How to renovate a condo on the cheap? Need flooring, wallpaper etc

[BuffaloRescue]

Hi

Im looking at renovating some condos. Need wooden flooring, plasterboard with power sockets inside the wall not cables running everywhere. Stuff like this.

How can i do it on the cheap? I dont have skills, know where to get the materials at trade price. I dont have tools.

I guess im looking to hire a builder/renovater. One man band. Who can help me for a couple of weeks. Anyone got any suggestions?

Where can i get the polished wooden flooring that makes condo look so much better than tiles etc

[Thighlander]

you'd probably want laminate flooring, as there is nothing to nail into on a condo. It can be done (real wood), but it's going to be prone to creaking and buckling. Nice laminates at Baan and Beyond. Don't recall the last time I saw drywall on side walls in Thailand...and the humidity creates its own set of problems for drywall....like mold, etc...run all the wires you want, but you still may only have 25 amp service from your meter.

[BuffaloRescue]

you'd probably want laminate flooring, as there is nothing to nail into on a condo. It can be done (real wood), but it's going to be prone to creaking and buckling. Nice laminates at Baan and Beyond. Don't recall the last time I saw drywall on side walls in Thailand...and the humidity creates its own set of problems for drywall....like mold, etc...run all the wires you want, but you still may only have 25 amp service from your meter.

OK yup, laminate is what i want. That looks like wood.

So how can i overcome the problem of wires running down the walls? I want the wires hidden basically.

I thought what you did was put some plaster board against the wall with a gap for the wires. Then plaster or wallpaper over it?

[rgs2001uk]

you'd probably want laminate flooring, as there is nothing to nail into on a condo. It can be done (real wood), but it's going to be prone to creaking and buckling. Nice laminates at Baan and Beyond. Don't recall the last time I saw drywall on side walls in Thailand...and the humidity creates its own set of problems for drywall....like mold, etc...run all the wires you want, but you still may only have 25 amp service from your meter.

Depends on whether your contractor knows what he is doing or not, one of the reasons they lay batons.

Laminate flooring, get the real thing for the same price, mai daeng, 2000 baht per sm.

Edited June 14, 2014 by rgs2001uk

[BuffaloRescue]

wow its expensive

[Farma]

Another alternative cheaper than real wood is wood design floor tiles. Something worth looking at. I can't remember the price but think it was around B600 a sq metre.

Finding a good contractor will be the hardest part. You have a couple of options. As you aren't familiar with places to buy materials at trade price you might want him to quote on work including materials. If you do decide to buy the materials yourself, just get him to quote for work.

The difference being he can get items cheaper than you ( and make a bit of profit for himself ) but they may not be up to the standard you want. At least buying yourself you can choose items to your liking.

Something to think about if you run electrical wiring inside wall cavities is damage by ever present rats. They have a taste for the plastic coating.

[BuffaloRescue]

Cant i just put plasterboard against battons say 3 cm from the wall. I cant see how rats would get in there. Plus its on 5th floor i dont think there are rats in the building

[worgeordie]

If you are planning to rent out the condo and not live in it yourself,

i would personally go with wood effect tiles,they will last forever,while

laminated wood floors will get damaged by the tenants and you will

have to redo them.

As for wires in the walls,you can buy a power tool,that will chase a

grove in the wall,but i don't think you can get them here,along with

a lot of other useful gear., if you really want to put the wires in the

wall,you could make groves in the wall with an angle grinder,i have

made holes for wall sockets with one,only downside,lots dust.

regards worgeordie

[rgs2001uk]

Sorry to be blunt here, please tell us exactly what you are trying to do?

Are you just another Pikey looking to flip condos and sell them onto farang suckers?

Or are you someone who is buying a dive/flophouse on the cheap and trying to turn it into some place liveable?

Everything you need is available in this country, be aware, you remind me of the guys pumping $10k into a $5k car and then cant understand why no-one wants to buy it.

[Thighlander]

you'd probably want laminate flooring, as there is nothing to nail into on a condo. It can be done (real wood), but it's going to be prone to creaking and buckling. Nice laminates at Baan and Beyond. Don't recall the last time I saw drywall on side walls in Thailand...and the humidity creates its own set of problems for drywall....like mold, etc...run all the wires you want, but you still may only have 25 amp service from your meter.

Depends on whether your contractor knows what he is doing or not, one of the reasons they lay batons.

Laminate flooring, get the real thing for the same price, mai daeng, 2000 baht per sm.DSCN0452.JPG

nice one inch step up from the hallway, and you'll need to get all doors cut, and the sliding doors re-engineered. Moisture barrier? Warping?

[beau thai]

This doesnt seem like a job for an amateur- I certainly couldnt tackle it. Apart from the items you list you are likely to encounter plumbing and drainage problems.

Why do it cheaply? Wouldnt it be better to have a good job done on the first one, then sell it to finance the next one from your profit?

If you do a cheap job you will revisit it once your tenants are in and probably have far more hassle and expense than doing a good job at the outset.

That's my two penn'orth anyway

[eyecatcher]

Not really sure anyone had addressed your question at all.

Renovating on the cheap certainly does not include quality wood flooring and it doesn't include relining all your walls with plasterboard simply to hide electric cables.

If you are on floor 5 I pity anyone having to lump p/bds up to your place.

Walls...if they are in reasonable condition then you can repaint them, maybe add some vertical feature wall tiles，there are some fabulous tiles and great ideas to be found in the tile suppliers.

You could make a feature wall in say thai style wicker mat. What you see people sitting on, use it as a unique wall feature and edge it with wood.

For new cables you can buy plastic conduit...well actually trunking box with a snap on cover, very narrow and discreet and can be painted over you wouldn't notice them.

Or cheaper but more challenging make your own cable trunking using a couple of 1cm square battens each side of the wires and tack on a skin timber batten or ply lid. Can stain it to match the wicker mat wall.

For the floor the easiest and quickest is laminate but as others have pointed out, even if its the cheap clik lok which sits on a poly foam later you are likely to have some issues around door openings. Personally I think a large polished tile looks far classier than the 90s laminate flooring.,which will deflect and heave in the humidity as its basically mdf with the thinnest of veneers if you are lucky.

Large tiles are available at around 300bt m2.

Doing redesign work on the cheap is not easy to get a good result but if you think about what you want to see in the end then the challenge is to collate all your ideas and eventually the winning formula will stand out.

Remember the cheaper you go the more creative your design has to be.

Good luck

[eyecatcher]

Not really sure anyone had addressed your question at all.

Renovating on the cheap certainly does not include quality wood flooring and it doesn't include relining all your walls with plasterboard simply to hide electric cables.

If you are on floor 5 I pity anyone having to lump p/bds up to your place.

Walls...if they are in reasonable condition then you can repaint them, maybe add some vertical feature wall tiles，there are some fabulous tiles and great ideas to be found in the tile suppliers.

You could make a feature wall in say thai style wicker mat. What you see people sitting on, use it as a unique wall feature and edge it with wood.

For new cables you can buy plastic conduit...well actually trunking box with a snap on cover, very narrow and discreet and can be painted over you wouldn't notice them.

Or cheaper but more challenging make your own cable trunking using a couple of 1cm square battens each side of the wires and tack on a skin timber batten or ply lid. Can stain it to match the wicker mat wall.

For the floor the easiest and quickest is laminate but as others have pointed out, even if its the cheap clik lok which sits on a poly foam later you are likely to have some issues around door openings. Personally I think a large polished tile looks far classier than the 90s laminate flooring.,which will deflect and heave in the humidity as its basically mdf with the thinnest of veneers if you are lucky.

Large tiles are available at around 300bt m2.

Doing redesign work on the cheap is not easy to get a good result but if you think about what you want to see in the end then the challenge is to collate all your ideas and eventually the winning formula will stand out.

Remember the cheaper you go the more creative your design has to be.

Good luck

[scd]

if you really want to put the wires in the

wall,you could make groves in the wall with an angle grinder,

Yes, this is how this is achieved, as i've had it done here myself. Cut in to the walls, place the electrics inside, then fill with filler etc. Sand and repaint.

[BaldPlumber]

Easiest thing in the world, it's only thermalite.

[eyecatcher]

Easiest thing in the world, it's only thermalite.

Not in the uk now, most internal walls here are brick covered with a cement render and are as hard as nails.....especially older buildings.

The angle grinder is achievable but as pointed out in an unventilated area the dust thrown out will literally find its way into your grundies.!

Mask and goggles and a good cleaner imperative.

[Dante99]

Since you are redoing the floors, run the wires at the bottom edge of the wall, sockets just above and cover the wires with the molding that you will put on after the floor is done. Or run the wires in the floor along the edge of the wall and cover with new flooring. Then the only thing you need to do with walls is cut the openings for the plug receptacles.

Do things cheaply and you will probably regret it sooner than you think.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Dante99

[technologybytes]

Like others have said you can buy tiles that look just like wood, then good ones are single tiles that look like a piece of wooden plank, I have used them before and they look just like wood flooring but they are much stronger and much more practical. Laminate is nice when new but very prone to damage and then it looks awful.

Wallpaper, amazingly the price here for wallpaper usually included fitting! But it can be expensive. I imported a load of anaglypta years ago for a simiar project and never got to use it, it's easier to just skim the walls and paint them.

There are lots of tricks that can make a cheap condo look classy, and yes a nice floor and hiding the wires are the best place to start.

Only hire workers that come recommended, and see evidence of work they have done before.. ignore this advice at your peril ! Best to try and do as much as you can yourself if you are up for a bit of DIY.

[bangkapi]

I've got a Thai guy who can do everything.

However I'm abroad until 10 July and his number is on my cell there in BKK.

[PattayaPhom]

Maybe the Thai guy that will lease it to you knows someone.

[sanuk711]

would help if we knew the area---- maybe our Issan Chaing can not get to you--- if you are doing re-wiring power points then look at running the wires under the floor, not running them down the walls

[mezman]

Hi , where are you doing this work ? If you are in the Phuket area I would be happy to help , no charge , just looking for something to do and I have 30 plus years experience in the building game .

[catweazle]

Cheap? Here's a suggestion for you:

[Rimbuman]

Cheap? Here's a suggestion for you:

I certainly wouldn't do it for cheap, but for a fair price. Have some Myanmar or Cambodian people do it for 300 baht a day that's a fair price to them but not to me.

Great tube Catweazel, good example for if you have the job done on the cheap.

The ability to build and also building materials come in many different qualities, like pvc pipe wall thickness 1mm??? you cannot step on tihs stuff without breaking it.

Laminate flooring? kinda rubbish already in Farangland and even worse in this climate and it's critters.

Electrical wiring here in Thailand? Absolutly shocking

Doors and windows? waterpipes, drains and so on only drama and OP want to go on the cheap??

Good luck OP

Edited June 16, 2014 by Rimbuman

[Greg Nixon]

Recommend laminate flooring. Possibly put electrical wiring underneath the flooring. You do not say what type of construction materials your condo is made of. The cheapest renovation is paint and anyone can do that. About time you learned. Youtube will show you how. Get creative with furnishings. Ask questions on google. You do not say where you live so how can anyone recommend labor? If you have concrete walls, wallpaper is not a good solution. You need really smooth gypsum wall board to make wallpaper stand out. Look at sponge or rag painting on youtube.

[dotpoom]

Lots of great tips there...well done all. What a pleasure to read helpful posts without the usual smart a - -es getting in on the act.

[thaicookingchef]

Good luck :-)

Even when paying high price it's difficult to get the job done nicely...

[worgeordie]

Just been to tile shop near Payap university, its a large tile shop and have lots

of tiles on show, including many wood effect tiles that look really good,priced

from 250 bht sq mtr,will cost less to lay ,be harder wearing,and will be good enough

for the tenants i think you are looking for.

regards worgeordie

[Thighlander]

Here is 7 year old laminate flooring, that cost about 850 psm in the US. This is also after two years of the renters from Hell, and the guy was a hoarder, and did extensive work with solder in the condo. Very durable stuff. A moisture barrier is laid on the concrete underneath. I got a 91% appreciation on that unit in 3.5 years.

Ceramic tile is cheap and good in the heat. I've heard 350 thb psm parts and labor.

Wallpaper? very site specific, and a real pain to remove. Even those wallpaper borders. If I see wallpaper; I'm deducting from my offer. Sometimes it can be easier to replace the drywall. Sure, 90% comes off with vinegar and water, but the other 10% will take forever to get the walls back to normal.

[BuffaloRescue]

Thanks a lot everyone