Condo rules questions

[ThomasThBKK]

2 hours ago, Dewey said:

the sneaky option: do it without telling anyone and install windows that would try to match as much as possible current outside design and color.

Not sneaky, totally legit and not a problem.

Damaged windows also get replaced...as long as it looks the same, no one can say anything imo.

[1FinickyOne]

On 7/11/2019 at 3:29 PM, Dewey said:

I will study it carefully but it sounds like I'm screwed !

How are you screwed - - because you have to follow the same rules as everyone else? Why not find some way to internally dull the sound... 

[CH1961]

22 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I live in my house, so my rules. 

My GF bought the land next to you and will start a garbage recycling plant soon. 

I guess you will enjoy it. 

[Pilotman]

9 minutes ago, CH1961 said:

My GF bought the land next to you and will start a garbage recycling plant soon. 

I guess you will enjoy it. 

good luck with that. I would rather have what we have, than loud obnoxious neighbours 10 feet away on both sides, as well as above and below. It's like living in an animal farm, unless you are one of the very wealthy few who live in a top end condo. Even then, I would prefer a top end house to a top end condo any day.  

[OneZero]

You won't know until you formally ask the committee / JP for approval (in writing with helpful explanatory info for decision).

 

[geisha]

Also hanging heavy black out curtains helps with noise, and sun. I did this in Phuket. 

[meand]

15 hours ago, KittenKong said:

In some buildings you would not be allowed to hang newspapers either, and rightly so in my opinion. Hanging laundry on balconies is also not permitted in better buildings.

 

Can you plaster newspapers on the window in his building? Or hang laundry? I am sure he can. 

[newnative]

On 7/11/2019 at 5:31 PM, KittenKong said:

I see no references at all in the Condo Act to matters like this. In my experience they are entirely controlled by the building by-laws.

    I agree.  I can name several condo projects in Pattaya where the owners have been allowed to run amok and make all manner of changes to the outside of their condos--both balcony changes and windows--that have resulted in a very bad exterior appearance for the buildings.

[newnative]

13 hours ago, Dewey said:

Good morning,

 

first thanks to all of you for your answers, so if I sum up those are my options:

- the "I'm screwed" option: give up and do nothing.

- the sneaky option: do it without telling anyone and install windows that would try to match as much as possible current outside design and color.

- the democratic option: submit the project to the condo committee and possibly lose the vote.

- the absurd option: install a second window inside (yes, someone actually did that in my condo according to the manager).

 

Tough choice..

   Installing a second window on the inside is not always an 'absurd' option.  The first condo I owned in America was on a noisy street and changing the windows wasn't allowed. The windows had a nice recess on the inside so I was able to have second windows installed in the recesses that cut down on the noise and also helped during the cold winters.

[newnative]

On 7/11/2019 at 1:42 PM, Farangwithaplan said:

I don't like your chances of changing an external aspect of a condo and with good reason. Internal you shouldn't have too many issues as long as you aren't cutting walls.

 

Can I ask why you want to change something like window types? You will have no chance of changing window opening dimensions.

     You would think you would have 'no chance of changing window opening dimensions' but, again, I can name a condo in Pattaya that has apparently allowed this and the outside of the building now looks horrible with different size windows and different types of windows.

[smutcakes]

5 hours ago, newnative said:

     You would think you would have 'no chance of changing window opening dimensions' but, again, I can name a condo in Pattaya that has apparently allowed this and the outside of the building now looks horrible with different size windows and different types of windows.

Thats just crap management and no enforcement of the law. Does not mean its legal.

[OneMoreFarang]

I just visited a completely new renovated unit in a big condominium. The owner put double glazing windows in, I saw the windows.

But I have no idea how he did that.

He told me he imported the windows from a foreign country.

If I see the owner again I can ask him. But it's unlikely to happen anytime soon.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

Thats just crap management and no enforcement of the law. Does not mean its legal.

  Didn't say it was legal and, yes, it's crap management.  Likely someone made the first change and nobody called them on it. So, then someone else decided to change something, too, because the first guy had already done it and it just went on from there.  No different from the first guy to put trash cans or whatever in the street to block 'his' parking space from anyone else using it--and not being immediately fined by the police and warned against doing it  again.  TIT.

[blackcab]

On 7/12/2019 at 10:25 AM, Dewey said:

...the absurd option: install a second window inside...

 

Think about this option some more. Double glazing works as a sound insulator partly because of the air trapped between the panes of glass.

 

If you have enough space on your window reveal you could fit single pane secondary and even tertiary glazing while retaining the original window. Otherwise you could fit slim profile secondary double glazed units.

 

It would be a lot easier and probably a lot cheaper.

[Gulfsailor]

50 minutes ago, blackcab said:

 

Think about this option some more. Double glazing works as a sound insulator partly because of the air trapped between the panes of glass.

 

If you have enough space on your window reveal you could fit single pane secondary and even tertiary glazing while retaining the original window. Otherwise you could fit slim profile secondary double glazed units.

 

It would be a lot easier and probably a lot cheaper.

Double glazIng does not have air in between the panes. Then there would be no sound insulation and hardly any heat insulation. 

Double glazing works best when a vacuum is in between the panes, but this is expensive, so they use a gas, like argon, which has a reduced thermal conductivity compared to air. 

[blackcab]

I do agree, however the OP wants noise reduction. I do believe one way to do that is secondary or even tertiary glazing with a decent air gap in between.

[Jane Dough]

On 7/11/2019 at 5:51 PM, Pilotman said:

Can't stand condo living, usually in  a matchbox of a room, too many close neighbours and someone else dictating the rules to live by.  I live in my house, so my rules.  

I live in a condo. My wife rules.

 

Rooster

[madmen]

On 7/11/2019 at 1:19 PM, Dewey said:

no airbnb

BS on their part unless all the owners voted it out the general meeting which for Thais would be extremely unlikely, but even then you could rent it out monthly without breaking any laws

[Pilotman]

10 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

I live in a condo. My wife rules.

 

Rooster

Yes, that is the other disadvantage of condo living, too close to the partner at all times. 

[Dewey]

Good morning,

 

I finally made the meeting I wanted with the condo manager (my gf could join and translate so he understood exactly what I wanted to do).

 

Long story short, if the new window is same (or very close) design and color, I have the management blessing.

 

Last problem now is to find a slide double glazing window.

[ThomasThBKK]

4 hours ago, Dewey said:

Good morning,

 

I finally made the meeting I wanted with the condo manager (my gf could join and translate so he understood exactly what I wanted to do).

 

Long story short, if the new window is same (or very close) design and color, I have the management blessing.

 

Last problem now is to find a slide double glazing window.

Excellent, kinda what i expected, no meetings needed

[KittenKong]

4 hours ago, Dewey said:

Long story short, if the new window is same (or very close) design and color, I have the management blessing. 

This is what one would expect. It is what happens in my building.

 

4 hours ago, Dewey said:

Last problem now is to find a slide double glazing window. 

That may be interesting for you.

 

Your first hurdle will be the question of uPVC or aluminium. The frames you are replacing will probably be aluminium so uPVC frames will be a lot thicker and so wont look much like the originals. Frame colour may also be an issue unless the originals were white. Matching glass tints is much easier.

It is quite easy to find imported aluminium frames at insane prices, but may be much harder to find local ones at sensible prices. Colour matching is also much easier with aluminium.

[Dewey]

2 hours ago, KittenKong said:

This is what one would expect. It is what happens in my building.

 

That may be interesting for you.

 

Your first hurdle will be the question of uPVC or aluminium. The frames you are replacing will probably be aluminium so uPVC frames will be a lot thicker and so wont look much like the originals. Frame colour may also be an issue unless the originals were white. Matching glass tints is much easier.

It is quite easy to find imported aluminium frames at insane prices, but may be much harder to find local ones at sensible prices. Colour matching is also much easier with aluminium.

Well, the current frame is aluminium, light gray. I found 2 distributors online, I will ask them to come and make me an offer (if they can) so let see what happen. 

 

The company who will make my bathroom also proposed me to make me a quote for the window.

 

I'll post again once I have all the information, it might be helpful for others.

 

[Dewey]

Hey guys,

 

quick update. So as I told before, I had the management blessing if I do same design (slide window) and color.

 

Long story short, I wanted to have noise reduction as much as possible so I decided not to go with sliding window but casement one.

Can't see the difference from outside when it's closed (99% of the time) and the color is very close.

No remarks from management, I'm pretty sure they didn't noticed that I changed it already. It costs me 55K THB for a 2 by 1.7 meters window.

No regret at all, I finally can sleep better, I should have done this years ago !