How Big Is Big?

[trogers]

Reading through some recent advertisements of condo for rent and sales, I came across terms like 'Big' and 'Well-sized'.

Eg. Big 2-bedroom unit for rent, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, Size 71sqm

Well-sized unit for rent, 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom, size 48 sqm

Are we getting physically smaller and the world seems larger? Welcome feedback from other TV members.

[Gers1873]

Does size really matter

[PattayaPhom]

A typical studio will now start at anything from 25sqm upto 29sqm...previous was 32, 34sqm....many devlopers can make a reasonable 1 bed 35sqm, such as Park Lane etc......yes, because of pricing, condos are getting smaller....same happened in the UK and probably other parts of the world, until the late seventies houses were a reasonable size with garden, then came the big "private" housing estates and things got smaller...just look at some of the one bed shoe boxes that have been built in the past 25 years or so..

[PattayaParent]

I used to have a 1 bedroom unit of 80m2 (40m2 living / kitchen plus 40m2 bedroom / bathroom) about which visitors would comment 'it's big' so it always amuses me when I see 2 bedrooms advertised that are smaller than that.

I currently have a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom unit that is 105m2 which is OK but could do with being a bit bigger so I would definitely not call it big.

I sometimes think that those examples you've posted actually refer to the number of units as in 2 bedrooms is 2 units being 1 bedroom and 1 living room, and 1 bedroom being a studio. Otherwise they're too small to swing a Manx cat in.

[trogers]

Does size really matter

hope this question refers specifically to the topic in hand...

[pkrv]

Does size really matter

hope this question refers specifically to the topic in hand...

Hi Trogers - at The Park a two bedroom is 140 sm and that's the smallest unit on offer.

My best guess is that as Thaiand grows they will experiment with smaller units, which will of course go out of fashion.

Edited December 1, 2011 by pkrv

[Artas]

I have a couple of 2 bedroom 148sqm apartments in jomtien.

Good size units.Some places have 2 bedrooms and a living room and only 74sqm which to fit it all

[PattayaParent]

I have a couple of 2 bedroom 148sqm apartments in jomtien.

Good size units.Some places have 2 bedrooms and a living room and only 74sqm which to fit it all

The new offering in Pattaya from RaimonLand is 2 bedrooms in 62m2!!

[PattayaParent]

^ I found one even better.

A 2 bedroom 60m2 unit in Nam Talay Condo being built by Nova Group!

I can only assume they're bunk beds?

[Artas]

^ I found one even better.

A 2 bedroom 60m2 unit in Nam Talay Condo being built by Nova Group!

I can only assume they're bunk beds?

Does seem extremely small to have two bedrooms in it.

One bedroom ok but 2 ??

[trogers]

^ I found one even better.

A 2 bedroom 60m2 unit in Nam Talay Condo being built by Nova Group!

I can only assume they're bunk beds?

I had once asked a local architect about space layout of condo units and did not receive a satisfactory answer. The question was - 'We should assume that there will be 4 occupants in a 2-bedroom condo unit. So why is there space only for 3 seats at the dining and living areas?'.

Perhaps this can be a test for "how big is big?" ...

[travelmann]

^ I found one even better.

A 2 bedroom 60m2 unit in Nam Talay Condo being built by Nova Group!

I can only assume they're bunk beds?

I had once asked a local architect about space layout of condo units and did not receive a satisfactory answer. The question was - 'We should assume that there will be 4 occupants in a 2-bedroom condo unit. So why is there space only for 3 seats at the dining and living areas?'.

Perhaps this can be a test for "how big is big?" ...

Many two beds are 58m2- 52m2 these days on Sukhumvit, there is the odd exception though TREE Condo Suk 52 one bed 58m2, I think the dafest thing is the 1 bed 34m2 rooms which are a studio with a partition stuck in the middle, dont know why they bother, then to top it all off throw in a huge 6 foot bed when a 5foot for small room is a much better size proportionally.

Edited December 2, 2011 by travelmann

[travelmann]

Another thing to note is not only are rooms getting smaller they are also narrowing corridors between rooms, many used to be 6 foot and are now 5 foot it makes them feel awfully enclosed and tunnel like

[Darrel]

Little doubt that "standard" sizes for new builds are getting smaller, in order to keep prices down. This is a universal trend.

Personally I like big studios rather than small 1-beds, and I wouldn't really consider anything less than 40sqm even to live in on my own. My current place is 65sqm made up of one big room with corner kitchen, corner bedroom area and separate bathroom.

Edited December 2, 2011 by Darrel

[culicine]

^ I found one even better.

A 2 bedroom 60m2 unit in Nam Talay Condo being built by Nova Group!

I can only assume they're bunk beds?

Does seem extremely small to have two bedrooms in it.

One bedroom ok but 2 ??

Our first condo on Bond St, near chaengwatta, was about 60m2 with two bedrooms - one room was quite large, the other quite small. Had a bathroom, kitchen, and living room. No problems for 2 people with not too much stuff. Now we have an addition to the family and have a single two storey house , 170 odd sq metres- even that can barely hold all the crap we have accumulated 55

[trogers]

... I think the dafest thing is the 1 bed 34m2 rooms which are a studio with a partition stuck in the middle, dont know why they bother, then to top it all off throw in a huge 6 foot bed when a 5foot for small room is a much better size proportionally.

You correctly call such a unit a studio. Developers put in that partition in order to call such a unit a 1-bedroom and sell it to the susceptible...

[Crossy]

Those in the househunting game would do well to acquaint themselves with the jargon by reading Normal Thelwell's 'This Desirable Plot' a book I bought as a child (it's cartoons).

Over the years every single illustration has bitten me in one form or another.

Samples here http://www.thelwell.org.uk/images/houseHunting/index.htm

[Hooters]

The g/f had a look at some off the plan condo on the river last week and was really excited. 2 bedroom 58sqm. I tried to tell her its to small . she had a look, to small

how the heck can people with a family live in that space? suppose thais could though.

My place is 75 sqm one bedroom and its a good size for me, I also own another condo thats 35 sqm 1 bedroom and with hindsight it would have been better to not have a seperate bedroom because the wall makes it look smaller.

personally I would classify large as 100sqm

[MJCM]

The g/f had a look at some off the plan condo on the river last week and was really excited. 2 bedroom 58sqm. I tried to tell her its to small . she had a look, to small

how the heck can people with a family live in that space? suppose thais could though.

My place is 75 sqm one bedroom and its a good size for me, I also own another condo thats 35 sqm 1 bedroom and with hindsight it would have been better to not have a seperate bedroom because the wall makes it look smaller.

personally I would classify large as 100sqm

Agree 100%, I also own a 1 Bedroom condo (75sqm) and I couldn't imagine how small the rooms would be if it was a 2 bedroom one, let alone if it was 58sqm in size

[udonguy]

I have various rooms - 46 sq meters is small/studio

52 sq meters to 80 sq meters is medium

100+ is big - I have 1 at over 160 and that is very big

[trogers]

I have various rooms - 46 sq meters is small/studio

52 sq meters to 80 sq meters is medium

100+ is big - I have 1 at over 160 and that is very big

Size is relative to functional use of space by its occupants.

We should first establish some normal sizes (for studio, 1-bed, 2-bed and so on) based on the functional use of space by its occupants, and then use these norms to gauge what is deemed small or big.

Eg. A 2-bed should house 4 people and there should be sufficient space for them to dine and watch TV together.

Many recent 2-bed units of 60sqm or less are now designed on the concept of 1-bed units with a 2nd bedroom added in, without any increase in the space for socialising (dining and living areas).

[Crossy]

Our current 2 bed unit is about 100m². I can't imagine having 4 adults in here, it's really barely big enough with just the two of us. That said, bedroom 2 is mostly full of stuff we've bought for the house we're building.

[MJCM]

Isn't it that you just get used to size (SQM) as you get used to everything else (internet download speed, amount of beer you drink etc etc etc)

For example live a couple of months in a 24 Sqm condo, and then move into a 50 Sqm Condo, when you first see that new condo, you will say : "That's a lot of space"

[trogers]

Isn't it that you just get used to size (SQM) as you get used to everything else (internet download speed, amount of beer you drink etc etc etc)

For example live a couple of months in a 24 Sqm condo, and then move into a 50 Sqm Condo, when you first see that new condo, you will say : "That's a lot of space"

In a way yes, if you are referring to staying in a small studio and then moving into a larger one. Say your norm for a studio is around 24-28 sqm, then a studio of 33-36 sqm will seem big, and the opposite is you will find a studio of only 18-20 sqm small.

So you have establish a norm to make judgement.

[yannic]

were looking for a 4-bedroom condo in the last 2 month and man I saw some 450 to 600 sqm units they were really huge. We lived in a 3-bedroom condo in Manila with 230 sqm and I found it big but missed a 4th bedroom. Now we are going to move into a 295 sqm 4-bedroom condo and I think it is not that big. I still don't know where to put all the things, condo has only a small stock room. Maybe having to use the maids room as storage room. So yes you could get used to those sizes.

But those 450 to 600 sqm units that's what I call huge. But mostly they are older condo buildings or they are penthouses.

When I lived in Europe I had a 55 sqm 2-bedroom flat and was very happy with it.

[craigt3365]

I went to look at a condo a few months ago. I think it was 140SM 3BR/2BR. Nice size I thought. But, it was an "L" shaped condo with a full wrap around balcony. The balcony on the side was about 1.5 meters wide and in front was almost 3M. Huge! And it was included in the 140SM sizing. The bedrooms were really small and the combined kitchen/living room was not that large either. Lesson learned!

[binjalin]

Most condos here are considered big by Thais! They tend to live in very small spaces - it all depends how many the are of you I am single and 64 sq meters is enough for me. Converted two studios into a one bedrooom with ensuite and the living room with an open plan kitchen. Its more than enough space assuming you actually go out! Its also enough space for 2 or 2 with one child but more than that it would be tight - but Thais could put 6 in it! So its all relative.

Edited December 4, 2011 by binjalin

[GreenSnapper]

I went to look at a condo a few months ago. I think it was 140SM 3BR/2BR. Nice size I thought. But, it was an "L" shaped condo with a full wrap around balcony. The balcony on the side was about 1.5 meters wide and in front was almost 3M. Huge! And it was included in the 140SM sizing. The bedrooms were really small and the combined kitchen/living room was not that large either. Lesson learned!

Yes, this is Thai condo size calculation. Some even include the parking space for the car.

Rule of thumb: always subtract 10% from the official size and you get the real living space.

[binjalin]

For size checking the obvious is always check the Chanot and it is normal to include the balcony but any parking will not be included unless, maybe, if its dedicated but that is highly unusual