I loved watching James as he built his amazing house. He seems a wonderful man. What a great meet up 🙂👍

Maricel, Welcome to the PH. House building lessons from our experience. 1. Use no wood in the structure because quality is generally poor and termites are plentiful. You are using concrete which is a mix of agregate (gravel and sand) and cement. Our mix was 1 bag cement two bags sand and 3bags 3/4 inch hard gravel. Each mix makes 5 cubic feet of concrete which is 6 bags cement in a cubic meter. Price hollow blocks add render which is 1 cement and 4 sand and makes 4 cubic feet. The hollow blocks only establish the infill shape to apply 1-1/4 inch of render on, and need the cores filled solid. 4 inch blocks are ugly to fill so use 5 or 6 inch and only a single story on 5 inch. 2 The Philippine government has a downloadable PDF on recommended construction practices for RCCI (reinforced concrete with infill) which is highly recommended. Also wikipedia has formulas for calculating rebar requirements for columns, beams, and floors. Simple algebra, plug in the numbers and find the best balance of materials cost. Read these two things before reviewing your architects plans. The calculations should be available if not included in the eight sheets of drawings ( blueprints required, inkjet prints not accepted) because one of them is for sign off of the structural engineer. If he or she hasn't got at least a work sheet the calculations weren't done. Our calculations showed that poured concrete and no hollow block was cheaper. In practice however, we still rendered the surfaces which made it more expensive although it is much stronger. 3. We have 570 feet of electrical conduit in the living room ceiling, and probably 3000 feet in the entire building. We still managed to forget conduit for the Cat6 cables. We have 10 doors added to satisfy fire codes and get that permit sheet signed. The result of the added doors is furniture placement problems. 4.We changed to a concrete flat roof with 1/4 inch per foot grade for increased living space. That had some curing cracks due to excess rebar being used. That was repaired with latex crack filler which looks bad so we will be installing ceramic tile on the roof for appearance and heat reflection. 5.We installed an 8 foot wide concrete sidewalk which is also the rainwater gutter. This keeps weeds from growing against the building.In future there will be gardening planters around the "moat" 6. First thing to buy is a nepa hut Kubo to hang out in during construction. Ours is 8X8 and delivered set up on piers was P16000. 7. Second thing to buy is a 1 bagger gas powered concrete mixer 8. Only have bags of cement on hand for the next days pour and tie wire the rebar as soon as possible after it is delivered. You can wrap a 3/8 link chain around rebar and padlock it while it is straight and chain beam and column cages in a group. 9. Use phenolic board for forms. The concrete barely sticks to it and cost is similar to plywood. Plywood, ordinary plywood, and marine plywood are poor quality with finger jointed cores that have no glue and voids filled with cement that requires carbide tipped saw blades. 10. we assemble all wood with a drywall drill and screws. The screws are twice the cost but reusable and the wood can be disassembled and used again. The experienced wood is much stiffer than the still green coco lumber. Stack all wood on battens for air circulation or it will mildew in two days. 12. Power tools will greatly reduce the length of build time and improve quality. An angle grinder, better two of those, a 3/8 hammer drill and mitre saw are our most used tools. Wood chizels, a circular saw, and a 390 amp inverter welder also get a lot of use. Buy the best short handled shovels you can find, and only solid made from inch rebar baretta digging bars. This poorly typed and more poorly spelled book by george and aurora

Everybody’s cute I loved to see it and ur hauz is very cool James so nice 👍

Great Video! James & Ness are just awesome folks!

I was so AMAZED watching and listening to your very technical questions, etc., and interactions with James related to those things!!!!!!!! WOW!!!

Yes James is right, take someone honest for your house construction. I am James follower since he started to build thier house.i like ness and James. Dual citizens ok pala para hindi laging mag exit para pag kuha new visa.thank you I enjoyed watching you guys

Beautiful home. Wow! Looks better than several American homes.

You're both are amazing. I love your channel. Stay blessed. Lots of blessings with your house. ❤️🇨🇦

It’s funny to see you visiting James and his missus. I watched his build right through just like yours now. But I’m a bit late with yours.

Hey James & Ness! Thank you for sharing this video it was interesting. I’ve watched your video from episode 1, love your gorgeous house. I wish I could convince my hubby to live in the Pinas he’ll be retiring in two years from his second job. From Jax Florida!!! 😊

James and Necie have such a gorgeous house! Lovely. Hope to see that your Building your own too

A lenghty seminar but fruitful. Happy for you guys, keep Vlogging, Thanks

you’re amazing americans in my country. never stop . enjoy sir.

Beautiful house thanks for sharing from north Carolina U.S.A

Good visit and info sis.. Good conversation which is true and very important for people want to live in Philippines..

I find your channel and watch this full view :) It was a great vlog and interview for both of you :) Have a blessed week and God bless

Thank you 😊 for the blog, my wife and myself are going to start building our house 🏠 next year in Pangasinan, Philippines 🇵🇭 So we are picking up all the tips...👍🏾👴🏾

NICE "BONUS" VIDEO GANG... I'VE watched James from the beginning, all his videos. I JUST subscribed to your channel .

And the house is soooo BEAUTIFUL

❤️ this couple. I never meet them but they seems very lovely like you guys. 😉

Such a Beautiful Home and Couple. Just think 20 yrs from now Couples will come to your House for a Look....

I'm happy to watch American loves Philippines 😘😘😘 I feel like to buy a house there area🥰🥰

New subscriber. Love ❤️ it! Beautiful home

Love that James is so honest with all his experiences in the Philippines

This is really nice! Co-vloggers in one video. Looking good sis :D

Hi retired happy in the philippines I have subscribed to your loverly channel and will enjoy following you both and watching you build in the philippines.salamat for doing this great video of james and necie and his beautiful villa feliz. Your new friends scott arlene and baby cj and snowee our boarder collie. Great video great interview with james and necie . I will be looking forward to doing a section 13A as well .salamat .scott expat in the philippines 👍🇵🇭😎🇦🇺👍

I’m a new sub from My PI Dreams. I just watched James’ video today and will definitely back track your journey as well.👍🏼

Great guard dog lol... he's seems to be even friendlier then James haha!

I got lost in their Subdivision also, Now no problems, Happy Birthday to you both. I am sure we will meet up before too long.

Ang sasaya ng mag babarkada....God bless sa inyo.

Although the American gentlemen speak in English, they look well adapted into the Filipino culture, and even act like one-playful and happy personas :-)

You house is better built than most homes in the US and well thought off. One missing is the solar panels and maybe a Tesla power wall unit. You might have to do some re-wiring on your auto transfer switch to include the solar power input or put a manual transfer switch between your generator or solar power input. Solar only works when you have sunlight so at night some folks have battery backup ( less noisy than the generator). Its a big investment but will cut down on your power bill). Or you can have full solar and use the utility as a backup. You can also sell excess power to your electric utility company’s grid if they allow it ( net metering).👍

My God...i watch these Logs and I wish i had a Pina wife...they are THE BEST....¡¡¡

Beautiful house

Beautiful house and Lovely couple.

lovely couple,,,hi im your new subs from cagayan de oro,,❤❤❤

ganda nman ng lugar nila dame puno

Nice talaga

Woww that was a beautiful visit Thank you kabayan bago po sa bakod nio.

Very interesting and entertaining

Wow...beautiful mansion😲👍👍

I do know Dans Erik ice cream when I was working in paranque they use to serve when there were bdays. It’s creamy and I love more than magnolia or selecta.

You should start building your house too, that would be nice. Cause I've been watching James's house since episode 1. And I would love to watch you guys if you build your house too and vlog it of course.

nice house.. its spacious

Thanks for sharing very inspiring ..new friend here 😍

Hi sis new friend here, I saw this video of Mr. James channel. Wow maybe in the future we can visit this guys also. We are a big fans and inspired of how they building their house. We almost retire and we gonna move to Philippines as well.

Today I saw my previous Stennis shipmate Andrew C via this video and he and his wife decided to retire in PI.

Nice!

Hi retired and happy in the philippines loverly video guys what a great video .james and I have become good friends since james started building villa feliz it's been great and I ask on some tips on doing dyi projects. James and necie are so loverly we are hoping to get there and meet them next year at christmas time so I and arlene will be coming home to cebu mactan where we have our house and our two blocks of land one in sogod the othere just outside of cordova .I loved the video very awesome salamat great to see you got to meet james and necie. Scott expat in the philippines 👍🇵🇭😎🇦🇺👍

CHOOSE PHILIPPINES! People here will embrace you whatever country you came from just respect and follow our law and we all good..

Beautiful house tour. Are the hosts also retirees from the US? Thanks for sharing.

Ganda sis

Its so Funny...I lived in the Philippines for 3 years. I started off in the Province. It was so much a Struggle to me taking Cold shower..and lack of Food. The Mosquito just ate me up. I moved to manila and I loved the Energy and fast paced life. So much Variety of Food. Than i moved to Cebu..I rented a home with a maid and life was so much easier. But the Food in the Philippines i could never get us to. I normally just eat pork twice a Year and maybe fish once a year.

Can anybody put a link on James YT channel. I would like to see thier videos to get some house inspo and advises. Their house looks phenomenal.

You have to show both US snd Phil Passport to get stamped if you will be staying more than a year or indefinitely. I have both passports. I haven’t stayed more than 30 days in the Phil so I just use my US passport but I can use my Phil passport to visit Vietnam with no Visa. If u have US passport you need to get a visa which is easy you can apply online and pay it too.

New subscriber Po 🇵🇭♥️

beautiful house wow ..unahan na kita sis

I noticed the wet market prices are about the same as in Canada which is typically more expensive than USA. Maybe I just go to expensive wet markets, haha.

Houston.. just North of you. From Dallas.

James hit the cost of living on the head! 100% I cant tell you how many times I have seen these channels that are geared towards expats droning on about their 100$ USD a month cost of living in the Philippines (give me a break). My wife and I are retired here and have foreign income coming in Euros and I still shudder at the bill at S&R. If one is not looking that bill can easily hit 55,000 PHP in one go. Food and electronics are the most outrageously priced here in the Philippines.

Dropping by from my favorite video... my pi dream! I'll be checking you guys out!

James, can you post your water system link. I remember watching a part of that project but having issue finding it

Hi James, I plan emigrate Phils from Ireland. what was total cost of your build Inc furniture and fittings. Square area house and garden . What part Filo you live. Love your house, love your blog. Cheers

Labor cost is high in St.Lucia

Goodmorning this was a very nice episode. Me and my wife also want to built a house. we have proporty on Leyte. We follow you with intrest. Regards Jack ..Royal Air Force of the Netherlands

Ang ganda na man ng bahay

I'm a new subscriber from NY and was born in Manila. .that's so awesome. ...Enjoy my country and now your country as well Sirs 🙏❤😷🇵🇭 btw which province is this? Maraming Salamat po.

Do you have solar panels around where you are ?

Are you retired US military? I retired from the Army 24 years ago and now I am retiring from my second career of 23 years with the county a year from now. I will then move to the Phillipines. I was wondering about the VA clinic. I already am approved for the FMP when I get to the PI. Any comments on the VA there?

Hello Sir mam ganda po ng blogs nyo. San po ba location ng Villa Feliz ? Salamat

This is such a Beautiful Home for the Philippines. But I find it Rather Strange to get overlying Excited about a Home that is just Average if it was on U.S. or Great Britian. I have been in Big Homes in the Manila Area and one was owned by Ku Ledesma the Singer. I Guess its a Great Accomplishment to build a Home from the Ground up but its not really much to Show off coming from the West...

I'm trying to build a massive house out there; is it hard find a builder? how bath is the weather as far as storms go?

Hi Can you recommend a place in the Philippine where I can retire & build a nice home in a gated subdivision somewhere it’s secured & safe.

How much did it end up costing with the land and the build?

New subs here

Oh boy who’s who vlogging 🤣😂😅 he’s blogging ur vlogs.....🤣😅😂 just kidding... nice house 🏠

Who names your house?

I will my pi dream

How much to build or buy James house???

are you folks not worry about getting health care in the philippines especially if you have serious illness? it is nice to live in the philippines, but the health care system is not that good unless you have unlimited supply of money or very very rich.

How much to live there.

Yah, try working 8 hrs.

Seatbelts?

Duel nationality is allowed for the Philippines and the two countries do not report to one another. My wife is in the same situation and manages two passports. Very simple.....she enters the Philippines on a Filipino passport....she exits on a Filipino passport. When re entering the Eurozone - she presents her other passport. No issues, no complications, no extra stamps and nonsense with the Bureau of Immigration at NAIA.

Makapag asawa din nga ng foreigner para umasenso buhay ko.