Quote Originally Posted by SteveL View Post
When we were first deciding the buy a house -v-build a house, we looked at sub divisions in Dipolog (my baby's hometown) but to call them over priced shoeboxes is an insult to shoeboxes everywhere. So we decided to buy a plot and build.
Our first foray was a disaster - everytime white face here turned up the asking price was always 1000 peso per sqm so Rebella went looking on her own. Found a beautiful plot , 10,000 sqm 30 mins drive from the centre of Dipolog and agreed 35 peso per sqm!!!! And that's not the best part......the best was seeing the sellers face when I arrived afterwards hehehe.
Building a house comes next, my best advise is to trust your darlings family to arrange labourers, builders, buy materials etc as then it will be "local cost", in other words a fraction of what it costs here to build.
As for security, thats easy, we've arranged with an older brother that when were not there he and his family live in and when we are there they will stay in a guest bungalow were going to build first.
Like any marriage to a Filipino, with the bride comes the family. Its upto you to decide if thats a blessing or a curse. For me, its a blessing as they are all great people
Sound like your a lucky bloke and your wife's family aren't taking the mickey. Good luck to you. You're right about getting the missus to sort things. When we where in olongapo looking for various places to rent I'd have to stay in the tricycle round the corner until LIza had sorted the rent amount, then a quick shout and I'd appear all white and shiny. The look on the faces of the landlords.............priceless.

I think its always going to be a tricky business building in the phils, even more so if they find out about the foreigner who's paying for it all.