Hi, I'm Chris from Phuket. I see many expats here building their house themself, but I am sure there are many expats that build a house also with a constructor.

If you want to design by yourself, you need to know what kind of material you use best, what are the prices, bundle some expierences of expats who build house themself or with constructor.

Ad most of you know, going with a constructor can be a nightmare ... some overcharging, stop working, don't follow contract or plan ..

Maybe it would be also good to share that information/expierence among expats who are good constructors and who are not.

I can not find any information about that online.

so can we help eachother here ? share expierence about constructors, materials and there prices, thanks.

Problem is once again TV's policy of no naming or shaming. So you will only get info on the good guys, everyone will be afraid to name the bad guys and even if they do the MOD's will delete negative reports

Check your PM box for an alternative

LSM

Going with the right contractor can also be the best thing you ever did. Repeat the right contractor.

Even if you let a main contractor do it, there's an awful lot of skill in setting it up right so you both end up happy, and you're right to come here for some advice. Everything from the main setup to the right price (don't pay too little it won't come out well!) to ensuring promptitude to how you a non expert inspect to payments to how you communicate dissatisfaction with something to how you amend the design or detail.

I designed and built my two houses myself. There was no contractor involved and I used "farm labor". My tile man did have previous construction experience in Bangkok. The key was that I had to be there 100% of the time and that was the difficult part since some of the supplies and fixtures had to be purchased in Bangkok. Would I do it again, YES, it actually was a lot of fun, and the house hasn't fallen down yet!

I did have previous experience as I bulit my own house in the US but had to get a contractors, electricians and plumbers license to do it.

would you do it for me ... you will have a lot of fun

I understand you, but i dont have the knowlledge .. maybe about electris a bit yes, but the rest soso, construction nothing