Future in Philippines, buying property/building house

[javadown2 308]

On 11/27/2018 at 7:54 PM, payxibka said:

A full basement will be dependent on how high the water table is.  If it is near the surface it would possibly make a usuable full basement impractical

More then likely the water level is well below the surface where the property sits, but I suppose it would need some dig tests like they do with septic systems in US to tell.

[Hank_ 9,171]

34 minutes ago, javadown2 said:

More then likely the water level is well below the surface where the property sits, but I suppose it would need some dig tests like they do with septic systems in US to tell.

 

This guy built a house with a basement in the Phils.

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2CLB04I8SLTDd1i4eievQ

[javadown2 308]

On 11/27/2018 at 3:30 PM, mrsartis said:

The coast is pretty close to the metro and my family lives about 3 hours away. 

 

You  are right about the appliances 😭 I’m glad they have Lazada, shoppee now but man not the same quality of what we have here. I have to ave my coffee in the morning, and instant is ok, but meh.. Angeles city, Subic has 110v and my fam is from Clark  my property on the other hand is a little south of Angeles city, so no 110v for us  my hair iron isn’t getting hot

I didn't even think about the 110v..dang  

 

For our kitchen we are thinking full on IKEA (which is suppose to open up in a couple years in like 3 or 4 locations in Philippines!). They are nice and reasonably priced. 

[javadown2 308]

1 minute ago, Hank_ said:

 

This guy built a house with a basement in the Phils.

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2CLB04I8SLTDd1i4eievQ

I think it's not a big deal other then getting the building permit and plans approved. Will see..also think it's a great option for Philippines because it helps keep it cooler then above ground.

[payxibka 10,044]

1 hour ago, javadown2 said:

More then likely the water level is well below the surface where the property sits, but I suppose it would need some dig tests like they do with septic systems in US to tell.

Boring holes with a percolation test.  You'd be surprised.   I was in an area where there was no water for miles  and sitting up high but the ground was wet just 15 feet down making for a very wet basement 

Edited November 29, 2018 by payxibka

[Chris Duffy 1,256]

I wouldn't bother building a house. You can rent a nice home in Mindanao region for around $250 per month.  You get tired of the area or someone decides to build a pig farm next to your home, or you have the town drunk who play Video K all night long and then the time and money you spent can be a waste.

 

I want to be mobile when  move to the PHilippines, I have no desire to be tied to one area or one place.

 

 

[lolhahaha 6]

You can buy transformers for the appliances from the US if you want to bring them here. I've flown over several times with stuff like a blender and hot plate for the kitchen and tools like circular saw but you can buy those here, and a sawzall which is almost impossible to find here in the Philippines but great for cutting branches off of the trees. I'd bring over a jigsaw too because those are  5000+ pesos here, which is at least double the price in the US for the same cheap jigsaw. The transformers I have are 500w and 2000w. I can run anything in the kitchen off the 2000w and use the others outside. One is for the ceiling fan I shipped over from Home Depot and is in our terrace outside. They sell those here in the hardware stores though so you can just buy a ceiling fan here but a few years ago I couldn't find a ceiling fan anywhere since we live away from the big cities.

[payxibka 10,044]

2 minutes ago, lolhahaha said:

You can buy transformers for the appliances from the US if you want to bring them here. I've flown over several times with stuff like a blender and hot plate for the kitchen and tools like circular saw but you can buy those here, and a sawzall which is almost impossible to find here in the Philippines but great for cutting branches off of the trees. I'd bring over a jigsaw too because those are  5000+ pesos here, which is at least double the price in the US for the same cheap jigsaw. The transformers I have are 500w and 2000w. I can run anything in the kitchen off the 2000w and use the others outside. One is for the ceiling fan I shipped over from Home Depot and is in our terrace outside. They sell those here in the hardware stores though so you can just buy a ceiling fan here but a few years ago I couldn't find a ceiling fan anywhere since we live away from the big cities.

I'm bringing over 20v battery tools the next time.   The chargers don't care if its 220 or 110

[lolhahaha 6]

Yeah the cordless are great but for some reason mine are only 110v. I guess I bought the wrong ones but I just make sure to plug them into the transformer. A couple extra batteries are a good idea also because you probably will never find the same batteries in the Philippines and if you do they might be 2-3 times the price in the US.

[Chris Duffy 1,256]

8 hours ago, lolhahaha said:

You can buy transformers for the appliances from the US if you want to bring them here. I've flown over several times with stuff like a blender and hot plate for the kitchen and tools like circular saw but you can buy those here, and a sawzall which is almost impossible to find here in the Philippines but great for cutting branches off of the trees. I'd bring over a jigsaw too because those are  5000+ pesos here, which is at least double the price in the US for the same cheap jigsaw. The transformers I have are 500w and 2000w. I can run anything in the kitchen off the 2000w and use the others outside. One is for the ceiling fan I shipped over from Home Depot and is in our terrace outside. They sell those here in the hardware stores though so you can just buy a ceiling fan here but a few years ago I couldn't find a ceiling fan anywhere since we live away from the big cities.

How much is the price on a transformer?

 

2000W ?

[Hank_ 9,171]

Basic rule with voltage converters is buy them 2X as big as needed for extensive use.  110V X amps = watts        A 2,000 watt converter max amperage is 18 amp, I personally wouldn't limit it ot 10 amps for extended use .. heat is the killer of these things.   Price is all over the place for converters.     (btw if your power coming from the street is 3 wires, you have 110v   )

 

For buying good tools in the Phils ... MC Home Depot or one of the other "Home Depots"   I think there are three different companies that are called " Home Depot"  in the Phils.

 

 

[Chris Duffy 1,256]

8 hours ago, payxibka said:

I'm bringing over 20v battery tools the next time.   The chargers don't care if its 220 or 110

Your are talking like cordless drill, etc like Dewalt and Milwaukee?

 

I suspect they have built in transformers

[Hank_ 9,171]

"I'm bringing over 20v battery tools the next time.   The chargers don't care if its 220 or 110"

 

I seriously doubt that.  All my DeWalt chargers are clearly marked 120V (ONLY), I had hoped they would be 120 - 240 .. but not.

 

Now I do plan to ship my DeWalt tools over, but I will buy chargers there unless I can find 220/240V  chargers to ship with them.    The Home Depots in the Phils have the cordless chargers.

[lolhahaha 6]

6 hours ago, Chris Duffy said:

How much is the price on a transformer?

 

2000W ?

I think about 4000-5000 pesos. There were also cheap lightweight junk transformers for sale for less than 1/2 that price but I wouldn't trust them.

[payxibka 10,044]

4 hours ago, Hank_ said:

"I'm bringing over 20v battery tools the next time.   The chargers don't care if its 220 or 110"

 

I seriously doubt that.  All my DeWalt chargers are clearly marked 120V (ONLY), I had hoped they would be 120 - 240 .. but not.

 

Now I do plan to ship my DeWalt tools over, but I will buy chargers there unless I can find 220/240V  chargers to ship with them.    The Home Depots in the Phils have the cordless chargers.

Hmmmm.  I checked the ryobi and porter cable charger and they are 110 only. But only pull 7w so a big transformer isn't needed.  Maybe I saw it at harbor fraud .  I will have to check again .  

Edited December 1, 2018 by payxibka