What I Wish I Knew BEFORE Remodeling in the Philippines!

I thought they were damaging my concrete wall — but it turns out there was a reason. Living in the Philippines continues to teach me that construction here can look very different from what we're accustomed to seeing in the United States and other Western countries. While checking the latest work being done at our home in Bohol, I walked outside and found one of the workers taking a drill and chipping away into the wall. My immediate reaction was pretty simple: Why are they doing this? But once I watched the entire process, I began to understand what they were doing and why. In this video, I'll take you through another Philippine construction technique that was completely unfamiliar to me — from cutting into finished concrete walls with a drill to other ways of building things here. Why do they build things so differently in the Philippines? 🇵🇭 After 90 days of remodeling our home in Bohol, I've seen some construction techniques that have left me scratching my head! Imagine finishing a concrete wall, only to come back and drill into it to install electrical conduit! That's exactly what happened on our project, and it's just one of the surprises we've experienced while renovating our home in the Philippines. Our original completion date was October 15, but now we're looking at another 4–6 weeks of construction. So what's taking so long, and are these different building methods really a problem? In this episode of Island Expats, I'll take you behind the scenes of our home renovation in Dauis, Bohol, and share what I've learned about hiring a Filipino contractor, managing expectations, and staying involved in the construction process. Here's what we'll cover: Why workers drill into concrete walls AFTER they've been finished. Why construction can take longer than expected in the Philippines. The important water-line decision I caught before our driveway was poured. How our new driveway, perimeter wall, and steel carport are progressing. The differences I've noticed between American and Filipino construction practices. Why I'm still happy with our contractor despite the delays. What I'd recommend to expats considering building or remodeling a home in the Philippines. One thing I'm learning is that different construction methods don't necessarily mean poor workmanship. But even with a good contractor, you need to ask questions and pay attention to the details! 💬 QUESTION FOR YOU: Have you built or remodeled a home in the Philippines? Were you surprised by the construction methods or how long everything took? Would you hire a contractor again, or manage the workers yourself? Share your experience in the comments. I'd love to hear your thoughts! 👍 If you enjoy following our life in Bohol, please LIKE this video and SUBSCRIBE to Island Expats as we share the realities of buying a home, renovating, and living in the Philippines. #IslandExpats #Philippines #Bohol #PhilippinesConstruction #ExpatLife #LivingInThePhilippines #HomeRenovation It's also another reminder of something I've learned during our construction projects here: Different doesn't necessarily mean wrong. Building methods, materials, tools and the amount of manual labor used in the Philippines can be very different from what many of us grew up seeing in the West. Sometimes there's a perfectly good reason for doing something differently. But as we've also discovered during this project, sometimes there really is a problem. That's why my approach as a foreign homeowner has become pretty simple: Ask questions. Understand the process. And trust — but verify. For anyone considering buying, building, renovating or retiring in the Philippines, I hope showing the real-world construction happening at our home gives you a better idea of what you may encounter here. Thanks for following along with us here in Bohol and being part of the Island Expats community. Subscribe to Island Expats for more about expat life, home ownership, construction, travel and what it's really like living in the Philippines. #Philippines #PhilippinesConstruction #ExpatLife #LivingInThePhilippines #Bohol #IslandExpats #PhilippinesExpat #BuildingInThePhilippines Philippine Privacy Notice Under Philippine law, individuals appearing in this video have the right to privacy. If you appear in this footage and do not wish to be shown, please contact me and your image will be promptly removed or blurred. 📌 Let’s Connect Have questions about condo or home living, renting vs buying, or choosing the right lifestyle in the Philippines? Drop them in the comments—I read every one & enjoy the conversation. 📍 Subscribe to Island Expats For aspirational island living, home tours, real-world cost insights, and expat lifestyle content: 👉    / islandexpats   🔔 Turn on notifications so you don’t miss what’s next. expats in the philippines cost of living in the philippines steps for retiring in the philippines