Cost of building house in village vs buying in development in expat/tourist town?

[marc26]

40 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

8 mil baht houses selling for 4 mil now in Hua Hin. 

for sale signs everywhere. 

what ever they are asking just subtract 30%

 

You have any websites? I know you can get better deals on the ground..........

[marc26]

42 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

8 mil baht houses selling for 4 mil now in Hua Hin. 

for sale signs everywhere. 

what ever they are asking just subtract 30%

 

One thing I find in Hua Hin is the traffic in middle of the city is horrible

But my MIL's family live right at the start of Cha Am............so if there was an incredible deal down closer to Cha Am, I would think about it

[edgarfriendly]

On 3/16/2021 at 6:14 PM, Blue Muton said:

It should be cheaper to buy your own, but of course it's not just about the money.

We designed and our own home built and I have to say it was one of the most satisfying and pleasurable experiences of my life. Ploughing through hundreds of plans online and not finding any that ticked all of our boxes was just the start. We found one that had nearly everything we thought we wanted but even then when our then prospective builder showed us a couple of places that were coming to completion we got more ideas. We made lots of changes to the original plans and got the architect to produce sets of plans accordingly.

We discovered that Mrs BM made an incredible project manager and negotiator for all of the materials. We've been in our new hope nearly six years now and really love it.

COULD YOU post some of your design resources please?

[Blue Muton]

24 minutes ago, edgarfriendly said:

COULD YOU post some of your design resources please?

Sure, I'll have to take a couple of pics but in the meantime here are the original plans, I'll run through our changes later when I'm on my computer.

[khunPer]

On 3/16/2021 at 12:14 PM, Blue Muton said:

It should be cheaper to buy your own, but of course it's not just about the money.

We designed and our own home built and I have to say it was one of the most satisfying and pleasurable experiences of my life. Ploughing through hundreds of plans online and not finding any that ticked all of our boxes was just the start. We found one that had nearly everything we thought we wanted but even then when our then prospective builder showed us a couple of places that were coming to completion we got more ideas. We made lots of changes to the original plans and got the architect to produce sets of plans accordingly.

We discovered that Mrs BM made an incredible project manager and negotiator for all of the materials. We've been in our new hope nearly six years now and really love it.

I've also drawn my own house. I used millimeter paper and made it with all specific details, so I got exactly what I was expecting, as I had a small plot of land only to build on.

I got an architect firm to transfer my drawings into computer and check that my construction, i.e. posts, were strong enough, which it was, nothing needed to be changed. The architect firm, or rather their computer program, did all the steel calculations needed for building permission, which they also handles. The total fee for computor drawings and paperwork was very affordable.

I'm very satisfied with the result, which is of course also due to an excellent Thai building constructor that understood me; I'm now living in the house on 11th year...☺️

[edgarfriendly]

16 hours ago, khunPer said:

I've also drawn my own house. I used millimeter paper and made it with all specific details, so I got exactly what I was expecting, as I had a small plot of land only to build on.

I got an architect firm to transfer my drawings into computer and check that my construction, i.e. posts, were strong enough, which it was, nothing needed to be changed. The architect firm, or rather their computer program, did all the steel calculations needed for building permission, which they also handles. The total fee for computor drawings and paperwork was very affordable.

I'm very satisfied with the result, which is of course also due to an excellent Thai building constructor that understood me; I'm now living in the house on 11th year...☺️

care to share your designs?

im currently taking in as much info/details as possible.

[Blue Muton]

23 hours ago, edgarfriendly said:

COULD YOU post some of your design resources please?

Here's a link to the original design.

https://www.smilehomes.com/home_planT-206.htm

As I previously said, I visited some houses that my prospective builder was working on, this was several months before we started to build ourselves. One of those homes had a single-storey Thai style kitchen separated from the main house by a strip of land which was about a metre wide. I liked the space it gave so I had the ground floor extended at the rear of the house by five metres. This part of the house was split into a 9m x 5m western style kitchen, a bathroom, fitness room and study, which opened up the area that in the original design comprised the kitchen, bathroom and living room.

Other changes were:

Extending the balcony at the front of the house to connect with bedroom 2 and switching the access to it from the main bedroom to the landing at the top of the stairs.

Doing away with the en-suite from bedroom 2, freeing up space for Mrs BM's prayer room.

Moving the door on the bathroom adjacent to bedroom 3 to the landing, so this bathroom serves beds 2 and 3.

Addition of a covered terrace to the right of the artist's impression picture (the added bit at the back extended to the end of the terrace.

During construction Mrs BM decided she wanted to extend the roof over the Thai kitchen area, which in hindsight was a great idea, in fact we will be extending it further to cover the whole length of the back of the house.

I met the architect and he quoted 100,000 Baht to incorporate the changes into 'proper' plans, Mrs BM knocked him down to 90,000. We told the builder that he must stick to the plans unless any deviations were discussed and agreed in advance, We also got an off the shelf contract completed with agreed staged payments. The builder had never used contracts before but tells us that he has since insisted on them for every build.

Later we decided that the fitness room was not quite big enough so we had the same builder stick a new one on the end of the garage, the original fitness room has become a sewing / ironing / linen storage room.

I'll just go and take some pics and post from the phone now. 

 

[Blue Muton]

23 hours ago, edgarfriendly said:

COULD YOU post some of your design resources please?

 

[Blue Muton]

18 hours ago, khunPer said:

I've also drawn my own house. I used millimeter paper and made it with all specific details, so I got exactly what I was expecting, as I had a small plot of land only to build on.

I got an architect firm to transfer my drawings into computer and check that my construction, i.e. posts, were strong enough, which it was, nothing needed to be changed. The architect firm, or rather their computer program, did all the steel calculations needed for building permission, which they also handles. The total fee for computor drawings and paperwork was very affordable.

I'm very satisfied with the result, which is of course also due to an excellent Thai building constructor that understood me; I'm now living in the house on 11th year...☺️

This thread had brought back some very happy memories for me, from looking at so many designs then pretty much doing our own thing, selecting the materials, fixtures and fittings and seeing it rise from the ground then, for the last six years living in it and enjoying it every day. The strange thing is that I was not someone who yearned for building my own home before. Oh and another bonus was seeing how much my wife thrived on the responsibility of overseeing things when I was stuck back in England, she's the youngest of eight but the older ones around here now always look to her to get things done (and I don't mean financially) I'm so proud of her and feel so lucky.

[edgarfriendly]

thanks for sharing m8!

nice story along with it too!!

more than just a house im wanting a home/sanctuary that all of us, kids included are going to contribute to the end result.

whereabouts did you build and how much did u end up spending altogether?

 

 

[Blue Muton]

30 minutes ago, edgarfriendly said:

thanks for sharing m8!

nice story along with it too!!

more than just a house im wanting a home/sanctuary that all of us, kids included are going to contribute to the end result.

whereabouts did you build and how much did u end up spending altogether?

 

 

Thanks, we're in rural Suphanburi. Total cost including the garage and walls was around six million, excluding the land that my wife already owned. 

Where are you looking at building your place?

[edgarfriendly]

30 minutes ago, Blue Muton said:

Thanks, we're in rural Suphanburi. Total cost including the garage and walls was around six million, excluding the land that my wife already owned. 

Where are you looking at building your place?

way up north, nan province.

 

been looking for the right plot since last year but still not found it.

 

[khunPer]

4 hours ago, edgarfriendly said:

care to share your designs?

im currently taking in as much info/details as possible.

Sure, some photos here, my drawings come in next posting.

Front view, beach side...

Rear view, land side and car park...

2nd floor atrium-style terrace (got more pots and plants later)...

I made a tiny kitchen-niche with a small fridge for coffee and cool stuff on 2.floor...

2nd floor terrace in evening (during windy monsoon season by the beach, this is the leeward outdoor dining side)...

Top floor terrace...

Top floor workout space...

Indoor staircase

Bedroom samples...

A shower niche...

-and bathroom basin...

Kitchen...

Living room...

Ground floor terrasse...

[edgarfriendly]

very nice!!

what province/coast are you on??

[khunPer]

5 hours ago, edgarfriendly said:

care to share your designs?

im currently taking in as much info/details as possible.

My design drawings, however some minor changes were made later.

I should add that I'm not architect or have any professional past in construction, but I got little experience from some rebuilding of an old farm I had in Denmark, but that was a different northern European building technique without posts.

Ground floor (I removed the wall between car park and entrance in computer drawing, so entrance door was moved back towards living space, and the fan over the sofa, due to ceiling beams)...

2nd floor...

3rd floor (I made the master-bedroom's bathroom larger, so the wall is in line with the door)...

View front and back (I changed from bows to straight beams, as bows might be too difficult to make for the building construction team, I also found that it looked better, but that's a question of taste)...
 

House seen from West, neighbors are close on each side, so only the minimum legal space from land border to house, so no window-openings on second floor due to privacy for both sides, but I use matted glass-bricks a few places...

And view from East...

I made expression sketches for each floor, also for my own check and inspiration (I removed bows from kitchen openings, and small colonial-style windows from the internal double door, but kept one bow under the front-stair inside the living room, which is a niche for an old classic sculpture)...

Impressions 2nd floor...

Impressions 3rd floor (there are also details for all bathrooms on all floors, but not shared here)...

Roof layout...

I made a layout for posts and beams for each floor, here as example the bearing foundation posts under the ground floor (the architect merged some post-feet to single large foot-plates)...

A cut through the middle of the house on long side...

-and two cuts on the short side to show stair designs...

[edgarfriendly]

Brilliant!!

 

i was typing to ask for elevations when u already posting!!

very good drawings!

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, edgarfriendly said:

care to share your designs?

im currently taking in as much info/details as possible.

I added my electric layout on copies of the architect firm's drawings, and they plotted my electric design in as a new layer the computer.

I separated my electric layout, so it also included a battery charged emergency light system, as at the time I designed my house, the island had ongoing black outs. To prevent standing an evening with hair shampoo running down in the eyes and a blackout appear, so no water as no electric for pumps, I made a water tank on the attic, a solar water heater system, and one battery powered bulb in each bathroom, on stairs, and in kitchen; and I am happy I did that, always warm water and some light...????

We invented some codes for systems and switches, and my electrician understood everything perfect, so I got exactly what I wanted...☺️

Here are some samples of the final electric lay out, which also shows the architect firm's expression of my sketches; it's the drawings we worked from, so they are including minor construction corrections (mentioned with the sketches), and that's also why they appear used...

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, edgarfriendly said:

very nice!!

what province/coast are you on??

Koh Samui, as my profile image should say, an island in the Gulf in Surat Thani province in the southern part.

[seajae]

On 3/16/2021 at 5:37 PM, EVENKEEL said:

Deep enough??

 

they look the same size as ours on our recently finished house, ours were maybe deeper, was pretty impressed with the foundations/footings after seeing what some builders do here. Really all depends on the builder you get, good ones are harder to find but worth it

[khunPer]

53 minutes ago, edgarfriendly said:

Brilliant!!

i was typing to ask for elevations when u already posting!!

very good drawings!

Thanks. Hope it might be a help for inspiration, I had great value from looking at other constructions and hoses, and reading the book "How to Buy Land and Build a House in Thailand", when I did my preparations...☺️

[khunPer]

34 minutes ago, seajae said:

they look the same size as ours on our recently finished house, ours were maybe deeper, was pretty impressed with the foundations/footings after seeing what some builders do here. Really all depends on the builder you get, good ones are harder to find but worth it

My Thai building constructor said, you need to dig down to the ground is solid hard, not a fixed measure.

[Aforek]

On 3/16/2021 at 4:56 PM, Speedhump said:

I doubt there's a single Thai builder outside of a major city that digs foundations as deep as farang. Just because your house is still standing doesn't mean it always will. 10 years or so may be the test....

I live in a mooban, houses here have much more than 10 years, the one beside mine has 30 years, and she is very strong ... I don't know where you have heard this : from other farangs ? 

[Speedhump]

43 minutes ago, Aforek said:

I live in a mooban, houses here have much more than 10 years, the one beside mine has 30 years, and she is very strong ... I don't know where you have heard this : from other farangs ? 

Don't think your experience tells you everything about Thailand. My friend is an architect and house builder that has worked in Thailand for many years and has many constructions to his name. He tells me enough horror stories about houses he has been called to to shore up foundations. My villa complex also has been well built (although the perimeter walls have been built on very poor foundations, to save costs, it's quite usual,  they are leaning and cracking). I'm glad you won the lottery, as did I. ????

[marc26]

On 3/20/2021 at 1:36 AM, Blue Muton said:

Thanks, we're in rural Suphanburi. Total cost including the garage and walls was around six million, excluding the land that my wife already owned. 

Where are you looking at building your place?

Suphan

So maybe I will contact you for architect/builder references when the time comes!

[Blue Muton]

6 hours ago, marc26 said:

Suphan

So maybe I will contact you for architect/builder references when the time comes!

the architect was in the earlier link. By good fortune we came across an excellent builder and I would be happy to give details later if required. Suphan as I'm sure you know is a very big province, we're in the NW, bordering Chainat. 

[AlfHuy]

On 3/16/2021 at 5:37 PM, EVENKEEL said:

Deep enough??

 

that's your swimming pool?????

[Cake Monster]

On 3/16/2021 at 5:57 PM, millymoopoo said:

Yep, certainly does.

We built in the other halfs village on land we already owned.
3 bed, 2 bath, large lounge and veranda, kitchen out the back, not as flash as in the links but still OK, 1 mill bht.

The key to avoiding 'farang' prices was to remain completely removed, partner engaged architect, then I modified the plan to suit, which is the plan the builder got.
Partner submitted the plan to 3 local builders, ensuring they all knew it had been submitted to the others, we didn't select the cheapest, we did check out other houses the builders had built and selected the one that looked to be the best quality.

Then when it was being built I kept a close eye on proceedings, when foundations were not to the depth specified, the partner told the builder to comply, when the slab was being prepared, (they use concrete tiles on mini foundations and pour the slab ontop) I watched how thick they were pouring it, 60mm, again under specs so builder was told to comply to design (100mm).

There were many other things eg: 1.2mm spacing on roof rafters that should be 1m, no S traps on drains, amongst many, all of which I spotted and the builder was told to rectify all of them at the time.

Don't let these faults slide and think you can get the builder to fix them later, because once built, he's out of there.

As all of the men in my partners family have died the builder thought 'oh a bunch of women, they wouldn't have an idea', thought he could get away with it, what he didn't expect was a knowledgeable farang.!

Stay in the shadows until everything is signed, then come out into the light and ensure you get what has been agreed on.

Also by keeping a close eye on proceedings during the build, you a more likely to stop the various scams involved that some Builders seem to think is their right.

I made the Builder on my House build remove all the rebar reinforcing in the Pillars and redo all the work so the Metal actually locked together at Pad and Pillar ( at his cost ) because the rebar work was no good

The quoted post mentions roof beam spacing. Reason for 1.2 M as apposed to 1 M, is that quite a large amount of Metal can be saved. Ideal for the Car Port at Home.

Roof sheets / Tiles ... same

There are so many ways the builders try to scam, from  the amount of Cement they require ( to what is actually needed ) Ceramic tiles Etc Etc Etc 

Just be very aware all the time about what is happening, and check all invoices 100%

[steve3245]

On 3/17/2021 at 4:20 PM, NCC1701A said:

8 mil baht houses selling for 4 mil now in Hua Hin. 

for sale signs everywhere. 

what ever they are asking just subtract 30%

 

i am guessing the "8m selling for 4m" is a bit of a wind up , but are houses really selling for 30% below there asking price ?

thanks

[edgarfriendly]

6 minutes ago, steve3245 said:

i am guessing the "8m selling for 4m" is a bit of a wind up , but are houses really selling for 30% below there asking price ?

thanks

ive not seen any actual good deals yet but still looking.

 

 

[steve3245]

1 hour ago, edgarfriendly said:

ive not seen any actual good deals yet but still looking.

 

 

thanks for the reply edgar

 

i am in the uk at the moment , but hope to be in thailand ( hua hin )  with in the next 18 months . are there many houses for sale that we don't see on the websites ddproperty,fazwaz etcs