Custom built or modular kitchen?

[Ping]

Patong area. We are looking at installing a new timber kitchen (floor and wall cupboards/benches, sink, electric oven, gas hot plate, extractor fan). Has anyone experience of designing their own and having it built/installed? Is it better to do this or to buy the pre-made kits at places like Homepro? (I'm thinking it couldn't b any dearer to do your own.)Does anyone have recommendations for someone to do this type of work?

As for buying furniture generally, I know there are some old threads in this sub-forum, but the search engine only seems to go back about 18 months. So, where to buy good furniture at a reasonable price?

Thanks - Ping

[arby]

I designed and built my own. I drew up the jams, door frames and face frames and had them built at a door shop in Kathu and then put in the door panels and stops, bullnosed and sanded the frame work, mounted the jams, routed out the jams and doors to let in the hinges, installed the hinges, sanded and put 5 coats of polyurethane on them, installed the jams and then hung the doors and put magnetic catches on them. Built the drawers and drawer slides myself out of the same wood as the door jams and frames. Put teak pulls on the doors and drawers. built in the closets as well with closet organizers, i.e. hanging area, drawers and shelving. We have a two story, 4 bedroom, 6 bathroom house in Naiharn. I figured I saved at least 200,000 baht by doing them myself. Took me 13 months working 8 hours a day just about every day of the week but I got what I wanted and how I wanted them. I used to have a teak wood knock down home business up north and we built all our cabinets and furniture. I designed all western styled furniture and did all the construction drawings and cataloged them. If you are interested in any of them , just pm me. Same goes for fotos and the address of the door shop in Kathu.

[eezergood]

The place we live, in Patong, the guy designed all his own. I can ask the land lord this week

[Ping]

Thanks for the responses. Arby, that was quite a project - but far beyond the limits of my patience and perseverance. I was more looking at the approach of simply organising someone to do the job to my basic specifications. The kitchen is on the small side, so I'd like to maximise space with overhead cupboards etc. Currently, the kitchen is one of those cemented in and tiled jobs, which I'll get dug out. I suppose that essentially, I'm after a good tradesman. Perhaps Eezer's guy may be able to suggest someone? The actual design would follow the design principles of the place we are moving out of (rented) and converted to fit into our own place, so plenty of photographs can be provided.

[eezergood]

I will mail the guy today for you, as I know he is not in Thailand currently

[beechbum]

There’s a kitchen place next to Island Furniture that a few mates have used and been happy with.

[seajae]

S & B furniture is pretty good, just replaced furniture at our place and found some great things(a really nice genuine leather lounge suite amongst others) there but you need to go to a big showroom but they are also online. You can have cupboards designed and built but if you want a clear finish dont use polyurethane as it is too soft and does not resist heat/harsh anything, go for a two pack as it will outlast poly and will not discolour as much. Personally I prefer a 2 pack coloured finish these days, looks 100% better than a wood finish as it is so out dated, also found great hot plates/oven at Homepro(again a big show room) at good prices.

Edited February 5, 2014 by seajae