kamalabob2

I see decent Puma air compressors with Mitsubishi electric motors at fair prices in Thailand.  In Buriram I bought a WestAir brand belt driven air compressor with a Mitsubishi Electric motor. It has been used for many painting projects in the village. Westair air compressor is an Australian Brand that was imported into Thailand. I've met the MD who was from Perth, Western Australia. 

https://www.westaircompressors.com.au/

Solar lights for inside the shed and solar lights for outside the shed are readily available at Global House or Lazada. I'll second Bankruatsteve and suggest the OP look into such solar units on Lazada. The seal on some attractive solar ceiling lights I installed in a village carport was not great, so I had to modify the seal. 

20cm thick or 25cm thick AAC blocks are readily available and often in stock at Buriram home builders merchants who have years of experience delivering home building materials to expats who value energy efficiency. 

There are many challenges when building a home in Buriram Isaan Thailand. However motivated dealers of SCG home building products or Diamond Building Products do offer training seminars to local Thai home builders. I've provided transportation to a nephew and Brother in Law to the Surin HomeMart in 2009 to attend such a seminar. My first home had been built 2007 and 2008.  I had two SCG representatives drive to my building site in Satuk in 2007 and offer real training on how to build with thicker AAC blocks. The technical advisors brought brochures in Thai and used a lap top and hands on training to the home building team. In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 I have seen technical advisors of Diamond Building products go to home building sites in Buriram and Surin to train local crews. I have also seen Thai home builders guided back on the right path with their roof building techniques.  Diamond Roofing Services would not install concrete roof tiles on a home until a home builder I nicknamed 'Rambo" had made many corrections. There is a valid reason I have employed experienced expat home builders for any expansions and repairs for the past two years on my homes in Buriram. Sure the daily rate for labor is higher, but the communication has been better and the expat home builders I have paid come with decades of real home building experience in Australia or the UK.  I would not ever build a home with less than 20cm thick AAC wall blocks. The AAC wall panels are interesting and certainly appropriate for condos or hotels. 

Stainless steel tanks sold in Thailand are NOT recommended for well water storage. There are several quality brands of deep well submersible well pumps you can buy at better pump dealers in Thailand. Name brands DO matter if you ever want parts in the years to come. The build quality is better on the genuine name brands such as Franklin Schaefer, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Grundfos, DAB submersible well pumps in my observation. Solar DC brushless pumps made in China is a different subject. All the major water tank companies offer different series of water storage tanks, often with far different specifications. Any good home builders merchants store in Thailand would be able to show you the spec sheet of the different series of water tanks. I observe folks sometimes demanding to buy too powerful of a submersible water pump for the depth of well they have drilled. There are proper water pump control boxes that take into account voltage drop sold at the larger stores including Global House, Thai Watsdau.  Certainly proper control boxes are stock in trade at the stores that focus on water pumps. 

Yes double pane windows are fabricated and sold in Thailand. In fact i bought double pane UPVC sliding windows and casement windows at Global House in Buriram for a small village house I had built for my wife. I have tempered glass and reasonable curtains on single hung windows in a home theater in Satuk. 25 cm thick by 20 cm high by 60 cm long AAC blocks are readily available in Thailand.  I ordered 15 cm wide and 10 cm wide steel reinforced Lintels for over doors and windows of a home with 25cm thick Diamond AAC blocks. Carpet on the floor may help with sound in a media room in my home in Satuk. Custom made proper windows are readily available in Thailand, yet it is wise to go to the showroom and see the fit and finish. I spent over 800,000 baht on windows, one pivoting door and two sliding doors on my home in Satuk in 2008. 

https://www.buriramhome.com/buriram-home-media-room/

In 2020 it was readily available from a motivated Sika dealer in Thailand. Sika has "merged" with Parex in late 2020 so I have not asked for this product in 2021. 

https://tha.sika.com/en/construction/waterproofing-systems/pvc-membrane-sheet.html

or read this Sika data sheet

https://tha.sika.com/en/construction/waterproofing-systems/pvc-membrane-sheet/sikaplan-wp-1120-20hl.html

In January 2021 there are rolls of plastic water vapor barrier sold in better home builders merchants store. Different thickness of the plastic sheeting and very affordable. I buy rolls of this plastic sheeting when I pour a carport or ready mixed concrete driveway. black or clear. 3.6 meters by 45 yards long.  Under 1700 baht per roll of waterproof plastic barrier in Buriram. 

Dr. Fix it and Lanko offer all manner of waterproofing products in all parts of Thailand. Often a large builders merchants store will have a Dr. Fix It representative or a Lanko representative commonly called a "P.C.".  

Any DOS or WAVE or SAFE water tank dealer can order purpose built underground water tanks. There are several grades of DOS septic tanks and strength may be a reason some models cost significantly more than base models of DOS septic tanks in Thailand. I have been involved in dozens of underground water tank sales in Buriram. The entire luxury house estate Lively Homes bought and installed DOS underground water tanks. There is a real danger in float valves failing on an underground water tank at a most inconvenient time. In 2008 Ruangsangthai in Buriram installed three DOS "Ultra" series septic tanks at my home in Satuk.  They have never failed. 

https://buriramhomesale.com/buriram-house-videos/

You can obtain the current posted fee for a "permit to build" by contacting this organization. I have paid under 300 baht for a small home and under 800 baht for a larger two story home. 

https://osos.boi.go.th/EN/how-to/139/Dealing-with-Construction-Permits/

I've bought a few tools in Thailand since 2005.  I've met a few power tool manufacturing CEO and Thailand directors. I took the opportunity to tour a few tool assembly plants in Thailand. I look up power tools, garden tools and lawnmowers on my paid online subscription to Consumer Reports .  org and Choice . com   Not every tool sold in Thailand is top rated. Abuse of tools in Thailand comes in many forms and it explains why warranty periods are shorted in developing countries than North America, Australia or Europe. Global House sells some fine brands and one must be aware of their credit card policies. I personally see dozens of name brand power tools and lawn mowers sold in person everyday in Buriram and sold via Lazada and Shopee from the same hardware store. It has served me well to buy brands where the "Thailand Distributor" or "Thailand Importer" values customer service AFTER THE SALE.  There is no end to tool brands which fall short on spare parts really being in stock.  Asgatec is a real "favorite" In 2021 it is far easier to order spare parts online for tool customers in Thailand for brands such as Stanley or DeWALT. Even the largest Makita tools DISTRIBTOR in Thailand has spare parts listed on line for consumers to buy. I prefer to have a trained repairman tell me what parts he needs to order and his expertise to install those parts. I sure steer clear of the no name brands or house brands where after the sales service is terrible to non existent. I buy pet toys at Mr. D.I.Y. but steer clear of the "stool isle".  The STORE that sells you any name brand tool CAN HELP YOU, if they are of the mindset to help customers. If I can present the warranty card, and store receipt the process of a warranty repair goes smooth. In Buriram I have had Garden tools, lawn mowers and power tools repaired locally and I have paid the modest shipping fee to have boxed tool expedited to Bangkok repair service centers when it was not feasible at a regional repair service center. 

In 1991 I met a man named Ethan. He had started work in San Francisco cleaning the customer side walls and floors at

http://ofarrell.com/rooms/ultra-room/      Maybe the Thai workman was a fan of the "Ultra Room" and doing a tribute to the departed Artie and Jim Mitchell.

What thickness of cement board  are you cutting?

Some excellent advise given above. I will add your whole experience will improve once you buy and install a water storage tank, say 1000 liter or 1500 liter and a name brand water pump.  "supply coming into the house on 1/2" pipe (straight from street source no active tank/pump (yet), usually"

Your pipe size coming out of a decent pump will be a minimum of 3/4" and most often 1".  I would FILTER the water prior to storing the water.  

The OP should be able to select from several homes or villas in Thailand in that price range. If he has proof of income and good credit in the Thai Credit Reporting service a smart seller may offer seller finance. The OP should consider paying for a property appraisal of any home he is interested in buying in Thailand to see if the price is acceptable. This five bedroom home for sale in Buriram does offer seller finance, does have a property appraisal, but is not in the same price range.  https://www.buriramhome.com/buriram-property-appraisal/

I've met the CEO of KTW several times. "Polo" is a "house brand" of KTW.  They have some other house brands. Khun Suwat and his family own the largest of the eight authorized Makita Tool DISTRIBUTORS in Thailand. Makita does not make Polo tools. "Big Wood" is a house brand of the 2nd largest Makita Distributor, YHM.  Each of the DISTRIBUTORS have their own house brands as the margins on house brands are significantly higher than on Makita tools. Maktec name is being phased out or changed to MT by Makita. The OP should not mistake Polo for Honda generators. However KTW will stand behind tools and does have spare parts if you keep proper paperwork.  Read the warranty conditions of any brand of generator very closely. Keep proof of oil changes at the hours listed in the manual may help you with a major claim. Not all MD of tool companies in Thailand are on the side of the consumer. Khun Suwat and his Son are very much focused on customer satisfaction in my personal experiences over the past six years. 

When you are shopping for stainless guttering in Thailand, be clear on the dimensions, be clear on the exact stainless grade (easy for them to prove), what stainless are the support brackets, the screws, do they bring a proper welder for stainless steel or do they do it village style "brazing".  Check for liability insurance of the installer and who is to supply the scaffolding. How many downspouts how far apart really does matter with any guttering system. Go check references in person.  Guttering should be a one time purchase and if installed proper, with the right grade, with proper welding, with enough downspouts you will be satisfied. If otherwise you will spend more time and money to solve issues. Any good stainless vendor can show you profiles, have references, show you the tag or label on the actual stainless they fabricate, and do a site survey to make sure you have enough downspouts. The brackets matter and especially how they weld sections together. 

SD 50, SD 40 or SD40T or SD30.  There are huge differences in rebar.  The rebar comes with metal tags on each bundle. Most stores will color code when off loaded.  Your architect may specify which strength rebar in what size for your job. 

Techno Viking does have a good option for the OP to consider. I have seen this method in the USA.

Shipping a container is not as expensive as many folks might imagine. The key is how to unload it where you want to place the container. A crane might be used. It is possible to rent crane services in Buriram to offload a container, so a larger city such as Udon Thani this should not be a challenge. But is the "road surface" to where you want to place the container suitable?  There may be containers for sale in or near Korat.

A firm that I know that sells and sends containers to many provinces has a price guide on their website:

https://www.containerkingsthailand.com/prices/

What roof material?  BlueScope Metal?  Fiber cement tiles, Concrete tiles?  SCG Home Services has a crew that will repair concrete roof tiles in Buriram Province. With a written guarantee. The site survey is often 2000 baht, but sometimes discounted to 799 baht. They claim to have liability insurance. 

I have owned a Milwaukee 18 volt garden blower for several years. No repairs have been necessary. Frankly my wife was angry that I did not bring her a dependable battery garden blower much sooner. It saves her hours of raking leaves.  It was NOT a Christmas present. 

Milwaukee Tools in Thailand now has at least two series of 18 volt batteries and several models.  18 volt 3.Ah 18 volt 5.0 Ah 18 volt 8 Ah 18 volt 12Ah batteries are available in Thailand. I did NOT ask the Buriram Tool store employee about the sucking ability. I have seen petrol leaf blowers that also could be leaf vacuums. 

My sincere suggestion to the OP is to go to the best "water pump shop" in his province and they can help him repair the pump he owns. He can also see the better brands of water pumps sold and SERVICED in Thailand if he goes to a great water pump shop in his province. I believe many helpful posts to the OP could guide him in a D.I.Y. solution to the problems with the Hitachi pump he outlined. There are a host of things that can foul up a water pump installed in Thailand. Plus no end to unique installations. 

This morning in Buriram I saw a delivery truck being loaded with a Garden Mulcher Chipper and Bosch Tool Laser Levels that an expat in Roi-Et bought. Last week I saw a made in the USA Troy Bilt Chipper Mulcher for delivery to an expat near the Buriram Airport. I enjoy closeout or clearance sales at Thai Watsadu as well as Ruangsangthai home builders merchants in Buriram. 

Has the OP gone to a licensed "architect" office or to a "Home Builder" company?  "plus want to control the whole building process with their associated costs"

An "architect" works with a draftsman and often on larger projects, an engineer. When the "architect" wants to control your building project, they are wearing too many hats.  

MJCM, gave you two good tips. Go in person to meet "the architect at the Tessaban" and pay the nominal sum to obtain a "permit to build".  You may not end up hiring the architect at the Tessaban, but it gives you an opportunity to see approved plans and know who to bring your final plans for approval. Then when the local builder tries to suggest switching to "easier steel size", you have a reference point and reference person.