Had my house built in Phuket in 2000.

First builder I threw off the job as there were no bathroom and kitchen fixtures, even though I 'd already paid for them. The house was about 95% completed when that happened and I got another contractor to finish the place off.

 

Over the years, I've used many builders for various tasks, big and small.

It all starts the same way. They do a good job without cheating you and you think you have struck gold.

You would think that as a repeat customer, you would be valued. Just the opposite. They start taking liberties like turning up late. Not turning up at all, or quick shoddy work.

Eventually, they either leave, or are thrown off the job.

Each replacement builder acts the same eventually.

Twenty years on and I have a good builder, but I'm not under the illusion that that will be the situation in the future.

On 12/4/2021 at 1:34 PM, Saanim said:

Such small pool should not be over 100,000 Baht, all included.

Yes, we are currently having a pool built (in Pattaya) by a reliable Builder that we have known for some years. The pool is 8M x 4M x 1.4M deep, he is providing everything except for the tiles to the waterfall wall & some lights all for 460,000 Baht.

3 hours ago, Happy Howard said:

Yes, we are currently having a pool built (in Pattaya) by a reliable Builder that we have known for some years. The pool is 8M x 4M x 1.4M deep, he is providing everything except for the tiles to the waterfall wall & some lights all for 460,000 Baht.

Specs would be nice! Size of reo, type & thickness of concrete etc! 

Does that price include equipment & quality?

I looked at repairing a 2 yr old 4 x 2 jacuzzi/plunge pool in Pats that was built by a (Reliable builder)? It was a mess. 

Customer didn't like the fact that it had to be completly rebuilt! 

You get what you pay for!

Standard advice for any building work is never ever pay in advance for labour and only pay for materials you actually get, for preference pay for materials directly to the supplier though sometimes you can’t do that.

 

All builders of any competence can work for at least a week, more usually 4 weeks before getting paid, if the can’t do you want to employ them? Probably not.

 

That way when/if they walk off the job they still have done work that they haven’t been paid for. Of course they will demand payment but few will push because they knew when the walked away the forfeit anything otherwise due. 
 

Your building cost will be higher for the next crew but some of that will be covered by the defaulting crew abandoning wages

 

This is standard for Thai people employing builders as much as for foreigners.

It's not possible for a genuine registered business with a proper infrastructure (shop front, sales staff, presentable vehicles, etc) declaring their sales for taxes and VAT, to build a pool for around ฿14,000.00 per m2 and make a livable GP on it.