How this Home Buddies member rebuilt his dream home after getting scammed
From simply making mood boards to actual planning, nothing beats the excitement of finally building your dream home. But planning won't always go smooth sailing and a traumatic experience can happen if you deal with irresponsible contractors.
For one, Daniel David, one virtual kapitbahay on the Home Buddies Facebook community, shared his feat of being able to rebuild his dream home despite losing over P1 million in his first attempt.
In his post, Daniel said he started building his dream home eight years ago. He went abroad in hopes of finding a job that would help him fulfill his this but had to restart and come back home to the Philippines, where he eventually got a decent job.
In an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe, Daniel recalled the supposedly exciting times when they finally found a contractor to design and build their dream home. He had paid an initial payment of P1.1 million following their contract.
After securing the deal, Daniel got the blueprints and design, and even held a groundbreaking ceremony, little did he know that such efforts and money would only go down the drain.
He later realized that he was getting scammed when no progress was happening almost a year after starting the project; The contractor also requested an additional payment despite not having a single post built.
“A few weeks later, we found ourselves included in a group chat with the [20 other] victims,” he lamented.
After losing over a million, he went to the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and filed a case for syndicated estafa but hasn’t received any updates yet with the case.
“We had to move on, compromise, and try again for our kids. With our growing family, it wouldn't be a priority anymore if we delay again our dream house. It was now or never,” Daniel said.
“As much as we wanted our money back, deep inside we knew that it was impossible,” he continued. “We can't really move on if we won't accept it.”
Moving forward, Daniel was able to find the right contractors from the Home Buddies’ Facebook group. After a series of planning and adjusting to fit into their budget, their two-story house was finally finished in 2023.
Tips for finding the right contractor and avoiding scams
Planning your dream home is exciting and could be overwhelming, one important thing to keep is being cautious about who you are dealing with. After the ordeal, Daniel’s top advice is to listen to your instincts.
“If it feels wrong, then it probably is. Look for red flags! Pag maraming dahilan, kabahan ka na,” he said.
“Also, it doesn't matter if you saw or visited their past projects or have been in their office [because] they can leave you hanging anytime,” he added.
He added that homeowners should ensure to be 101% involved during the process. When it comes to payment, never pay in full in the early stages of the project.
“Never pay ng isang bagsakan. There should always be an output first depending on what you've agreed on and it should be crystal clear for both parties so just in case they wouldn't deliver, at least di ka lugi,” he explained.
Other tips
Mia Tioseco, another virtual kapitbahay whose first contractor “fled the country” during their demolition phase, also shared her learning when finding the first contractor.
Number one is to take their projects with a grain of salt.
“Don’t always be impressed if the contractor tells you they are more established because they’ve handled multiple projects, not just residential but also resorts daw. You never know if they will run into financial challenges at some point. Always do your due diligence based on CURRENT info/facts,” she wrote.
She also advises to don’t choose the one who is the lowest bidder. “Some contactors are just after your downpayment and hindi rin sila sure if matatapos nila project mo at their proposed cost. Nagsusugal din sila sa project mo,” she said.
Mia also added that you may also visit your contractor’s current project which is at the finishing stage and try to talk with the homeowner, as well as the workers about their experience with the contractor.
Lastly, choose someone who is hands-on with the projects. “[Someone] who personally visits his projects, rather than someone who will just subcontract the work to someone else,” she said.
Still not sure how you could choose the right one? You may also check an engineer’s tips about finding the right contractor for a professional POV.
Watch out for our Home Buddies features every Saturday.