I know this question has been asked several different ways over the years. but I am still researching it after seventeen years and don't want to give up.  I'm trying to add a 2/2 Bali-style with a 4x8m pool to my present house.  It took three builders (fired the other two) to partially complete my present house (the original design was with a guest house and pool).  After that, I swore I'd never build even a doghouse again on Samui, and here I am still hoping to one day complete the project.  I've met with approximately five Thai and five British builders.  I'm sorry to generalize, but I feel the same confidence in a Thai builder that I would with someone on death row.  I apologize again, but the British builders seem to just pick high numbers out of the sky.  I'm aiming for around 20kbaht/sqm.  It's on one rai of land with a thirty-degree slope and the roads are concrete.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Maybe ask yourself why you want that pool.

I just read a wonderful few lines in a marketing book. It explains why many people have a pool in the garden (and rarely use it).

According to the book most people would feel ridiculous walking around with a bikini and bathing trunks in their garden. But if they have a pool in the garden, then they have a good excuse to do that.

 

Sorry, I know it doesn't help you, but I just came to my mind, and I laughed when I read it. 

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Maybe ask yourself why you want that pool.

I just read a wonderful few lines in a marketing book. It explains why many people have a pool in the garden (and rarely use it).

According to the book most people would feel ridiculous walking around with a bikini and bathing trunks in their garden. But if they have a pool in the garden, then they have a good excuse to do that.

 

Sorry, I know it doesn't help you, but I just came to my mind, and I laughed when I read it. 

      Spouse and I love our pool.  Having our own private pool was one of the reasons we moved from a condo to a house--that and more room for the money.  We usually swim at least once and sometimes twice a day--and love that we can year-round.

49 minutes ago, newnative said:

      Spouse and I love our pool.  Having our own private pool was one of the reasons we moved from a condo to a house--that and more room for the money.  We usually swim at least once and sometimes twice a day--and love that we can year-round.

I think it's better for resale plus I may rent out the guesthouse with pool in the future.

21 minutes ago, parallaxtech said:

I think it's better for resale plus I may rent out the guesthouse with pool in the future.

Yes, I agree.

Throwing good money after bad?

No.

You have my sympathy parallaxtech.

I built three small pool villas - with a number of different builders.

(One for the first and two different ones for each of the other two.)

All are 'almost' to spec and overall I am happy with the results. Lived here 23 years. Apart from general maintenance issues - no problems.

I also have a business managing villas and have come across a large number of other builders.

I will send a PM of a couple that might be able to help. Both are British. The very good Thai builder that I have worked with left the island during Covid unfortunately.