hinder progress and prevent valuable lessons from being learned. If we are to improve infrastructure safety and engineering standards, a science-based, unbiased investigation is the only way forward.
Photo courtesy of Presidential Commissions Office FB Page
What is Forensic Engineering Investigation and Who Conducts It?
Forensic engineering investigation is the process of analyzing structural failures, material defects, or engineering-related accidents to determine their causes. It involves applying engineering principles, material testing, and data analysis to understand why a structural failure occurred.
Key Aspects of Forensic Engineering Investigation:
Failure Analysis – Examining collapsed structures, damaged buildings, or malfunctioning materials to identify weaknesses.
Site Inspection & Evidence Collection – Gathering physical evidence, taking measurements, and documenting conditions.
Material & Structural Testing – Checking the quality, durability, and integrity of construction materials.
Load & Stress Analysis – Evaluating whether the structure was subjected to forces beyond its design capacity.
Code & Standard Compliance Review – Comparing the design and construction with existing engineering codes and regulations.
Expert Reporting & Recommendations – Providing findings, causes, and possible solutions, often used in legal cases or policy changes.
Investigators will analyze multiple factors, including the bridge’s original design, the retrofitting process, material integrity, and the impact of the excessive load. The key steps in this investigation include:
Structural Simulation: Using modeling software to simulate potential failure scenarios.
Site Inspection: Examining debris patterns, fractures, and any visible structural weaknesses.
Material Testing: Assessing whether construction materials met safety standards and performed as expected.
Load Analysis: Reconstructing the weight distribution and stress levels leading up to the collapse.
Average Timeline for a Forensic Engineering Investigation
Total estimated duration is about 6 months to years. For high-profile cases (like a bridge collapse), the investigation can stretch beyond a year, especially if it requires courtroom testimonies or further government reviews.
Final Thoughts: When Retrofitting Isn’t Enough
Take note that the Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge is a newly-built bridge. It wasn’t even properly turned over to the DPWH. But, it had already undergone retrofitting in its early young life. Yet, despite the additional reinforcements, the collapse still happened.
This raises critical questions:
Was the retrofitting properly designed and executed?
Were the right materials with the right specs used?
Or was it properly constructed according to correct engineering methodology?
A failure of this scale demands more than surface-level explanations. It requires an unbiased forensic engineering investigation. It will determine whether the failure was due to unavoidable factors or something more preventable.
In a system where infrastructure projects often involve layers of decision-making, one can’t help but wonder if every layer was built on integrity. But then, maybe, it might also just been because of the overloading all along. We are just thinking too logically.
Building a house in the Philippines is a major financial commitment, and the cost varies significantly depending on several factors. Whether you’re working with a tight budget or planning for a luxury home, it’s essential to understand where your money goes. In this post, we will break down bits-to-bits the real cost to build a house in the Philippines 2025.
Is ₱1M enough? Or do you need ₱5M+? Let’s break down the real cost of house construction in the Philippines in 2025.
Well you see, there are several factors that affect construction costs. To be honest, creating a post like this is tricky. It is difficult to fully explain it through a simple blog post. But, we will try to be simple as we can.
We will dive down into the most obvious factors that affect house construction costs.
If you are looking for the construction cost to build rental properties, click here.
Factors That Affect House Construction Costs
1.Location
Metro Manila vs. Provinces – Construction costs in urban areas like Metro Manila, Cebu City and Davao City are generally higher due to expensive land prices and labor rates.
Provincial Areas – In less urbanized areas, labor and material costs tend to be lower. But, understand that the farther the location to urban areas, the higher the construction material delivery cost is.
2. Lot Size and Type
If you already own land, you’ll save a significant portion of your budget.
Land prices vary depending on the area, with premium locations in highly urbanized area costing more per square meter.
3.House Size and Design
A bungalow is usually more affordable than a multi-story home because of reduced structural requirements.
Modern designs with open layouts may require higher-quality materials, increasing costs.
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5.Labor Costs
By labor cost, we mean all the people that you need to build your house. From the actual manpower to the professional technical people. There are two options you can go about.
Hiring a Contractor – Preferably a design and build contractors are more convenient option but typically costs 20-30% more.
Direct Hiring Workers – A cheaper alternative, but requires hands-on supervision. You’ll still need to hire professional architects and engineers to design your house. You’ll also need to hire professionals to inspect workers output per project milestone. Supervising and checking your laborers output day-by-day may be a tremendous work, but, you can save a lot.
6. Permits & Fees
Building Permitsand Plans – Costs vary per municipality but typically range from ₱20,000 – ₱100,000. Typically, this is included in the design phase by the Architect (signing of all the professionals needed for the house design). Take note that “For Construction Plans” are different from the “As Built Plans”. See differences below.
For Construction Plans
As-Built Plans
Plans created before construction.
Plans created after construction.
Guide contractors on how to build the project according to the intended design.
Reflect any changes, modifications, or deviations made during the construction process compared to the original plans
Shows what is intended to build.
Show what was actually built.
By the way, the professional fees for these two different set of plans, are paid differently. It is important to discuss these to your hired professionals.
Design and build contractors normally has these two sets of professional. This is also one of the reason why design and build contractors are better than direct hiring of worker as discussed above.
Legal Fees & Taxes – Includes land title registration, notarization, and other government fees. You will go through this on your own if you opted to do-it-yourself. Mind you, this is not an easy task.
To give you a better grasp on the house construction cost, we will give you a sample house construction breakdown for the three house tiers, the low-cost, the mid-range, and the high-end with cost estimates. Unfortunately, we cannot give you the approximate house area as the plans varies.
The home construction cost breakdown above are just guides. To help you visualize its breakdown. If ever there are portion of this post that don’t coincide with your trusted contractor or professional, then, your contractor’s numbers should prevail.
Hidden Costs to Watch Out For
Even after estimating your construction cost, don’t forget about these additional expenses:
Landscaping – If this is included in your contract, the better. If it not and you want to do-it-yourself, you better check real-time local prices as this can get pricey.
Unexpected Construction Delays – Weather, permit issues, or material shortages. Well, if you hire the reputable contractor, then you wouldn’t really bother about this.
Inflation & Rising Material Costs –. If you are the one to buy some of the materials, like steel and cement, you better buy this in bulk. Prices of cement, steel, and wood fluctuate yearly.
Additional Key Points
Be sure to include in your contract a clause for liquidated damages – in case the house completion is delayed because of the contractor’s fault. For example, shortage of manpower, or construction tools/ equipment delays. Acts of God causes of delays like earthquakes and the likes, oftentimes, are not part of contractor’s liability.
Budget for Soil Testing & Unexpected Site Conditions – Many people forget that soil testing and unexpected ground conditions (like rocky soil or poor drainage) can add to costs significantly.
Probable active fault like or seismic activities in your land properties. With earthquake activities here and there, better seek professional advise about probable seismic activities in or near your land properties.
Waste Management & Cleanup Costs – Be sure to also include a clause about disposing of construction debris, renting waste bins, and cleaning up after construction can be costly if not planned for.
You may also want to get equipped with the things to inspect/check before your next real estate deal. Read more here.
Building a house is a major investment, and understanding the real costs involved can save you from unexpected surprises. Whether you’re planning a low-cost, mid-range, or high-end home, careful budgeting and smart decisions will help you maximize your investment.
Stay updated with construction material prices, labor costs, and hidden fees to make informed choices. And remember—working with reliable contractors and a solid cost plan can prevent costly mistakes.
📢 Have questions or experiences to share? Drop a comment below!
Disclaimer:
We do not warrant that the information on this website is correct, complete, or accurate; nor do we promise to ensure that the website and its content remains up-to-date. If there are portion of this post that do not coincide with your local contractor or professional, the contractor or professional advise always prevails.
A lot of people sends us a message about house construction cost, for both low-cost construction and mid-range construction cost. To hit two birds with one stone, we have a created this post comparing the two common housing tiers.
If you are looking for back-to-back comparison for Low-Cost, Mid-Range, and High-end houses all in 2025, click here.
Building a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. But with so many options and price points, how do you know whether a low-cost home will meet your needs or if a mid-range build is worth the extra investment? Or perhaps, you would only need a little bit of extra money that is still on-point with your budget to get that mid-range house. Let’s check it out in this post.
The house plan we will talk into is reflected on the floor plan below. Approximately 115 sq.m. area for both ground and second floor.
As always, there will always be a disclaimer. These construction prices in the next paragraph are just average construction cost. It will always vary on the site location, availability of construction materials, and the labor cost in your respective area. If ever there are portion of this post that don’t coincide with your trusted contractor, then, your contractor’s numbers should prevail.
We will also dive down into an actual construction cost breakdown so you will have an idea about it’s price differences. But before that, we need to know the basic characteristics of comparison between low-cost houses and mid-cost houses.
This analysis breaks down the house construction cost differences between low-cost and mid-range housing, comparing expenses in overall project budget (costs includes both materials, labor, and equipment).
Description
Low-Cost Houses
Mid-Range Houses
Budget
15,000 – 25,000 Php / SQM, focuses on savings
26,000 – 45,000 Php / SQM, better materials and finishes
Materials Used
Basic Material, Tin/GI roofing, plywood, cheaper materials used and paint finishes.
More durable construction, better resistance to wear and weather conditions
Design and Aesthetic Appeal
Simple but functional, with minimal architectural details
More stylish, better layout, larger windows, enhanced curb appeal
Resale Value
Lower resale value due to basic construction and possible wear and tear
Higher resale value because of better quality and appeal.
For simplicity, we used the 115 SQM area house reference for both house tiers (floor plan above). The bill of quantity for both houses are also presented in such a away that it is easy for them to be compared.
We did not include high-end houses because it is unlikely that high-ends units will only have 115 sq.m. area as floor area. We will create a different post showing differences for the three house tiers, low-cost, mid-range, and high-ends units. So subscribe to keep posted.
In the price differentiation between low-cost and mid-cost construction cost, take note that the structural concrete division, the two house tiers are basically similar. We assumed that the house is in similar location and soil condition. Thus, it’s structural need is also identical. Normally, it is in the architectural trade that determine the cost of the house. Actually, architectural trade and aesthetic dictates the housing cost. Some home owners would not want certain columns in-centers. Hence, making the structural columns at the corner more reinforcement demanding. For simplicity, we will assume identical structural needs for this house.
Below, you will find the back-to-back house building cost comparison of the two typical tier houses, the low-cost houses, and the mid-range houses. To avoid complexity, indirect costs, contractor’s profit, and other miscellaneous is included in the numbers.
Everything is updated to date. You see, the following are the differences between low-cost and mid-range. In the attached bill of quantity, you will see the approximate building expenses between low cost housing and mid range housing costs. The brief summary of materials to be used is also included.
We would also like to highlight the per area construction costs.
These days, the decent entry level or low cost housing construction cost per square meter is around 15k-25k, while the mid-range housing construction cost per square meter is 26k-45k. Although some can still build below 15k (others can even do it at 10,000 – 13,000). But, its quality and integrity are shady and is not that good, Meaning, it requires frequent housing maintenance.
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Most contractors and builders uses this per square area, or per square meter in computing the building cost of the house for simplicity.
To get the “approximate” total construction costs, simply multiply the floor area of the house x the price range (that is 15k-25k for low-cost, and 26k-45k for mid-range). If there are two floors, add the ground floor area and the second floor area to get the total floor area, then multiply it to the price range.
Take note of the word “approximate” as this is only just an average. You cannot get the actual construction cost unless you already have the final house plan and contract in place. Also, don’t confuse these numbers with the developed lands offered by housing developers. Developed subdivision housing often have amenities which adds to the housing costs.
If you are looking for some references for house extension costs, click here.
There was NO earthquakes lasting more than 1 minute in the Philippines. The most destructive so far, is the 1990 Luzon Earthquake (7.8 magnitude) lasting only 45 seconds.
We will try to make it as non-technical friendly as we can. We hope to make this a one-stop article about the earthquake in the Philippines.
Earthquake is one of the devastating calamities that we can experience. What makes it even more catastrophic is that we do not know when one will hit. Thus, all we can do is to be prepared. Our houses are equipped and planned by the professionals to withstand one.
In the recorded history of the Philippines, the most devastating earthquake was in Moro Gulf, Mindanao. It happened last August 17, 1976 at around 12:11 in the morning, with a magnitude of 7.9. Yes, just about 11 minutes after midnight where most of the us are asleep. It happed so swiftly that the recorded death were almost 8,000 people. What would you do if such thing happens again?
That is the reason why the government has annual earthquake drills. Do not forget your duck, hold, cover. BUT, is it enough?
Mitigation or prevention is always better than cure, they said. But, can we prevent earthquakes? For now, we cannot. However, we can mitigate the damages it could incur. How do we do it? Well, everyone in the construction and engineering sector has been doing its research. We have been adopting the things the we find would mitigate building damage, or worse, collapse in case of extreme seismic movements.
Some of the technology that we found were the following:
Base Isolation Systems
This involves disconnection the building structure from the moving ground by placing isolators or flexible bearings (normally rubber, ball, or spring) between the building foundation and superstructure. These isolators disperse and absorb seismic energy, by reducing the transmission of forces to the structure. This is commonly adopted in high rise buildings
Damping Systems
When a building is subjected to earthquake, wind, or any other external forces, damping systems involves using a sensor to detect these forces to counter them. Thus, it is a system that makes a building stable by minimizing its potential sway and movements. Damping systems proved to eliminate vibrations. One of the well-known buildings that is using this system is the Taipei 101 in Taiwan.
Reinforced Concrete and Steel Frames
This is the traditional way of mitigating earthquake. But it comes with steep cost and design limitations. Using reinforced concrete and steel structures provides increased strength and flexibility, helping buildings withstand seismic forces. Special design considerations are made to ensure these materials can flex without failing during an earthquake
Shear Walls
These are vertical elements within a building that resist lateral forces. Properly designed shear walls can significantly enhance a building’s seismic performance. You would normally see shear walls (sometimes called core walls), as the thick walls for elevators and stairs.
Cross-Bracing
As the name implies, cross bracings are diagonal braces in the form of X or V patterns which is incorporated into a building’s structure to improve its lateral stiffness and resistance to seismic forces. You can typically see this cross bracing in the external part of the building.
These are so far some of the most common innovations that we are now using that are proven to create earthquake resistant buildings.
Did you know that Earthquake Early Warning Systems exist?
As the name implies, Earthquake Early Warning System DOES NOT predict earthquakes, but they can provide valuable seconds to minutes of advance notice before seismic waves arrive, allowing occupants near the epicenter of the seismic activity to evacuate and shut down critical systems, like shutting off gas lines and slowing down running trains
Nobody knows when earthquakes will arrive and no one can stop it, but, with some simple techniques, you can lessen its damage to your properties.
Keep in mind that we are in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Our country is in the Pacific Ring of Fire. With the volcanoes, mountains, and ocean trenches forming an arc or a “ring” on the contents surrounding the Pacific Ocean, we are prone to ground movements due to its seismic activity. We believe you would like to lessen damages to your property as we continue to prepare ourselves when the “Big One” arrives.
Here are some of the fool-proof tips to prevent severe damage to your houses in the event of strong earthquake in the Philippines:
Install safety film to glass windows. This way, if glasses are broken, it won’t shatter and so are the injuries it may cause.
Hang large pictures, wall decorations, and mirrors into the wall using closed hooks.
Secure bulky and expensive appliances to walls using cables, straps, or bolts.
Consider installing (if you haven’t got one) automatic shut off valve that cuts off gas supply in the event of earthquakes.
Consult a professional to valuate and retrofit older homes to met current earthquake standards.
Have a to-go emergency disaster kit, medical kit, and emergency exit plan. This will be very helpful not just in the event of an earthquake but also in all calamities.
Educate yourself, including all family members, especially the young ones on what to do during and after an earthquake.
Make it a habit to do a house regular maintenance. Clean your roof gutter, inspect key structural members for cracks, insect infestations, and others
If in doubt, consult with a structural engineer or other professionals to assess and strengthen your property’s earthquake resistance.
Reducing damage to your home before, during, and after an earthquake involves a combination of structural reinforcements, proper planning, and securing belongings.
What do to during an earthquake?
Here are three simple things to do during an earthquake.
Duck, hold, and cover. When you feel an earthquake, drop to the ground, hold sturdy furniture or against any interior walls, and hold until the ground shaking stops. This will help you prevent tripping or falling.
Stay away from glass windows and doors, or anything that might fall into you. Glass can shatter into you and can cause injuries. Things overhead like chandeliers can also fall into you. Stay away from them. If you are outdoor, stay away from any posts, trees, and anything that may fall down.
Be ready for potential aftershocks. Aftershocks are oftentimes smaller tremors. This could happen after a few minutes, hours, or even days after the main earthquake. Again, beware for aftershocks and take the same safety precautions.
What to do if your property was hit earthquakes?
We cannot stress it enough. Ask a professional (preferably structural engineers).
Believe it or not, not all cracks that you see in your house’s columns and beams are hazardous. How do you know which is? Again, ask a professional. Not just some professional but preferably a seasoned structural engineer that specializes in such.
Ask for a structural engineer specializing in seismic activities and earthquakes to come visit your house. It is difficult to do second guessing. Investing a little of your savings to hire one is worth it. Because, you can ask all the questions that you have and you know that the answers you get is truly form the expert.
Normally, the structural engineer will create a report, input some advice, and create a plan to retrofit structural members that need mitigations. Go get one!
Did you know?
If your house is design by the right professionals, structural engineers have a means to determine and analyze how your house responds to seismic forces using advanced computer modeling and simulations. Structural engineers use sophisticated applications simulate how structural members responds to earthquakes (and its respective intensity). This helps them design a more accurate, economical, and effective seismic designs.
Did you know?
DOST-PHILVOLCS has a data that is provided to the public (for a certain fee) that determines if your parcel of land (or land that you are planning to purchase), has any earthquake and/or volcanic threat is present. It goes by the name PHILVOLCS Hazard Assessment Services, abbreviated as HAS.
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Disclaimer
We do not warrant that the information on this website is correct, complete, or accurate; nor do we promise to ensure that the website and its content remains up-to-date.
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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
There is an existing house and we will just add a room extension with toilet room inside.
The natural ground line is flat and is amenable to be constructed with a “typical” concrete columns and footings.
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.
Additional columns to be concrete, and additional room’s wall to be a plastered concrete hollow blocks.
House extension roof will have a single slanting face. See perspective picture above for visualization.
This is a 3m x 3.2m house extension. As shown in the plan below.
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
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
Excavation
2.3
cu.m.
500
1,140.75
16mm – DRB (columns and footings)
9
pcs
490
4,410.00
10mm – DRB (wall footing and stirrups)
10
pcs
160
1,600.00
Gravel Bed
0.66
cu.m.
1,400
922.60
4′ x 8′ – Plywood (formworks)
1
pc
450
450.00
8′ coco lumber
11
pcs
90
990.00
Cement (concrete works)
17
bags
240
4,080.00
Sand (concrete works)
0.91
cu.m.
1,400
1,280.30
Gravel (concrete works)
1.83
cu.m.
1,400
2,560.60
4″ Concrete Hollow Blocks
264
pcs
14
3,696.00
Cement (CHB works)
14
cu.m.
240
3,272.22
Sand (CHB works)
1.04
cu.m.
1,400
1,454.32
10mm DRB (CHB & SOG works)
19
pcs
160
3,040.00
Cement (Plaster works)
16
bags
240
3,840.00
Sand (Plaster works)
1.5
cu.m.
1,400
2,100.00
miscellanous (tie wires, soil poision, etc)
1
lot
5,054.41
Total>>>
39,891.20
PAINTING WORKS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
Concrete Neutralizer
1.04
Gal
650
675.22
Concrete Sealer / Primer
2.08
Gal
650
1,350.44
Patching Compound
2.60
Gal
650
1,688.05
Semi-Gloss (2 coats)
4.16
Gal
650
2,700.88
Consumables
1
lot
1,282.92
Total >>>
7,697.51
TILING WORKS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
30cm x 30cm Tiles
95
pcs
45
4,275.00
20cm x 20cm Tiles (CR and Wall tiles @ 1.5m Height)
168
pcs
30
5,040.00
Cement
5
bags
240
1,440.00
Sand
0.39
cu.m.
1,400
546.00
Tile Grout
2
bags
40
80.00
Tile Adhesive
2.15
bags
260
557.70
Consumables
1
lot
1,790.81
Total >>>
13,729.51
OPENINGS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
Door (Exterior Rear)
1
pc
6,000
6,000.00
Door (Toilet Room)
1
pc
3,000
3,000.00
Aluminum Window 0.5m x 0.5m (Comfort Room)
1
pc
2,000
2,000.00
Aluminum Window 1.2 x 0.5m
2
pcs
3,000
6,000.00
Aluminum Window 1.2m x 1.2m
1
pc
4,000
4,000.00
Total >>>
21,000.00
CEILING WORKS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
1/2″ Fiber Cement Board – 4’x8′
7
pcs
950
6,650.00
Metal Studs / Double Furring
22
pcs
95
2,090.00
Wall Angle
9
pcs
42
378.00
Rivets
1989
pcs
0.8
1,590.53
Consumables
1
lot
1,606.28
Total >>>
12,314.81
CEILING PAINTING
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
Jointing Mesh
1
roll
120
120.00
Primer Paint
1
Gal
650
650.00
Patching/Jointing Compound
1
Gal
650
650.00
Semi-Gloss (2 coats)
2
Gal
650
1,300.00
Consumables
1
lot
1,088.00
Total >>>
3,808.00
ROOFING WORKS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
2″ x 4″ Rectangular Tube
3
pcs
1,200
3,600.00
2″ x 3″ C-Purlins
6
pcs
900
5,400.00
A-325 Anchor Bolts
8
pcs
350
2,800.00
Roofing Shingles (including flashing and gutters)
19
sq.m.
950
17,347.00
Red lead/Rust Converter
1
L
500
500.00
Others
1
lot
5,929.40
Total >>>
35,576.40
ELECTRICAL WORKS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
Lighting (interior and exterior)
4
units
350
1,400.00
Receptacles, Outlets, Switches
1
lot
3,500
3,500.00
Conduits and Wirings
1
lot
4,500
4,500.00
Miscellaneous
1
lot
1,410.00
Total >>>
10,810.00
PLUMBING WORKS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
Shower
1
set
1,500
1,500.00
Floor Drain
1
unit
300
300.00
Water Closet
1
set
4,000
4,000.00
Water Lines and Other Fixtures
1
lot
1,500
1,500.00
Sanitary and Waste Line
1
lot
1,500
1,500.00
Miscellaneous
1
lot
1,245.00
Total >>>
9,545.00
OTHER WORKS
Description
QTY
Unit
Unit Cost
Total Cost (PhP)
Demolition (Door size, access to existing house)
1
lot
1,500
1,500.00
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 bePhP 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.
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.
Be sure that the room extension is still within your property. There are setbacks that need to be followed. Ask a professional about it.
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.
New roof’s gutter will be properly tapped gutter to catch basin or area drain to prevent flooding.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Below is the breakdown of the construction cost (if done DIY).
SCOPE OF WORKS
AMOUNT (PhP)
PERCENTAGE
Excavation and Backfilling
16,481.26
1.47%
Concreting Works
324,224.54
28.92%
Masonry Works
136,645.83
12.18%
Plastering Works
39,741.37
3.54%
Ceiling Works
69,471.94
6.20%
Painting Works
103,490.98
9.23%
Tiling Works
55,432.99
4.94%
Roofing Works
189,296.80
16.88%
Hardware
10,316.25
0.92%
Doors and Windows
60,771.10
5.42%
Plumbing Works
84,252.61
7.51%
Electrical Works
31,302.70
2.79%
TOTAL
1,121,428.37
100.00%
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.]
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.
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!
So you’ve finally saved enough money that you are now torn from building a house or buying a house from housing developers.
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 House 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 want to check housing decors and paintings that Hotels and Restaurants uses. Get it on Shopee.
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.
Disadvantages 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 20%-40% 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 300,000. 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!
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.
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:
“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.
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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.
