Building in Chumphon, Input welcome

[FIRTH]

Hi ALL, In the process of building a 350m2 villa project in Chumphon, Sairee beach.

Project is professionally run by highly capable Thai Architects and Farang . If anyone could make suggestions on the below, this would be kindly appreciated:

· Need Thai builder, has to minimum B GRADE professional and capable of working on an architectural project.

· Thai interior contractor, has to minimum B GRADE professional

· Timber supplier for flooring, external timber shutters and cabinets

· Local rock/ stone supplier for exterior/ interior feature walls

· Pool builder

Any comments and suggestions would be kindly appreciated.

Cheers, Duncan

[IMHO]

What on Earth is a "B grade professional" and who gives out such honors?

[dotpoom]

What a beautiful home...I wish you the best of luck with it's completion.............. Truly lovely.

[lucjoker]

It's a pitty that Chumpon city is a big downer ,just been there .Nothing to see at all, and expensive if compared with even Pattaya.

I think i saw 1 farang cheap charly in a little shop ,Thais look at you as if they never saw a white skin .

But the seaside could be OK ,if that is all the customers want than it is OK.

Why build so close ? You can smell a small fart of your neighbor ,lol.

And you see and hear everything what happens in your neighbor's bedroom ?

Is the land so expensive there?

[Pinot]

<URL Automatically Removed> dot com has quite a few posts on home construction.

[stickylies]

It's a pitty that Chumpon city is a big downer ,just been there . expensive if compared with even Pattaya.

I think i saw 1 farang cheap charly in a little shop ,Thais look at you as if they never saw a white skin .

chumpon is a major hub and unlike pattaya the locals don't really care about farang (ie. farang money). i like it a lot. it's close to ranong so ideal for VR. it's close to several great beaches (uncrowded clean Gulf beaches). nothing to see depends on what u wanna see. i could never live in Pattaya but could easily live in chumpon.

[johan79]

Very nice city.

Never experienced double price system in the town.

When was the last time you heard about a farang getting killed or ripped off in Chumpon.

[timber]

Unless you hear differently I think you will just have to get some recommendations on Contractors and look at there work.

Get a reliable person to oversee the work. With the cost of the house getting someone from Chumphon to oversee the

construction isn't out of the question

[Patrick Mills]

Just common sense stuff, see if you can go solar, use cement or brick to keep the house cool, lot's of tree's , drip water system for flowers and garden, holding tanks for rain water storage, ceiling fans for inside, and outside porches, double pane windows to keep it cool and quieter inside, stone floors, self contained built in cabinets, beds, etc. Good luck sounds like alot of fun.

[phaykk]

Finished mine about 3 years ago. Biggest lesson pea traps they do not use on drains and you get the smell coming back up the drains. Go solar where you can. Good luck.

[roguewo]

I'd take two years and build it my self! Instead of solely using concrete, I'd frame the interior walls in metal framing, insulate the crap out of it, install the electric/plumbing, and then do the outside in rock or concrete. That would be a COOL project.

The construction trade here doesn't have tons of skilled talent, and if you did find it, it would be pricey. Not to mention there are lots of ways to cheat you. Lots of ways! Remember, you want a nice HOUSE.

If you're going to do it the hard way, first, get a labor only bid and buy the material yourself. Every single bit! Try to get a Burmese contractor. They work harder and their cheaper. Remember, no matter who you get, they will be hard to fire, no matter what kind of work they put out! I'm not impressed with the workmanship of THAILAND.

Pay them on a schedule; in 'draws'! For each section of work they do to your satisfaction, give them the agreed amount after the work has been done!. Keep a 10% hold back on the final payment when the job is finished to make sure everything is tits!

Stay on the job every single day of the week until it is finished. Make sure everything is 'plumb, level and square'! Use larger PVC for the plumbing than what they recommend. Put the floor tiles in before the wall tiles! Go solar! The price of panels is way down, (blemished panels are 39 cents per watt) there is no customs charge at this time, and electricity is going to go up! Ground the electrical system in your house, no matter what you do. Water is the next oil, so capture it!

Buy a pit bull, and hope one of the 'carpenters' doesn't come back to rob you!

Edited April 29, 2014 by roguewo

[FIRTH]

Thanks ALL for your posts so far. Project is a developer based project…..so unfortunately have to maximise the land. That’s the nature of the game. The idea is to create a set of nice simple modern tropical style villas on the beach, in a quiet and remote location.

@ROGUEWO: Just getting prices from Thai contractors at the moment.....within the price range we are hoping of, not super cheap, but realistic I think. One site supervision is an issue….and will determine the success of the project I think, unless we get really lucky with the contractors (which is unlikely). Need some responsible capable person to keep a constant watch on the contractors and project. Yet to figure out how we actually find this person....within an affordable price range.

Anyone interested in a onsite observation role who lives down there, perhaps let me know. We’d be interested in hearing from you.

[lamouche]

Hello

We have moved in Chumphon 6 months ago and we are in the process of having our house finished here.

On your side, did you make any progress on your project ?

This is a great project that you have and we really hope that you'll be able to manage it.

Did you find your constructor and did you make progress on it ?

Best regards from Chumphon

Laetitia

[timber]

Don't assume anything. Its a 24/7 project. My best source of lumber and phywood has been the place across from the tall hotel on the main access road to Chumphon by the traffic circle.

Forget the name they are doing some construction on the front part of the lot currently. Probably have the biggest inventory. You might pay a cheaper rate but get lower quality.

If you can talk to them they are pretty accommodating. I have found that the only problem with Chumphon has been the high rollers that need someone to take care of there ego's.