(I won't do it this way. Definitely no!)
( double layer Clay bricks)
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The owner wants it cheapest as possible like squeezing an orange for its every drop. The contractor wants to save cost as much as possible so that he could make profit. For the contractor the least material the better as every each brick counts. It can’t be both side win definitely one side ended up losing.
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Definitely that would be the owner. Because the contractor had calculated the cost beforehand where as for the owner he could only count the birds after the farm has been completed. By this time the contractor would have collected 90% of the payment and the counting of birds’ only start. So who in on the losing side?
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This is the consequences of using money as a measurement tool to measure success in Swiftlet farming. Indeed if not 95% at least 80% of those who wanted to invest in Swiftlet Farming applied such method for measuring success.
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If his friend built a Stand alone at a cost of Rm 200k and if he could build one less than Rm 200k perhaps Rm 180k he considered he had succeeded. This is the first step of success, often than not the first step of success most of the time ended up fails later.
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That is why so many standalone farms failed. Many argued that standalone is hard to attract birds or takes a longer time to have nests compared to the shop lot unit. I totally disagree with it. Both are the same if it’s being done properly.
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The reason why shop lot farms are more successful it is because there are better in terms of internal control (Micro condition) and all these have to do with how the farms being constructed, designed, managed, material use and so on.
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The shop lot unit wall thickness, beam thickness, etc are of standard thickness as it has to conform to the specification of the building standard otherwise it wouldn’t get approval or Cf from the authority.
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Developers build shop lot with commercialize intention where as swiftlet farmers build standalone with the intention similar to squeezing an orange. Developers submit plan according to the building standards and the thickness of the wall has to be accordance to the plan otherwise it is hard to get approval. Averagely the thickness of the wall would be around 9-12 inches depends on the value of the build. This would help in insulation.
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Whereas for the standalone farms there is no standardization that the owners need to follow. As long its accordance to his budget then the construction will go ahead. Therefore it is common to see standalone farms having un-plastered walls, sand bricks laded with gaps, etc Worst still using sand brick and light weight brick. These 2 really kill the farm’s micro.
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I was wondering why one could spend over few hundred thousand and yet when it comes to additional of few thousand they refused to do so. It is a misconception and perception of the owners. Most would think that as long they could get a contractor that have some experiences in building standalone it would be good but they total forgotten (perhaps may not know at all) about the farm designs which involve certain measurement, material use, etc which are most important.
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Often Owners would ask the contractor, “ Tauke, you have built one farm near …where and where… please follow the same design”. In fact this is the common practice now. The owner forgotten that the contractor is constructing a build for him not a Swiftlet farm.
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Can’t blame the contractor, for him he is constructing a building. As long it is done his job is completed. To the owner he is building a swiftlet farm. You see both have different mission.
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Some would argue that the cheapest ways to build a standalone will lead to success. There are also some trying to build standalone below 50k (20x70, 2 storey). Are we here to compete who could build the cheapest farm? Obviously one could build a standalone (20x70,2 storey) for Rm 30k,60k, 80k,100k,150,180k,230k and so on. Don’t forget you are not here to run for the awards of cheapest farm ever build. We are here to ripe the harvest. Sometimes people are too ambitious and along the way the lost their directions.
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After so many years of meeting with so many farmers from those failed badly and continue to fail ones to those very successful ones who owned not less than 5 farms that have an average of harvest of 10kgs per months. I discovered there are clear cut differences in term of attitude and personality between these 2 groups of farmers.
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The successful group is down to earth person with impressive personality. While those failed ones theirs personalities are somewhat…….there is a Chinese saying “when they walked pass the green all grasses will die” I think I should not go into it. Let’s get back to swiftlet farming.
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If one has taken into consideration the size of the farm, the materials use, the design, the measurements and so on and anticipated what the consequences are the pros and cons. I would say not matter how your farm won’t fall into the category of failed farm. Sadly the truth, how many owners have considered this? Perhaps only 20% of them .
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Good Farming All!
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Need more Info may call James:012-3173811
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