Having just paid a visit to the local OrBorJor with my prospective builder to submit the drawing and the bung, was a bit taken aback when subsequently received call from said builder asking for another 10 thousand baht for 'book from architect'. The architect relocated GodKnowsWhere and have had a devil of a time getting the thing into a 'working drawing', the circumstances of which the builder is fully aware. Can anyone enlighten me as to whether, in their experience, this is requisite? I would have thought it unnecessary, given all the God Awful 'self designed and 'just pulled off a computer' houses littering this area. Don't want to write builder off as a lying bastard before giving him a fair trial.

Having just paid a visit to the local OrBorJor with my prospective builder to submit the drawing and the bung, was a bit taken aback when subsequently received call from said builder asking for another 10 thousand baht for 'book from architect'. The architect relocated GodKnowsWhere and have had a devil of a time getting the thing into a 'working drawing', the circumstances of which the builder is fully aware. Can anyone enlighten me as to whether, in their experience, this is requisite? I would have thought it unnecessary, given all the God Awful 'self designed and 'just pulled off a computer' houses littering this area. Don't want to write builder off as a lying bastard before giving him a fair trial.

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You need a full set of blueprints extending from memory to about 8 pages of A3 size technical drawings of the property. Without that you will not get approval, unless you submit some other blueprints of another house. Cant really tell from your message what it is your missing but thats what you need. A a4 sketch is not going to cut it.

Yes, aware necessity of submission of construction drawings, hence trip to OrBorJor offices. But transpires, need architect's co-signature when building exceeds two floors, which mine does, thus necessitating yet another bung. Apparently it is a Thai way to be told, in instalments, how much to pay in case Thai customers have heart attack. We live and learn.

you need the local civil engineer to sign the structural plans, ie beam sizes, footings etc, its a few hundred baht for him to sign it but several thousand if he has to draw up the civil plans for you, he is not employed there to draw up plans but to approve them, obviously if he draws them up then the odds are he will approve his own plans, but he will want paying for drawing up those civil plans for you, he will also come along to the site every now and again to check that the builder isnt skimping on steel size etc etc etc, because he has signed those plans and the blame lies on him if the house falls down and kills someone, that is of course as long as his plans are followed...

Yes, aware necessity of submission of construction drawings, hence trip to OrBorJor offices. But transpires, need architect's co-signature when building exceeds two floors, which mine does, thus necessitating yet another bung. Apparently it is a Thai way to be told, in instalments, how much to pay in case Thai customers have heart attack. We live and learn.

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Single story plans can be done by anybody, anything with two floors needs to be signed off by a qualified architecht with proper degree qualifications - thats probably where the 10,000 is coming in.

Yes, aware necessity of submission of construction drawings, hence trip to OrBorJor offices. But transpires, need architect's co-signature when building exceeds two floors, which mine does, thus necessitating yet another bung. Apparently it is a Thai way to be told, in instalments, how much to pay in case Thai customers have heart attack. We live and learn.

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Single story plans can be done by anybody, anything with two floors needs to be signed off by a qualified architecht with proper degree qualifications - thats probably where the 10,000 is coming in.

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i assume you mean a civil engineer???

an architect designs stuff, the civil engineer does the plans that stop it from falling down.

the civil engineer doesnt charge 10,000baht to sign off on a building, if he goes to the local council and sees the civil engineer he will get one of the drafts men to do the plans and then he will sign it off, but the civil engineer will specify what steel and beam sizes etc....