Site Visit and Selection
The first step towards our goal is to select a suitable site where you will be most fitted in. If you already have a lot to build on, then you can jump to the next step. Otherwise, you should first choose the right area where you'd want to live. Remember the nine P's in site selection: Place, Peace and Order, Potable Water Supply, Point-to-Point Travel Time, Phone Line, Price, Parks and Playground, Places of Worship, and Public Market. Consider all these in selecting a site and you will have every centavo's worth of your money.

Selecting a Designer and Builder
Choosing the right designer and builder for your house is very important. You will be dealing with them for a number of months during the design and construction phase of your house, and maybe for a lot of years after the turnover. There are a number of factors involved in hiring the right builder for you. First is reputation. Testimonials and strong referrals by past clients will give you a hint of the builder's credibility and their relationship between its clients. Friends and relatives are good sources of builders' overall service. You should make sure of the quality offered by the contractor. Aside from the referrals, you can always look and judge their past projects and see if their quality of work suits you best. You can easily differentiate between high-quality and low-quality workmanship by comparing past projects. Compare also the prices of their contracts and services and see if you can fit them in your budget.

Planning and Meeting
Now you have your lot and a designer and builder, who will work in it. The next natural thing to do is talk with the designer and builder and tell everything you want built. Be sure to explain everything clearly and completely. You wouldn't want to have those never-ending revisions in the design. Be definite in your preferences so that the designer can present it to you visually, and accurately. Some minor revisions are welcome but massive renovations in the near future are what we're avoiding at this point.

Preparation and Presentation of Schemes
After a few days of conferencing and brainstorming, the designer will come up with many different schemes that suits your preferences. What you will have to do is to decide which scheme gets the most of your attention, make a few modifications, and await the final designs.

Construction Contract Closing
Once you're satisfied with the designs, its time for the contract to be closed between you and the builders. You should pay attention to all the details of the contract. This will be the basis of your relationship and should contain everything you expect to give and take.

Permit Processing
A list of permits and necessary documents must be collected first before construction can go underway. This list includes the barangay permit, building permit, TCT, homeowners association fees, location clearance, fire safety clearance, etc. These items usually take about one and a half months to prepare and will cost around P50,000.

Construction Proper
Construction can proceed after settling these necessary paperwork. Several steps must be followed and in correct sequence, all according to the plans prepared by the designer.

Different homebuilders have little difference in their construction procedures but some of these differences may have a large effect on efficiency and maybe quality of work. You should be critical in selecting your builder in the first place to ensure high-quality workmanship.

Although most construction companies have construction project managers to facilitate and supervise construction work, its better if you could visit the construction site as often as possible to clarify your preferences and some miscommunications, and at the same time experience the construction of your house first hand. You may even pick up a few ideas in construction and possibly suggest a few things yourself.

• Pre-construction works - removal of wild grass, rocks, trees, etc., to clear the site in preparation for construction; includes grading, layout and staking to transfer plans on paper to the ground
• Excavation - soil is removed in locations of main and wall footings, septic tank and where other excavation is necessary.
• Foundation - pouring of concrete over reinforcing bars for the most structurally important part of the house.
• Hollow Block Laying - 6-inch CHB are laid one by one and layer by layer, applying mortar between and inside each block.
• Slab Concreting - pouring of concrete for ground floor, as well as for other floors for multi-storey houses.
• Roofing - roof panels are secured over a layer of insulation on top of the roof trusses
• Plastering and Painting - a layer of mortar is placed over rough concrete and CHB surfaces to define the texture of the finished surfaces; painting of designated areas
• Finishing - a list of activities to complete the house, includes tiles installation, doors assembly and installation, cabinets, glass, and fixtures.

Turn Over The house is turned over to the owners after completion of its construction. All the necessary documents are surrendered, including as-built plans, drawings, and other items listed in the contract. Some companies also provide pictures and documents of construction for the interest of the new owners.