MANILA, Philippines?Singer-actor Sam Milby admits he can be ?obsessive-compulsive? especially when it comes to his new home.

?I?m a perfectionist,? he concedes. ?Before leaving the house, I make sure that the air-conditioner is turned off. That all the doors are closed. That everything is in place.?

In the middle of the shoot, Sam takes a break to give detailed instructions to the helper cleaning the swimming pool.

?Actually,? he admits, ?I?d rather do things myself.?

That would be the American in him.

Even when it comes to decorating the house, he takes a hands-on approach.

Although he hired a pro, contractor-designer Tess Medina, Sam freely shared his input.

?It was my idea to build ?hanging? stairs,? he relates. ?I also suggested the rotating TV wall, so I could watch both either in the living room or in the dining area.?

Clean and clutter-free, modern and minimalist, the home reflects his no-fuss personality. ?I don?t like clutter,? he confesses. ?I wanted the ground floor to be open, to not have walls ? to be clean and all-white. It makes the house look bigger than it actually is.?

This two-story home on a 386 square-meter property, is three times bigger than his first house in the same Pasig subdivision.

According to manager Eric Raymundo, Sam looks at real estate as a possible business away from show biz.

?In three years, I plan to sell this house and find a bigger place in the South, somewhere near Laguna and Tagaytay,? Sam says. ?For work, I?ll get a condo unit in the city, but I?ll spend my free time in the country.?

His US-based mom saw his new home during her last holiday visit. ?She loves it. She says she?s proud of me,? Sam recounts.

He never imagined he?d get this far in the biz when he was booted from the ?Pinoy Big Brother? house three years ago. ?I thought I?d go back to my old life, to more go-sees for TV commercials.?

Instead, he?s a top draw who has built his own home.

He concerned himself even with the minutest details, personally picking the kitchen appliances and the dinnerware. ?I go for unique stuff,? he explains.

Speaking of which, talk turns to his bedroom. He asks, rhetorically: ?Who?d think of building a bedroom with two levels??

Sam?s room features a loft where there?s a semi-circular bed. On the first level is a computer workstation and an entertainment center.

But the TV nook, which boasts over 200 movie titles, is modest compared to Sam?s mini-theater?his favorite spot.

?I love watching movies and playing computer games on PlayStation 3,? he says. ?I?m a techie. I love gadgets.?

A kid at heart, yes. He can spend three hours on Rock Band 2, Metal Gear Solid 4, Assassin?s Creed and Racing Games on his days off. The night before this shoot, he played until 3 a.m.

The mini-theater features six ultra-comfy reclining seats and huge throw pillows as back-up?just enough to accommodate his church pals who, along with former girlfriend Anne Curtis, have watched movies there. ?The last movie we saw was ?Perfume: The Story of a Murderer,?? he recalls.

He?s not done decorating the mini-theater. ?The walls are still bare,? he notes. ?I plan to put up posters.?

Also in the works is a mini-gym near the swimming pool.

Work never ends for the OC homeowner.

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com