Real estate development is an industry that requires companies to assiduously consider more than a handful of factors before they start any project. Filinvest Land, Inc., a company that has proven its mettle in a diverse range of real estate developments, has risen to the top mainly due to its vision, hard work and insistence on choosing the best construction partners. The company believes that even the smallest board or the most subtle of mouldings should communicate institutional demand for excellence and quality.
Architect Jimmy S. Roque, Filinvest Head of Planning Department, believes that construction materials of the highest quality are an important part of the success of their projects. “We are always looking for building materials that will satisfy our requirements as a real estate developer in order to deliver quality homes that will ultimately benefit our clients,” Roque said.
The quest for the best in construction
Filinvest Land, a name that has become synonymous with property development, has been in the real estate business since 1967 and has proven its authority in a diverse range of real estate developments including residential subdivisions, mid-rise and high-rise condominiums and offices, shopping centers, leisure hubs and more. Filinvest has built homes for over 135,000 families, and is committed to continue to fulfill Filipinos’ dreams. As such, it puts a high regard on using the best materials in all its developments to ensure the quality of its end-product while providing a safe environment for its contractors.
Roque lists down his company’s priorities when it comes to choosing building materials: quality, safety, availability, price, sustainability, maintenance, and design versatility. “For us, the challenge is finding materials that provide long-term benefits while being sustainable. We want our clients to enjoy low-maintenance homes that will not require constant repairs. We also put into consideration the availability of materials so our construction operations and delivery commitments will never be compromised. Lastly, the material must be able to conform to changing design trends,” he shared.
Versatile, preferred building material
One brand Filinvest has consistently used is HardieFlex®. Filinvest has found the resistance of HardieFlex® to fire, impact, moisture damage, and termites to be a great benefit for the company as it adds value to its developments. Filinvest also discovered another benefit: high-quality HardieFlex®fiber cement boards are effective against damage caused by rodents. It has enough toughness to prevent rats from creating holes in the panels.
Filinvest also found out that, unlike plywood that shrinks or expands [when exposed to varying weather conditions], the HardieFlex® boards have maintained their form and integrity. Because of this, once the panels were put in place and the finishing has been applied, cracks are unlikely to appear. Re-sealing will not be required for a long time.
Filinvest also demands versatility. Aside from using the fiber cement boards for interior purposes, they have explored outdoor applications, too. One of the company’s projects, Princeton Heights in Molino, Cavite, has an American New England theme, with traditional exterior siding as a notable design feature. To attain this look, Filinvest used HardiePlank® Siding with a wood grain-textured finish. The planks were simply applied directly onto the concrete walls.
In fact, for themed developments that require special design features—such as Balinese, Asian Tropical, and Mediterranean projects—Filinvest is constantly on the lookout for building materials that are flexible and versatile to achieve these design features without spending more. “We use materials that are practical, lighter, and faster to install,” affirmed Roque. “We want to achieve our desired finishes at a lesser cost but with the same quality as a wall finish.”
Safeguarding the homeowner’s interests lies at the core of Filinvest’s business, which is why the company continues to use HardieFlex® for its projects. “We have seen that our homeowners have benefited from the lower maintenance and repair costs,” Roque reported. Customer satisfaction and welfare, at the end of the day, are very important aspects that any leading full-range property developer always tries to ensure.
First introduced in the mid-1980s, James Hardie’s pioneering fiber cement technology served as the foundation for the HardieFlex® products we know today. James Hardie entered the local market in 1996, and Filipinos—both end-users such as homeowners and big corporations such as real estate developers – embraced HardieFlex® as their go-to building material for ceilings and walls, initially. Made from high-grade cellulose fiber, Portland cement, water, sand and especially formulated additives, HardieFlex® is durable and requires minimal maintenance and repair hence is very cost-effective and environment-friendly with very low VOC.