Build Costs In Phuket

[scudman]

Anyone have a house built in Phuket recently. The wife and I are moving to Phuket next year and planning to build on a piece of land we bought 4 years ago. Just curious to see what building costs per square meter might be these days.

[LivinginKata]

How long is a piece of string ??

But seriously, I would say that 20,000 baht sq m would buy you a low budget home with a decent standard building, but not of the best quality materials and finishing. You could easily double that figure (to 40,000 baht) for a quality finished building, but not include pool and landscape.

[scudman]

How long is a piece of string ??

But seriously, I would say that 20,000 baht sq m would buy you a low budget home with a decent standard building, but not of the best quality materials and finishing. You could easily double that figure (to 40,000 baht) for a quality finished building, but not include pool and landscape.

Thanks. Just looking for some ballpark numbers. Now I have a starting point.

[phuket Mike]

Keeping the house to a single level i.e. bungalow will keep the cost down.

I know someone who is currently going through the process, he has employed a local Thai builder (a whole family) he paid 3% of the build cost for proper plans and has been quoted 15,500 per m2 for the build. We seen a number of properties this builder has already finished and they seem pretty good in terms of qualiity. He is paying the builder in stages 30%, 30%, 20% and the final 20% on completion.

The builder has also done all legal stuff at the Orbortor for him. It appears to be good deal, we will know for sure in 4 months when the house is completed.

[LivinginKata]

Does that 15,500 baht/sq m price include electrics & painting ? Many local/small builders do not include those items, only the building & plumbing. And your friends will need to carefuly check out the quality of materials being used. Unfortunately many small builders know how to cut all the corners, a dozen different ways. BUYER BEWARE.... I know, as we had this problem with our first building in Patong many moons ago. Took us years to sort out all the problems (at our cost) we inherited.

[Sir Burr]

Keeping the house to a single level i.e. bungalow will keep the cost down.

Hmmmm......this will keep the total cost down, but, if you build two storeys it will bring the cost per square metre down.

The roof size is the same regardless of how many storeys you build.

[scudman]

Keeping the house to a single level i.e. bungalow will keep the cost down.

Hmmmm......this will keep the total cost down, but, if you build two storeys it will bring the cost per square metre down.

The roof size is the same regardless of how many storeys you build.

We have one rai so I could keep it single story, however I think the cost per sq mtr would be less with a multistory as well. We talked to a few builders a few years back and saw some jobs completed by them. The advice to pay in increments sound like the way to go as well.

[LivinLOS]

Keeping the house to a single level i.e. bungalow will keep the cost down.

Hmmmm......this will keep the total cost down, but, if you build two storeys it will bring the cost per square metre down.

The roof size is the same regardless of how many storeys you build.

I dont pretend to understand why.. But the prices I was told were much higher (per meter price) for a 2 story home with the same M2 floor plan.

Over 50 % higher in fact !!

[LivinginKata]

The price I quoted (20,000 Baht/sq m) was based on a 2 floor home and you should calculate the final cost on actual living floor space (per fllor), and not just the ground floor size. Quite honestly there is little difference in cost per living space sq m (not ground size) for a single floor and a 2 floor building given the lower cost for posts/beams on single floor vs higher costs for stronger posts/beams & stairs for 2 floor. Hope that makes sense to you all ... Perhaps there will be a net saving on roof cost for 2 floor building, but we are only talking about guestimate prices. IMHO given the high price of land, then it's always better to make a 2 floor home to maximise your living space.

[LivinLOS]

That what I assumed too.. That any additional cost in structural 2nd floor would be saved in less roof coverage etc..

However I have been shown 2 dramatically different prices for a 200sqm bungalow and a 2 x 100 sqm floored 2 story.

[LivinginKata]

Can be a huge difference in finishing material costs. For example your build can buy a bathroom suite (toilet & sink) for a low as 4,500 baht, whereas you can buy luxury bathroom suites at over 100,000 baht. You can buy floor tiles as low as 250 baht/sq m (not fitted), whereas you could buy at over 5,000 baht sq m.

My point is that there is a really huge difference in finishing materials costs.

[steelepulse]

 

My point is that there is a really huge difference in finishing materials costs.

Yes so true.  I bought some imported granite 7 years ago that was about 5K per square metre, but now I understand it is around 9K, so it really depends on your finishings as the concrete and steel cost is really a fixed cost, but it's your finishings that determine your overall price per square metre. I used either teak or imported granite and the overall cost was a bit 

different than what has been quoted from previous posters.

Edited April 18, 2008 by steelepulse

[Boater]

you pay for what you get, but you are looking at around 25,000 THB Per Metre Sq... Excluding Land.....

But with this you can buy a very well built upmarket villa ina development for 40,000 THB Per Sq Mtre... Fully Fitted and Furnished....

[misterme]

Expect your Phuket labourers to up and leave one day. They will likely take the some of the supplies/tools you've purchased and refuse to come back to work. This won't necessarily cost you a lot of money, but it will cost time and frustration. Finding anyone to come and even give a quote may be difficult, never mind start working. Costs will be over. Time will need to be extended.... and after all that the contractor will be frustrated that his initial contract quote is being eaten up from his labour/time costs. You may then need to up the price paid even with a good contract in place.

In my experience, the tradesmen are just adequate at their job. Check the plumbing and electric yourself. Or pay a 3rd party to check it.

I am not a builder, or experienced in the field. But I did fully renovate a shophouse here recently. But, my experiences were similar to the above notes...

Phuket is like no other place... double your budget and your timeframe and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Hope I helped, more than discouraged.