Construction/Renovation Tipid Tips

[tiggerlily]

we're all trying to cut corners when building or renovating our properties. here are some of what i've gathered during our build:

- list down everything you want done and how it should be done before having the plans drawn. this will save you time and materials.

- review the plan and revise if needed.

- ipa-bid ang plan - not just the total cost ha. with the bill of materials and labor cost. labor lang ang kontrata namin and supplied namin ang materials. we're very lucky to have found yun contractor namin. yun iba pinapabid lang ang shell - walang finish. kasi kapag lahat sa contractor hanggang finish, e kasama ka rin naman kapag namili ng gamit so pagod mo rin.

- for scaffoldings, merong made of steel na rentable. minsan it's coco lumber - pero tinatapon na kasi ito after so sayang. yun foreman namin suggested that we use good lumber na lang for that. konti lang naman difference. and then sa finishing, you can use it for ceiling braces na.

- if you have the time, look around for the best price and haggle. hindi lang wilcon ang hardware shop. i needed lots of waterproofing for our roofdeck. i found this store that sells the waterproofing i needed for 10% less than wilcon sells it for.

- canvass from hardware stores near the site. they'll give you a better deal than from stores that are far from your place.

isip pa ako...

[happy_pomelo]

^Nice thread you started tiggerlily. But don't you wish meron na nito before we undertook our projects?

To add lang:

Plan the interior fit outs as early as possible to avoid patibag ng walls, etc.  Even the lay out of the cabinets, and the details - the drawers, the rods, etc.  specify what  you want.

As for finishing details, I will not preach that you stick to the allotted budget as much as possible.  This stage is really challenging, because you tend to think "Para isang pagawaan na lang."  "Andito na rin, might as well, spend a little extra."  For me, get the most cost-effective finishing details for your non-negotiables or at the very least for the areas that are high in your priority list.  I'd go for those with warranty, with a good track record for quality or after-sales service, etc. 

Those extra pesos might be your best investment in the long run.  But of course, mag-research at mag-research, at mag-canvass ng mag-canvass.  First hand accounts would be your best sources.  Ask around and get referrals. 

Haggle for the best price, always.  In every aspect of the construction and for every item na bibilhin.  It does not hurt to try di ba?  

If you can buy several items from one source, try to negotiate for the best price.  Your business would be always welcome.  Kita rin nila yun ah!

You will need time and effort talaga.  If you want makatipid, magtitiyaga ka talaga. 

[tiggerlily]

^ sana nga meron na dati pa. pero ok lang kasi madami rin naman akong nakuha from here so pay it forward na lang. hehe!

kaya ang isa pang tip ko... magmember ng girltalk. hehe!

[johan827]

@tigerlilly and happy_pomelo 

nice inputs... this is a great help for us na just starting to research about this matter.  can i you pm me the name of your contractors?

@happy_pomelo, ano first name mo?  parang familiar kasi yung code name mo e  not sure kung ikaw nga yung naging friend ko in other group. wala lang.

[happy_pomelo]

^SP? 

[stormy]

Tama happy pomelo andun yung isip na "andyan na, gastusan na" tip ko nga lang wag lang papadala masyado sa ganitong emosyon lalo na pag alam mo na mabilis ka magsawa at planong magparenovate ng madalas.

yung space planning importante na simula pa lang naisip na para kasama sa plano para maganda flow ng kada area at mamaximize ang space. D yung basta lang mukhang maganda yung drawing sa plano yun pala d akma sa kilos nung titira (example nasa taas yung mga kwarto - kung 2 storey na bahay - yun pala may titira or madalas na bibisitang mga lolo/lola or parents na may edad na).

yung storage system iayos na rin para d bili ng bili later on ng cabinets or magkaroon ng tambak. Mahal na rin kasi yung mga yan at mabilis masira.

dapat magaling ang mga makuha na gagawa kasi pag d pulido ang gawa uulit ulitin sayang sa materyales. Dapat kung ano gusto mo, maiexecute ng maayos para maluwag sa loob ang pagbabayad ng serbisyo.

wag din isipin na pag mura = makakatipid. Check lagi if "tama" yung presyo sa kalidad ng binibili. Kasi baka mura nga mapapamura ka naman in the end. Example ko dyan e mura yun pala manipis na klase, or madulas pala pag mabasa, or nagbabakbak kumbaga kada bibili or pipili anong materyales ipapalagay mo, alamin mo na anong issues pwede mo maencounter sa choice na yun para bukas mata sa pagpili.

[johan827]

@ tigerlilly.
sis...thank u so much for these nice inputs.  maganda ba experience mo sa contractor mo? if so, penge naman ng contact nila.

[aquacharly]

Yes, the inputs of TIGERLILY are the basics to consider.

May I add:  check the permit requirements for your renovations -- the LGU requirements as well as your association's/village's.  The latter's requirements will affect the final costings of your contractor... be sure to discuss these with the contractor before the contract is finalized, baka yan pa magamit na loophole against you to upgrade the total contract cost.

For example,  your village may require each worker submits an NBI clearance and pays up for a temporary village ID;  or that the contractor put up plastic sheeting on the perimeter walls shared with neighbors to shield the neighbors from disturbance and dust.  There are costlier village requirements such as cash bonds,  fees on each truck entry whether to deliver materials or to bring out debris (in our village, the fee starts at P2thou per 1 entry and 1 exit).

Plan your schedule well... materials for laborers to work on should always be available.. otherwise, you are paying for laborers to make tunganga while your materials are being bought pa.

The bigger stores offer better discounts... but estimate the advantage there vs the delivery cost.   

My personal advice:  do not listen to your contractor's request for advances... just pay for what has been accomplished as per the timetable agreed upon.  Atchaka, do not entertain requests of the laboreres to make "bale".  Mga gimmick na ganyan eh... generally, bumabagsak sa pagtakbo ng contractor at pag disappear ng laborer tapos hindi mo macollect the laborer's IOU from the contractor kasi eh ikaw nag decide magpautang eh.

IF tatakbuhan ka ng contractor, and you will get a replacement contractor -- that is a big waste of funds.   So mind that you  put yourself vs your contractor always in the psoition of his having more to lose than you by his abandoning you.

[tiggerlily]

^ since nabanggit na rin ni sis aquacharly ang permits.... my gulay! ang permits sa qc took us 3 months para macomplete. super tagal. siguro kaya uber marked up ang price sa amin ng mga contractor that we opted to have labor contract na lang. pwede mo ito isama sa contract price. tapos contractor na ang maglalakad nito. lucky you if di ka qc resident.

[chellerocker]

And Yess Ms.tiggerlily..Ok [textspeak!] contractor nyo owner side sya..architect ba [textspeak!] contractor or civil?! kc mahirap yan kpag walang architect ei..minsan kc ang contractor civil ei..isa pa [textspeak!] permit [textspeak!] bkt ganun katagal weeks [textspeak!] yan ei imposible [textspeak!] 3months..bka wala kakilala [textspeak!] contractor [textspeak!] sa munisipyo..imposible un mali diskarte nya pineperahan [textspeak!] kau nun pera pera usapan marami kmi kilala ganyan lalo na sa manila cityhall..

[tiggerlily]

yun contractor namin labor lang. kaya hindi kasama ang permits. yung mga contractor na nag-quote sa amin before sobrang mahal. as in, double-triple the price ng gastos namin ngayon.

[tiggerlily]

madalas magpromo ang wilcon/home depot. basta malalaking hardwares. so keep on coming back to these shops to check them out. ask for the cash price palagi. kung parehas lang din i-card mo na lang para next month mo na babayadan - wag mo lang kakalimutan ha. kaso minsan kapag may discount na di na nila ipapacard sa yo. might as well pay in cash.

ask ko din lang, kailangan ba talaga may mga cornices at baseboards? parang hindi kasi ako nagagandahan e. lalo na contemporary ang design na gusto ko. e wala naman yatang ganung design para sa cornices and baseboards. parang gastos lang sya e.

[happy_pomelo]

^It's your option naman sis.   If you want to do away with cornices you might opt for recessed ceiling instead (with cove lighting) for a modern look.

[tiggerlily]

^ flat ceiling lang kami. sa sala lang may recessed ceiling. baka yun maliit na maliit na baseboard na lang. parang wala akong makitang walang ganun e.

[aquacharly]

madalas magpromo ang wilcon/home depot. basta malalaking hardwares. so keep on coming back to these shops to check them out. ask for the cash price palagi. kung parehas lang din i-card mo na lang para next month mo na babayadan - wag mo lang kakalimutan ha. kaso minsan kapag may discount na di na nila ipapacard sa yo. might as well pay in cash.

ask ko din lang, kailangan ba talaga may mga cornices at baseboards? parang hindi kasi ako nagagandahan e. lalo na contemporary ang design na gusto ko. e wala naman yatang ganung design para sa cornices and baseboards. parang gastos lang sya e.

If you say your home style is  "contemporary"  it usually means it is a modern take on classic styles.. or, may pagka eclectic... generally it is what the nicer American homes look like nowadays.    
In which case,  contemporary homes do have baseboards and cornices.  Bakit ka napapangitan?  There are endless choices or variations -- tiaga lang dapat architect mo to propose alternatives if you rejected his choice.


I noticed that with the "modern - Asian" homes... most have no baseboards nor cornices.. Most do have the coves or recessed lighting.

   IMO -- baseboards are practical ... hides dirt well from the wall bottoms.   

[aquacharly]

^ since nabanggit na rin ni sis aquacharly ang permits.... my gulay! ang permits sa qc took us 3 months para macomplete. super tagal. siguro kaya uber marked up ang price sa amin ng mga contractor that we opted to have labor contract na lang. pwede mo ito isama sa contract price. tapos contractor na ang maglalakad nito. lucky you if di ka qc resident.

For QC residents... bigyan ko kayo ng tip para hindi tumagal your permit processing.   1st check that ALL requirements are there.  2nd... hehe, deal with 1 of the at least 3 syndicates handling the processing of permits.  Mag canvass ka which of the 3 will give you the better cost.   

O sige, mga taga City Hall dyan sa QC deny this... but that is my experience.. repeated experience.   Ask around sa mga QC friends nyo... you just  may get a discount from their referral as to which group handles it for a lesser fee.

[tiggerlily]

^oh well, sana napag-usapan na natin ito before. hehe! thanks sis! sa susunod na construction na lang. pag-iisipan ko yang cornices at baseboards na yan.

[aquacharly]

It is easy to add cornices and baseboards... you do not need to wait for renovations even...  sa US di ba... "weekend home improvement project" lang mga yan.

Teka ha, do not DIY yan.
Kelangan ma check if your current ceiling can support kung anong cornice gusto mo.

These cornices do not even have to be made of wood... hehe   the alternative is plain plaster of paris... measurements are made.. molds are made...and there, you have your custom-made cornices.   
Mas magaan atchaka dinidikit lang yan. 

[tiggerlily]

sige, research ko yan plain plaster of paris. thanks so much sis!

[tiggerlily]

blast from the past: the bungalow house we had when we were kids before it was renovated. wala syang baseboards or cornices. but it appeared like it has baseboards because of paint. it looks like this:

http://www.enonhall.com/images/10022006/baseboard.jpg

at dahil pinasasakit ng cornices at baseboards ang ulo ko, baka ganito na lang gawin ko. ang main purpose lang naman ng cornices at baseboards is to hide the gaps from wall to ceiling and wall to floor - especially for wooden floors. kasi nageexpand daw yun.

nahihinayang lang ako sa labor dahil kasama sa contract ito. pero kung ipapa-paint ko na lang sya like the image above, makakatipid ako sa materyales. same amount of paint din naman ang macoconsume ko dahil may paint din ang baseboards.

so there... hindi na ko maglalagay para makasave. unless i'd find a better and frugal option.