Good and Bad

Lots of good things happening with the Calatagan project that I'm happy with but there are mistakes that should have been averted but were not, so I'd just have to take the bad with the good and the good with the bad.

The electrician didn't follow or remember or understand my instructions about this part of the house where I want the lamp to be coming out from the wall so there shouldn't have been any outlets.  But since the outlet was placed there already, I'd have to make do but this design obviously doesn't work so I'm still finding a way to solve this.  I had a thick piece of metal curved to receive the lamp but it doesn't seem like a good solution either.

The L-shaped headboard is taking form.

The ongoing debacle, dilemma, conundrum with the local contractor has finally been resolved.  Both my foreman and I lost faith in the local contractor who was doing the electrical, plumbing and tiling works of the bathroom.  He was saying that he was capable of accomplishing the tasks but he wasn't.  His people seldom went to work and didn't seem like they were serious about the whole job.  I want to berate myself for having chosen him but I can't because it was again an "innocent mistake" for thinking the best of people.

I made this mistake before when I chose a subcontractor for the spiral staircase in the clinic project and I thought I'd better exercise extra caution when outsourcing jobs.  However, it happened again.  I'm grateful though that we were able to terminate the contract before the tiling and laying of the granite sink began.  Now, we got a daily-wage worker who seems a far, far, far better option and who's also from the area.  Hmmm.  Does that mean it's really hard to trust subcons?

What I wanted to avoid also was the stress of going between my foreman and the subcon who would be saying different things and it would be one person's word against the other.  I have not been able to visit the project site in two weeks so it's stressful having to deal with it by phone, although I am quite sure whom to believe when it comes to quality of work because I've seen the stark difference between the two.

Our own team of workers headed by Foreman Raul had to correct the faulty plumbing left by the nightmare subcontractor.  The water is stronger now.

Two tries with the sandblasted glass sticker: the one on the left is correct and the one on the right was the first try that still has to be repeated.

Glad Even If I'm Not There

Even if I don't see for myself how the Calatagan beach house turns out in the last few days of construction, I'm quite happy to see it realized through the photos taken by Jess.  I've accepted the fact that I can't drive up to Calatagan for a while but I can still monitor the work by delegation.  Today, I met with the foreman in the hospital so we can discuss the final materials that need to be bought.

I'm glad with the pictures taken by Jess that show his unique perspective.  The only thing I'm worried about is the bathroom.  The local contractor has not been able to deliver on time and with the quality I expected.  Take for example the strength of the water coming out of the shower.  In fairness, they will continue to work on it but it seems one excuse after another and my staff taking attendance reports that only a few workers come from their team and there are days when no one shows up at all.  The tiling was supposed to have started days ago but now they're just welding the steel bar supports for the granite sink counter.  Despite these minor anxieties, I believe everything will turn out well because foreman Raul will be there to monitor everything.

 The bedroom's looking more and more livable, ready for use.

I'll also have to discuss with Nady, the carpenter about the desk, beds and headboard.  These were the ones crafted in Manila while there are parts that need to be constructed on site.

I don't think I would've taken a picture like this so Jess really captured beautifully a certain dynamic spirit of the light, wood, glass and bamboo.

Fresh New Eye

So here are the pictures taken from a fresh new eye.  My driver, Jess used his mobile phone to shoot these photos and they do provide a different perspective which is interesting after I've been doing all the documentation on the development of this beach home.  Aside from the photos, Jess also brings the payroll for the workers as well as needed materials.

The last time I went, I found the bottom finish much too dark and asked them to lighten it up so that the varying shades of wood could still be seen.  I got a bit too paranoid and thought maybe I should have had it bleached but then through time, this whole structure will get naturally bleached anyway through all that extreme exposure to the sun. I just didn't want that uniform shade that looks painted on even though it's Sadolin natural oil but they managed to bring it a notch down as instructed.

Last Photo Probably

After going around so many hardware depots and stores to choose the counter material for the bathroom sink, I found the one that I hope my Mom would like and that I like as well.  There were materials that I liked but I knew she wouldn't go for so I couldn't let the selfish gene get in the way.  So I was happy to find this and really hope she likes it as well.  If not . . . . well-what's-new-at-least-i-tried.

The idea behind this mobile beach home is that if my Mom is not using it, everything is closed up completely and nobody can see what's inside so I've provided these sliding doors to further seal this entry corner.

The ribbon grain plywood is getting the finishing touches.

I didn't know that this may be the last photo I take of the Calatagan project myself.  A health emergency came up and for the next trips to Calatagan, I have to send my driver to take pictures so that I could be updated. But this has happened in a previous project when a serious health issue prevented me from regular site visits.  At least I have people who can monitor for me and work around a more troublesome arrangement just to get the project done.

And I ask myself, why does this keep happening to me?  Is it because I'm not meant to be in this line of work OR are these barriers just placed in the way to test my resolve and commitment?  I think it's more of the second and the setbacks are just temporary.  I had calling cards made for my design, renovation, construction, project management biz and now I cannot practice again because of a higher priority.  Ah well, I'm getting more practice in work delegation and crafting arrangements to reach the finish line even if I'm wounded in the trenches.  Of course, it would be nice to be in the front line of battle but it's not yet time for me to die.

The Perfect Halloween

I'm sorry but I don't understand some holidays we have like this yearly pilgrimage to cemeteries that have become more and more crowded.  There are times, I feel a bit anti-Christmas as well for all the commercialism but then these are just personal musings.  This "undas" I was lucky enough to be in Calatagan jump starting a delayed and over-the-budget construction project that could still be reigned in with improved management at the last steps.

Just a few weeks ago, my teenage brother asked me how he can arrange an affordable student-price beach stay with his barkada.  I went to three resorts in the Matabungkay area which is just a few minutes from Calatagan, to be able to compare and get a good fit for his requirements and budget.  There was one resort that I saw and thought wouldn't mind trying out and the opportunity presented itself this holiday.

The Coral Beach Resort is owned by a group of foreigners from different countries and it seems like the only "nice, clean and decent" resort in a string of resorts which have seen their heyday. Most of the guests were expats who enjoyed the bit of exclusive enclave that the small resort offered.  Outside, there were vendors who pestered you with their products or rafts.  There was a stall selling illegal shells and corals.   There were noisy karaoke bars at night and there was a part of the beach which had shards of beer bottle glass which signaled to the stroller that it was time to head back to the safe haven.

It's sad when you see what the dangerous combination of over-tourism and improper resource management can do to a pretty place.  A few decades ago, this certainly was a much better place to visit but with no uniting force to protect the quality of the environment, it's easy to understand its economic, social and physical decline. Matabungkay, despite the onslaught of better competition, is probably surviving due to its proximity to Manila and there may still be life left in her yet.  As long as there are children like Joshua who love chasing the tiny, tiny crabs as they scurry across the sand down into the holes and their vast network of tunnels.

Back in the Swing Again

Hooray!  We're back in Calatagan and hopefully we'll finish the mobile beach house in two weeks.  Back in the swing of things again, the carpenters were eager to see the project's completion.  However, I got a bit of a high-blood inducing disappointment over the local contractor.  While we worked on the Bel-Air project for two weeks, I added to the local contractor's scope of work so as not to lose to much time when we get back.  These were tasks that could be done with minimal supervision since I didn't want to shuttle between Manila and Calatagan.  Alas, the contractor said it would be better if they did their job alongside the Manila team which I understood but he could've told me this earlier before the two weeks were up and I was expecting something from their part.  Ah well, we'll see how it goes after this holiday break. 

That panel that's been taken down is undergoing the third correction.  The first two times had problems with the wood sourced from the local hardware store.  The wood was substandard so we decided that the third time we're doing it, we're getting the wood for Manila so this ought to work.

Nady is one of my mom's long-time carpenter who's worked on a lot of projects and is quite fast and skilled.  For a number of years, he stayed back to his province but took the trip to the city this time to help me out as well as earn a better wage for his family.

These were the palo-china furnitures - beds and desk that were made in the wood workshop in Manila and took some delays.  I made a mistake with one shelf/closet design which set back work and then things were going too slowly for comfort so I further simplified the design of the other items, in the end for the better.  Looking forward to installing them soon in the house but first we have to finish the windows and interior walls.

I am extremely blessed to be able combine work with quality time with my son Joshua who just loves the beach . . . and hotdogs.