Electrician Needed for home re-wire in Bangkok

[Henrythebulldog]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum but pretty sure it not, I am looking for a recommendation please for a home re-wire in central Bangkok.

 

I have just bought a house that needs some work and Electrician is the first thing I need if anyone can recommend a good spark.

 

I am also looking for a good building company for a small extension on the back of the house if anyone again can recommend a builder.

 

If in wrong forum please move and again sorry.

 

Cheers

[bankruatsteve]

In Bangkok, skilled labor will almost certainly be employed by a construction company or contractor.  You could scope out new construction and, if it looks like quality work, you could ask if anybody does work on the side, but not likely to get a bite. IMO your best approach is to contact 2-3 companies/contractor and ask for quote.  The quote should be detailed and specific for what is to be done and include materials list.  Unfortunately, that might not be an easy thing to get as the good firms are probably booked up and can't be bothered with a small project.  

[Crossy]

Exactly what needs doing? 

 

A simple tidy up, add grounds to certain outlets and appliances, replace crappy fittings? Definitely not beyond a competent DIYer.

 

As noted above, the good chaps will be employed by major contractors (and some of the work done for my employer is carp anyway). The availalble chaps may not be competent and there's no real way to tell until it's gone pear shaped ????

 

It may be worth talking to your local MEA/PEA office, they may have a list of recommended sparks and many of their chaps are not averse to a bit on the side.

 

[Henrythebulldog]

Many thanks Crossy, the house needs a full re-wire really, old electrics and something I really want to get done first to make sure everything is safe. 

 

I will try the MEA/PEA option and see what comes of that. I just wasn't sure if anybody on here would have a good contact from previous work done in their house/condo.

 

I have spoken to a couple of contractors who have quoted me for everything I want doing including some building, electrics, new ceilings but their prices seem very very high, now I don't mind paying for a good job but seems they just pluck a figure out of the sky and see if you accept it..... I am talking I was quoted 40,000thb for a new ceiling (50sqm room), THB250,000 for electrics, thb 70000 to re-paint a small wooden ceiling and I am talking no bigger than 2 SQM.......is it me or are they crazy prices? 

 

[bankruatsteve]

Maybe time to back up a bit and start from scratch.  As mentioned, finding a qualified electrician in Bangkok and who is willing to take on a perhaps sizable project is like winning the lottery.  Any big city would be the same.  The thing is, a highly skilled spark is hard to find, greedy contractors are a dime a dozen.

 

So, let's try to size up your requirement first.  

 

1.  How big is your house?  Rooms?  Floors?  Construction type?

2.  Photos of the current electric situation.: CU with the cover off, example of receptacle, lights, switches and anything you feel is currently dodgy.

3.  Description of what you feel needs upgrade:  Adding earth/ground?  RCD protection?  More circuits?  Replacing damaged wiring?  You say "full re-wire".  You do understand that can be a huge project and, unless it was a really poor job in the first place, may not be totally necessary.  

 

BTW:  I'm a Crossy assistant so don't worry, he'll be by when needed.

 

 

[Henrythebulldog]

On 6/28/2019 at 2:22 PM, bankruatsteve said:

Maybe time to back up a bit and start from scratch.  As mentioned, finding a qualified electrician in Bangkok and who is willing to take on a perhaps sizable project is like winning the lottery.  Any big city would be the same.  The thing is, a highly skilled spark is hard to find, greedy contractors are a dime a dozen.

 

So, let's try to size up your requirement first.  

 

1.  How big is your house?  Rooms?  Floors?  Construction type?

2.  Photos of the current electric situation.: CU with the cover off, example of receptacle, lights, switches and anything you feel is currently dodgy.

3.  Description of what you feel needs upgrade:  Adding earth/ground?  RCD protection?  More circuits?  Replacing damaged wiring?  You say "full re-wire".  You do understand that can be a huge project and, unless it was a really poor job in the first place, may not be totally necessary.  

 

BTW:  I'm a Crossy assistant so don't worry, he'll be by when needed.

 

 

Sorry for late reply on this as I have been busy both at work and getting the old owner out which was completed today and started to tidy up

 

The House is a 4 story townhouse 

Each floor is approx 50SQM 

each floor had anything from 1 big open plan room to 2 bedrooms and a bathroom

Its solid brick built 25 years ago

 

The previous owner was a rich Thai who pretty much used it as a storage house for all the things she collected on her worldly travels and her ex-husband / friend was living in it but to put it bluntly its was a s**t hole inside due to all the clutter and he lived in it part time to keep an eye on everything.

 

The electrics do currently work but as its an old house I would like to get it re-wired and freshened up, I am certainly no electrician but I would hate to come home one day and find it burnt to the ground due to the electrics. I also think he used very minimum electricity in the house and when I move in and use all the floors and rooms I have no idea if it would overpower the current set up and something I don't want to risk.      

 

Attached are a couple of images and I will take some more of current electric set up this evening or tomorrow when I go back to the house for a further clean up.

 

You will see on the wall of the image 'ground floor 2' that is the electric panel on the wall, there is a duct in the corner which runs right up to the top floor which the existing wires run up and then in to the ceiling of each floor.

 

I genuinely appreciate any advise.  

[bankruatsteve]

From your photos, looking at them on my phone, it appears that the quality of construction was probably as good as it gets 25 years ago. (?) I don't see many power outlets (receptacles) and one photo shows wires coming out of a hole in the wall. That makes me wonder how the wire is channeled. If not in conduit, big issue. Not sure your skills, but if you could make a drawing of each floor showing what is there now and what you would want re: outlets, lighting, switches, ceiling fans. Do you have a kitchen? 

 

Bottom line at this point, no matter what you end up doing, you need to have a good plan of what you want from what you have now. And try to find if the electric race to each floor is accessible. Making it "safe" could be easy. Making it contemporary could be a 200k baht job. 

[sometimewoodworker]

34 minutes ago, bankruatsteve said:

Do you have a kitchen? 

It looks as if it's in the 3rd picture.

[Henrythebulldog]

Yes the house seems a very strong build although due to neglect its does need some work.

 

Each room does have a good amount of outlets although I would possibly like to add a couple more where the bed will be in the master bedroom and also where I would like to hang a TV on the wall in the living room. I have literally just this second returned from the house after doing some drawings which did include the power points but my main point was more the spot lights in each ceiling. The drawings are very rough so will do them at some stage tomorrow and send over for you to have a look, note that all the outlets and light switches are probably original and look very old.

 

What I did take a picture of is the main power board which is below, you will see it is old and just trying to get the door open which I couldn't as it was stuck made the lights flicker so again a reason for wanting to get them looked at. 

 

I have also added a picture of the duct where the wires go up in the stairwell and I noticed each floor had access to this although it had been painted over but no problems getting in and having a look in the coming days.

 

Regarding a kitchen there isn't one at the moment, its has a typical Thai outdoor kitchen at the back of the house which is simply some corrugated metal on top of some poles but my plan is to build an extension in place of this and have an open plan kitchen running though and knocking that back wall out in the second picture, this will also have a roof terrace which you will access straight from the second floor at the back of the house.  

[bankruatsteve]

My guess is that what has already been done is probably "OK".  I'm guessing there is no ground and adding to existing outlets could be problematic.  The box indeed looks like it is a candidate for replacement along with RCD protection.  And you will most likely be wanting several more individual circuits like:  at least one circuit per floor for power points, ditto for lights, shower heaters, AC's, one for the outside kitchen, and two for the planned kitchen.  To keep cost down, you will probably need to have external (to the wall) for new outlets and switches with the cable in conduit.  IE: to hide in the wall will be expensive but up to you.  Having the plan is for you so you don't need to post unless you want additional input.  And you definitely want to get a ground to any shower units and kitchen outlets minimum.  That could be as simple as tying into the structure steel but must have in any case.

 

My recommendation is to continue with inspection so that you have a good idea of how accessible the races, what you want replaced, and what you want new.  Then, and this is the hard part, try to find at least 2 or 3 electric contractors willing to give you a quote.  Getting a recommendation from a major builder might be worth a try.  This is probably a bigger job than a moonlighting PEA spark can handle.  In any case, a competent contractor will do a walk through with you, go over your drawings and wish list with you, and come back (maybe a few days) with a detailed quote.  Anybody who walks in, looks at the sky, and comes up with some multiple of 100k is NOT a good contractor and should be politely - or maybe rudely, excused.

 

Crossy, please add your thoughts and maybe a contractor recommendation.  (?)

 

Cheers and good luck.

Edited July 4, 2019 by bankruatsteve

[bankruatsteve]

A "Google" found these two.  I don't know anything about them and probably not on the low side of a quote but maybe get some ideas by contacting:

 

https://www.hd-renovation-bangkok.com/contractor/electrician-bangkok/

 

http://bangkokelectric.byethost4.com/?i=1

[Henrythebulldog]

Many thanks Bankruatsteve.

 

Yes I have contacted both, HD as with all contractors just give out wild prices and Bangkok Electric the phone number is no longer working and anyone that doesn't update their phone number on their website sounds like bad news to me and could be a nightmare to contact should you start any work with them

 

I have someone coming on Saturday who is a friend of one of my staff, he is not based in central BKK and a little way out but I have said him and his team could stay in the house while completing it and its not that far should I incur any problems in the future and need him to return...... just a case of seeing what his pricing is like and if he can do the job correctly.

[johng]

Just curious  what are they building  to the left in the photo ?  hopefully not a 90 storey skyscraper !!

 

[bankruatsteve]

OK.  That could work.  When you talk to the guy, I wouldn't start off with "a complete re-wire" as that could either scare him off or get the meter ticking really fast.  Maybe start with the CU and say you think you need a new one for additional circuits and with RCBO.  If he looks like "huh?" -- things may not go as desired.  Do a walk through going over the stuff we talked about previously.  Hopefully, he will be looking at this and checking into that and spinning a plan in his head.  If you do make a deal, try to get material so you pay for that instead of including in a quote.  Let us know how things go.  Cheers.

[Henrythebulldog]

Thanks for all your help bankruatsteve, its very much appreciated, as you can probably tell I know very little about electrics and there has been plenty of googling when reading your messages but I think I have a better idea now, if I could get away without a complete re-wire I would be extremely happy.  

 

Johng, Regarding what is being built next to the house that is the new Indian ambassadors residence so no thank god not a huge tower block and some what a bit lucky really as have seen the plans which are as you would expect for something like that and are very lavish with gardens and fountains and the worst thing I have to worry about is a 6 story guest and staff quarters. Running along the side of our house will be tree's and in the bottom corner a security guard post as the VIP entrance is just 50m the road from our front gate so free security ha ha!    

[bankruatsteve]

Cheers.  Unless you already checked it out, you might wander next door and ask who the electric contractor is for that.  Oh and I recall you mention some ceilings to be replaced.  You should mention that to anybody you get over for an electric quote as that could help to access things.