House Construction Team

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The house construction team is consist of numerous people including professionals, skill workers, etc. who will contribute to the completion of your new home.

If you are planning to do house construction with yourself, you have to deal with the construction team. Effective management is necessary to avoid delays, conflicts and extra cost.

The following are the person who will be involved in house construction

Architect/Draftsman

Architect or draftsman will be responsible for making a house plan. A house plan is consist of a list of drawing that defines the construction specification of a residential house such as dimension, floor layout, materials to be used, installation methods, techniques, etc.

Engineer

The work of construction engineer includes setting up the work according to drawing and specification on the house plan and supervises the work of the construction team. He will be responsible for the management of construction. Also, he reviews the plans and financial projections for the job

Foreman

A foreman is the one who is occupies the supervisory duties over mason and laborer. He should have a solid background in the construction field and has extensive experience so that he has the ability to direct work of others and make quick decisions. Duties of foreman includes delegates task to construction workers, make sure that sites are clean and free from hazardous materials prior the beginning of the construction project, monitor daily construction to ensure quality, take of the materials to be used on the construction site and many more.

Mason

He is the one who will do most of the work for building. Mason work includes main building brickwall, column structure, earth work, install bricks and other cement-based materials, operated heavy duty equipment’s, drainage, other civil works and usually assigned to do the heavy tasks.

Carpenter

The carpenter is the one who makes ceiling, kitchen cabinet, built-in cabinet, bedroom cabinet, windows, doors, etc.  He works with materials including woods, plastic, fiberglass or dry wall. He is also responsible for installing cabinet and moldings, doors, etc.

Electrician

The construction electrician will be the one who will installed electrical in the house. He should be capable of laying out, installing, testing, troubleshooting and repairing electrical systems to provide light, heat, communication and power to a range of new and existing residential.

Plumber

The plumber is responsible for the installation and repair of water supply lines, waste disposal systems, and related appliances and fixtures to keep homes flowing smoothly.
Construction worker. – Construction worker is also called construction laborer.  They help and assist the mason, carpenters. Their work includes load and unload construction materials, distribute materials, mix and pour concrete asphalt, remove debris, erect concrete forms and scaffolding, etc.

Welder

The welder is the one who will make roof trusses, windows grills, door grills, gate, and other works that requires joining of metal products.

Painter

This person is the one who applies paint, stain and coatings to walls, cabinets, doors, ceiling and buildings, and other structures. He applies paint or other finishes using hand brushes, rollers or sprayers.

Step by Step House Construction Guides

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You really want to have your own house but you don’t know how and where to start. It is important make to at least know steps in preparing for your dream house.

If you don’t know what to expect and where to begin, here are some tips for your house construction.

1. Describe the project scope.

First you should know the type of your house you want like a bungalow style or a multi-storey house. Decide how many rooms you want and how big is your house. Of course, it will also depend on your budget. Make the list of everything and decide how much money you would spend for your house. A well-define scope can get an accurate quotes and can prevents extra charges for add on works later on.

2. Hire an architect or draftsman and interior designer

Once you already decide the description of your house, you need to hire an architect or draftsman to make a house plan. An architect will help you to draw the perspective of your house as well as the floor plan of your house. They also know the type of materials you can use for your house and how you can save money and effort for your house. You can get research or get recommendation from friends and family for the right architect for your house.

3. Choose a contractor or home builders
A contractor is one who is responsible for your house construction process. He or she will be the one who will supervise the house during construction and lead the team of skilled workers, laborers, carpenters, electricians, welders, plumbers, etc. Some contractor is also and architect so it may happen that the contractor is also the one who make a house plan. To choose the best contractor, it is important to investigate their work and attitude by visiting their previous work and talk to their previous clients.

4. Approve plans and house specifications

Your architect or contractor will show you their design plan and material specification and it is now ready for your approval. It also shows you the cost of construction and their professional fees. Always double check if you are satisfied with their design and approve also the estimated cost of your contractor. Always make sure that you get the design you want within your budget. At this point you can request revision and adjustment before entering to the construction phase to avoid additional cost of service.

5. Sign construction contract

Make sure to check the construction contract before signing. See if your verbal agreement with your contractor is all written in the contract. The contract includes the scope of work, construction phase with corresponding target dates, schedule of payments, legal issues, warranty, etc.

6. Monitor your house construction

It is very important to keep in touch with your contractor during house construction in order to fix unexpected issues at the earliest possible time to prevent any cost. Regular visits will help you to monitor the quality of work and construction progress.

7. Make a list

A list includes the items that not yet completed; need repairs, or unacceptable quality of works. At the end of construction process, inspect everything with your contractor to know the things that must be addressed.

Qualities of a Good Contractor

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One of the hardest decisions to make is to choose a best contractor or builders for your dream house.  If you choose a wrong contractor your house might be suffer as well as your budget.

Here are some qualities of a good contractor.

1.    A contractor should have a minimum experience of at least 3 to 5 years so that he may know how to deal with construction issues as well as to architecture and designs. Managing a construction requires knowledge about architecture and must know every aspect of construction from basic repairs to designing home and buildings. Contractor should assure that his subcontractors complete their task on time with the highest level of quality.

2.    A good contractor should have good reputation. A reputation will be dependent of the quality of work of a contractor as well as his service offered and character. To find out contractor’s reputation is to ask previous clients about their work and character.

3.    A contractor should communicate very well. The contractor should be able to discuss and explain to you in details how the work should be done.  Also, a contractor should know how to listen to their client so that he may know exactly what the client’s wants and explain the best options or alternative way for their request. During house construction, it is important that your contractor will always update you in their work.

4.    A good contractor should have integrity. Integrity means a quality of being honest and has strong moral principles so a contractor with integrity will never over charge their client or customer and will always do exactly what they say. A contractor is responsible and keep the site organized and disposed trash properly.

5.    A good contractor should be flexible.  A contractor should have the ability to manage projects efficiently since construction involves everything from foundation, building frames to plumbing, painting, electrical installation, trusses and roofing, window and door installation, and painting. A contractor should be able to follow the time frame that set by the client. It means that the contractor can work extra hours, weekends or even evenings just to ensure that everything is well.

Tips Before House Construction

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It is good to seek advice for those who already experiencing the stress and pressure of starting a house construction. Constructing your dream house is a large investment so it is essential to be careful in every decision you make to avoid regret in the future and to minimize the cost of your dream house.
Here are some points before proceeding for the house construction:

1. Budget

Know how much you can afford for your dream house and know the cost of your dream house. Chances are you may need construction loan or mortgage loan. Know the approximate cost of your dream house so that you can help you to modify your building plans and meet your budget.

2. Lot or Location

One of the most crucial decisions to make is to choose a lot or area for your dream house. The location or the place should be suited to your lifestyle and the cost should be within your budget. You should investigate the area for water supply, available transportation, drainage, security, accessibility, amenities, etc.

3. Designer, Builders or Contractor

Another hardest decision to make is to choose a right contractor or builders. Be wise in choosing a contractor, get recommendation to trusted person and investigate their previous work. You get professional contractor like architect or engineer so that they can make your house properly.

4. Make a plan

Prepare a plan for your house depending on your requirements and likes with the help of your architect. Discuss the house layout plan with your family and tell to your architect how much space you needed for each area of the house. Your architect will create the plot plan, floor plan, technical specifications, house estimates, structural drawings, bills of materials, plumbing and electrical drawings.

5.    Contractor’s Agreement

After the approval of the house plan, make sure to have a contractor’s agreement but make to read it before signing. All your verbal agreement should be also written in contractor’s agreement.  The contents of contractor’s agreement includes the description of the project in details, scope of work,  construction time table, contract price, mode of payment,  legal issues, house warranty, etc.

Ways to Save for House Construction

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Building your dream house entails a large amount of money so you should know some ways to lower the cost of your house. When you cut some cost for your house, never sacrifice the quality of your house to avoid regret in the end. Low quality house means more maintenance cost in the future.

Here are some tips on ways to save money for your house construction:

1. Spend within your budget

Choose a design of the house within budget. Like for instance, you can make your house simple without compromising the quality. Focus on the design and ask your builder or designer on how to cut down cost for the design.

2. Finalize your space needed

You can reduce the size of your house depending on what you need. Like for instance, you can adjust the size of the room, living room, and kitchen or storage room to cut down cost for the square meter. Also, you can try to reduce the size of the hallways.

3. Choose a contractor or a builder that good reputation.

Don’t go to the contractor or builder that offers you a lower cost per square meter because their work might be shoddy or substandard. You are not saving money if your redo the work in just few years. Get estimates from someone who gets a good reviews from your friends, relatives or co-workers. You can get several bids and select contractor wisely.

4. Avoid change order during construction

Make sure to monitor your house during construction to avoid modification. Communicate with your builder or contractors regularly or everyday so that you may know even the small details for your house. Some minor changes mean a lot of money. Your builder or contractor may charge you extra money if you request extra work or changes in designs.

5. Purchase materials on your own.

Ask or talk to your contractor for possible sourcing your own materials. Contractor may charge you extra money for the material so you can makes several inquiries to different supplier for much lower cost of materials and possible to get discounts.

6. Choose high quality material

Choosing high quality materials will absolutely reduce maintenance costs. If you go to cheap roofing materials, windows, or sliding, it means that you will probably have to replace them sooner rather than later.

House Construction Process

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Construction new home is one of the biggest investments one can ever made because it entails a big amount of money as well as effort and time. One should know or at least familiarize himself on the house construction process so that the owner will understand if the house is properly constructed.

Building your dream is always exciting most especially when you understand the construction process. Here are some basic house construction process:

1. Preparing for the site
It include the clearing the area such as removing trees and other obstacles and cleaning the area. Also, making barracks for the construction workers as well the storage of materials such as cement and the like.

2. Excavation and layout
Once the clearing of the area is done, excavation and lay outing will be the next step. The excavation and layout process will begin by positioning a surveying instrument directly over the work points that was located seen in the house plan.

3. Foundation
Foundation process includes creating footings, slab, sub slab, foundation drainage system, foundation walls, anchor bolts and beam rockets, water proofing, slab and backfill soil. It involves the pouring of cement.

4. Framing
Framing is the process of fitting together a pieces to give structure a support and shape.

5. Roofing
Roofing activities includes making trusses and installation of roof on the house

6. Door and window installation
The door and windows will be installed to your house. The door can be made of wood while the windows can be sliding windows or jalousie windows depending on the house plan.

7. Electrical
Electrical process includes temporary electric and underground conduit, the rough in, more temporary needs, modification and warranty.

8. Plumbing
Plumbing is the installation of pipes, tanks, fittings, and other materials that will be used for water supply, heating and sanitation. It also includes the installation of kitchen and bathroom faucet, showers, toilets, jetmatic and the like.

9. Plastering
Plastering is used as coating for external and internal surface of the wall. Cement plaster is usually applied to the wall.

10. Ceiling
A ceiling is the overhead interior surface that covers the upper space. Ceiling can be metal furring or flywood.

11. Septic Tank
A septic tank is a component of septic system. A septic system is a self-contained underground in which sewage is collected and allowed to decompose through bacterial activity before draining be means of leaching field.

12. Flooring
Flooring is the installation of tiles or granite on the floor.

13. Cabinet
Setting up kitchen cabinet and built in cabinet.

14. Painting
Painting is the process of applying paint on walls, ceiling, and other parts of the house.

How to Contract your Own Home

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Are you dreaming to have your own home but don’t want to have a contractor and as far as you know you are capable of doing the job of the contractor. So here are some steps to contract your own house?

1.    Do a Financial Plan

Ideally, you have to do a budget before thinking of having your own house. You should follow the allotted budget for the lot purchase to balance between land cost and construction cost and to make sure that you are develop within your means.

2.    Finding a lot for your home

Of course, before planning to construct your dream home, you should have lot or a piece of land where you can build your home. You should choose a lot that is suited to your budget. Investigate first before buying a lot to know if the area is safe to live and has amenities as well if the place is accessible to your work, school, church, market, etc.

3.    Prepare for house plan

Decide whether you construct a bungalow or two-storey house.  You can get the help of a draftsman or an architect in order to do a house plan which shows how the house will be built as well as the plans and specification of materials. House plan will determine what the home will look like and how big it is as well as the materials to be used.  It includes the foundation plan, floor plan, site plan, elevation, and other construction details.

4.    Do estimates

One should prepare an estimate for house construction in order to know how much money needed for your house construction.  Cost estimates include the materials to be used in your house construction and the labor cost such as subcontractor cost. You can be dealing with different subcontractors in order to choose the best price with quality works. Also, you can go to different supplier (hardware) for the estimates of materials.  Also, includes the cost of required documents for your house construction.

5.    Make house construction schedule

It consists of detailed schedule showing the sequence of construction procedures.  It only shows how activities overlap for instance two or more activities going on at the same time. Also, it includes the duration of each activity.

6.    Prepare for financial budget

Prepare your financial budget for your house to avoid delays of your house construction.  If you decide to lend some money from bank or other lending institution, make sure that you have stable job so that you can pay your loan on time.

7.    Secure building and construction permits

Make sure that you have all the necessary permits and documents before proceeding to house construction.

8.    House construction process

As contractor of your house, you will be in-charge of all the duties and responsibilities including hiring a person who will construction your house such as mason, labors, foreman, etc., dealing with subcontractors, computing payrolls, paying for the bills, purchasing of materials, etc. It is also a good idea to hire someone knowledgeable about house construction processes; it could be an engineer or architect to check for quality of works.

9.    Supervise and monitor house construction

It is important that you monitor the works of your people to avoid modification of work.

10.    Move in

After house construction, you and your family can now move in to your dream home.

Free Bungalow Estimates

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Last 2010, me and my husband decided to build our home, bungalow type since we have a 150 sq. meter land. Let me share the bill of materials estimate of our Architect and contractor of our home way back 2010.

Every year, the cost of materials increase as well as labor so better decide and plan on how to be able to save for your dream house. If you decide to have mortgage loan, go ahead, just make sure that you are ready emotionally and financially. Building your own house is stressful so one must be prepared to handle the possible problems during house construction. Make sure that you have estimates for your dream house so that you can foresee the possible cost and be prepared for it.

Let me share our bill of materials for our bungalow house way back 2010. Expects that it is pretty high today compared to the below estimates. Our bungalow is 65 sq meter floor plan with 3 bedrooms, 1 cr/bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen.

Bill of Materials and Estimates

I. Concrete and Masonry Works – Php 398, 502.50

II. Carpentry – 38,778.00

III . Steel Trusses – 45, 485.00

IV. Roofing Materials – 61,772.50

V. Doors – 20,792.00

VI. Windows – 45,300.00

VII. Plumbing Rough In – 15,340.00

VIII. Tile Works – 57,345.00

IX. Electrical Works – 16,720.00

X. Painting Works – 53,750.00

XI. Embankment / Earthfill – 45,000.00

Total – Php 798,782.00

SUMMARY

A. Material Cost – Php 798,782.00
B. Labor Cost – 399,391.00

Total Probable Project Cost – Php 1,198,173.00

House Construction Requirements

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In today’s busy world, many people chose to buy a ready house to avoid the tedious work of submitting documents as requirements for house construction. Some are get a developer or contractor that will take care of all the requirements including documents and the people who will construct the house. Preparing documents for the construction is stressful for someone who is busy for their work and family but if you know how to acquire those documents, you can save more money that can be added to your house construction budget to avoid overcharged of your contractor or home builders.

Here are some of the requirements to be submitted in your municipality in order to build your house

  1. Xerox copy Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT)
  2. Xerox copy tax declaration
  3. Xerox copy of current Real Property Tax Receipt
  4. In case the applicant is not the registered owner of the lot
  5. Three copies of duly notarized accomplished application form of locational clearance
  6. 2 sets of Building Plans including site development plan and vicinity map signed and sealed by the Registered Civil Engineer or Architect in case of Architectural and Structural Plan. Sanitary Engineer in case of Sanitary Plan and Electrical Engineer in case of Electrical Plan.
  7. Bills of Materials including estimated cost and specifications.
  8. Xerox of Barangay Construction Clearance
  9. 1 pc brown envelope long
  10. Other requirements that may be necessary upon evaluation of the submitted documents

How to Choose a Right Location for your Home

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It is very important to choose a right location for your home. You may find perfect area but it not a right place for you. Buying a lot is also a large investment so it is necessary to review first before deciding to purchase it. This area should be suitable for your lifestyle.

Here are the following tips on how to choose a right location for you home:

• Instinct
If you have felt something that is not good upon first visit of the location, walk away and find other options.

• Accessibility
Check the location if it is near to your work, children’s school, market, church and any place to you always love to visit.

• Safety
Review if the location is safe. Check if there is a security guard who will protect the entire area.

• Neighborhood
Know your neighborhood because it has a great impact to your lifestyle and everyday living

• Neighbor
Consider knowing your future neighbor so that you may know if you can get along with them such as their hobbies and characters.

• Transport
Verify if the area has a public vehicle so that it is easy to go to one place to another most especially if you do not have your own vehicle.

• Facilities
Investigate if there are proper electricity installation, drainage system and water facilities in the area.

• Monthly Dues
Knows if there are extra expenses you will pay upon living in the area. Some homeowners require the residents to pay monthly dues for garbage collection, security guard and other expenses.

• Amenities
Check if there are amenities that are related to your hobbies and desires such as gyms, basketball courts, swimming pools, restaurant, etc.