Help In Building A New House.

[Zvereva]

For those who have been there, done that, please give me some advice for a good architect and builder. I am in Sakon Nakhon and would like to build a house.

Any help, appreciated.

Natalie.

[kalasin]

If you don't know any builder, then look around in your area - Are there any houses that look like the one you are thinking of? If so, ask who build it. Ask to see some of the builder's other house projects - You might find one, that you want to copy.

And another advise concerning the house. A large patio is very important !

[thrilled]

theres alan the builder.just put the wrrds together .com.

If he cant build it he'll tell ya who to see.

[manxninja]

lol

[kamalabob2]

Do you have a new

Thai Watsadu (ไทวัสดุอุบล)

in your community? At other

Thai Watsadu (ไทวัสดุอุบล)

stores as you EXIT there are cork boards on the wall just before you exit the actual store, where in different categories they have places the business cards of local architects, builders, stainless steel contractors, window glass companies, etc.. At least you will have some local phone numbers to contact to see their completed (and not yet completed) projects. Home owners tend to be candid about experiences both during and after a home building project and face to face, they will tell you if they would use the same contractors again. Starting with an approved custom house plans, no matter what size of home, is a crucial part in a successful build in my opinion. If you have the "permit to build" from the local government office, if you have the plans that you and your wife agree upon, then whatever group of men and women who do the actual construction of your home will have a copies of the Thai language building plans to work from. So when they deviate from the plan you can politely and calmly show the foreman where on the "building plans" they did it different. He does not lose face, you do not have to yell when doors are in the wrong place, window openings are missing, drainage pipes have a slope that defies gravity or counter tops are the wrong height.

[sarotti]

Hello

Try Kannika. She buildt our house and also have more houses for sale in the area only one minute from town center, if that should be of any interest for you. Say hello from Dag and Pan

Suk Sawat Soi 7

Kannika([email protected])

0427325423

[cmbe]

There are many construction companies in Sakon Nakhon, not all of them have website in English.

http://natureestate.co.th/contact/

http://www.pd.co.th/v5/en/

[klikster]

Suggest that you have a trusted Thai contact the Orbator/Tessaban-Tumbon for you. We just got a design done by the engineer working at the Orbator. We (wife, actually) picked the guy because;

• He is an engineer and the plans get an "engineers" stamp
  
• Does preliminary work for the Architect at Orbator
  
• Issues house numbers
  
• Offered to do a prelim, changes, then final plans for about Bt13,000
  

He also completed 2 rounds of modest changes and did so within days.

If requested, and for a modest extra fee, the architect will look the plans over and give an 'architect's' stamp. If the house needs to be financed by the bank, that part of the process is required and is more expensive.

Those folks have lots of free stock designs as well. You will normally need permission to build, and a house number, before you can get electricity and water.

As far as builder, I'm sure they can recommend someone .. but look at houses in your area that you like and find out who built them.

As for one 'farang' builder I emailed, "lump-sum including architect". I didn't get a pleasant feeling from the exchange.

[manxninja]

We are not allowed to talk about the farang builder on thai visa.

I asked a genuine question as to how you get a employment visa as a farang builder and the post got removed.

Raises more questions

[T_Dog]

Suggest that you have a trusted Thai contact the Orbator/Tessaban-Tumbon for you. We just got a design done by the engineer working at the Orbator. We (wife, actually) picked the guy because;

• He is an engineer and the plans get an "engineers" stamp
  
• Does preliminary work for the Architect at Orbator
  
• Issues house numbers
  
• Offered to do a prelim, changes, then final plans for about Bt13,000
  

He also completed 2 rounds of modest changes and did so within days.

If requested, and for a modest extra fee, the architect will look the plans over and give an 'architect's' stamp. If the house needs to be financed by the bank, that part of the process is required and is more expensive.

Those folks have lots of free stock designs as well. You will normally need permission to build, and a house number, before you can get electricity and water.

As far as builder, I'm sure they can recommend someone .. but look at houses in your area that you like and find out who built them.

As for one 'farang' builder I emailed, "lump-sum including architect". I didn't get a pleasant feeling from the exchange.

Good advice here klikster. We found a builder by looking at builds we liked and asking how the crew was. Actually stopped by two new places and the same crew had built both and the owners had positive things to say. Off to the Arbators office to get the plans done and we met a very competent draftsmen and engineer that confirmed we had found a good crew. 7000 baht for plans done, changes, and engineering approval. Now, six months after getting done we could not be happier. I must say though that had I known the pitfalls of building a house in Thailand, that I would never have done it. We got lucky in finding a good crew, but......you make your own luck!

[CTO]

All good advice so far, only thing I would add is make sure you know what it is you want. Spend what your comfortable with, understand the climate isn't the same as back home, and remember if you build a "farang' palace, you may not be able to recoup your investment very easily from a sale.

I like the place I had built, but then I also built cheaper than the average, and built in Thai style, so the cost was low, and the places, if for some reason we had to ever move, could be sold easily. The amount something I wouldn't miss too much, and the style suits the climate,

[klikster]

......you make your own luck!

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