Building A House In Chiang Mai (Please Only Answer If You Have First Hand Knowledge)

[westbounder]

Can anyone refer me to a good honest fair priced builder here in Chiang Mai.

I am building in the Sanpatong area. I am only putting on a small addition of three rooms, a concrete driveway and a carport.

Since I'm on a pretty tight budget, I don't need to pay more than the fair market value of the home I'm building.

I think when most Thais see "Farang" the price nearly doubles.

I would hope I can find someone honest who can also speak some English,

but if not my Thai wife can translate to me.

Thank You

[iainiain101]

Phone Graeme at Kensington. it may cost a bit more, but you will get quality and what you want, and will not have ended up with a divorce. You cannot use your wife to translate without trouble.

[NotEinstein]

I have used a very reputable builder who has a construction engineering degree (most have not) and can speak enough English to communicate with you.

He prices fairly and won't try to ramp up with 'extras'.

He is currently building a house for a friend in our village, if you want to take a look at his quality.

PM me if you would like his contact details, or any more information...

[Ivory]

Would you mind share me the builder phone no, desperately need reasonable builder. Kha

[Mapguy]

OP and Ivory, If you are "desperate," you have a problem. Relax. What's the rush?

Yes, I have first-hand knowledge in building a house here. It is no different than any other place where I have built! In Thailand, I was totally satisfied (some years ago) and still am. I was very, very often on site during construction. Yes, you have to nudge people every so often. Same as anywhere else in the world! There are, of course, different styles of nudging. And I don't mean "pay offs."

Did I pay more because I am a farang. No. I paid market price. It has since been borne out, as in a formal assessment of the house and property.

What's your hurry? Do you know the area? Do you know your neighbors and others who have built? And I don't mean farang. Be a good neighbor and chat them up.

You are in the sticks. You may have to pay a premium for that if you go beyond local contractors. It costs them to build in the netherlands. And very few are going to be interested in small jobs like yours.

You are on a tight budget? So?! Most of us are!!! There is always tension between budget and dreams. Same as anywhere.

You have a lot of groundwork to do. Enjoy doing it. I did!

By the way, in many instances with builders and workmen (sometimes Burmese) I never really had a sustained language problem. I knew a little bit about building, and it helped! I was patient, and so were they.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

I always laugh at post like these. . .

I want a good job, low price and I want it now if not yesterday and he must speak good English.

Yes, farangs pay more but we have much higher expectations than most Thai's do and take much longer to comunicate with. Time is money as they say.

If you want a low price, tell the wife what you want, have her call the local builder or two and have them build it and live with what you get and stay well out of the picture. (never seen that happen) That is the Thai low cost way.

Or go the second route and really get involved in the project. Shop for everything you need and have it at the site before the work even starts. Be out there with the wife everyday starting at 7:30 first to the job, and leave after everyone else goes home. (you really should learn some Thai, it opens doors for you) and help, and I mean really help, carry the bricks or blocks, clean up after the workers and become part of the project. (Except for a few, I don't see much of this either)

I have built many homes in Thailand. Doing 2 right now. I have many years of building experiance before my 10 years here as well as a masters degree in Engineering. (the Thai graduates have about the same knowlage as I did out of highschool)

I have used the same Thai workers on all the jobs and they look up to me and respect me. I pay them More than the average workers but I know I make them work harder. And now with all the building going on in Thailand, I know if I need something done, they will rush over to help me and leave the cheep charlie waiting for another day. I already asked them if they want to help on a project next year During Songkran a days drive away and everyone said they would be there and I know they will be

I wish you well on your project. You get out of it what you put into it, and you also get what you pay for too

[LawrenceChee]

agree when it comes to house building it's the same like building hotels which I have done my fair share...if you are involved, if you respect and communicate and if you communicate clearly and through the project length...you will get what you want.

As for a fair price, as long as you are not from there and want western standards, you will pay extra. The amount above what you can bear is negotiation, patience and a smile. Let it go and not compare and you will enjoy the house a lot.

Kesington seems to have the best reputation around here and they are not cheap, just reasonably priced.

[Beetlejuice]

Does the OP also understand the legalities required regarding the ownership of land and the building of dwellings for foreigners in Thailand?

This is important because if the crap ever hits the fan, than these projects could prove extremely expensive for the financial backers of these projects.

[uptoyoumyfriend]

I always laugh at post like these. . .

, they will rush over to help me and leave the cheep charlie waiting for another day. I already asked them if they want to help on a project next year During Songkran a days drive away and everyone said they would be there and I know they will be

you make them work on songkran an then you'r proud of it on top

that's like real slave driver mentality to me.sorry.

[Beetlejuice]

I always laugh at post like these. . .

I want a good job, low price and I want it now if not yesterday and he must speak good English.

Yes, farangs pay more but we have much higher expectations than most Thai's do and take much longer to comunicate with. Time is money as they say.

If you want a low price, tell the wife what you want, have her call the local builder or two and have them build it and live with what you get and stay well out of the picture. (never seen that happen) That is the Thai low cost way.

Or go the second route and really get involved in the project. Shop for everything you need and have it at the site before the work even starts. Be out there with the wife everyday starting at 7:30 first to the job, and leave after everyone else goes home. (you really should learn some Thai, it opens doors for you) and help, and I mean really help, carry the bricks or blocks, clean up after the workers and become part of the project. (Except for a few, I don't see much of this either)

I have built many homes in Thailand. Doing 2 right now. I have many years of building experiance before my 10 years here as well as a masters degree in Engineering. (the Thai graduates have about the same knowlage as I did out of highschool)

I have used the same Thai workers on all the jobs and they look up to me and respect me. I pay them More than the average workers but I know I make them work harder. And now with all the building going on in Thailand, I know if I need something done, they will rush over to help me and leave the cheep charlie waiting for another day. I already asked them if they want to help on a project next year During Songkran a days drive away and everyone said they would be there and I know they will be

I wish you well on your project. You get out of it what you put into it, and you also get what you pay for too

You appear to be another one of those farang property speculators in Thailand, who expects a yes massa approach from the Thais. Also it seems your general opinions of the Thais isn`t so high.

I often wonder how much longer the Thai tolerance levels towards Westerners here will continue if many share the same attitudes as you, and if you really believe your workers respect you, than you`re living in cloud cuckoo land.

[LawrenceChee]

BJ is just being mean...if you have never worked for a company or have your own business where someone looked up to you, blame yourself for being a lousy leader.

Anyone who is not a real leader deserves no respect and at the rate you communicate and your general negative spirit ...it's not hard to see why it will be really hard for them to muster up the respect

[Mapguy]

I always laugh at post like these. . .

I want a good job, low price and I want it now if not yesterday and he must speak good English.

Yes, farangs pay more but we have much higher expectations than most Thai's do and take much longer to comunicate with. Time is money as they say.

If you want a low price, tell the wife what you want, have her call the local builder or two and have them build it and live with what you get and stay well out of the picture. (never seen that happen) That is the Thai low cost way.

Or go the second route and really get involved in the project. Shop for everything you need and have it at the site before the work even starts. Be out there with the wife everyday starting at 7:30 first to the job, and leave after everyone else goes home. (you really should learn some Thai, it opens doors for you) and help, and I mean really help, carry the bricks or blocks, clean up after the workers and become part of the project. (Except for a few, I don't see much of this either)

I have built many homes in Thailand. Doing 2 right now. I have many years of building experiance before my 10 years here as well as a masters degree in Engineering. (the Thai graduates have about the same knowlage as I did out of highschool)

I have used the same Thai workers on all the jobs and they look up to me and respect me. I pay them More than the average workers but I know I make them work harder. And now with all the building going on in Thailand, I know if I need something done, they will rush over to help me and leave the cheep charlie waiting for another day. I already asked them if they want to help on a project next year During Songkran a days drive away and everyone said they would be there and I know they will be

I wish you well on your project. You get out of it what you put into it, and you also get what you pay for too

+1.5! But I found the Thai engineers (and architects) I have dealt with quite knowledgeable about house building.