Topper in Bacolod

[Topper]

They're not a particular make, from what he told me just a collection of parts.

I think they're used Japanese vehicles that the parts are mixed and matched according to the buyers specs. There are tons here, so I don't think maintenance or parts would be a problem....and they're dirt cheap. I think the ones here are Suzuki.

[malmomike77]

Jap Kei cars and vans. They are jap micro vehicles or based on

[cyrille]

Yeah, there's a load of them around Japan.

'Snub nosed' because of the limited length of home parking spaces.

[katie23]

^Yup, Japanese made. Here in my hood, the brand is Ruso or Rusi(?). There's a dealership in the town next to mine. There are open models (such as the one in Topper's pic) or enclosed models (closed at the back). There are 2-seaters and 4-seaters. It depends on what the clients' wants/ needs are. For the 2 or 4 seaters, you could have A/C installed in the driver's area. Lots of them around my hood. The water refilling businesses usually use them, as do many other small businesses.

Re: Topper's current dwellings, I can see the allure. It's near to everywhere, and not too big. Easy to clean/ maintain. Remember as you age, you'll become less mobile/ agile. Some opt for 1-storey houses as retirement homes because they don't like stairs.

My 80+ year-old aunt lives in a 2-storey townhouse, similar to Topper's place. She lives there with her daughter (my cousin). Auntie hardly ever goes to the 2nd floor or even out of the house, due to her mobility issues. My mom's getting there too (mobility issues).

@topper - for transport, you could consider the Bajaj tricycles (they're Indian-made, I think - the Indian tuktuks). The vlogger Bud Brown has one. You could prolly ask him abt its issues.

You could also consider the 3-wheeler e-bikes. The e-bikes are cheaper than the tuktuks. Problem with e-bikes is battery life. My mom has an e-bike (2 wheeler). She had to replace the battery last year - it was maybe 4 or 5 yrs old. Good thing is that the e-bike dealer is nearby and they have good customer service. They send their rep if you call/ request them.

You'll need a driver's license if you drive a motorbike or tricycle/ tuktuk, but not for an e-bike (whether 2 or 3-wheeler).

[katie23]

Re: topper's dwellings: if they will buy land + build a house on it - there are some issues. They first have to buy land - cheap land would be in the far areas or towns, since anything at the center of town/ city is always more pricey. They'll have to seal the deal, then have it titled. The titling process is 3 to 6 months (based on my experience). It could probably be faster if you greased some palms (which I didn't). One could build a house/ apply for building permit even if the land only has a Deed of Sale (no title yet).

Then when they build a house, they'll have to find a good & honest contractor. It would be ideal if one of them (preferably the Mrs since she speaks the language) is there to supervise the work everyday. Building a house is stressful too - just from looking at the various build threads here.

An alternative that I mentioned to Tops is buying a ready-made house, either a detached house (Ayala Devt has those, there's Amaia Scapes in Bacolod) or a row house (attached townhouse). Problem is, those rowhouses are usually built poorly since they're mass-made and the developers usually cut corners. Advantage is, you can buy them on installment (so many locals opt for them bcos they don't have large amounts of cash).

Tops said that he didn't want an attached rowhouse because of nosy neighbours (which I can understand). @tops - you could consider buying an end-unit/ corner unit so you'll only have a neighbour on 1 side.

Those subdivisions/ moobans are usually in far-off areas - they'll need some form of transport. I've already shown to Tops a vid of DECA Homes in South Bacolod - it's in an earlier post. They call those rowhouses "rent-to-own".

The thing with renting vs rent-to-own is that for renting, you're paying the landlord every month and the place will never be yours. For those rent-to-own places, after some time it will be yours.

If Tops & his landlord can come up with a rent-to-own agreement (or outright sale agreement), then it would be win-win for both, IMHO.

[Topper]

f Tops & his landlord can come up with a rent-to-own agreement (or outright sale agreement), then it would be win-win for both, IMHO.

We're going to be talking to the landlord in October about that. He's also a former head of the real estate council so he knows what's up.

[panama hat]

They both worked for donations

That's very impressive - living up to their own convictions - good for them. Thank you for the explanation.

Today, I would like to announce that the PI government approved a permanent resident visa for me.

Well done!!!

[katie23]

@topper - good luck on your negotiations with your landlord. I hope you come up to a mutually beneficial agreement. You should give him an offer that he can't refuse. . (but not a horse's head!)

Re: transport options, the Ruso/ Rusi Japanese mini-trucks are called "multicabs" here. (the name eluded me for some time). I think the range is 250 to 350k, if 2nd hand - but those are pre-pandemic prices (from a vid that I once watched).

The Bajaj (Indian-style) tuktuk is ~P170k, if I remember correctly from an owner, but that was pre-pandemic price too.

My mom's e-bike (2-seater) was P25k, around 4 or 5 years ago. A 3-seater e-bike would prolly cost ~P50k now.

As I've mentioned, vlogger Bud Brown has the Bajaj tuktuk. I think if it's only for buying groceries & errands around town, it's adequate. But if you want to travel around the island, transport bigger materials, etc. then the Ruso multicab is better for longer distances (and you can put A/C in it). You'll need a bigger parking space for a multicab vs tuktuk. Both the tuktuk & multicab would need vehicle registration renewals & insurance (so factor that in).

Good luck in your future endeavours.

[katie23]

@Tops, I remembered these things while watching house construction/ renovation vids.

The couple "Tom and Ruth Philippines" (or similar) live in a modular house. Tom (American) had the house shipped from China - it was flat-packed and assembled on their land. You can check his channel for details.

Another alternative is this house mainly made from galvanized iron (GI) sheets. The makers are the Jacinto company - they make roofing materials (and paints too, I think). RJ Jacinto is/ was very famous rock star/ guitarist from the late 60s to 70s - my dad knows about him. One of their many businesses is an FM radio station, DZRJ. Anyway, his (family) company also makes modular homes. There are no English subtitles so ask your wife to translate for you. The company also has a website. Accdg to the vid, the houses withstood Typhoon Odette (cat 4 typhoon in Dec 2021).

For modular houses, you can own the structure but your wife would own the land (if you bought land) = similar to rules in TH. You can also look into houses made from shipping containers. I've seen some coffee shops in my hood use those.

These are just suggestions/ possible alternatives. I saw the vid about the metal modular houses while watching vids from Architect Ed some weeks ago. I've watched many of his vids since he has many tips about house construction. The vid is in Taglish, so you'll prolly understand some of it.



Edit: I rewatched the vid. Based on the comments, the price is high for the type of house. You could prolly copy the design & build it for less cost. They used steel framing for the roof & walls, steel sheets for walls, double wall using Hardieflex/ cement board for outside walls & room partitions. If you're worried about heat, you could put styrofoam/ insulation inside the double wall. You can make the bathroom part purely concrete - that's what I would do if I built this type of house. This type of house would be faster & easier to construct than the conventional concrete house.

It's your decision, just giving you options/ suggestions in case your landlord doesn't agree to your bid. Cheers!

[Topper]

There's a company in Iloilo that makes prefab houses as well. Could you imagine what a hard rain sounds like inside of a shipping container?

You did give me an idea though....

Ideally, I would like beachfront property with a raised house bolted to a concrete pad under the house. If I used shipping containers for the house bolted to steel framework under the house, I'm guessing it would be pretty much typhoon/earthquake proof. I'd cover the house with a big heavy roof so the house was always in the shade and spray the walls with insulation to keep the heat out.

Start with something from here maybe: Products - SMARTHOUSE

[katie23]

^I looked at your link - interesting! I've seen coffee shops made of shipping containers. They're quaint and have their own kind of aesthetic.

I've also seen shipping containers being used as the "barracks" for construction workers in large orojects. Commercial projects wherein the workers wear PPE like helmets, safety shoes, uniform shirts, masks for welding, etc. Quite different from your neighbourhood Juan (or Somchai) wearing shorts & flip flops on a cobstruction site!

If you + mrs were to buy/ build a house, consider the number of years that you'll possibly live in it. I think you're near 60? So maybe 20 to 30 years more? How much of your money do you want to put into the house? How much for a vehicle? Do you want to be climbing stairs when you're 80+? (my mom & aunt don't like stairs at their age) Mr Norton is 80(?), I think, and still spry - so kudos to him!

If you live in the city/ town center, you won't really need a vehicle since taxis are abundant. If you live in far areas, you'll need a vehicle.

When I first went to Puerto Galera, I had the idea of buying land (beachfront) and retiring there. But then on my second visit, it was dry season and I experienced water shortage, power cuts and noticed that gasoline prices are higher (than in Luzon). I've also read about the effect of salt/ sea water/ sea air and how it can corrode your house or car. Those factors changed my mind about living near the sea, specifically Puerto Galera!

(I'm trying to study/ decide whether to use steel deck instead of traditional concrete pour for the slab/ beams of my future build.)

If you want to know how much a house (bungalow) in PH would cost the traditional way (concrete), you can watch this. It has English subtitles. The vlogger is a Filipino civil engineer based in Dubai. Just fast forward the part with the sponsor.

Cheers!

[malmomike77]

(I'm trying to study/ decide whether to use steel deck instead of traditional concrete pour for the slab/ beams of my future build.)

Katie i assume you are talking about the first floor, surely not the base?

[malmomike77]

Katie, on the assumption that this build is a long term investment and you are going to live there then buy the best you can afford (push yourself) and don't penny pinch or short cut - you'll regret it. You only live once, we'll in the Phils you do, its different in Thailand

Consider that exposed metal it doesn't have to be outside and dissolves in the the tropics and its welds and that these so called Utoob experts are only there for 15 minutes just like all the beauty ads and you never see them in ten years all ragged and knackered . Ignore them they know fuk all beyond what they are making now - go look at older stuff that's weathered and lived a life and how it was made and don't just look at Phils construction, there's a world of Asia beyond your shores.

[katie23]

@mike - thank you for the insights. I'll answer you further in my EPS thread in the construction subforum, so that ppl can chime in from there. Ta.

[katie23]

@topper - if you're interested in houses made of shipping containers, you may also want to consider this: house made with metal cladding walls. This is similar to the Jacinto company's prefab house but it will be cheaper. Their 25 sqm house (bare type, meaning no double wall) was P225k. For the same price, you can probably build (DIY) something double to that (50 or 60 sqm).

These days DIY guys used rib type galvanized iron (GI) sheets, styrofoam for insulation & plywood for the double wall. If I was to choose, I'd use Hardieflex (fiber cement board) since it's fire, water & termite resistant. Disadv of Hardieflex: you can punch it easily and make a hole in it (the 4.5 mm thickness which is usually used for walls; for ceilings it's the 3.5 mm type).

I don't know if this will cost less, more or same as a shipping container house of the same size (you'll have to research). For the containers, you're limited by the size (20 ft or 40 ft in length, 4 ft in width - of course you can double the width if you find that 1 container is too narrow.) I've investigated container homes some years ago, for a different purpose.

Anyway, here are the vids. There's no talk, just builders building. I reckon if one was to make a house (not just a room) similar to that, it would take less than a month. This was done in General Santos City (GenSan) in Mindanao. It's the hometown of Manny Pacquiao. (So I guess they know how to do this in the provinces.)

Just watch them at 1.5 or 2x speed.

Part 1


Part 2

[katie23]

Hey Topper, this came out in my YT feed bcos I'm watching all sorts of construction vids. It's the installation of a prefab house from Smarthouse Phils. Accdg to the comments, the house cost them around P400k for 2 containers (around 7300 usd), including shipping fees.

There's no talk, just builders building. Watch at faster speed.


Edit: this one was recommended too. Different company - PH based but materials came from China. The house is raised by ~1 m and there are footings underground. The insulator used was rockwool & each wall panel was 2 to 3 inches in thickness.

The house doesn't have a toilet or kitchen, so I wonder where they do those stuff. They probably live on family land & share the kitchen & toilet with the "main house". He said he ran out of budget for those things, as well as proper stairs. It's a work in progress. He said he'll build the kitchen & toilet when he has more $$$. In the comments, he said that total cost, including shipping, installation & the materials + labor for the columns was ~P450k.

[Topper]

^ Thanks, I'll take a look.

[katie23]

^you're welcome. I've read the comments for the 2nd vid (the raised one). Re: heat, he said the units are still hot despite the insulation, esp during noon-ish. He later installed a box type A/C unit.

Another issue that he had was the drainage from the roof. The water from the downspout would form pools beneath the cement columns, so in later vids he made a pipe system to draw the water away from the containers. I think he intends to build a kitchen/ bathroom area in between the 2 containers, making it like a U. He & wife sleeps in one, their kid sleeps in the other. He's also built a metal stairway for the 1st unit (the one which he & wife occupies). He said he raised the containers since their land is in a low area and also for easier maintenance under the units (critters could attack it). It's an interesting setup.

[Topper]

Here's a story that's not heard in Thailand - The tale of two visas!

If you look carefully at the following picture, you'll notice that the top visa has an expiration date, like every visa issued in Thailand. However, if you look at the second visa in red at the bottom of the page, you'll notice something missing....that's right, an expiration date. This is the same as a marriage Non-O in Thailand, only I don't have to renew it every year. No 90 days, I can get a job without a work permit, etc, etc. And in the PI, I can get SPAM and shawarma pizzas!!

[katie23]

Congrats, Topper!

AFAIK you'll have to go to an Immigration office yearly for the annual report (of foreigners). It occurs from January to March (I think) and you'll have to pay a fee of ~P500 (~9 usd).

If ever I visit my friend in Iloilo, I'll include Bacolod in my itinerary. We can have a SPAM pizza party!

[Topper]

That would be great Katie!

[DrWilly]

Oh my…and may I assume that the spam pizza also has pineapple?

[Topper]

Oh my…and may I assume that the spam pizza also has pineapple?

Of course...the whole salty/sweet contrast thing works very well. It's like chocolate covered bacon or the sugar/salt combination to dip fruit in.

[TizMe]

AFAIK you'll have to go to an Immigration office yearly for the annual report (of foreigners). It occurs from January to March (I think) and you'll have to pay a fee of ~P500 (~9 usd).

Must be done on or before 1 March. The fee is PHP310.
Also make sure that you keep your receipt, because they often want to check it next year to make sure that you didn't skip the previous year.

[Topper]

Must be done on or before 1 March. The fee is PHP310.
Also make sure that you keep your receipt, because they often want to check it next year to make sure that you didn't skip the previous year.

Yep, did it this year, but I had to jump through some hoops as it was my first time. I had to register on a website, get the QR code from the site and provide it to immi here.

The rain here over the last 24 hours has probably been among the heaviest I've ever seen...and I grew up with hurricanes in Florida. It has simply been pissing down beyond belief. One of the tuber's got out and did a city tour this morning. Keep in mind it's still coming down like crazy, I can't imagine what it's like downtown now.