Building a house in the Philippines on a budget...

Many foreigners have undertaken and also written about their adventures of building a home in the Philippines. As I approach my latter years it has crossed my mind to also pursue the idea of living in the Philippines. I have read a number of articles, blogs, reviews, peoples thoughts, ideas, mishaps, success and will continue to read and ponder on these as I too build in the Philippines. There is always the good and the bad, but I believe that is anywhere you go, we can not pick our neighbours but we can choose our location.

Three years ago my friend in the Philippines asked if she could buy some land.  It was a small block of land between two houses, backing onto a minor river tributary.  The area is subject to flooding in the wet season but the ground here is slightly higher and the surrounding houses had been there for many years, probably since the war or before. So she acquired the land. It is important that you get the land in your name, it can take years but you want to know that you own it. Land ownership in the Philippines is a problem and not always a simple process.  Foreigners can not own land so you need to consider your options carefully. For me this not a concern. I can give my friend something she and her family could not dream of ever owning. Poverty is wide spread in the Philippines.  It also allows me to take on this project, invest in something worthwhile and have a  place to visit and reside at when I am there. Some will say it is a risk.  Life is a risk, live it or put your feet up!

I watched a short documentary about a women who had retired and was living in Bali on the pension. She lived in a nice comfortable house, had a maid, housekeeper, enjoyed life in what seemed to be paradise. And perhaps it is.  When I consider what lays ahead for me here I look at alternatives. Many many years ago I remember a colleague who retired and went to live somewhere in Spain on the coast. He said it was cheap and he could live quite nicely there on his pension. I doubt you can do that now. I don't wish to just retire to the living room, put my feet up and drink tea wearing slippers. Living overseas may just hold the future and adventure.

Then two years ago my friend came to me with a house plan.  Two story just in case the river rose or the big rains came. The builder was a friend of a friend, had built many houses, could be trusted. Houses are made from concrete. Concrete slabs, concrete blocks, concrete pillars. Concrete withstands the wet. All you need do is travel around the Philippines to see concrete structures. So we went ahead and began the actual build.  The land was cleared, the foundations were laid, the slab was laid, the walls began to rise. The Filipinos are good workers.

I undertook this project with a budget in mind and a time frame of three years. No rush just let it all plod along, no stress, no deadlines. Do what can be done with funds available at the time, and refinance for the next stage.  And that is what I am doing. 

The structure rose block by block, the first floor was started, walls went up, more concrete.  The building as such, I have been assured, will stand the test of time: earthquake, cyclones, wind, rain and flood. I guess I like neat lines and structures which is not the way it seems to be done here. However the builder tells me his houses will last. Given the appearance and ages of other structures in the area still standing I can believe it. 

At the start of this the third year we made some alterations to the house by extending some walls which required the re-enforcing of some ground floor walls.  And the roof was started and finished in 6 weeks, delays because of rain.  Corrugated tin roof, red finish, metal frame work fixed to the wall tops. So now we have a house in lock up mode. The next stage is to finish the interior and exterior.   While there is no rush on the interior I will endeavour to have it completed this year. As to the outside, I intend to have it rendered and coloured.

The house is not big, the intention is to be adequate and comfortable. There are three bedrooms upstairs, the master bedroom with balcony, two reasonable sized smaller bedrooms, and a family room that will double as a bedroom with CR, and awesome views over the river. On the ground level is the kitchen, CR, shower/bath room, eating area, large family room and front porch. All rooms have windows including the front and rear of the house. Eventually there will be two high pillared gates at the front of the property protecting a small garden area leading to the porch and front door.

The budget was $10,000AU and I should fall within that figure which allows for some additional expense on finishing the inside with tiling and fancy stair railing, and who knows maybe some bamboo furniture.  At the end of the day it will be a 'nice little house in the country by a river'.