RENOVATION TIPS FROM MRS.WISE

July 2008 was a milestone date for us.  It is a big leap for our family when we decided to build our "white house".  It wasn't a breeze.  It was very challenging.

Why? First, we didn't hire an architect.  We only asked an architect to draw our house plan and affix his signature for permits. Then we hired a civil engineer to execute the plan.  It was me and my hubby who literally drew the house plan from scratch.   

The result:  the house looked plain, with its towering white walls. But we saved money, big time by not hiring one hehehe  :)  Standard rate of an architect now is 10% of total house construction price. Whoa!  That is expensive!

FOR POSTERITY'S SAKE, WE IMPRINTED THE KIDS' HANDS
AND FEET ON THE FRONT STAIRS :)

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IN BUILDING OUR HOUSE:

1.  What we lack in architectural design, we compensated by DIY, according to what we need.   

PALLET WE BOUGHT AT A BARGAIN PRICE CONVERTED
INTO SHELVES AND DAYBED

WINDOW TREATMENTS CAN COST A LOT. SO WE DECIDED
TO SEW OUR OWN CURTAINS FROM MATERIALS SOURCED OUT IN DIVISORIA

2.  It is cheaper to get contractors from nearby provinces.  Our contractor is from Pampanga and his rate is a bit lower than builders based in Metro Manila.

3.  There are materials you need to really invest on, because of the "wear and tear". Roofing materials, tiles, windows.  After ten years, only the roof needs repair.  The UPVC windows only need to be re-sealed  (sealants are now warped due to excessive summer heat).    

4.  It also saved us a lot of money, because we personally sourced out finishing materials. I remembered going to Tomas Pinpin and Divisoria, and visited almost all of the home depots in Metro Manila just to get the most budget-friendly materials.  

SPENT LOTS OF DAYS SOURCING OUT TILES.
WE MIXED AND MATCH MOST OF THEM

THIS ROUND ASIAN LAMP CAME FROM A STORE IN TOMAS PINPIN

TILE AND BATHROOM FIXTURES CAME IN DIFFERENT HOME
DEPOTS. WE GOT WHAT IS BUDGET FRIENDLY FOR US. 

5.  There are things you need to do at least every ten years.  Check on the plumbing system for leaks and re-apply anti-termite treatment.  In the long run, it is more practical to do these two things regularly, than suffer the consequences.

6.  Part of building a house, is paying for its mortgage. I am soooooo excited because this year, we will finish paying the mortgage  yey!  Mission accomplished.  We deliberately postponed (for 10 years) buying furniture, because we needed to scrimped and saved for mortgage.  

DEC. 2017 FINALLY PURCHASED THE DINING SET. WHEW FINALLY
AFTER 9 YEARS!

AND NOW ITS TIME TO RENOVATE:

Because of normal wear and tear there are some parts of the house that needs renovation. The roof, some of tile grout, w. indow sealants and a few door hinges.

And because we are WISE in our spending, we will try our very best to do these things on our own -- researching what to do, buying materials and making it our weekend projects.

Part of the research, that I have done so far, is to find a suitable place where I can source out my renovating materials.

We have also invested in minor renovation tools that can help us along the way.   

We are also planning to visit construction and home building fairs to see the latest trends. One is coming up this January and we are excited to experience it.   

Co Ban Kiat Hradware Inc. (CBKHI), also known as the “House of Improvements”, has been the forefront of homebuilding supplies. From selling nails and iron wires as their main products, CBKHI has evolved and is now considered as one of the country’s leading suppliers of the top-of-the-line hardware materials.

With its nearly a century’s excellence and guided by its vision to be the largest network supplier of the biggest brands in the world in the hardware industry, CBKHI resolve to work at sourcing the best products to supply its customers anytime and every time.

MRS.WISE TIPS ON RENOVATING:

ANTICIPATE ALL COSTS:  Thouroughly examine the existing conditions. Opening part of a wall or ceiling to see if everything is in good condition is a small sacrifice compared to discovering a major defect later during construction.

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND PLAN IT WELL.  Research is the key.  For us who will be doing most of the renovation on our own, we plan to consult with contractors before pushing through with our DIY. 

SET ASIDE BUDGET FOR CONTINGENCIES.  We are ready, even if we have already counted how many pieces of tiles we will be needing for the flooring renovation, we may end up with additional expenses related to it. We may discover along the way, for things that we needed to fix.  A safe estimate is 10-15% of your renovation budget.

In 2018, I can already see that my energy will be focused on our house, how to take good care of it, having lived in it for 10 years.  Stay tune because I will surely be posting updates on our home renovations and improvements in the weeks to come.

By the way.... our open floor plan has also made stronger internet access all over the house (actually up to the garden, garage and front street hehehe)  Thanks to PLDT Home, our stable internet provider for 10 years now... and counting!

Happy new year everyone!!!