WATCH: How to save money when building a house, according to engineer Slater Young

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WATCH: How to save money when building a house, according to engineer Slater Young

ABS-CBN News

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Updated Oct 06, 2020 09:33 AM PHT

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Slater Young. Screengrab from YouTube

MANILA -- Engineer and former "Pinoy Big Brother" winner Slater Young hopes to make the process of building a house "more approachable" through his vlog.

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Young shared tips on how to save money in home building and renovation projects.

Comparing the process to buying a mobile phone, he stressed the importance of carefully looking at specifications and comparing different suppliers, among others.

"Iyong dream ko talaga for the channel is to make engineering and building more approachable, especially for students, for the new homeowners, existing homeowners, and fans of engineering and architecture," he said.

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"Marami naman talagang ways [to save money] whether it's technical, changing the architectural design, or changing the structure a bit, or just how the house looks," he added.

Here are his tips:

1. LOOK FOR DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS

Using his mobile phone analogy, Young said one can save a lot of money by getting the best deal from a list of suppliers, as opposed to picking just one right off the bat.

He said he and his wife, fellow vlogger Kryz Uy, were able to save 10% to 20% just by following this tip.

"Sobrang hassle, ang dami mong kailangang i-coordinate, meron pa tayong mga suppliers na unresponsive or take too long to get a quote. But I feel like it's worth the effort," he said.

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"And if the supplier is unresponsive, 'di tayo binigyan ng importansiya, that is a good sign that you should probably not be working with them," he added.

2. GO THROUGH EVERY LINE OF THEIR QUOTATION

Young said some suppliers tend to "hide things in their quote or try to eliminate stuff and then charge you after," citing their own experience.

Learning things the hard way, he recalled: "With our pool, nagpa-quote kami ng two suppliers. The other one was more expensive so we didn't get them. The problem is... the supplier did not put in lights for the pool, 'yung mga steps sa gilid he did not include that in his quote and medyo mas maliit pa 'yung mga pumps na ginamit. That was my mistake because I didn't check his quote and I trusted his word when he said 'kasama na 'yan.'"

"He ended up being more expensive than the other guy," he admitted. "That was a sad story, medyo stressful, but something you can avoid if you do it line by line. And if you have questions, feel free to ask your supplier."

3. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING IN WRITING

Along those lines, Young advised his viewers to not trust verbal agreements or handshake deals and put everything in writing before starting a project with suppliers.

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"Kasi even with us, when I discovered 'yung pool namin hindi kasama 'yung lights, sabi niya, 'O ganito lang 'yung quotes niyan, don't worry about it.' And pagdating ng actual cost, it was actually 50% more than what he said. Sabi niya, 'O nag-change na 'yung price,' so ang hirap talaga 'pag ganyan. Make sure everything is in writing and everything is pirmado," he stressed.

4. THE DESIGN WILL INFLUENCE THE OVERALL COST OF YOUR HOUSE

Young said the design of the home to be constructed or renovated can easily determine the level of spending for the project, so this should also be taken into consideration.

"For example, a glass house will be a little bit more expensive, siyempre mahal ang glass. A house with a lot of moldings, a lot of designs, will also be more expensive. And modern houses without a lot of partitions, a lot of walls, and [with a] minimalist design will be cheaper," he said.

The engineer also cited how they invested in quality items such as LED lights and roof insulation to save on electric bills in the long run.

"LED lights last a lot, lot, lot longer and save you electricity. So although it's more expensive sa first spend mo, it's a lot cheaper in the long run," he said.

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That said, Young also reminded his viewers that it's okay to "splurge on what you feel is important," then make up for it and "budget on what you don't need."

5. MAKE SURE TO HIRE PROFESSIONALS

Lastly, Young reiterated the need to hire professionals for home projects as these will help save more money in the long run, and also give peace of mind.

"Hire architects, engineers, plumbers, and electricians, and make sure they are professional and trustworthy," he said. "Ang dami kong nakikita na mga people that are just building their home or extending using a foreman or pakyawan. The problem with that is these people will not come back because you have a problem with your home in the future."

He went on: "For example, I don't hire an architect. Mali-mali 'yung mga location ng windows, mali 'yung height ng windows, height ng shelves, height ng counters. That alone is reason enough to hire an architect."

"Or even structural engineers," he added. "Siyempre 'pag mga foreman, siyempre sasabihin lang nila, 'Ah ganyan lang 'yun, ganito lang kalaki 'yung column, ganito lang kalaki 'yung beam.' Guys, hindi kayo guaranteed when there's a calamity like an earthquake or typhoon that happens. Make sure you're hiring the right structural engineers, or even electricians, because you don't want your place to be a fire hazard."

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"Huwag niyong tipirin ang professionals like me," he ended.

Watch Young's vlog below:

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

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