Looking For Contractors (Again, Yeah)

[Phil Conners]

I need a few things fixed on a new property:

1) Existing concrete/brick perimeter wall raised a little

2) Ditto painted

3) Yard concreted/tiled

Can anyone recommend good, honest and not too expensive contractor(s) for this?

PS, also need someone who can complete a burglar alarm installation. I had a guy that seemed to be quite good, but I made the mistake of paying him the full agreed amount with just a few details remaining. Promised on his mothers grave to complete the job next day. Since then he doesn't answer his phone anymore.

[IamNotaNumber]

"I had a guy that seemed to be quite good, but I made the mistake of paying him the full agreed amount ...... Since then he doesn't answer his phone anymore."

Unfortunate, and I'm surprised that anyone who has been here more than a week would do this.

Can't help with the contractor but here's some free info for those just off the banana boat:

1) Only pay for anything once you have seen it installed/working/done/finished/in good order/as expected. If paying instalments, only pay in arrears for what has been done.

2) Dont trust anyone here, Thai or farang, with anything that you cant afford to lose.

3) There is no rule 3.

[Phil Conners]

I know. I'm kicking myself.

[TwoDogz]

It works both ways you know...builders expect a deposit to start and know you are serious.

I know many a contractee that has stiffed the builder.

[Phil Conners]

I'd already paid him half as per pattaya sop.

[TwoDogz]

I'd already paid him half as per pattaya sop.

Talking about builders as such.

CXonfused now as you said in OP that you had paid the alarm guy in full...but then you mention only a few details remained for him to finish?

Anyway, i used a great alarm guy in bangkok, did a very good job, reliable too.

[topt]

Hi PC I used this guy about a year ago after recs here on TV. I am not sure what his main skill is but he seems to be quite a good allrounder -

Khun Ek - 089 9817 189

I think this was the thread -

Edit - sorry just realised these are for Pattaya and not sure where you need...

Edited October 27, 2012 by topt

[Phil Conners]

We used to use a Khun Eek before he became hugely unreliable, possibly due to a drinking problem. Short Indian looking guy?

We also used a guy called Mot (Moat actually - referred to in same thread) but I think he is very expensive, typically 50-100% over other quotes.

[Phil Conners]

I'd already paid him half as per pattaya sop.

Talking about builders as such.

CXonfused now as you said in OP that you had paid the alarm guy in full...but then you mention only a few details remained for him to finish?

Anyway, i used a great alarm guy in bangkok, did a very good job, reliable too.

Missed this post before .... First I paid him half when he started. At the end of the day I paid him the other half as he said he needed the money for some more bits.... Hope that clarifies.

[Thailaw]

We used to use a Khun Eek before he became hugely unreliable, possibly due to a drinking problem. Short Indian looking guy?

We also used a guy called Mot (Moat actually - referred to in same thread) but I think he is very expensive, typically 50-100% over other quotes.

I used K Eck, and like you, I found him totatally unreliable, which is a shame because I found the work he did very good. His problem is not drinking, I think, but accepting more work than he can manage and as soon as he has your job past the "point of no return" turning his primary attention to the next job. He left my kitchen in shambles with piles of plaster dust all over for over a week because he claimed that the delivery of the door, which was part of another job in another room, was delayed. He also pressed me to pay him for all work he had done at least 3 times a week, so if we did part ways he would have been paid in full for the work he had done. Again, the better approach is to keep something (as much as possible) held back so that the worker has the incentive to finish the job and get paid. I expect he had had problems of this kind before.

I used K Mot to finish the work -- tile work and painting, and some minor electrical work -- after I parted ways with Eck. Khun Mot's cement and tile work is excellent and generally he did a good job with everything he did. I agree he is expensive, but he will negotiate and he will meet the competition. He was 50% higher on his quote to paint my house, but I got another quote and he met the lower quote. And the job was good. Where one ceiling chipped and peeled in 2 weeks, he came back and repainted it -- I agreed (offered) to pay for the additional paint (I think he has used a low quality paint the first time because the quote included the cost of the paint). I also told him I would give him a B5,000 bonus if the job was good. I gave him a B3,000 bonus, reduced because of the 4 day "holiday" he took in the middle of the painting job. I want a new balcony built, and his quote seemed high. I will get several other quotes before I decide who to use, but I would certainly use K Mot again if his price is right.

[Phil Conners]

I haven't used K Eek for quite some time, but two friends who I recommended him to were not happy with him and told me they thought it was due to drinking, so I don't really know. Could of course just be he is too busy.

I had an issue with K Mot last week. Contracted him to paint a perimeter wall/fence. Got a quote for 7000 baht including a minor repair - replacement of a small piece of the fence that was rusty. I thought it was a little expensive, but he said it was because they were going to do a good job, including cleaning off mold before painting. When they start the first thing I notice is they just slab the paint directly on the mold. Remind them of cleaning the mold. They don't know how. I find them a high pressure washer. Half an hour later they're painting again. Anyway, I let it pass, A few hours later he comes over and tell me he is finished. I check, and he has only painted the concrete parts, not the metal fence part. I ask him why not. He says that was not part of the quote. Duh. Ok after long discussion we renegotiate and for another 2000 baht he agree to paint the fence too. With a martyr impression, saying that only covers the paint. Again, he comes back and ask me to check. This time I notice he hasn't painted large parts of the outside of the wall. I ask him again why not. He again claim that was not part of the quote. I mean... What would you normally expect if you ask someone to paint your fence? All of it or just parts of it? So, yes while I agree the work done is relatively ok, but this is just playing games. I would suggest If you want to deal with him make sure every thing is very very clear before commencing.

How much he quote you to paint your house (inside or outside or both) ?

[IamNotaNumber]

And the job was good. Where one ceiling chipped and peeled in 2 weeks, he came back and repainted it -- I agreed (offered) to pay for the additional paint (I think he has used a low quality paint the first time because the quote included the cost of the paint).

Sounds like an unusual interpretation of the word "good" to me. For me a good paint job doesn't chip and peel 2 weeks later.

I also told him I would give him a B5,000 bonus if the job was good. I gave him a B3,000 bonus,...

I find this nothing short of remarkable. He is supposed to do a good job and getting paid in full is the recompense for this. Anything less than a good job deserves less than full payment. And a good job does not deserve anything more.

An outstanding job with warm croissants and fresh coffee delivered every morning for free might merit a bonus, but even so I doubt I would ever pay one as I cant actually remember ever seeing anyone do an outstanding job.

[Thailaw]

........

How much he quote you to paint your house (inside or outside or both) ?

He painted the outside of my house and the ceiling of a large sala (the ceiling was repaired due to water damage and painting it was an unfinished part of an earlier Eck job). My house is 2 stories. Mot initially quoted me B70,000 plus paint. Another guy painting a house in the area quoted me B70,000 including paint. Mot did my house with TOA paint (except, I think, the bad sala ceiling) for B70,000 plus the bonus I described. The guy next to me, with a slightly smaller house paid another guy (who also did a very good and quick job) for B65,000 including paint. So, B70,000 including paint was in the ball park. I would have liked a bit more care (fewer drips and drops) and a little better cleanup, but all-in-all it was a good job.

[Thailaw]

And the job was good. Where one ceiling chipped and peeled in 2 weeks, he came back and repainted it -- I agreed (offered) to pay for the additional paint (I think he has used a low quality paint the first time because the quote included the cost of the paint).

Sounds like an unusual interpretation of the word "good" to me. For me a good paint job doesn't chip and peel 2 weeks later.

I also told him I would give him a B5,000 bonus if the job was good. I gave him a B3,000 bonus,...

I find this nothing short of remarkable. He is supposed to do a good job and getting paid in full is the recompense for this. Anything less than a good job deserves less than full payment. And a good job does not deserve anything more.

An outstanding job with warm croissants and fresh coffee delivered every morning for free might merit a bonus, but even so I doubt I would ever pay one as I cant actually remember ever seeing anyone do an outstanding job.

He made "good" on the bad ceiling, which is what I expect and made the overall job "good". Things don't always go perfectly, but a contractor that will try hard to remedy the problem (many here disappear when the problems happen) gets a "good" from me. Khun Mot did that. I think he tried to cut a corner and increase his profit and used poor quality paint, which was part of the problem, but it looks fine now and no problems since the repaint, which was 1.5 months ago. It cost me an extra B2,000 for the paint, and I can live with that.

You want to use the "stick approach", which is entirely up to you. I prefer a pre-agreed "carrot approach", especially with a guy I may use again in the future. I could have agreed to an all-in "full" payment of B75,000 and then fought with him to withhold B5,000 because he didn't do a job as good as I expected. Bad feelings all the way around. Better for me is to make it clear up front that there is B5,000 on the line totally at my discretion if I am not satisfied with the job in all respects. He didn't say one word when I gave him only a B2,000 bonus, and I explained why. He called me promptly to schedule a time to repaint the ceiling and did a good job on that. So, all in, including the repainted ceiling, I paid B74,000 -- he absorbed the cost of his delay and less than a perfect painting of the ceiling. And we have a good relationship for work in the future.

You really are just a number -- "zero" comes to mind. Next.......

[Phil Conners]

Ouch, 75,000 baht sounds like a lot of money ... consider the workers are paid not much more than 300 baht/day and the cost of the paint (TOA) is about 2000 baht/5 gallon ...

Of course I don't know the size of your house, but say it took his team of 3 guys working at the usual leisurely speed maybe 5 days - that would give a cost of 4500 baht for the labor and perhaps 6000 baht for the paint (3 x 5 gallon buckets), total 10,500 baht.

That's a hefty profit IMO. Of course if they all ask this price you may not have much choice, unless you know where to find some Burmese or Lao workers (like the Thai's do themselves).

[phanangpete]

75 k for a two storey house, they love us farang, thai's would not be paying anything like it ! Also the thais do not pay up front and will not pay the agreed amount unless the job is done proper .

If you don't believe it ask one or two, if you know any , well you must as you obviously live here and own a house.

I paid in my small development bout 3 yrs ago ( 14 houses ) three story town houses as one contract we each paid 30 thou and we bought the paint.

The paint is starting to bubble on the gable wall and a few other areas, but thats three years in the the extremes of climate weve been having here .

[topt]

Ouch, 75,000 baht sounds like a lot of money ... consider the workers are paid not much more than 300 baht/day and the cost of the paint (TOA) is about 2000 baht/5 gallon ...

Of course I don't know the size of your house, but say it took his team of 3 guys working at the usual leisurely speed maybe 5 days - that would give a cost of 4500 baht for the labor and perhaps 6000 baht for the paint (3 x 5 gallon buckets), total 10,500 baht.

That's a hefty profit IMO. Of course if they all ask this price you may not have much choice, unless you know where to find some Burmese or Lao workers (like the Thai's do themselves).

I had an outside wall raised, wooden inserts rebuilt and the whole wall repainted 5 weeks ago. I am back this weekend and depending if no issues have come up I will get hold of the guys name and number if you want?

He worked very solidly but we went out and bought the materials so had an agreed price for his and any helpers labour. My gf said he based it on 400 baht per day which is what he gets working for his normal employer. He happened to have time in between jobs so we were able to utilise him. He was recommended by someone else in the village and did not disappoint.

How good is your Thai as he does not speak any English?

[topt]

We used to use a Khun Eek before he became hugely unreliable, possibly due to a drinking problem. Short Indian looking guy?

We also used a guy called Mot (Moat actually - referred to in same thread) but I think he is very expensive, typically 50-100% over other quotes.

Ek, Eck, Eek????

If the number is the same must be but I remember him as being quite tall - relatively. But it was a while ago......

Thanks for the feedback.

[Phil Conners]

Ouch, 75,000 baht sounds like a lot of money ... consider the workers are paid not much more than 300 baht/day and the cost of the paint (TOA) is about 2000 baht/5 gallon ...

Of course I don't know the size of your house, but say it took his team of 3 guys working at the usual leisurely speed maybe 5 days - that would give a cost of 4500 baht for the labor and perhaps 6000 baht for the paint (3 x 5 gallon buckets), total 10,500 baht.

That's a hefty profit IMO. Of course if they all ask this price you may not have much choice, unless you know where to find some Burmese or Lao workers (like the Thai's do themselves).

I had an outside wall raised, wooden inserts rebuilt and the whole wall repainted 5 weeks ago. I am back this weekend and depending if no issues have come up I will get hold of the guys name and number if you want?

He worked very solidly but we went out and bought the materials so had an agreed price for his and any helpers labour. My gf said he based it on 400 baht per day which is what he gets working for his normal employer. He happened to have time in between jobs so we were able to utilise him. He was recommended by someone else in the village and did not disappoint.

How good is your Thai as he does not speak any English?

Sounds perfect! Yes, please PM me his details if you can, thanks. My Thai is terrible, but my wife is fortunately fluent in Thai

We used to use a Khun Eek before he became hugely unreliable, possibly due to a drinking problem. Short Indian looking guy?

We also used a guy called Mot (Moat actually - referred to in same thread) but I think he is very expensive, typically 50-100% over other quotes.

Ek, Eck, Eek????

If the number is the same must be but I remember him as being quite tall - relatively. But it was a while ago......

Thanks for the feedback.

The Eek (Ek, Eck) I know is maybe about 155-160cm, Indian looking. Definitely not tall, relatively or otherwise.

[topt]

Sounds perfect! Yes, please PM me his details if you can, thanks. My Thai is terrible, but my wife is fortunately fluent in Thai

I did not want to assume

I will see if I can get them before the weekend.

[IamNotaNumber]

And we have a good relationship for work in the future.

You really are just a number -- "zero" comes to mind. Next.......

Wow, you're a real charmer.

And this from a man with a "good relationship" with his builder. What next, wedding bells?

[IamNotaNumber]

...they love us farang, thai's would not be paying anything like it ! Also the thais do not pay up front and will not pay the agreed amount unless the job is done proper .

Makes a lot of sense to me.