12 Costly Mistakes I Made Building a House in the Philippines @KuyaJason

Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

Can you build a house in the Philippines without these 12 regrets? Building as an expat is a steep learning curve. From electrical infrastructure failures to the logistics of the Philippine rainy season, I’m breaking down the 12 specific mistakes I made during my home construction. If you are planning to retire in the Philippines or invest in Philippine real estate, this 28-minute guide will save you thousands of dollars and months of headaches.

🕒 Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:40 Mistake #1: The Ergonomics of Counter & Cabinet Heights

05:40 Mistake #2: Why You Need a Designated Laundry Room

06:56 Mistake #3: The Jacuzzi & Water Heater Oversight

09:24 Mistake #4: Why a Water Filtration System is Mandatory

10:37 Mistake #5: Undersizing the Main Electric Wire (Dangerous!)

12:05 Mistake #6: Missing Out on Solar Power Integration

13:53 Mistake #7: The Nightmare of Building in the Rainy Season

15:55 Mistake #8: Forgetting the Electric Gate Motor Wiring

17:45 Mistake #9: Why Every Philippines Home Needs a Generator

19:30 Mistake #10: The Mistake of Delaying the Color Scheme

22:30 Mistake #11: Why You Should Stockpile Topsoil Early

24:42 Mistake #12: The Golden Rule: Be On-Site Every Single Day

26:00 Final Advice for Expat Builders

#PhilippinesConstruction #ExpatRealEstate #BuildingAbroad #HomeConstructionMistakes #SolarPhilippines

12 Costly Mistakes I Made Building a House in the Philippines

Modern Kitchen Progress: Custom Cabinet Install in the Philippines! 🇵🇭

Why 90% of Expats are TOO SCARED to Move to the Philippines 🇵🇭

The Best Way to Get Custom Clothing in the Philippines (Big & Tall Tips)

DIY Birdhouse & Garden Landscaping: Managing Price Increases in the Philippines

Returning to the Place That Broke Me (Canding Falls)

Expat Sees First Blocks Dream House Build Philippines

$Don’t Get Ripped Off! 🛑 The Best Way to Exchange PHP to Japanese Yen 🇵🇭🇯🇵 We are getting ready for our big trip to Japan! Today, we are hanging out at WalterMart Paniqui with my dad and my best friend, Albert. While walking around the mall, we stopped by the Core Pacific money exchange booth to swap some Philippine Pesos (PHP) for Japanese Yen (JPY), and you wont believe the horrible deal they tried to give us. They were charging a massive 18% fee markup hidden in their exchange rate! In this video, I break down exactly why you should walk away from these predatory mall money changers and reveal the smart financial hacks we use instead to get the absolute best exchange rates. 💳 How to Save Money Traveling From the Philippines to Japan: GCash Card Hack: Dont exchange cash at the mall. Instead, get fully verified on the GCash app, order a GCash Mastercard/Visa debit card, and load it with PHP. When you arrive in Japan, use a local 7-Eleven (7-Bank) or FamilyMart ATM to withdraw Yen at the real-time wholesale bank rate for a fraction of the cost. Remitly Money Transfer: I also share my top tips on how to efficiently use Remitly for international money transfers to keep your travel funds fluid and secure without losing massive amounts to hidden fees. After the money exchange drama, we head over to the Abenson department store inside WalterMart to browse some new refrigerators, check out appliance prices, and give you a full walking tour of the Paniqui mall layout. If you want to maximize your travel budget and learn how to avoid currency exchange scams when traveling abroad from the Philippines, make sure to hit that like button, leave a comment, and subscribe for more finance and travel vlogs! #TravelHacks #GCash #MoneyExchange #PhilippinesToJapan #Remitly #WalterMartPaniqui #Abenson #PinoyTraveler #SmartFinance #ExpatLifePhilippines$

Expat Shows off Smart Locks in their Dream House in the Philippines

Expat Shows Father in Law Dream House in the Philippines

$We Saved THOUSANDS! DIY Landscaping & Walkway in the Philippines 🇵🇭 How much does professional landscaping cost in the Philippines? We received a quote for 400,000 Pesos, but decided to tackle the project ourselves for a fraction of the price! In this video, we reveal the final results of our 340sqm front lawn transformation, including our custom DIY concrete walkway and landscaping. By managing the project ourselves, hiring local labor directly, and sourcing our own materials, we saved a staggering 320,000 Pesos ($5,700+ USD). We’ll walk you through the final costs, the materials we used (white pebbles, Carabao grass, and custom pavers), and why doing it yourself is the best way to build equity in your Philippine home. In this video, you’ll see: ✅ The Final Reveal: Our 340sqm yard is finally finished! ✅ Cost Comparison: Professional Quote vs. DIY Reality. ✅ Walkway Design: The finished look of our custom-poured concrete stepping stones. ✅ Material Breakdown: Using white pebbles and Carabao grass for a high-end look on a budget. ✅ Curb Appeal: How these changes dramatically increased our property value. 📌 Key Moments (Timestamps) • [00:01] The ₱320,000 Savings: Why we chose DIY over contractors. • [01:05] Hiring a local crew: Rates and expectations in the province. • [02:03] Frog Grass vs. Carabao Grass: Cost-saving landscaping choices. • [02:58] DIY Concrete Walkway: Building custom forms and using rebar. • [04:39] How to build solid concrete planters using CHB (Hollow Blocks). • [06:16] Adding decorative stone to wet cement for extra grip and style. • [08:46] Visiting the local Garden Center/Flower Shop for supplies. • [10:28] Hauling 800 lbs of grass in the car (Dont try this at home!). • [12:02] Releasing the molds and finishing the walkway borders. • [14:15] Working at night: Tips for planting in the Philippine heat. • [16:46] The Province Wife advantage: Hard work and dedication. • [18:26] Next Steps: Painting the white picket fence and final touches. Support the Channel: If youre planning on moving to or building in the Philippines, make sure to SUBSCRIBE for more honest budget breakdowns and DIY tips! LIKE the video if you believe in saving money! #PhilippinesRealEstate #DIYLandscaping #SaveMoney #LivingInThePhilippines #ExpatLife #HomeEquity #PhilippineConstruction #BudgetLandscaping #ConcreteWalkway #CurbAppeal #ManilaToProvinces #HouseBuildingPhilippines$

Expat Checks Wiring & Ceiling House Build in the Philippines