My Philippine House Building Nightmare!

[@patd4u2]

would have been easier just to purchase a house that needed some renovation, then to start from scratch.

[@mykalhenry]

Like that dude that rented the house for thirty bux a month or something and renovated the heck out of it. I was super impressed!

[@robertpiekarski6115]

I’m seeing that too. Curious how many white guys are in the other parties who are being lied to by the builder?? If you get where I’m going with that … or is it equal opportunity scamming?

[@stevenbaer9061]

That is exactly what I have concluded after the 1st video from Paul, sounds like it is a crap shoot building from scratch.

[@AussieTonythemexican]

​@mykalhenry yeah, he's on the ball.

[@half-breed]

You don't know how it was built in that circumstance. Could be a death trap covered in roses

[@TCSRock78]

I've been building or manufacturing in the Philippines since 2013. You NEVER pay any labor i advance and you ALWAYS pay for the material in person AFTER making a list of where the material is used, AFTER double checking prices at other hardware stores. Then you be on site when the material is delivered and make sure there is someone living on site 24/7 to prevent the theft of the materials. Labor, including the contractor, is paid weekly after seeing the results of the week's work. No one pays deposits there because they won't do anything once they have part of the money. Doesn't matter what the profession is you are hiring, never pay a deposit in advance.

[@Sean-w1j]

so right its not like the US but Paul you got a great Mother in Law there use her skills we are all learning over there no worries about mistakes its just learning we hope to not lose money on the mistakes but look you are smart to catch this before it got to out of hand good job. Your mother in law is perfect to be a sounding board when you need to learn wish I had a good woman like her . stay safe and enjoy.

[@reneearce1667]

excellent advice sir

[@Sean-w1j]

sorry meant sister in law

[@micpotato8158]

What a lovely country and lovely people they are…hahaha

[@ourroadtothephilippines]

I agree. My wife and I are currently renovating a house in the Philippines and we pay labor at the end of the week. We order all the materials and keep the inventory. If we don't order the materials for some reason, we will get a receipt and call the place our contractor ordered from to verify the amount. We have people living on site as well and we only live 5 minutes away. I'm surprised someone who lived in the Philippines for a number of years like Paul would trust someone like this. Hopefully he just stops, takes the loss and moves on to someone else.

[@kauairix]

Hi Paul. I wanted to build my wife a house in the Philippines and had no clue how to go about it. Looked at multiple properties in the Badian area of Cebu and lucked out when the uncle offered part of his land. She got it surveyed and titled then we hired family to do the fencing. About 8 months later we found a contractor through a friend at the gym, looked at his buildings and did a contract after talking to a lawyer. The contractor wanted payment in 3 installments. I made it 4. House came out nice after 8 months. Promised to have it done in 6-7. Guess we got lucky as very little problems I've since fixed. I was at the property constantly checking their work and asking questions.

[@stingoterranova1518]

Do not be convinced when someone shows you around or someone was vouched for by other Filipinos. The island where you are and most of the people that live there have a historical reputation as scam artists as they love easy living with easy money. As compared to other parts of the Philippines where people work hard and do not drink and play guitar or karaoke all night long. You're in the wrong part of the country as far as trust and honesty is concerned.

[@BrianMeurer-s8y]

@@kauairix ha ha, you got scammed somewhere along the way you just don't know it, 🤣🤣🤮🤮🤮

[@wanderingdoc5075]

​@@stingoterranova1518funny because I've been to over 15 places in the Philippines and every single one of them they sing loud karaoke and burn garbage.

[@rounder400]

Paul is kind of balaming his heath for not seeing the property, het he was sick only 4 or so weeks total. Your point is well made......be at the property checking their work and asking questions. Paul, is an internationally famous KZbinr, so his schedule demand constant time at Ground Zero and other foreigner frequented locations. Checking on construction was not a priority.

[@youngandfree93]

Part Filipino myself. I recommend never buying or building property here

[@MR.G-N2IT]

The story is a contract was broken Cut him Loose , 28 people in line for a refund 👎🏽 Not a good sign

[@Battleneter]

They are clearly dealing with a conman, sadly their money is likely lost. Suing is probably throwing good money after bad, never get any money out of him. I have dealt with a conman exactly like this in my past, thankfully not my money. He will probably put the company into liquidation and be back in business next week with a new company.

[@robg5157]

He’s a conman. He showed other construction being build by other companies. Paul fell for the scam. Never fails no matter how much research and how smart you think you are. The scammers are smarter. Another sucker born everyday.

[@henryreinders3031]

Yup, builder is likely heading for bankruptcy or jail. Maybe both.

[@zealman79]

@@henryreinders3031 in the philippines it's cost effective to get rid of an issue on a permanent basis...

[@keith-kb1zl]

if it hasn’t happened by now, doubt if it ever will. lots of bribery to people in positions of power , heard of one horror story where an ex- pat was scammed out of a million dollars on a beachfront bar, restaurant he built, wife was setting him up, she was supposedly going away on weekends to Cebu for “ business” related to their property, turned out she was seeing a young guy for a length of time, guy came home one day, her two brothers met him at the door and gave him about an hour to clear his belongings out, the barangay captain was in on the scam also..

[@JRINASIA]

Paul, the builder story will be BS. I can see it a mile away. Filipinos never accepts any responsibility for anything. Great story.

[@briandora]

Totally agree they will not accept they done wrong

[@Philippinesbound42]

Builder is South African

[@jimw7916]

especially if he happens to be a fr33 may son. wink wink

[@3777177]

Paul, your money is gone.....with this contractor....wasting time....there is no fair....it is called a scam...already happened....

[@MoralHazard-g1e]

As a former car salesman, you should have known better.

[@jeffreygreen9057]

my thoughts exactly! 🤥

[@222jojo]

yeah, cuz selling cars in the US is just like building a home in the Philippines...got it Skippy

[@222jojo]

@@Breavis someone's got to feed you your content so you can survive.

[@222jojo]

@@steveswell1 says the village idiot...

[@joet2975]

He was worse than a car salesman. He was F&I where they really con and screw people into buying crap they don't need to earn a commission.

[@reallythisbad]

As acustom home bulder in Florida for over 30 years ur optimism is hilarious. 😊

[@greggwoodcox2167]

I remember a home owner which looked to be 75% done if we would finish the house we just framed before his was done. I laughed and told him the house we just had the pilings in would be done too before his. Missed it by a week. In Cape San Blas Florida.

[@stingoterranova1518]

Hilarious and deadly!

[@ricksdestinationcebu]

True story,it's only gonna get worse..

[@TRICK-OR-TREAT236]

I CALL IT FOOLISH AND SAD.

[@danielhuntington2116]

Have you heard of Beattie Builders in Cape Coral FL?...he just lost his license after stealing 15 million from customers and leaving their lives in shambles. Happens all over the world!😢

[@remaguire]

Your first red flag was when he didn't write anything down.

[@tryscience]

yeah, why would he need any details? That's needed for actually performing the work.

[@stevebearsley2308]

Thanks for the update, Paul. We had the same with our contractor for our house build and we finished up having to sack two contractors. It was a nightmare, but we live to tell the tale! Best wishes for getting the issues sorted.

[@stingoterranova1518]

... and you are located in the VIsayas or Mindanao area are you?

[@stevebearsley2308]

​@@stingoterranova1518yes

[@robertkubrick3738]

@@stingoterranova1518 Valencia, Negros Oriental.

[@juliogonzalez4764]

Don't build in Phils. Buy something that someone (foreigner) has already built and is looking to sell quickly for whatever reasons. You'll get a better price and less headaches.

[@steveswell1]

There's a youtuber, Joe Garcia(Retiring in Paradise)...Australian guy who built a nice house in the province. His wife and baby mama dumped him for a Filipino shortly thereafter. He's looking to sell, I'm sure.

[@LawrenceWeber-z5o]

buying anything in PH is a headache, so much going on behind the scenes

[@markadler8968]

NEVER buy/build anything there. You have few rights as a property owner in that country and you cannot technically buy a home, at best you can secure access through a lease. Renting is so cheap there it that you can rent an entire house for a fraction of the cost of an apartment in the west. Buying a house is only going to accomplish one thing, putting a huge target on your back from the people who want to take it from you.

[@user-roadwander]

@@steveswell1 He’s screwed, because he doesn’t own the land house is on.

[@steveswell1]

​@@user-roadwander I was thinking the same. I'm sure the natives knew how to roll this into their own hands from the get go. Shameful, but a classic example of this kind of behavior documented in real time here on youtube. Heartbreaking, but completely avoidable with a bit of research and by reading through the wisdom in the "comments" sections.

[@Baloybeach]

You will end up with inferior re-bar, hollow blocks, cement and whatever building products he can get away with. Cut your losses and find a reputable builder.

[@bill648]

Don’t give him another dime until you see actual progress. Faith in him is completely unwarranted at this point. Sadly I think you just need to cut your losses and find another reputable contractor. Be wary of people coming to you to solicit business. Legit businesses have people coming to them not the other way around. Good luck to you both.

[@bill648]

2 or 3 clients may signal overextension on the contractor’s part but 28! Is a clear sign of Kiting/fraud.

[@michaelreyes8182]

''Don't give him another dime until you see progress'' Thanks for the help, genius! Even a total moron could figure that out without your input.

[@bill648]

@@michaelreyes8182 whatever Troll. He has a big heart- unlike others.

[@Retiredyoungandtraveling]

I don’t understand what your hoping to get by pushing through with this guy. Don’t you just want out? It can only get worse in my opinion. I’d Follow the others by getting out before it gets more expensive and time consuming.

[@johnclark1469]

Yeah this guy has proven hes a bald face liar and con man so get a lawyer and end it like the others. He does not deserve any more of your time. If he had been honest about delays and permits ok but he was a liar so its over. I had the same type of thing and called in another contractor to take over the job. It sucks but what else can you do?

[@Billy_B_Goat]

@@johnclark1469 Hey RazzyCat is that you? Did you pull the trigger and retire to PH yet?

[@keith-kb1zl]

yeh if he’s got 28 other people on his ass, I would bail on this guy now,this contractor is so far down the rabbit hole he’s probably going to flee to another island, and continue his scam , it’s obviously working for him..

[@brucehuddler7518]

Yeap walk away

[@amossnowdaharleyman9179]

Get a lawyer and inform them about what is going on. You are being scammed.

[@3777177]

waste of time of philippines...go to court, nuts!

[@radiodare]

Yeah. I think 9 out of 10 arrows point to yes.

[@johnulriksson2505]

You are right sir..!

[@charleslaurice]

We had the same thing happened to us over here in Santander. It took one year for the contractor to show up had to. We had paid him a good portion of the money upfront. Once he finally did start a year late. It took him six months to complete a one month job and he demanded all the money upfront before he was finished. We absolutely said no Paul do yourself a favor and walk away. You are being scammed. Oh by the way, I contractor we found out later had a gambling addiction and had used all the money we paid him upfront on gambling so there you have it welcome to the Philippines

[@louisschmidt2129]

He Con man lawyer up your going know where with this guy this is to much time this guy to get any thing but lip service shut him down

[@Alexinthephilippines]

Sorry to hear what your going through. This happens even here in NZ. The builder starts off with good intentions, does a few small builds and over extends as he becomes popular. He runs low on funds between payments due to inflation or miscalculation and starts using deposits on new contracts to finish existing contracts. Eventually it turns into an unintended Ponzi scheme that grinds to a halt. The builder then goes into damage control, (which is the stage you are at right now) and tries to put off the inevitable. He's just buying time. THE MONEY IS GONE, Taking him to court will give you satisfaction, but won't get you any money back or progress your build. Serve him a notice for breach of contract and move on. Consider your deposit as payment for an education.

[@sandrabentley8111]

Except this builder went to Paul to get work! If he's that over extended why would he want to procure work? Unless he's promising Peter to pay Paul if you know that expression.

[@zealman79]

@@sandrabentley8111 the builder likes the thrill of the chase. He should have been a salesman for condos in BGC at the mall, not actually building anything which he clearly can't do.

[@paxxop]

@@zealman79 oh man, those mall condo sellers LOL...I just ask them what I can buy for a million pesos, they realise they're wasting their time, we smile at each other and I walk on...

[@3777177]

@@sandrabentley8111 why, to steal money....

[@matthall143]

Baby Mae's face says it all. I worked as an international volunteer in the Phils and waited a year for a permit to enable me to help poor communities.....I left before it came but that's how things work there

[@jeffreygreen9057]

Her sister seems to "be in the know"! kudos!

[@playa2u547]

I had this same scam run on me before Paul…did the shirt work crew designation exactly as you said. Fire him now and write your losses off as a lesson learned before it’s too late

[@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234]

Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely looking into it.

[@todddunn945]

@@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234 A bit of advice about looking at current projects. Go with the builder and look, but then go back unannounced a few days later on your own to see what is really going on.

[@AussieTonythemexican]

The problem is, they are all related, and it's a shakedown.

[@stingoterranova1518]

Fire him, accept the losses and move on and never trust any islanders again.

[@TheDocFury]

Hold on, getting more popcorn.

[@mulinzhan4167]

My guess is that this contractor has greatly overextended himself on the bigger projects and has run out of money. If the money to proceed on these smaller projects is not there, then there will be no going forward and there will be no refunds. If this is the case, then the best solution is to void the current contract and start anew.

[@dew4040]

That's probably what is happening. The contractor is using the new money to try to finish the older bigger projects. There most likely won't be anything left the finish projects like Paul's.

[@charleslaurice]

He’s running out of people to scam !!!!! Been here since 2007 . Good faith means nothing here…..You are way to smart for this Paul you are being scammed 😂

[@stingoterranova1518]

Why are you guys even try to justify his action as "overextending himself"! In plain and simple language: THIS GUY IS A SEASONED WELL CONNECTED SCAMMER! Buyers beware I mean life and death beware.

[@jerrymann646]

My thoughts as well. He us in trouble on the big project. What does he need you for? Now he has you working for him. You are doing what he should be doing.

[@danielhuntington2116]

Someone should go by his home to see if all these projects are funding a luxurious lifestyle. He may be running people and doing minimum work to keep his scams going while living high off the hog.? One thing is for sure. He not going to turn over a new leaf tomorrow. Time to take your losses....cut ties and move on!

[@keith-kb1zl]

I have to give props to Paul. he’s taking the criticism like a man, and not ashamed to admit in hindsight he made mistakes.. this same thing could have happened to any of us.. I admit I got some entertainment out of some of the comments , and piled on with a few of my opinions, but in retrospect, I realize Paul is a good dude , and I have learned a lot of things about the Philippines over the past year because of him.. I get a lot of chuckles from some of his stories about dealing with the frustrations of living here because I’ve experienced them too😆😆

[@hammertyme8392]

Never go with a builder/person that solicits you. Only an unqualified person who's desperate for money will seek you out.

[@jamesmcdonough2726]

,No that's not true in most situations.I worked for a large roofing contractor in San Diego it cost in the vicinity of $500 to get a qualified lead and most didn't result in a sale .In fact I was paid a extra $500 if I got my own sale.Advertising is expensive and the 2 companies I worked for were already well know established firms

[@Dean-b2f]

@@jamesmcdonough2726 Its NOT SAN DIEGO !

[@getrural]

@@jamesmcdonough2726 it is TRUE

[@Jfromtech]

I will never own anything there it’s to risky which is a shame they could get real capital inflow into the country if it wasn’t corrupt

[@Crey-yk5yy]

The source of krap is their english-based education. Most barely understand (they rote memorize), like their driving rules, so they resort to what they see, just like in everything else. Expats need to keep it simple out there, no hanky panky. An elevated shipping container or a small house will do, then add shaded areas.

[@Jfromtech]

@ only hanky panky with the women there lol

[@Crey-yk5yy]

@Jfromtech , yep lol, just the women & nothing else.

[@stan1027]

Your friend and fellow KZbinr Mike bought property, and is planning to build, I'm sure you are aware. I commented on one of his videos that whatever builder he chooses, first he should talk to the property owners of projects this builder has completed, and ask the question "how long did it take him to complete the build, start to finish, was it done on time, if not then why not?" I also told him that as a foreigner, he should probably mentally add at least six months to the longest time he was told, because apparently, legal contracts mean little or nothing there. It's just their culture, their mentality, as it is in every other aspect of Philippine life, to take their sweet old time, and it gets done when it gets done.

[@robertmitchell6080]

Probably explains why theres rubbish everywhere, while everyone sits around looking as bored as hell.

[@keith-kb1zl]

@@robertmitchell6080I don’t know man, that puzzles me too, maybe the humidity just saps the life out of you, and all the dog shit everywhere and emaciated dogs and feral cats everywhere 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@gwestcot]

The quality is always terrible too. Our house was fully finished on the inside but there is work to be done on the outside due to our budget at the time. I will basically do all my own work from here on out. However, I’m young and healthy so it’s easier to a degree. I plan to build even the 100m wall around my house by myself. I’ll just buy a mixer and a machine to make cseb’s and build away once this next dry season rolls around. Our house was 75 sqm or so which is tiny and it took 9 months. Oh and we did our own skim coating, flooring, and painting on the inside. All fixtures were marked up like 300-400% too. I suggest just bidding out the structural side and then buying your own finishing materials. They just charge for labor and some profit on top for finishing work.

[@youngandfree93]

I am part Filipino and this is very true. This country is so slow at doing everything. I would never buy here personally and thankful I will never.

[@Parabola007]

Beyond terrible in 5 years the neighborhood goes to hell from ofw relatives who have no idea of investment ​@@gwestcot

[@jimbobmcdually]

Paul lawyer up and tell him to give your money back and cancel the contract. Do it before someone else pays for a hit on him! He pissed off too many people. They will have him wacked for next to nothing and be done with him. He will turn up under a banana leaves in the middle of nowhere or they drive buy him on a scooter in daylight. The guy is a total liar and has stolen from way too many people for this not to happen pretty soon. Just cut your ties and don't give him one more peso. I have built hundreds of homes and anytime I run across a contractor that defaults I immediately fire him and hire a new one. Time is money and he has stolen your money and done illegal things on your property hence the complaints for illegally working there with no permits. Contractors are a dime a dozen. Don't pay until they have completed specific things that you should have listed in the contract as payment points that must be completed first. Don't mess around get the lawyer before he has no money left to return yours. Tell him directly to refund your money right now, make him sign he defaulted on the contract or at least yur mutually agree to part ways and cancel the contract with you that day, or your next stop will be to your lawyers and your lawyer will be contacting him from that point forward not only for your original amount but for all legal fees and punitive damages!

[@peterbrittain1963]

if he has ripped off customers,,, he has ripped off the workers too... they would remove him for loosing face ..and owing them money.. i dont think this dodgy builder will see new years ...

[@LivingTheLifeRetired]

Based on what you’ve said I’m not sure getting your building permit is going to make your project go any faster. Hope it all works out.

[@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234]

I know what you mean.

[@keith-kb1zl]

It’s just another thing in this con man’s arsenal to prolong the grift.🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@firstnamelastname6717]

He should check out the Philippina pea’s video with her lawyer friend and they talked about many legal issues, many answers to your questions.

[@sleepySUCKS-kf8th]

Hum, when you started you told us all how you had it all figured out and you had the best builder around, BUD YOU JUST GOT SCHOOLED ON THE PHILIPPINE WAY!!!

[@PinayOkie58]

LOL, soundsright!!

[@Eric-qm5xw]

95% of Filipino have little experience and are basically bs. The Filipino “ Oh yeah I’m architect and engineer”, they are full of crap. Don’t trust them as far as you can throw them lol start again and be tougher.

[@stingoterranova1518]

You nail it! All of you expats should learn from the story however the story has not reached yet the sad ending.

[@Dragon_rls]

A persons due diligence can only go so far. It could have happened to me just as easily. Never underestimate scammers 90% of them are as dumb as a box of rocks. But the other 10%… Those are the ones that get us all.

[@samlloyd6197]

@@Dragon_rls he should have been checking the job site regularly

[@Billy_B_Goat]

Paul thank you very much for sharing your 'adventure', there are Many Lessons to be learned from your journey. It does seem you did a more than reasonable job of due diligence on vetting this contractor and I could easily see myself in your shoes given the same circumstances. I will most certainly keep a look out for your updates. Best of luck and good health. Peace and Love, B Goat

[@rick8910]

Sure hope you and Baby Mae get things sorted out. Building a house is stressful in itself let alone dealing with a bad contractor. Best of luck going forward with your build.

[@Jesse-0008]

This is sad, I’m sorry for you Paul. I’m starting to think about the Philippines in a different way unfortunately 😢

[@michaelreyes8182]

You mean, you can got your perverted mind out of the gutter thinking of all those young, desperate Filipinas, and you see the light!?

[@stingoterranova1518]

You should look at the Philippines differently and if you're in the Islands or the South you should move away from where you are.

[@jameswelch1054]

Paul, I kind of had a bad feeling with that project right from the start. I would never jump into something that big so fast, especially building a house. So many things need to be watched, like engineering, insuring that the proper materials are being used, permits,, etc ... On a project like that you can get scammed at so many levels. The other concerns with building in the Philippines is competence. Many of us just watched a Pinay KZbinr start to build her own house, but she went bankrupt through the process, and no house. She lost everything on the retaining wall that she had to build, and the sad thing is many Western engineers & contractors believe the retaining wall was so poorly engineered, that it won't hold. The people she hired for that did not scam her, they just did not have the engineering competence for such a job. Paul, you clearly fell for the old real estate scam, colored shirts and all. Now you have only one option, get a lawyer, and break that contract. Sure you will of lost a lot of money, but don't lose anymore on that guy, ... "GET OUT"! Seriously, only a fool would give a con artist another chance. You don't want a house built by someone you can't trust, or any more headaches from him. You need to supervise the project yourself, in the Philippines. You should get an architect, to draw up the plans, and then you hire subcontractors yourself.

[@gdennis310]

Which pinay KZbinr are you referring to, Rubeauti?

[@Billy_B_Goat]

@@gdennis310 Gelay had to build a pretty sizeable retaining wall on her property. I had not heard anything about that wall failing, though it did cost her a considerable sum to build it.

[@gdennis310]

​@@Billy_B_GoatThanks for the info. I don't follow Gelay that closely and was unaware that happened to her. That's unfortunate.

[@jameswelch1054]

@@gdennis310 I think it was Gelay?

[@keith-kb1zl]

@@gdennis310should be a warning to all foreigners who are thinking of investing anything over there. If they scam a citizen of their own country, on a construction project that should be a big concern..

[@inclover780]

When you said he was a charmer...red flags would have gone off in my mind. Every charmer I have ever known was a con man. This is normal in the Philippines.

[@davicool4284]

The bigger the smile The sharper the knife

[@danielhuntington2116]

Certainly a big red flag was when he approached Paul. The great ones have people coming to them! I think he went fishing and hooked Paul along with 27 others! 🙏

[@keith-kb1zl]

@@danielhuntington2116shows you how crappy the legal system is in the Philippines that it got to this point.. grift would never have gotten this far in the states guy would have been in jail for theft and embezzlement..

[@johnstraw5390]

@@keith-kb1zlOr elected President. Could go either way really.

[@Airraidcd]

Damn Paul all that BS you had to do. I would never build a house just rent.

[@stingoterranova1518]

Tell you what, you can but get a reference from the local known and well liked priest or a protestant minister but not from a local cult leader.

[@Ethan7s]

@@stingoterranova1518 Paul had a good reason to buy, but maybe building it wasn't the way to go.

[@jeffreygreen9057]

Thanks for the update Paul. This is normal for contractors & builders to operate this way. I am a Land Surveyor and encounter this dilemma with permits, gov't agencies, utilities and the process for home builders. A good consultant or project manager can alleviate these situations to prevent what you have experienced! Todays video describes the usual process everyone should follow! Please keep us updated and keep up the quit smoking! Stay healthy! 😎🤔

[@dirtyharry8629]

Also congratulations on getting 1001K subscribers!

[@RayBalmes]

You broke your own rules to begin with, I've watched most of your videos and you were awesome till now. You should've not quit smoking that may have alter your wisdom thinking. Stay strong Paul. Good luck.

[@ronrooks2150]

no permits=no intent to do the build=the end.

[@keith-kb1zl]

that’s what I was thinking, if he didn’t get approved for permits at the start , that’s probably why they just dug a few holes 😖🤗dude didn’t even have money for permits to start .🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@ziezcogslaw8643]

about time someone "takes him fishing"

[@tryscience]

how would fish help the situation?

[@ziezcogslaw8643]

@@tryscience I assume you're joking.

[@rick8910]

@@ziezcogslaw8643I’m pretty sure that was sarcastic, think you need to read between the lines.

[@tryscience]

@@ziezcogslaw8643 hehehehe. Bingo. (I can't help myself)

[@ziezcogslaw8643]

@@rick8910 I did. why did you assume i didn't?

[@timbrock2785]

Paul, we see this a lot in America…. The builder needs to sign up new clients to have money to finish the previous projects.. kind of a pyramid scheme where he needs additional cash flow….

[@giovannideventuri4506]

It is called a "Ponzi Scam".

[@steveswell1]

@@giovannideventuri4506 Yes, and it works. Obviously, because it took a few hundred comments before this fact was acknowledged. :)

[@timbrock2785]

@ that is a better description

[@alaskacpu]

Wow, what a mess. When we built our 3 story home, we help design the contract, times, work completed, extras etc. Since our foundation was huge, 12ft high from ground level and also went deep into the ground. This was for flooding so no water would flow into our home. Our contract stated 2 years for a complete build. The foundation took over 6 months and the rest was done in the appropriate time frame. However, our contract stated no partial payment if a phase of the contract was incomplete. Once completed, another phase started, partial payment was made. You already know, nothing is fast in the Philippines. But since our contract said the home would be delivered within 2 years - it was completed. We found many things in the home put together by cheap parts and replaced them. We used high quality tiles for floors and bathrooms. Our home cost us around $60K US but we spend another $10K US to finish all the additions we wanted to do. Hope you find your answers. Our home was completed in 2015, but started in 2013. We couldn't build it for that price today 😅

[@Billy_B_Goat]

Congrats on successfully completing your build, two questions: 1. Were you on-site most days to oversee the build (do you have building trade knowledge)? 2. What would you estimate it to cost you to build that house today (bed/bath/sq ft)? Thanks for your post. Peace B Goat

[@joerosado86]

Hi Paul & May I ve been in the remodeling business for over 25 yrs here in the Chicago area, and we also have properties in Palawan,, Over the years i came to realize that Philippine time & USA time is totally different when it come to construction work in the Philippines. My old memories came back when you started talking about your nightmares regarding the construction of your house, all thise trips to the municipality, the barangay, the runaround at city hall and the nickle & dime you at every turn Paul my advice to you sir, cut your loses now because its going to be less expensive than if you continue to be dealing with this conman It will get worse if you don't, there's still more paper work along the way that you will still need to do before the house is totally finish, its exhausting 😂 Thank you and good luck Paul

[@kevinsoundmixer]

Thank you for sharing an update about this guys. Even though it's causing you stress, it's a helpful warning to others so we don't suffer the same fate. 😢 Hoping for the best, and that you move into your completed home some time in 2025 🤞🏻🙏🏻

[@rocconasso6277]

Hi Paul i watch your videos. Paul I am retired now. I live in Costa Rica 23 years now. Ok I was a certified building contractor in Florida many years. Paul this guy is smart he will keep getting deposits until he has a ton of money ok. Then he will dissappear maybe out of the philippines. Remember this Paul if you can't swim and you walk into the ocean up to your waist .you have to choices 1 walk in more and have big problems. Or 2 turn around and go back to the beach . Paul don't go deeper just tell him you want your money back and quit with him . Like I said he might dissappear. Fight for yourself and Mae only . Tell him lawyers will get involved that will scare him ok. Good luck Paul. Stay strong and don't be nice to that builder.👍

[@Finallyready-t8b]

You want him to make you " whole" 😂😂😂😂😂 your trying to talk like a gangster and your just a pervert punk ! I know you meant you want him to take. "your hole" like when you were in the Glory hole

[@MovinOnBob]

You need to use the contractor Sunshine Shoulders used.

[@rickbold9337]

He’s in San Carlos not Dumaguete

[@ragjamrock]

He has built homes in other cities for expats. Rock Engineering is their name.

[@thomasrichardson7865]

We also made a mistake by having our retirement house built in Philippines without us being their. The mayor part of house build went great. Sent us daily pictures in email. The final install of sidewalk, garage floor, cabinets, sink ,shower drains, tiles was not good. So if we would of had someone their daily to make sure contractor did a complete job, not cut corners. We would not have to do a lot of rework. Garage floor dirt not compacted good enough have cracks in concrete. Cabinets not sanded good enough, varnish was applied in thick layers. sink shower drains had concrete in drains had to snake out drains to get sink and shower to drain quickly. Floor tiles started to come loose, not enough of tile had concrete on them. Removed 2 complete rooms and reinstalled tiles the right way. Paul I know your frustrations been their...Take care hopefully with all the people complaining he will get his act together, or find another builder.

[@koufax174]

I would never do that to myself. I would never have started. I worked to hard in my life to invite stresses in my life.

[@Crazykid949]

Paul and Mae: Sorry to hear about the troubles you are going through, I seriously hope that this can get resolved peacefully and quickly. Best wishes my friend.

[@gerardbeck457]

I wouldn’t be caught dead doing anything like this in a country like the Philippines WITHOUT a good lawyer involved! I hear about too many scams over there!

[@skaidimusic]

A sad situation, but unfortunately, fraud is not uncommon in the Philippines, and it's probably best to forget about the guy. It likely means you should have checked him out more thoroughly, as many people have had and continue to have issues with him. Taking the case to court will only lead to more problems, and in such situations, one is not safe in the Philippines.

[@andrewmponeill]

Sorry to hear about your situation Paul. My wife and I are also considering a build when we retire to the Philippines but stories like yours have us looking more seriously at buying something built already or just sticking with renting. There's supposed to be expat builders in your area, maybe better off with one of those? In any case we wish you the best of luck, I hope it all works out for you and Baby Mae!

[@kanointhephilippines8082]

The most difficult thing I have done in the years I've lived here is build a home. I'm almost complete with my 3rd build and this will be the last. IMHO to be successful building you must understand the building process and have knowledge in all facets of construction and you must be on site all day, every day without fail. The real key is having a foreman who understands you call the shots and one who can keep the workers on task. I source all materials, he provides the skilled labor. I pay him 45% of the material cost (excluding initial site prep) for the labor. I provide ice and water daily and lunch on Saturday which is also their payday. I'm very blessed to have a great foreman and a supplier who will deliver anything at any time. Good luck and be blessed Paul.

[@RetirePhilippines]

Thanks for the warning. What a Crazy nightmare.

[@GB-AK]

Thanks for the update. I'm about 1 1/2 years behind you. We just purchased a lot in Magalang and plan to build a house in about a year or two. Always good to see what others have experienced.

[@chedhess345]

I had a similar problem when I bought property and no action. I lawyered up on that and gess what , I was going to turn my papers from the lawer and the contractor returned my money. I knew if I waited they wouldn't have the money so I quickly took care of it. Later on I heard that they did run out of money. Dont wait.

[@chedhess345]

Oh by the way I built my house .

[@joeb6772]

I was about an inch away from signing a contract with the same person, Paul. Mostly because you mentioned the company in another one of your videos plus also recommended by Micheal from Veritas consulting. I never went through with it because just got really busy. I think he’s messed with the wrong person with you though. Hopefully, this has a happy ending.

[@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234]

Thanks for sharing!

[@KenBalduff]

I worry that the contractor is already buried, and is simply on the run with a short leash! Don't chase bad money spent with good money.

[@roustabout4fun]

I truly hope that Thanksgiving also comes late... ASAP~ You seem to be handling it well and I hope your blood pressure is good! Mine went up thinking about this CONtractor~

[@chrisncebu]

Who are the two old chicks?

[@JohnH9876]

You are a prick

[@gerrymcnally9344]

Improvise, adapt and overcome. The games continue! Good luck Paul on your endeavor.

[@ericemslie9870]

Never buy anything overseas Rent everything no matter what country your in

[@PatrickKelly-b8o]

You need a "PROJECT MANAGER" who knows what he's doing AND is your advocate. Anything else is going to COST you big bucks in the long run ..plus give your bleeding ulcers.

[@jeffreygreen9057]

They are commonly known as consultants! = Project Manager!

[@clivevenning7204]

man you are so lucky to have these wonderful women

[@KanoKanding]

Honestly, I’m surprised that this happened to you (espousing yourself as a local “expert”). The best way to build is with your involvement at every step. I wouldn’t sign to a general contractor to supervise a build for anything. Labor price extortion, materials gouging, utilities payoffs, delays for anything, you name it. Not doubting your diligence, but I’d be surprised if you have your deed squared away yet. Too bad Paul. My recommendation is you get serious about getting involved, and get that wife of yours involved too. This is a sad tale I’ve heard over and over again.

[@markl192]

Dude, if you don't build in an established community like gated, you're risking a lot.

[@rickbold9337]

Couldn’t agree more with that. That is the first thing to consider.

[@samlloyd6197]

This could have been nipped in the bud. You just should and need to be there everyday during construction process, that’s what we did and it makes a difference. Often in the mornings the workers would not be working yet, but as soon as I set up my chair or my wife did they started working and if we had a question or saw something that didn’t seem right we addressed it that day. Subdivision living is not for everyone too many rules.

[@keith-kb1zl]

this! It’s the biggest reason I just chose to buy a house in a nicer subdivision. money well spent, can’t put a price on peace of mind..

[@samlloyd6197]

@@keith-kb1zl too many rules in subdivisions and they’re enforced to randomly. Full pass and he should’ve been paying attention at the construction site.

[@keith-kb1zl]

or, you can roll the dice and build in a dirt poor area for cheap and not be safe.. living in a subdivision is no hundred percent guarantee against crime, but still way safer than living off the beaten path. also people here will report unpermitted house renovations, and force evictions on tenants that don’t pay - I see the official notifications posted on properties, for the most part, I haven’t seen any police activity here, also our neighbor is a police officer haha 😂 so I hope that’s a good thing 🤗

[@herbwitt7710]

What a mess Paul. Sorry for all your grief with this builder 😢 Thanks for sharing ❤

[@dashley2525]

We got the building permit a month after we already moved in. It bothered me for months. Strangely they need to know the projects total cost before they issue the permit. The architect told them a number off the top of his head and that was it. Tax is based on it as it is the property value. The architect told us not to be concerned . Everything was fine and he was right.

[@todddunn945]

I have one solid rule. Never do business with someone who solicits you. When I want something done I research the people who do that sort of work and then talk to the people who meet my criteria. I also have my in house lawyer (my wife) go over all contracts.

[@michaelreyes8182]

Don't forget your other solid rule...you love playing Monday morning quarterback!

[@tryscience]

@@michaelreyes8182 he made a valid point.

[@mrcmercedez-s3p]

I tell people DON'T build a house in the Philippines with having an real-estate attorney. First you need to get the premiits. Secondly you need to see if that property has emcumbrances on the title. See if the title is clear. Go down with the contractor to get the building permits . Start there first.

[@Kolchak13]

Sorry hear of your misfortune. Regroup and move on... Don't lose faith - life will get better 🙏 you're almost there!!! 🎉

[@TheThaiRaccoon]

We just completed out home in Thailand...this was a real fear going in. Hope you can work something out and regain trust in the contractor.

[@williambreeze2659]

Man this is sad, thank god Jing was there to help you two out. I hope things start to get better asap!

[@dashley2525]

We went thru all the same shots. I let the architect handle it. His wife is the manager at Bacong Title Office so she kept my wife posted all the way. It is a paper chase all the way. Don't get to annoyed if you do not get the final house permit. Just get the power and water on. Work with the permit office and be patient. You can build without the permit but get the wall permit at least and post it.

[@borgebjornseth1230]

I like that fair people like you can have a voice here on youtube, telling people what is good and bad, making it easyer for everybody to make good decitions:)

[@mikeheyjoebuenavistadreamin272]

hard to believe a los angeles car salesman would not recognize a scam ..still respect ya though and enjoy your stories

[@nancyamaral5620]

Sorry to hear about this ordeal Building a home is stressful no matter where you live and there is always some sort of scamming for profit. it seems you did your due diligence and had no way to predict this dilemma

[@hubriswonk]

I have not checked in with your channel is some time and ya'll are looking good over there! Unfortunately I have not heard of one single person who has had a good experience with building a house there.........not that I have a large pool of people to talk to, but damn, there must be someone reputable! My Filipina and I are going to Cebu in May for a month and will have a look around at all the possibilities. In general the scammers run an amazing game there!

[@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234]

Good luck with the trip, Cebu has some great options.

[@tryscience]

Boston Filipino had an excellent experience building his home. Back when his videos were posted I recall high praise for his contractor. And the place is beautiful 😍

[@Billy_B_Goat]

Build the Philippines with Greg and Wilma, they built a beautiful home up the hill from Dauin. There are a lot of success stories, but most of them had the owner there for daily oversite.

[@WhitExplores]

"I lost my temper in the meeting, but it is what it is". LOL I like your style, Paul. 🙂

[@xiaobao4757]

Contractors are a pain in the US, too.

[@JosephDeluca-xz3lo]

Keep moving forward Paul. Stay on top of things, like you are now doing. Don’t let up. Seek progress each day each week each month. Visit the sight more often, everyday if you have to. And hopefully you’ll look back a year from now and have a good laugh. In your new home rent free 😊

[@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234]

That's the plan!

[@topcat9350]

With so many people backed up on developments it could be many years until your house is built

[@justkellyTheModernFilipinaVlog]

My Western Fiance and I are also building our house here in Subic Bay, We got a lot of bad experience with different contructors as well. We got scammed! couple of companies were also overpriced , took us 2 years of waiting till we get the final building permit. So we ended up in a decision to just build it on our own and created my own construction team ❤ You guys have to be smarter and extra careful with these people. Goodluck to your future house! Godbless 🙏

[@jspice-kl2wc]

Great video, what a nightmare, hope everything works out for you. Jing should start a business. Thank you.

[@artman2606]

Married to a Filipino for 20 years live in the United States have been to the Philippines a few times three weeks to a month each time. I could never live there the patience you must have to get things done watching these videos just gives me anxiety and stress thinking if that was me 🤯Good luck to you, Paul

[@Crey-yk5yy]

Told ya. Never leave them workers alone. Be there everyday. For me, i'd keep it simple & just buy premade shipping containers. Hope you get your moolah back.

[@danielroy3039]

Paul. We also have gone through a similar story. I actually believe this is a common scam here in the Philippines. I have lived here 20 years. Originally from Minnesota. The contractor we hired ended up being a total nightmare. A 3 month job exchanging or roof from wood to metal. Ended up to be 7 months. Boy did we pay. Luckily my wife knew a few good contractors that finally finished the job. I pray that we can meet you both someday. We live paranaque outside of Manila. Good luck you both. Keep smiling and positive. Dan

[@Brockman-d3e]

I wouldn't give this contractor one more peso.

[@bigdog7914]

Lawyer up! On the upside, you'll have plenty of KZbin material for the future. You'll be helping many people in the future.

[@dennisgonya4500]

I visited the Philippines in 1999 and 2000 and did not like what I saw in many cases. Property was expensive and foreigners could not buy land. Women there were very deceptive. A culture not for me.

[@TruthTellerTH-k3w]

Sounds exactly like Thailand.

[@michaelreyes8182]

What do you expect when all they see is nasty old pervert men taking advantage of desperate young girls?

[@jetd9716]

​@@michaelreyes8182exactly. Lol 😂

[@stingoterranova1518]

Where you guys go are places full of scammers, the Islands or the South. I'm a Canadian-Filipino who's been away for almost 50 years. I do not even trust my own relatives! My family came from the Visayas region and my dad used to tell me stories how people there love easy money to get an easy life playing guitar singing and drinking.

[@tryscience]

@@michaelreyes8182 troll

[@keithmayers8748]

My 2nd 4 month visit to PH. Was looking to stay & build. Retired & not prepaired to deal with the stress & bureaucracy.

[@donbxman7080]

Wow! Sounds like you're really living the life there Paul! I use to have the same dream as you & Baby Mae. Looks like we'll just cozy up to the wood stove here and count our blessings. Thumbs up!

[@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234]

It’s not all rainbows and sunshine, but it’s been a great experience.

[@1951Ford]

I drew up my own floor plans, and hired local carpenters, and I was there to supervise the whole build. The work went well and I'm totally satisfied with the work they did. Maybe you can come and visit us Paul and see our house.

[@perryhenrickson7750]

Sounds like this guy was looking for money to finish his bigger projects. Maybe not?

[@genejordan9983]

Like I’ve always said, if there is a more complicated way to do something, the Philippines has figured it out. I contracted our house build. Built 4 in the US, architectural engineer my first degree. Hired Lou’s cousin as my mason, foreman. Still had those crazy issues with getting all the approvals. Made some simple changes to the way our house was built but now it’s more earthquake and typhoon resistant. Had to pay a local architect 30,000 because they wouldn’t except a foreigners blue print. 😂 found that 10,000 bribe money made things happen. We got a temporary building permit so we could get going, never received a formal permit. Go figure. City electrical engineer was nice but was not figuring the power in correctly. I over road him with a 5,000 bribe. I went bigger so I still don’t understand why he argued the point. All said and done, finished in 6 months. 3 earthquakes over 8.0 and not a single crack. Hasn’t been a typhoon hitting Mati since the 70s but I feel good. Since this was new to the builders they asked everyday how I wanted it done. We fed the lunch, took all of them to the beach twice, bought 4 cases of beer every Saturday. This went a long way to working together and having no problems. Good luck guys.

[@Michail-z7p]

DEAR PAUL I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU LONG TIME AND I RESPECT AND APPRECIATE YOU AS AN EXCEPTIONAL AMERICAN GENTLEMAN. I CAN SAY THAT THE CONTRACTOR IS A REAL BIG CROOK. YOU MAY SEEK SOME LEGAL ADVICE. THOSE BASTARDS NEED TO BE PUNISHED. I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK.

[@reggyreginald8158]

As a long term subscriber, I’m sorry to hear this. But it’s a common story. You wanted to build, got scammed in Phil’s and probably have a very minimal chance of ever recovering your lost funds, due to the amount of debtors he (tge contractor) seems to owe (28-30), and he will probably have good legal advisors benefiting from his company dissolution and the start of a new business. Sorry to hear it Paul 🙏🏼. Blessings in this situation.

[@ndyajeff]

There is always more vetting that can be done, but it sounds like you acted very reasonably and responsibly! You learned and you're sharing your lessons! The real win is if you can turn this topic into a video series that more than pays for the house! Can Paul build a house, pay for it, and make money on the project ?

[@phtravels23]

In Australia we have had different builders doing this exact same thing, usually it's because of money issues, they talk salesman bullshit , all talk no action, they get you to sign and they take deposits. They fail to pay their subcontractors which will be the reason for work not being done. If you talk to the workers in private, I think you will find this is the reason. Get out while you can, it won't get any better. Think of him as a horse gambler.

[@Ghekko-kw3zz]

Yep & the few good ones left are juggling multiple projects at once.

[@hamsterwheelfugitive5425]

I don't enjoy listening to your misery, but it feels so good that it's you guys rather than me! 🙏 What viewers aren't admitting is the same 💩 happens in the USA 🇺🇸 with shady contractors, & skilled trade workers. I'll be shocked if this guy does any work, but at least lawyer up to make his life as miserable as he has made yours. You would think with expats moving home or dying you could find a deal on a house already built, move-in ready? Keep making videos on this topic, we all love drama!! 🤑🤑🤑

[@danielhuntington2116]

Yeppir...sn example is Beattie Builders in Cape Coral FL who stole 15 million $$$ from customers and left their lives in shambles!

[@ToGoPhilippines-uz1qe]

Your being very gracious (which is best) I hope the builder accepts your invitation to explain his situation. Very sad to see you guys go through this, that said this is very important for us subscribers.

[@MovinOnBob]

Pea knows good honest builders.