Build, crush, or renovate?

[JayBird]

I'm thinking of living in a house. However I have yet to find one that meets my design needs (size of rooms, number of rooms, layout, etc).

 

In the past, I completely remodeled my house so it was 100% bespoke. So I'm used to this level of customization and am ok with doing it again.

 

But in Thailand, not having done this, I'm curious which would be the best approach:

 

1) Build on an empty plot of land

2) Buy a cheap house on a plot of land, crush the house, and build anew.

3) Take a house, destroy all interior walls, and renovate completely.

 

i see pros and cons to all. I've done #3 in France. No idea how feasible it is to do this here, nor which would yield the best quality and price.

 

Am interested in hearing from people who engaged in similar choices and how it worked out.

 

Thank you.

 

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[jvs]

You will get al kinds of people telling you you can not own land but when you get past that the rest is pretty easy.

I Know in France is it hell to get a CU ,waiting for almost a year and then all kinds of rules to go by.

I build my own house here and you can pretty well plan it the way you want it.Apart from a few very basic rules you are free to do as you like.

I would start on an empty lot,it will b clean and free from obstacles.

Never regretted it here one moment,very quiet peaceful surroundings.

If you want to create a nice garden make sure you have access to a lot of water or drill a well.

I also did 3 houses in 'La douce France" a long time ago.

What area are you looking for?

[Toosetinmyways]

I am first I am first. Foreigners can not own land. Blah blah blah.

I have build 2 houses and renovated 3 houses. I had a lot of satisfaction renovating and eould not hesitate to do again. (Apart from age). Building a house is a lot more stressful and i would not do again.

[JayBird]

What area are you looking for?

I haven't decided yet, and am flexible. Thinking of chon buri, so easy access to airport and shopping. But wouldn't mind a more mountainous area.

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[KittenKong]

I think I would choose either 1 or 2. That way, unlike option 3, you know that the house will be built correctly from the foundations upwards, and also in exactly the shape and layout and direction that you want. The location is the part you cant ever alter, so for me that would be the important issue.

 

The cost difference between the three options could be anything or nothing, and would depend entirely on local circumstances and prices.

 

[Tanlic]

 

 

Being a builder I am confused on what would make you think the approach in Thailand is any different than it is in France? It's all just common sense.

 

 

1) Build on an empty plot of land.............Definitely the best way

2) Buy a cheap house on a plot of land, crush the house, and build anew...............you just bought land as same as Q.1  but went to the cost of knocking down and taking away the old house........That is dare I say it Crazy

3) Take a house, destroy all interior walls, and renovate completely. WOULDN'T save enough to justify the risk that you find structural damage which is more likely in Thailand than it is in France

 

Your biggest problem here is both builders and architects design to make money from selling homes as they do in most countries. You can't swing a cat in the bedrooms the kitchens and bathrooms are made as small as possible and have a total lack of storage.

 

I have redesigned so many of them I have lost count and easily added 25% to the size to get a decent livable layout

 

I think you should definitely do the same..hope that helps you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[oldrunner]

My wife and I knew if she didn't get me out of the bar business, I would die a bit sooner than later. Off to Pattaya where we already had friends and acquaintences. Initially looked to rent but didn't see anything we liked. Wife liked house for sale. It was not well kept but wife felt "at peace". Buddha stand had to got as wife and I are Muslim. Not long before I was working in Saudi and had the money for renovation. Wife did

design and oversaw construction, cost a bit but was worth it. Now a very comfortable home, quiet neighborhood.

[Tanlic]

Good to hear OR....Don't get me wrong thousands have renovated houses successfully and not all builds go as planned that's for sure.

 

A guy from Liverpool I met up country had his wife's family build a nice house.

 

I was quite impressed till I stepped inside and couldn't stop laughing when he showed me the bedroom doorway.

 

As a feature he asked that the living room was about 1/2 meter higher than the bedroom.

 

The brother in law had fitted the door standard inside the bedroom at floor level (I swear on my kids lives) so the doorway from the living room side was about 1.5m high.

 

He said he was leaving it that way as a reminder never ever ask the family LOL

 

The biggest problem in Thailand is every ones wife's family are builders unless you are looking for a motor mechanic then they are motor mechanics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JayBird]

 
 
Being a builder I am confused on what would make you think the approach in Thailand is any different than it is in France? It's all just common sense.
 
 

1) Build on an empty plot of land.............Definitely the best way

2) Buy a cheap house on a plot of land, crush the house, and build anew...............you just bought land as same as Q.1  but went to the cost of knocking down and taking away the old house........That is dare I say it Crazy

3) Take a house, destroy all interior walls, and renovate completely. WOULDN'T save enough to justify the risk that you find structural damage which is more likely in Thailand than it is in France

 
Your biggest problem here is both builders and architects design to make money from selling homes as they do in most countries. You can't swing a cat in the bedrooms the kitchens and bathrooms are made as small as possible and have a total lack of storage.
 
I have redesigned so many of them I have lost count and easily added 25% to the size to get a decent livable layout
 
I think you should definitely do the same..hope that helps you.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The reason for buy and crush, is sometimes a piece of land with house is cheaper than without.

Also, it would have all the utility hook ups and road. Something that might be missing from an empty lot.

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[Tanlic]

My apologies I was comparing like for like but you are correct in what you are saying.

 

Wouldn't be the first time someone has told us he has a bought land and wants to build on it and the nearest electricity is miles away.

 

Water is usually less of a problem unless you unknowingly purchase land with a very high water table, which is pretty common in Thailand, can add a fair percentage to your building costs. If someone tells you landfill needs to settle for 2 years don't buy. Landfill as a precautionary  is fine but not as a stable  base to build on.

 

As for buy and crush your best bet asset.led.go.th/newbid/asset_search_map.asp asset dot led dot 

 

 

 

Don't even think of buying a condo from an auction unless you have seen inside and you know there is no outstanding common fees that you would inherit with interest btw

 

Saw a guy get hit with 10 years at Sukhumvit Park and we did a fit out for him as when he opened the door it had been stripped to the bone..he lost almost 2 million baht on the deal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kannot]

Find a  decent  Thai  wife  younger  than you so youll  die  first.

TAKE  YOUR  TIME  to find a decent  plot at a  reasonable  price,  took me and Mrs  K  over a  year, every weekend  looking and loads of BS  along the way.

Dont show  your  face  till you have a price, there are  good  deals  out there  but they arent widely  known or advertised, many land owners  have an over inflate d idea of  a  real  price...avoid  them.

Build  it  more than 3km from a main road  by me and you can do anything you  like a s long as land is at least nor sor  sam gor or  over, I never  submitted  plans absolutely NOTHING to anyone anywhere ( Pranburi area)

Build it yourself physically with one labourer, dont let them do anything except  the clearing up/humping stuff  about as most  will have bad  habits and to be honest in my case were crap.

No I never  had a work permit,  no one could  care  less round here, your mileage may vary.

I  wouldnt  employ  a  Thai to  even  tie  my  shoelaces

You can still  build  really cheap I used  double  block   walls as the  AAC  blocks  were expensive at the time 5  years  ago  and two  blocks  were better than 1  AAC 7.5cm one thermally, you can use 7.5cm  blocks  laid horizontally to get a thicker  wall if  thick ones arent available.

I thought when I started I could  hire  cheap labour but its false economy, they are almost all CRAP.

Our land cost 800k baht 15  rai NS SAM3  thats the lot not per  rai.

I spent 650k building 2 small   houses. 100m2 didnt need anything  bigger, landscaping  walls and other stuff  cost as  much as the land.

I have one small aircon and due  to insulation,  double  block walls, trees etc at 9000btu it keeps  the house at 25c, is  on day and night and costs about 700  baht "winter" 1200 baht max  "summer" second house in background 16km from the sea  where prices  are "stupid"

 

 

[Tanlic]

Those blocks are about 6.5 baht each now. I sue them myself for the internal walls in toilets and kitchens and fill them with cement

 

Superblock has dropped in price by about 25% so the savings using aren't what they used to be

 

Nothing wrong with your build it's simple straightforward and well constructed.....at least your builder used wall ties.

 

Most of them don't know what a wall tie is