Blog – Construction & Builders Directory

How to make your house cooler

Ventilating your home By Dianne Lee, Construction Philippines Summer in the Philippines can really be hot. Unless you have money to spend on electricity for air-conditioning, 3-months of summer can be very uncomfortable especially for infants. Generally a tropical house is built with large windows, awning and wind access on all four sides. However, urbanization has limited space thus limited ventilation as well. Worse, more and more Filipinos have lost the love for nature, particularly trees and gardens that naturally makes homes cooler and fresher. Studies show that 75% of the heat inside your home comes through the roof. This is specially true to about 90% of houses in the Philippines which are constructed using metal roofs with low ceiling. Unlike in the provinces, homes are usually cooler because homes are near trees and the use of “nipa” definitely cools the house. When the sun heats your roof, it radiates the heat energy into the house. In the evening, heat from…

Category: Concrete

Types of Concrete Supplies Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement which hardens over time. Most use of the term "concrete" refers to Portland cement concrete or to concretes made with other hydraulic cements, such as ciment fondu. However, road surfaces are also a type of concrete, "asphaltic concrete", where the cement material is bitumen. CATEGORIES: Cement Aggregates Reinforcement Chemical admixtures Mineral admixtures and blended cements Specialty Concretes (Nano, Microbial) Mass concrete structures Prestressed concrete structures Concrete Roads Concrete recycling SPECIALIZED CATEGORY: Anthropic rock Biorock Brutalist architecture Bunding Cement accelerator Concrete canoe Concrete leveling Concrete mixer Concrete masonry unit Concrete moisture meter Concrete plant Concrete recycling Concrete step barrier Concrete sealers Construction Diamond grinding of pavement Efflorescence Fireproofing…

Vermosa Rising in Cavite

Vermosa developed by AyalaLand is poised to be the new BGC of south of Metro Manila. Located along Daang Hari Road, encompassing Bacoor and Imus Cavite, which is just a few meters away from Dasmarinas. The future city of the South, sprawling 700+ hectare estate is master-planned to offer horizontal residential, sports, dining, hotel, schools, to an entertainment destination! Mixed-used CBD (Central business district) A central business district will take up 124 hectares of the development. It which will hold various business and commercial establishments, residential developments and schools. Furthermore, 165 hectares of land will be devoted to parks and gardens Vermosa set to redesign urban living. Vermosa is 5km from 2nd exit from Cavite. Approx. 10-30 mins. away from Kawit, Dasmarinas, and Sta. Rosa Laguna. Vermosa is 5km from 2nd exit from Cavite. Approx. 10-30 mins. away from Kawit, Dasmarinas, and Sta. Rosa Laguna Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) announced Wednesday (Se…

Laminine Food Supplement Supplier

Laminine is now open for distributorship and direct delivery anywhere in the Philippines. Are you on a quest for improved health and vitality it seems like daily we are bombarded with ads and prescription pills, nutritional supplements and statistics regarding the declining quality of health in the world it’s enough to scare you healthy? But how do you improve your health? Imagine that there were a secret to perfect health and all natural supplement for mental, physical and emotional health a formula for life. Would you want to know about it? Then stay tuned because you are about to experience LAMININE. The research started over 80 years ago, the year was 1929, it was then that Canadian doctor John R. Davidson while doing research on the embryonic development of chickens discovered something amazing. He noticed that consistently by the 9th day of development of the embryo something happened, something dramatic the embryo would virtually triple in size nature was making t…

Skyway Stage 3 and 4

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and Jakarta-based Citra Group is building up a war chest worth US$1 billion for infrastructure projects in the Philippines and Indonesia, with the aim of becoming Southeast Asia's biggest toll road player. At a briefing yesterday, Citra Group chair Shadik Wahono said the company planned to form a joint venture with San Miguel that would eventually go public, either through an initial public offering (IPO) in the Philippines or through the issuance of toll road asset-backed securities called Business Trusts in Singapore. The new holding firm, which has yet to be named, will handle both groups' extensive toll road assets in Indonesia and the Philippines. "The consortium's balanced mix of revenue-producing mature assets and strong development projects gives bright prospects for its future," Wahono said. "Its focus on toll road infrastructure in the Philippines and Indonesia-with their large po…

List of emergency hotline numbers in the Philippines

List of emergency hotline numbers in the Philippines that includes disaster coordinating groups, NGO and other government managements. National Disaster Risk 912 5688/7342118 Reduction & Management Council 322 2333 Philippine National Red 143 National Poison & Control 524 1078 / 524 8450 MMDA 136 Coast Guard 527 8481 Rubber Boat Request NCRPO 837 0014 Philippine Army Hotline 8923417 Bureau of Fire Protection 7295166 PNP Hotline 117 MERACLO Hotline 16211 Manila Water Company 1627 Maynilad 1626 PhilVocs 426 1468 to 79 PAGASA 434 2696

Zuellig Building: Top three “Best Office”

Zuellig Building: Another pride of Makati" By Kim Arveen Patria | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom Amid a construction boom that has seen high-rise buildings sprout all over Metro Manila, a development in Makati has grabbed the attention of an international real estate award-giving body. The newly constructed Zuellig Building has made it to the top three in the "Best Office and Business Development" category of MIPIM Asia Awards. This qualifies the 33-storey office building to vie for gold against two other shortlisted development: the Tianjin Global Financial Center in China and the 50 Connaught Road Central Building in Hong Kong. The building, located at the intersection of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, was developed by Bridgebury Realty Corp. and designed by architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. It is the first real estate development in the Philippines to be recognized by MIPIM. "The Zuellig Building's commitment to environmental …

Caution when closing a deal with your contractor

5 tips before you sign the contract So you’ve finally chosen your contractor. Truth is, most of us decide on a whim because we’re not expert on these things. We just trust and accept what people tell us. You can protect yourself by following these simple guidelines when awarding a project to a contractor. 1. Remain skeptic & ask weird questions. Yes, your contractor was referred to you by a close friend but you’re not the contractor’s friend. Truth is most of us don’t know much about repairs and we tend to trust the next person beside us. While most doesn’t have much option, it’s wise to pretend you know much and questions. If you are having a home renovation, do a little research on walls, paints and ask simple questions like “will gypsum board be better than hollow concrete?” You don’t have to be an expert, but you can pretend to be like one. A contractor will likely reconsider overpricing you if you appear you know what’s happening. 2. Act-out and st…

GO-BAG: 30 items you need to survive

Each household should always be prepared in case of an emergency. An earthquake, flash flood or standoff can strike anywhere, anytime. We have seen this happen across the globe and it’s better to be prepared that sorry. Below are necessities you may consider stacking. 1. GO-BAG A “go-bag” is literary a bag full of disaster kit. This can be a large gym bag, backup or small luggage that is easy to carry or drag during an emergency. Ideally, each member of the family should have his/her go-bag. This can be kept in an easy to reach place, ideally at the ground level of your house. Basic must haves: Alcohol or Iodine Flashlight Radio – battery operated Batteries Blankets Compass Whistle Lighter Dust mask Pocket knife Permanent marker, paper and tape Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes Medical sheet that contains allergies or drug maintenance Copy of health insurance and identification cards Reading glass if applicable| Thick po…

Ayala to bid LRT-1 from Baclaran to Bacoor Cavite

MANILA, Philippines - Aiming to sustain its growth momentum on the back of a vibrant local economy, Ayala Corp. is shelling out $500 million in the energy space over the next five years in line with its goal to build a portfolio of around 1,000 megawatts of power capacity. Ayala Corp. also said it would bid for road, rail and other transport projects. In a briefing following the company’s annual stockholders meeting yesterday, Ayala chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala said the group is raising its capital spending by 38 percent this year to a record P91 billion, bulk of which will be used to develop a record number of residential units and for the modernization of its telecommunications network and investments in the water business. The conglomerate said it is prepared to bid for the contract to extend and manage the Light Rail Transt Line 1 (LRT 1). The government said it will start the bidding process for the P61.53 billion LRT 1 South Extension project from Baclar…

Gallery of exhibits

Construction Organizations in the Philippines

Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines (CEMAP) Address: Corporal Cruz Street cor. E. Rodriguez, Jr. Avenue, Bagong Ilog Pasig City Email: cementinfo@cemap.org.ph Website www.cemap.org.ph Tel: 671-7585, 671-7586 Fax: 671-7585, 671-7586 Council of Engineering Consultant in the Philippines (CECOPHIL) Address: 4/F Sol Building, Amorsolo St., Makati City Tel.8104586 loc 259 Telefax: 8105902 Email: cecophil@yahoo.com, secretariat@cecophil.com Website: www.cecophil.com Construction Project Management Association of the Philippines (CPMAP) Address: 9/F Feliza Building, Herrera St., Legaspi Village, Makati City Email: cpmap_secretariat@yahoo.com.ph Website: cpmap.ph Confederation of Filipino Consulting Organization of the Philippines (COFILCO) 14F 1404 Prestige Tower,F. Ortigas, Jr. Road,OrtigasCenter,PasigCity1605 Tel: 6317520-21 Fax: 6313080 or 7063335 Email: cofilco2008@gmail.com Website: www.cofilco.org Geodetic Engineers of the Philip…

Tips for getting a good contractor

Tips on getting a construction supplier & what to avoid. Even before canvassing for an Engineer, Architect, Interior Designer or a building contractor, you should know exactly what you want. These will not only help the supplier or designer quote more accurately, but it will also give the impression you are in control of the project – not the supplier. Designers and construction suppliers normally have large contingency and sometimes, way too large that you can actually save as much as 30% if you know what you want.

Ask yourself the following: 1. What is your time-frame? 2. Make a list of specific things you want (Cut and paste pictures from magazines of things you want in your construction) 3. Set a maximum budget and a contingency fund (If you have set your maximum budget, you may declare this amount to the contractor less 30%, as your buffer or contingency fund should things go unplanned) 4. Make a rough sketch of your desired floor plan. 5. Witho…

Things to consider when buying old houses

Tips when buying used homes The Philippines is home to many antiquated and decrepit houses. Since it’s a tropical country, maintenance should be easy but out of ignorance and sheer negligence of many, we are left with about 70% of homes unknowingly condemned or technically unlivable. Most aren’t maintained so thorough investigation is a must when buying a previously occupied house. Consider the following before making your payment. Check electrical works Electrical wiring is the first thing you should check. If the house was built before World War II, its wiring is most probably naked to the wire. Those built after does not guarantee better wirings so you should bring along an electrician to check the wire’s condition and capacity. Wire gauge is important. Wires were cheaper before that’s why they can use thick gauges. Gauge standards during this time were above today’s standard. If the owners used below standard wires, chances are, the rest of the house may ha…

Repainting your home?

Choosing the right colors By Dianne Lee, Construction Philippines Homes need repainting at least every 5 years, not just to make it look new but also for protection from outside elements. Paints also help camouflage undesirable areas and the obvious reason is to make you happy. Remember that the house is where you live, and doing your part to make it perky helps you live a happier life – cost becomes irrelevant! Careful planning is important. However the first step is not choosing the right color but validating your objective. Here are practical tips you can consider… 1. Determine you priority If your primary reason is just to make your wall look pretty, the rest could be easy. Just choose the color and you’re set. However, one should consider that “protection” in the long run will save you money. Using elastomeric paint prevents outside moisture from seeping through the wall and damaging your inside paint within few months of exposure. It also bonds better to a well p…

How to Maintain Hardwood Floor

Want shiny wood floors? Wax is not always the solution By Adrian Andaya, Construction Philippines Disclaimer: This information specifically applies to hardwood flooring finished with polyurethane coating. This is NOT appropriate for the older wax-based finishes! While most will rely on commercial floor wax, in time, it actually diminishes the sheen on your floor. It also makes it course and antiquated in time. 1. Clean your floor both by sweeping and wiping. Never use abrasive cleaners such as sharp or rough objects. 2. Apply hardwood floor cleaner on a small section of the floor or directly onto a terry cloth wood floor mop. DO NOT WET WOODEN FLOOR. This may leave puddles of water that can leak down between the boards and cause the finish to expand or lift your wood. 3. Wipe flooring with dry mop, regardless if its solid planks, hardwood floor, synthetic wood or mahogany planks. What you should avoid 1. Hardwood floor (with polyurethane) should never use wax,…