Modular and Pre-fabricated Houses

 While this is getting popular in fast developing countries, here in the Philippines, this hasn't fully earned the trust of the people. Most Filipinos are accustomed to the traditional masonry system using hollow blocks that are available anywhere in the country. We cannot blame them, This is a tried and tested system that lasts almost a lifetime. Resistant to typhoons which is very common occurrence in the country.

Modular and Prefabricated Houses is an alternative. Here are some reasons why we should take a second look at this alternative has to offer;

1. They are built fast! Some companies claim they can build your house in a day! While this can be true, it will still depend on many things like size of the structure, location, etc. And commonly, the site preparations are not included in the build time. Meaning, before they start their works, site works should already be done. These are; Foundations and Pedestals, Piping and Septic Tank, Standard Electrical requirement by local Power company, etc.

Because they are built fast, it's ideal for mass housing, temporary shelter during calamities and ultra-affordable homes for sale.

2. They are way cheaper! We cannot have a proper apples to apples comparison with the traditional system because Prefabs are mostly in very different materials and system. This actually what makes it cheap while still having an acceptable quality and durability. Some of the materials commonly used in Prefabs are; Steel, Engineered Wood, Fiber Cement and many more being developed. And of course, what makes it cheap is the faster build time. Imagine comparing a 3-month long construction to a 3-day erection. Actually, if we are going to directly compute for the materials, it costs more than its equivalent raw materials available in the market. The reason for this is processing. Prefabs, so it is called are prefabricated in a warehouse. It is processed in such a way it can be dismantled and completely loaded in a delivery truck.

3. As I've mentioned, they are of acceptable quality and durability. But this is still actually the biggest doubt of everyone. They may not be as strong as our traditional masonry, but it's engineered to keep up with our common needs for shelter. Let's also accept that even concrete and masonry structures have their share of failed cases. And most of the time, we just don't realize it but after a few years, we tend to improve our homes. This now makes the investment for masonry impractical.

4, While there are already companies that offer decent designs of Prefab houses, still choices are limited and so as the options to customize it according to our preferences. If you have the budget, it's better to give Prefabs the least considerations. Of course there are a lot of after-built improvements and modifications, but I think it somehow defeats the purpose of having a Prefab for cost and time.

Final take, to my fellow Filipinos, don't be afraid of building technology. As long as it's certified by our professionals, there is merit in considering these to have a better and decent home.

PS, I am not affiliated to any Prefab company or paid to endorse anything. This is just my personal opinion as an Architect.

Comments are welcome!

How to deal with Contractors

First, I would like to apologize for not posting for a very long time. Let's just continue quickly!

If you have already picked your contractor, then congratulations! Because you're almost done with the hard part.

For the sake of fairness, respect and maintaining good relations, it is advisable that you or your Construction Manager, issue a Notice of Award to all contractors who participated in the bidding. It is important to inform everyone including the designing architect who the winning contractor is. There are several reasons why this should be done. First, as I stated, to show respect to everyone. Second, it wouldn't be so hard to negotiate with the other participating contractors if your deal with the winning contractor didn't go well for some unexpected reasons. You, your Architect and/or CM would not be tagged as staging a ghost project to solicit bid bonds and free information.

Dealing with contractors will most likely be easy if the contractor that you have chosen is a good one. A good contractor is usually transparent and will be willing to explain to you in detail your contract with him. Feel free to ask all your questions. They are probably expecting it! It is also actually good for them because they will have a clearer view of your expectations. Just make sure you are only asking questions related to the project. Avoid asking comparative questions. Don't compare you're projects to other projects.

If you hired a Construction Manager, you should not ask your contractor questions directly. All questions should be coursed through your CM. The CM can answer all the basics in the construction. And you can expect an unbiased answer. And sometimes, there are questions that should be intended for the Architect/Designer and not for the contractor.

If you only have a small project and you think hiring a Construction Manager is too much for you, then you just have to trust your contractor. If you have no knowledge in construction, avoid intervening in construction site works. It will only delay your project. A good contractor, would fairly deliver and would not gamble to risk his name and reputation. It is advisable that you keep your concerns on things that you should as a client as much as possible. Don't stress yourself on going into the detailed process and focus only on the agreement and schedule.

When negotiating a contract with your chosen contractor, make sure you consider the following;

1. You or your CM should review the bid estimates including the inclusions and exclusions and also terms and conditions. Normally, the detailed list of items in a bid estimate includes everything necessary to completely deliver the project accordingly. But it would be great if you also do some research about the specifications so you can negotiate for upgraded items. Like for example, door handles or faucets. If you have preference for these, you can haggle and maybe given a free upgrade!

2. Insurances, Warranty and Retention. I think I already mentioned this in my previous article. You may backread to review if you feel the need to. But basically, these guarantees should be clear in the contract. Warranty period is normally 1 year after the turnover and acceptance date. After this, the 5-10% retention can already be released to the contractor. If there are defects that the contractor failed to rectify, the owner may opt to hire other contractor to rectify and charge it to the retention cost.

3. Permits and Bonds. These includes all permits like Baranggay Clearance, Homeowners' Permit, Fencing and Building Permit and other required permits. Although, you may opt to hire a third party liaison to handle this, it is mostly practical to just include this to the contractor's responsibilities. Don't forget the Occupancy Permit. This is legally very important that some owners ignore. If something happens to you or your property, you will have a hard time to charge who's responsible since you do not have permit to occupy. Most subdivisions require Construction bonds and Delivery gate fee. This is for unexpected damages that may be caused in the subdivision during construction period. To avoid being bothered every time permits is required for delivery or certain construction activity, it is also recommended to just include this in the contractor's scope.

4. Construction Schedule, Payment and Penalty Clause. Target dates should be clear in the contract. It is not required but would be better if milestone dates will also be considered such us Major Concrete Pouring, Shell Enclosure, etc. As discussed also in my previous articles, the ideal payment schedule is thru progress billing. This can be according to monthly accomplishment as evaluated by your CM. If you don't have a CM, you can also do it yourself or better hire a construction professional that can make monthly assessment for you. Just make sure that this is stipulated in the contract. Penalties should not happen as much as possible. But if the contractor neglects the project and failed to deliver in time, the cost of penalty should be agreed in the contract.

5. Extra Work or Change Orders. It is quite normal during construction period that you realized you want to add or change something in the agreed plans or scope of work. It would be unfair to the contractor if you would ask this for free specially if this has a significant cost and may contribute delay on schedule. It is just fair to have extra charges aside from the agreed unit costs. But this should also be properly detailed in the contract.

6. Standard Items, Others and Special Cases. A contract should not be limited to the items listed above. If possible, ask a lawyer to review the final draft of the contract.

You should expect that there might be differences or variations in every projects, This is just a guide and not a sole standard reference.

Remember, always try to establish a good relationship with your contractor. Treat them the way you treat your doctor or your lawyer. The project will greatly benefit if there is harmony and understanding.