Measurement per sqm for condos in Thailand

[Evolare]

I have a good contact at the bank and can get discounted prices on repossessed condos and houses. But one thing that seems to bother me is that every condo I looked at so far feel alot smaller than an equivalent to apartment or condos does in Europe when looking per sqm. Do we have different standards for measuring? One condo I was looking at in the Address Sathorn they told me was 82sqm felt more like 62sqm. A 74sqm condo at Life condo same thing. On friday I saw a condo at the Pano Rama3 70sqm look like 50sqm maybe.

So there must be different measurement standards right...I just want to make sure this is the case if so I can just lay this aside and choose to accept it or not but this is bothering me.

[Crossy]

It can certainly get 'creative', the thing most people miss is that the quoted area includes all balconies and the interior wall thickness.

Best bet is to get a dimensioned floor plan and make up you own mind just how big it is.

[pieeyed]

You get nailed for at least one parkeng space which is usually 15m3.

[pieeyed]

You get nailed for at least one parking space which is usually 15m3.

[trogers]

Most apartments in Europe have no balconies, or very small ones.

[william-pad]

The Area of all Condos are on The Chanote along With A plan of The condo unit. Dimensions are in Sq meters IE 3.9 * 10 SQ metere =39 Sq meters

ask to see the Title before you buy. Car parking is in the Common area and does not count.

[yankee99]

You get nailed for at least one parking space which is usually 15m3.

Not True ^^^

[USNret]

I would suggest you take detailed measures of 2-3 units and do your own calculations to see what's up. Beyond that is all speculation. Post your results here; I'm very interested to know what you find. I suspect you are correct -- they get very "creative" in calculating sqm in Thailand.

[Norvid]

Ask: the builder of new condo, the lawyer and the real estate agent. Someone might tell the truth.

[mango66]

I had the same problem with new pre-sale condos;

Some companies are nearly correct, some ones are far off,

I asked my wifes friend in national housing development:

By law the correct space incl balcony have to be calculated,

but no walls, no poles , no common water, wastewater slots which supports

more than your Condo !

But my developer for example AD,,,, Pattaya offered 44Sqm,

but real value were only 38m2 ,

on my clame they said: i should read the contract:

I have to pay for 44 m2 never mint of actual sice;

They calculated the walls between 2 units 2 times -

the same wall were included in both units.

Now calculate: 44 against 38 !! nearly 15% !!! so compare prices too !!

15% fake sq meters on a condo with about 600 units !!

6 m2 x 600 units by 75.000,-

its only

it is only 270 mill THB !!

propably beanuts for them !!

Be aware you will have to pay than also all your life the sinking fund and maintenance fee

for this fake sice !!

[natway09]

It is called a tape measure.

If you cannot use one, give me a yell

[AlQaholic]

Balcony is always included. But the fact is, all developers in Thailand add a few sqm. to the actual size. That is just how it is.

Please note, the land office, which approves the size in the first place, passed the police force as perceived the most corrupt institution in Thailand by a Thai survey recently, in 2014.

That is how the size is calculated.....

[Globalist]

Yes it's common in Asia - not only in Thailand - to include walls and balcony in the area measurement.

This is opposite to European standards and obviously leads to an overstatement of the "livable area", since you can't live inside walls .. :-P

So to properly compare per m2 prices with European ones, you have adjust the value by something like 10-15% for most condos.

[Evolare]

Most apartments in Europe have no balconies, or very small ones.

In sweden where I'm from balcony is not included in the sqm for the apartment. I have two apartments both with balconies. In sweden and the rest of Scandinavia we call this livingspace so walls and balconies are not included as we can not live in the wall.

[Evolare]

Thanks for the answers guys then it wasn't just me. I'm going back to check two condos today I will measure properly. Well this is thailand so it's for me to accept or not but the good thing about buying from the bank is they told me they charge me by a sqm price so if I can knock of a few sqm from the size of the condo I can save a few baht or maybe not?! I have that in writing but maybe they didn't understand my question.

I will try to include the text price per sqm livable area. A friend told me that's how to do it can anyone confirm that this works or not!

Has anyone else but my friend who is not a Thaivisa member done this before?

[AlQaholic]

The Chanood is the legal document, there it says the legal size per sqm. To change that you need to involve a very reluctant land office.

Be very careful when buying a old condo in Thailand. Check following before purchasing because if not in order will cost you a lot following years..:

1. Management: meet the manager and the Committee of the condo before doing anything else. Ask to see all accounts and especially important, the Sinking fund account. Make sure that there are actual bank accounts with actual moneys in them corresponding to the accounts.

2. Parking area: A condo without parking area is illegal in Thailand, so if there is no parking area it is not defined as a condo (this happens sometimes).

3. Check conditions of common areas such as swimming pool, parking, fitness, housekeeping, security etc. if these are in bad shape chances are you will have to contribute considerable money for repairs after buying the condo.

3. Check with manager the relations with owners, if relations are not good it may get worse.

4. A condo that is belonging to a bank from foreclosure comes from a very long and costly legal process, check with manager the actual story behind the condo.

Edited January 19, 2015 by AlQaholic

[Anthony5]

Thanks for the answers guys then it wasn't just me. I'm going back to check two condos today I will measure properly. Well this is thailand so it's for me to accept or not but the good thing about buying from the bank is they told me they charge me by a sqm price so if I can knock of a few sqm from the size of the condo I can save a few baht or maybe not?! I have that in writing but maybe they didn't understand my question.

I will try to include the text price per sqm livable area. A friend told me that's how to do it can anyone confirm that this works or not!

Has anyone else but my friend who is not a Thaivisa member done this before?

I would think in a repossessed condo there is nothing to knock off, the total price they quote you will be the price to pay, regardless of how wrong their sqm calculations are.

The bank is not a developer, with who you can argue about this. A bank sells a repossessed condo per unit and not per sqm.

[dawsonuk]

I dealt with Nova group in Pattaya for my Condo purchase, size on contract was 96 Sqm, actual size on Chanote was 92.6 Sqm. They refunded the difference without me having to ask for it. They also advised me that their contract had a clause in it that if the unit was more or less than 5% different from the planned size they allowed the investor to pull out. Your condo definately does not include any car parking spaces which as correctly posted before, form part of the common area.

[Anthony5]

I had the same problem with new pre-sale condos;

Some companies are nearly correct, some ones are far off,

I asked my wifes friend in national housing development:

By law the correct space incl balcony have to be calculated,

but no walls, no poles , no common water, wastewater slots which supports

more than your Condo !

But my developer for example AD,,,, Pattaya offered 44Sqm,

but real value were only 38m2 ,

on my clame they said: i should read the contract:

I have to pay for 44 m2 never mint of actual sice;

They calculated the walls between 2 units 2 times -

the same wall were included in both units.

Now calculate: 44 against 38 !! nearly 15% !!! so compare prices too !!

15% fake sq meters on a condo with about 600 units !!

6 m2 x 600 units by 75.000,-

its only

it is only 270 mill THB !!

propably beanuts for them !!

Be aware you will have to pay than also all your life the sinking fund and maintenance fee

for this fake sice !!

Good calculation on that one. It shows how many little amounts actually can make a huge profit at the end of the day.

[taiping]

My condo was one of the first to be built in Bangkok some 30+ years ago and they made a "mistake" in the area which is also stated in the title deed.

The area taken up by the two shafts with water and drainage pipes are included in the total area.

The total area includes the thickness of the dividing walls and any balconies and the concrete ledge which has the air-con units.

As a result, the official area (on the title deed) of 102 sq. m is reduced to a usable area of around 86 sq. m.

So the moral of the story is -- do NOT trust the developer or the title deed, but check the dimensions yourself and calculate the area.

However, the DESIGNATED parking spaces in this condo are not included in the area or title deed, but it is understood that they effectively belong to the owners. A friend of mine got a letter from the developer confirming this, albeit when the place was built. I think to change the status of the parking spots now would require a vote at the AGM, and that's most unlikely to be approved.

[Delight]

The pricing system adopted by most developers is to charge a price per Sq. M multiplied by the total area in the building that the condo occupies.

Calculation of the Charged Area

The calculation is Dimension ‘X’ multiplied by Dimension ‘Y’

Dimension ‘X ‘ is the centre line to centre line distance between the side walls.

Dimension ‘Y’ is the total length from the outside of the corridor wall to the outside of the balcony wall.

Where a curved balcony is involved the calculation is a bit more complex.

Only the common area contained in that area is included in the calculation.

Calculation of the Condominium Title Deed area

The condo act details the common area.

Included in that detail is the clause:

(3) the structure and construction for the strength of and prevention of damages to the private, commonly-owned housing .

Therefore excluded in the detail featured on the Condominium Title Deed will be as a minimum:-

Structural columns

Balcony Wall

Corridor wall

I assume that if you own them , then you can remove them. Therefore in relation to the forementioned list –you can never own them.

The Condominium Title Deed area is therefore the Charged Area less the area associated with the items on the ‘excluded ‘list

I take the view that the difference between the ‘Charged Area’ and the ‘Condominium Title Deed’ area reflects the contribution made by the purchaser to the rest of the common area.

[rak sa_ngop]

Your condo definately does not include any car parking spaces which as correctly posted before, form part of the common area.

My condo comes with an assigned parking space (which I rent out). It is included on the chanote (12 sq.m.).

The area used for calculating maintenance fees is the living area (including internal walls) and balconies.

Excluded are the parking space and a small internal services (water, effluent etc pipes) shaft.

However I am not exactly sure how my co-owner voting rights are calculated. Maybe they include the parking space area as strictly speaking I am the owner of this as defined by my chanote and is not a condo co-owned area.

[lanng khao]

haha,thickness of dividing walls, theres a inch each side saved..

[Garnethoyes]

Ask: the builder of new condo, the lawyer and the real estate agent. Someone might tell the truth.

You are optimistic aren't you ?

[maidee]

if your montly mutal costs are also calculated on these ghosty square meters...

[mike324]

I had the same problem with new pre-sale condos;

Some companies are nearly correct, some ones are far off,

I asked my wifes friend in national housing development:

By law the correct space incl balcony have to be calculated,

but no walls, no poles , no common water, wastewater slots which supports

more than your Condo !

But my developer for example AD,,,, Pattaya offered 44Sqm,

but real value were only 38m2 ,

on my clame they said: i should read the contract:

I have to pay for 44 m2 never mint of actual sice;

They calculated the walls between 2 units 2 times -

the same wall were included in both units.

Now calculate: 44 against 38 !! nearly 15% !!! so compare prices too !!

15% fake sq meters on a condo with about 600 units !!

6 m2 x 600 units by 75.000,-

its only

it is only 270 mill THB !!

propably beanuts for them !!

Be aware you will have to pay than also all your life the sinking fund and maintenance fee

for this fake sice !!

Good calculation on that one. It shows how many little amounts actually can make a huge profit at the end of the day.

Most reputable developers will refund the difference based on whats shown on the title, but there is a small chance the title maybe a little off too. So its best you remeasure as well.

[mike324]

Thanks for the answers guys then it wasn't just me. I'm going back to check two condos today I will measure properly. Well this is thailand so it's for me to accept or not but the good thing about buying from the bank is they told me they charge me by a sqm price so if I can knock of a few sqm from the size of the condo I can save a few baht or maybe not?! I have that in writing but maybe they didn't understand my question.

I will try to include the text price per sqm livable area. A friend told me that's how to do it can anyone confirm that this works or not!

Has anyone else but my friend who is not a Thaivisa member done this before?

I would suggest you NOT "include the text price per livable area". That is not how they do it here and you will confuse them and the deal will most likely not go through, sellers just go by the title deed on floor plan from the office, nobody will go measure the livable area then quote you per sqm based on that and negotiate. Yes you are the buyer and it is for you to accept or not and they are the ones trying to make the sell, just saying don't complicate things when its not how it works here.

If you have an assign parking space, then that will be on your title as it is your private space, be sure to include that even though its not a "livable area".

[macapie]

All you need is a tape measure and calculator,not hard to use, or find friend who can,!!!!!

[mango66]

I had the same problem with new pre-sale condos;

Some companies are nearly correct, some ones are far off,

I asked my wifes friend in national housing development:

By law the correct space incl balcony have to be calculated,

but no walls, no poles , no common water, wastewater slots which supports

more than your Condo !

But my developer for example AD,,,, Pattaya offered 44Sqm,

but real value were only 38m2 ,

on my clame they said: i should read the contract:

I have to pay for 44 m2 never mint of actual sice;

They calculated the walls between 2 units 2 times -

the same wall were included in both units.

Now calculate: 44 against 38 !! nearly 15% !!! so compare prices too !!

15% fake sq meters on a condo with about 600 units !!

6 m2 x 600 units by 75.000,-

its only

it is only 270 mill THB !!

propably beanuts for them !!

Be aware you will have to pay than also all your life the sinking fund and maintenance fee

for this fake sice !!

Good calculation on that one. It shows how many little amounts actually can make a huge profit at the end of the day.

Most reputable developers will refund the difference based on whats shown on the title, but there is a small chance the title maybe a little off too. So its best you remeasure as well.

the developer answered me clear !

The contract says: xx m2, or what will be,

price is fixed with the contract mentioned area !

But after negotiation and proofed calculation of real m2,

the developer agreed with cancellation of the contract and repaid

also the installments within 14 days !!

[mike324]

I had the same problem with new pre-sale condos;

Some companies are nearly correct, some ones are far off,

I asked my wifes friend in national housing development:

By law the correct space incl balcony have to be calculated,

but no walls, no poles , no common water, wastewater slots which supports

more than your Condo !

But my developer for example AD,,,, Pattaya offered 44Sqm,

but real value were only 38m2 ,

on my clame they said: i should read the contract:

I have to pay for 44 m2 never mint of actual sice;

They calculated the walls between 2 units 2 times -

the same wall were included in both units.

Now calculate: 44 against 38 !! nearly 15% !!! so compare prices too !!

15% fake sq meters on a condo with about 600 units !!

6 m2 x 600 units by 75.000,-

its only

it is only 270 mill THB !!

propably beanuts for them !!

Be aware you will have to pay than also all your life the sinking fund and maintenance fee

for this fake sice !!

Good calculation on that one. It shows how many little amounts actually can make a huge profit at the end of the day.

Most reputable developers will refund the difference based on whats shown on the title, but there is a small chance the title maybe a little off too. So its best you remeasure as well.

the developer answered me clear !

The contract says: xx m2, or what will be,

price is fixed with the contract mentioned area !

But after negotiation and proofed calculation of real m2,

the developer agreed with cancellation of the contract and repaid

also the installments within 14 days !!

That is correct contract says XX m2 and price is fixed. But if the area mentioned in the title is different you can always get refund (unless its bad developer who will argue) as they did not sell based on whats written in the title then the contract is not valid.

I have bought apartments where the area in the title was more and developer did not ask for more money, also there were times where I needed to pay more. Either way its fair to go by the title.