I’m with you on this. My wife and I also have a 30 year gap and I’ll be 69 in November. When I shuffle off this planet She will be financially set for life with a house, life and health insurance and money in the bank. I see nothing wrong with that. You can’t take it with you anyway! 😊
@@AaronOlafson I just watched episode of catfished where widow lost 1 million inheritance for nigerian scammer .. that's another way to lose some money :D
Congratulations Paul and BabeMae. When you do build your home you will need a lot of electrical outlets. Make sure they install 3-prong outlets. I read a report from the Philippine Fire Safety that stated the majority of household accidents involve electrical fires. Overloaded and faulty grounding were primary causes. Thank you for your vlog. It's always informative and enjoyable.
Paulie, you crack me up. I love your sense of humor & ability to laugh at yourself. You have the freedom to do what makes you & Mae happy, so you are going for it. Very nice to have the time to do it at your own pace. Good luck & best wishes always buddy!
Hi Paul. Part of my career was in building. Yes, it sounds like you have a really good plan on the size and all the other important items that need to be considered. I am considering moving and bld in PH in next 5 yrs. All that you have mentioned is very important... My quick math has shown concrete or blocks are very very economical and the local workers are very skilled in this. Quick math shows roofing can get expensive fast and any building materials MANUFACTURED and IMPORTED from the USA or other countries. If a guy wanted to, a nice very very simple house could be built for 25k if it were 90% concrete and block. Termites are a huge concern, that is where concrete is good. Concrete is best in the storms. A guy should build the house raised up about 1 foot. The reason, flooding. If up higher, small floods can not enter home. Now with inflation.... it would be very important to get material prices locked in at the time of initial construction begins. I would not pay for any materials until they are off loaded from the truck and set on your ground, then count them. If you need a well, make sure there is no livestock nearby to pollute it. You have a great plan. Great to hear you trippled checked all the legal concerns. Great plan. Awesome for you and Mae. Great job.
Concrete and block/brick/stone are great for storms, but bad in earthquakes. But they can be reinforced for earthquakes. Steel framing instead of wood could also work, but I think local builders are most familiar with blocks
Paul you're a class act to ensure Baby Mae is taken care of when that time comes. You really set the mark in how important it is to have quality agents to look out for your interests during the process. Another lesson learned through your experience and taking the time to show us whats involved. Thank you sir.
Congrats to Uncle Paul and Mae from a fellow house/lot owner here in the Philippines. Wife and I have been married 32 years, even if something was to happen between us, she deserves the house for putting up with me for that long haha
Paul, congrats on the purchase! Better yet, congrats on the reasons for it. An old Randy Travis song says, "Its not what you take when you leave this world behind you. It's what you leave behind you when you go". Mae is a lucky girl. I for one, am really looking forward to seeing what you build on the property.
Paul, you are such a stand up individual. Your practical thought process is your reason that life is so good for you and Mae. Keep the focus on her and you both will reap the rewards!
I really appreciate your comment! It's wonderful to hear that you believe in the power of supporting our partners. It's important to lift each other up and work together towards a happier and more fulfilling life.
It's very important for the Philippines to restrict foreigners from purchasing houses and land. Otherwise they'll create a massive housing bubble like Canada and it'll get too expensive for locals to own a home. A recent survey in Canada shows 90% of the population can't afford to buy a house, and 70% of young people think they never will get a chance. What a nightmare!
Paul, your loving, honorable behavior towards Mae speaks well to the quality person you are. And talk about brownie points you've earned!!! Incalculable. If you take a quick sideways look at Mae over the next few weeks you will observe an adoring look from her. However, after a month or so it will be back to normal!
That's a bunch of malarcky. No such thing as brownie points. Even if there was, it would be temporary as they will easily forget if an argument or fight comes about. Foreigners are the prize, not the locals, the locals are the recipient(s) of the prize if he is knucklehead enough to bow down to such pressures to buy a house/property for their mate. I don't say it's a complete bad deal if you're about to kick the bucket or if you're able to snuff the financial loss. That's a different story for different conversation.
Paul. Congratulations. When it’s time to build, be sure to raise the home foundation up by one meter. Don’t build at ground level. Flooding. Let the water flow past your front door, not in your front door. Just a suggestion.
Storage, storage and more storage. Plan for 'Off the Grid.' It's hard to go Solar if you have to turn the roof around. Do it later, but factor it in. Get lots of power outlets and somewhere sensible .... oh ... maybe down the bottom. aaahhh you know what I'm talking about. All the things that bugged you with past houses/apartments. Don't have to do everything, just make allowances for later. When they do wall framing, get the timber off cuts put in at strategic places where hand rails maybe needed or TV mounted. A good opportunity to avoid missing the studs.
Thank you for taking the time to watch and leave such a heartfelt comment. Your support means everything to me and I'm grateful to have amazing viewers like you!
I agree with having a modest home that fits your family. There is no need to build a large western style home and actually most filipinas really do not want that anyways. When the time comes for me to build a house I am on the same page as you with the layout. Having bedrooms with closets is mandatory. Lastly, using a good attorney is really mandatory when looking at buying property in the Philippines.
Exactly my ideas. I'm planning a simple, hollow block, iron roof, 3br (incl katulong's room), 2 simple bathrooms, bungalow. Big rooms, not a lot of them. With a shed! Maybe on Bantayan. Cheers from Canberra.
Hi @kevink1214 Thanks for agreeing! We're happy with our modest home too. Good point about attorneys, we definitely recommend them for any major purchases in the PH.
Hi Paul, i am very happy to hear about the land that you purchased for your current family. I think this was a excellent idea. The more i listen to your videos, the more desires you making me to come out to the Philippines 🇵🇭
Great news . Clear and plant those fruit trees and other types of crops . A small green house . Maybe Geo Dome house or container type may work . Water is a must and Well and cistern will be high on list . Drainage is a big one and septic tank . Secure and bug proof and ventilation on house is important too . Lets staet a Baby Mae Building Fund . Great job Charlie Brown . Congrats Paul .
Hi @farmerboy8659 Thanks for the advice! We're already planning to improve drainage and add a septic tank. The Baby Mae Building Fund has been started, thanks for the support!
my dream home in PH required a rooftop deck with good views of the distant volcano. Good luck on getting your house built there successfully sometime in the future.
Another good video Paul. I can relate to your new project coming in the near future of building. Building in the Philippines is costly. The rebar, brick cement and sand, don’t forget the workers. I added on to my mother in law’s house, and we are finally finished. When I go home this year I can see and appreciate the money well spent. Good luck and I hope to meet you and baby Mae
Thank you so much for your kind words! Building in the Philippines can definitely be costly, but it's always worth it in the end. I'm glad to hear that you were able to add on to your mother-in-law's house and that you're happy with the results. Good luck with your future projects as well!
Congratulations!!!. As you proceed, keep your personal security in mind. You have done well for yourself, and Mey and made the world a better place with your presence. Im looking forward to following your home building journey.
That a nice size lot! I did the same thing. Bought 500 sqm in Calatagan. The developer is building the road (6 meters wide) which is in front of the property. Its 200 sqm above sea level. Meralco is the electric company. The property has a wonderful view of the ocean below. 10 minute drive to the beach. Since purchasing the property prices have gone up big time.
Im excited for you two kids! Am a landlord with many properties. Bought lots in my life. Just turned 59, will be retiring in the Philippines is my plan. Its tuff for me to rent, obviously I can't buy, but my woman can. I've been a building contractor in Minnesota for almost 40 years. My fear about building in the Philippines is mother nature. The unknowns to building on the other side of the world. Landslides, flooding, moisture issues, insects, termites, earthquakes, strong winds blowing always. I'm going to rely on the locals for advise on these issues. Im more about the natural amenities anyway. The view is everything to me and a garden. Excited to see your upcoming new property videos! Take care, God bless you two kids!😊
I think the Armstrong family with the lightweight ACC block is a very good way to go there. Also the weather can be different depending on which part of the Philippines you are in. Armstrongs are in the Luzon region (north of Manila). He was a contractor or a superintendent for a general contractor, I can’t remember exactly but is very intelligent when it comes to construction. I think his concrete work is very good and I believe his specialty. He and his wife have now started a construction company and are building homes for other expats as well. They have experienced the typhoons and weather there and have some strategic methods to help against high water etc. I have been a contractor for 40 + years as well in Utah, mostly HVAC, but also a general contractor and remodeling contractor, but after watching them do the work there and with a broken up body I would probably hire him and his crews who he treats very well, and provides them with proper training, to build my house there.
Nothing will prepare you for building here, from the materials to the workers. If you attempt to Americanize your home it will break the bank and sadly unless you import a lot of things the finish quality is not what your use to. Coming from Minnesota myself you’ll feel like you entered the home building twilight zone. Land is extremely expensive so get a good attorney to review everything especially when they say it’s got a clean title, verify absolutely everything.
Congrats Paul, we did the same thing, and it took us also a solid year to fnd the right property with the right title and the begin the project. Best wishes and happy New Year
I do architecture, a few things save you money. Don't have a bunch of jigs and jogs in the exterior wall. Make it a square or a rectangle. You want more rooms or more space, bump out the envelope and rejig the interior walls (they're easy). Cost out linear feet of wood vs metal vs concrete block vs brick vs poured concrete (including labor). A few dollars here will save you a ton. Look at a flat roof (mono pitch), especially if you're going to have aircon. Paint it white. Pack the underside full of rigid insulation. Look into the STC and R values of your proposed walls. Multipane windows and none south facing. If you have any southern, make sure you have a light shelf. Vertical louvers on east/west windows.
1500 square meters = 16,145 square feet, over 1/3 acre but less than 1/2 acre. A good sized lot to work with which will likely increase in value even if you do nothing to it.
I agree, the land itself will always be a nice asset for baby Mae. If she ever needed the money in the future she could sell a chunk of it or all of it.
I appreciate your candor about death/lifespan , so many do not think realistically about this topic . None are immune, everyone passes away at some point. Another great video
Paul, since you own land now. Strategically start planting vegetables that you consume in your everyday life. Plant on the areas you wouldn’t build the house on. That should enable your land to cut costs on grocery. I heard if you buy 1 milk carabao, that carabao could produce milk worth 2000 pesos a day. Just giving you ideas how your land can pay for itself. You can keep thinking about others like planting fruit trees and so on etc…
Hi @francisvasallo7913 Thanks for the tips! We'll definitely consider planting veggies to reduce grocery costs and exploring other income-generating options too!
Congratulations Paul to you and Mae. Can’t wait to follow your home building experience in future videos. Don’t forget to show us some pics of your new dirt and trees 😊 Bless you two.
Pantry, walk-in closet, larger rooms... sounds like a Philippines dream! Throw in some outdoor covered spaces/overhangs to increase your comfortable outdoor living space. Bam!
That’s awesome Paul. May will be able to have a great garden and orchard that she can feed herself with all of her vegetables and fruit needs. Maybe even some animals.
Paul : Congratulations on starting to cross off the to do list of leaving Mae better than you found her. Now that you have a start to the project (the land) that is one more monkey off your back so to speak. I pray for the speed of the recouping of your capitol to start the next phase of this project to be quick and abundant. I'll bet Mae is completely over the moon right now because of this recent development, and that her smile fuels your reasons for making sure this project gets completed the right way.
Get some big pieces of paper and draw out the floor plan that you want along with the size and location of rooms. Then keep changing it until you love it , then have a professional turn it into a print. Don’t use cheap concrete blocks you want a greater amount of cement in the mix. You can have them maid to order. 8” thick for outer walls and 4” for interior walls. Normal concrete blocks will crumble in 10 years. Don’t use thin cheap steel for the roof. The hollow blocks must be anchored to the footer with Riyadh and stager rerod in the wall as it is being built and the wall is to be filled with concrete as it goes up. Spend some time learning about construction so that y know if you’re building is doing a good job or not. Build away from the road to cot down on road noise.
Im the same way Paul 10 years between me and my wife we bought 4000sm for 300k pesos and built a home for 1million p building a concrete house. Got 2 children this is theres and my wife's if something happened to me
Paul on the house im building in Bicol, Ive built a wonderful outdoor kitchen. Its complete concrete and durable all counters and shelves. But what im really enjoying is the built in brick bbq, i cook on it with cast iron. I built a lil wood fired bread n pizza oven. We cook in the ovn to with cast iron. And a brick wood smoke house. But its a fun place, gives us family time, Sundays we make loads of bread, we smoke the chickens and meats we bbq meals every single day. Its a great gathering spot. And the kitchen inside just kinda stores the fridge and pantry is a walk in
Hi @builtnotboughtmadeinphilip3955 Love how you've created a wonderful outdoor space! We're big fans of cooking outdoors too. Thanks for sharing your passion project!
House near the ocean! Let me see, I am a 22-hour drive from Dauin type diving. When I stayed in Dumaguete I was a 45 minute drive from Dauin to dive. What I am trying to say is that a house in the mountains is very near great diving compared to where I live now in the states. It was very recently that I realized that fact and now have a whole new outlook as to where I might want to settle down in the Philippines. Basically, the whole country is now a great option for me. Thanks for these videos. They really have helped me prepare for the big move when I retire.
I think you are doing it right with going slow. I think keeping the extra land is also good because you can either have more space between the neighbors, or Mae could add a house for one of her sisters or other family if she wanted later. I’m always interested in being self sufficient so if there was a sunny area you could put up some solar panels and a battery for backup from power cuts, or rain collection when water pressure gets low. Otherwise I like keeping the house simple and easy to take care of.
I can only commend you, Paul. You are not one of the ‘bad stories’ that fall for the first woman and throw their wallet open. You are a sensible man who took it slowly. Found a lovely lady. Waited! And over time recognised that she loved you for you. Hence you are preparing for your lovely wife to not struggle in future after you’ve passed. You’re a good and wise man, Paul. May you live long and happy, mate: Justin (Australia)
I am so pleased for you and Mae, Paul. I am still uncertain as to where in the Phils I will hang my hat. In my case, I have my friends and extended family in the Phils, so I too will be looking for property in the coming months upon my arrival. I am happy that you found such an awesome lot in Dauin. I had seen a video partially showing that lot on another RU-vid channel, so I know you definitely have a very desirable location and a great opportunity to build something very comfortable for you and Mae. In my prior searches for land and/or houses, I never found anything close to being suitable to my own preferences for room-size, closet spaces and kitchen layout. I actually enjoy developing property and I do not shy away from a challenge, even though now I will likely be relegated to teaching a few Western construction techniques to Filipinos who are used to doing everything with concrete hollow block and rendering. Whatever you do inside the house is your choice, but I would definitely plan on poured cast concrete walls. If you remember some of the images in the Philippines from Typhoon Odette in 2021, I am sure you will agree that the security of concrete outer walls would be more preferable to hollow block! Good luck with your project and I look forward to meeting you and Mae in person, in the coming weeks! Ingat, my friend.
Oh I almost forgot The pleasant brownouts all the time... All that means is they turn off the electric when they feel like it not necessarily is it knocked out they just feel like turning it off and of course the very enjoyable water problems if you're not careful but I found a way around all of these problems took many years but I know now what to do.. almost forgot again the most dangerous traffic on planet Earth... The whole 15 years I've seen body parts scattered along the side of the road
Walls are cheap and can even be moved...foundation and roof determine size, you prioritize your wants and needs in the layout. Fixtures and finishes can be kept modest or added in increments to be budget minded. Kitchen, master, cr and den finish before move in. If possible, of course best to move in only after COMPLETE; depends on you two's sanity.
Here's the math on your 10x10 and 12x12 example. A 10x10 room is 100 sqft for 100% of a cost. A 12x12 is 144 sqft room - but the cost is only 20% more - or 120% of a 10x10 room. You magically gain 44% more living space while incurring only a 20% increase of expense.
All foreigners cannot buy land other than Americans. Philippines was an American colony therefore we (Americans) can buy land according to the Philippines by-laws. I will research it more and let you know. Congrats on buying yours.
I've seen a ton of mistakes made recently in home building on other RU-vid Channels, some are still ongoing. It sounds like you have some good ideas already. I love the pantry. I would suggest finding some plans for a smart Western style home. Keep all the dimensions western with 9 food ceilings tops, short overhang roof ridges with solid gutters, and no built-ins other than some kitchen counter top/table/center island. Good luck.
Juells has to be a strong candidate to build your house. Judging from his last build. Such an amazing build. Hey you have the room for the pool. Imagine that.
''Tom & Har'' are building in Valencia at the moment and their vlogs could be very interesting for you to view. Everything from blueprints, plans to builders and the ongoing build (which is going very well.
Have you considered container homes? It has everything for around p200k php. All you need to add is plumbing for a septic tank or connect to city sewage. This is my plan when I find a piece of land when I retire in cebu next year. Best part is its earthquake proof 😊
Condo rental prices are cheap in Dumaguete. The condo I rented in Duma last year was less than what I paid to park my car (the one with red registration plates) when I was living and working in Hong Kong as the CEO of Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong between 2010 and 2012.
Just A thought, 500 is perfect.If you can subdivide into 3 lots . Put in the muhons ( cement posts) and if in the future your wife needs to sell the other 2 lots in 20 years she has the ability. Happy New Years
Hi Paul and mae, I really understand Philippines reserves property ownership to there natural born citizens. This preserves there culture and control over there country....its to late for USA. We have lost all control over everything in USA.....your a straight up guy to make sure your woman will have a secure life always. God Bless you Paul
Definitely one of the reasons to move back to America is for her to be able to receive benefits from your social security. She has to do 5 years in the states while your still kicking
Aloha Paul and Baby Mae. I’m in Ormoc City, with my wife of 12 years, and we have a 10 year old daughter. I bought a smaller house (in my wife’s name, of course) about 3 years ago, and it is just too small. We have just purchased a much bigger home, on a 1,000 + sq. meter lot, and the house is about 350 sq.meters. I’ve owned a few 1200-1500 sq. ft homes on Maui, where I’m from. This is the largest house I’ve ever owned. It’s comfortable, actually has hot water from the faucets. Never enough electrical outlets. Great location. This house secures my wife and daughter’s future. I’m also 30 years older than she is. Don’t hold you breath for titles here, takes about a year, at least in Ormoc City. Even when you pay cash. My older kids are good too. They live in the Maui house!
2million will do 😊 the house you are dreaming to have. You did good with your investment, real 👍 estate 👍 in the 👍 Philippines 👍 is rapidly appreciating.Good job!
Hi Paul, It's nice to see you with a new goal. I can feel your excitement. 50,000 dollars will give you 10 years of renting or a nice house that is yours.
We, my wife and I bought land on the ocean. We originally wanted to build a temporary house. And later build the main house. But we are so happy with the build , we probably never build a main house. We did the same thing you want to do. Big master bedroom, with a good size walkin closet. Decent small/medium kitchen and bathroom. Garage/storage, and a small guest room. Were still building, right now there building the laundry area. And will be building kitchen cabinets this week. We're looking at under 400k pisos including all furniture purchases etc.. The best we can throwing stone distance from the ocean and and a waterfall right in the middle of the property. I thank God every day!!!
Awesome Paul... I watch you often and enjoy your show but rarely comment... So happy that you plan on taking care of Mae after you will be a goner.. I am in a similar boat..
When it comes time to build. Use load bearing blocks of a larger width. Well worth a few hundred dollars for the peace of mind .We bought a small house on a lot in Zambales of similar size to yours. It was built to higher standards than the typical house here. I too have about 30 years on my wife and know she will be secure later. Getting the title was a nightmare but worth it. Our living expenses are a fraction of anywhere in the US.
Hi Paul, thinking you're on the way to success by being cautious. I have one idea re the placement of the house on your block. 1500sqm gives you plenty of room. When I worked at Ford as a designer in Australia many years ago (I'm 10 yrs older than you) they had a mantra "always protect for the future", meaning design with the future in mind. So I'm thinking of the future when you're not around your lady may be short of cash. She may contemplate selling the property. So, place your house to the side of the block so she can subdivide and sell off a block say 6-700 sqm and retain the house. That way you'd be protecting for her future (my take). Cheers!
Hi Paul. Congrats on the land purchase! I agree with you on the larger kitchen, walk-in closet, pantry and larger room sizes. In terms of 10x10 vs. 12x12 for example, think of economy of scale. It’s not much more expensive per square meter to build slightly bigger if desired. I look forward to seeing your house design and following your build in a years time.
@@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234 Hi Paul. Seems like you’re replying to some past comments. We haven’t met, so I realize we don’t really know each other, but I feel I partly know you by following your channel for what seems like such a long time. I often appreciate hearing your wise words and advice on moving to the Philippines. I’ll admit, I am a bit shaken up by Juells’ recent diagnosis. I haven’t met Juells in person, but similarly know him from his videos. I even thought Juells would be a great person to work with and learn from when I get settled in Negros since I am very passionate about house design and building and know Juells has done this for much of his life. I am the same age, so this is like a wake-up call for me. I am hoping Juells has a chance to become healthy again. David in southern Shikoku, Japan.
You are a treasure Paul, and I am sure I will being doing the same, as there is no greater peace or happiness for me that my kids in the USA and Pinay here, and her child will be safe and comfortable after I leave. God Bless You always!!
