I've followed with much interest the thread about having a house built in Thailand and the difficulty of getting good quality from many local builders. This tracks with everything I've picked up recently from people in Thailand.

I'm moving permanently to Phuket next year when I retire and am planning then to build a house on some land in Phuket (design and construction drawings are complete through a local architect and building permission already optained). Now I'm looking for a good contractor who can do a quality job, or project-manage a quality job, at an honest price, and communicate adequately with me, a farang, before and during the job.

Has anybody had some good construction experiences in Phuket? Can anybody suggest any competent builders which I could start talking to? Are there any farangs in Phuket running construction firms which produce good quality? My house will be western style with concrete structure about 250 sq m.

Can't help you with a name but are you prepared to be onsite every day during construction, regardless of glowing recommendatios of a builder?

I've followed with much interest the thread about having a house built in Thailand and the difficulty of getting good quality from many local builders. This tracks with everything I've picked up recently from people in Thailand.

I'm moving permanently to Phuket next year when I retire and am planning then to build a house on some land in Phuket (design and construction drawings are complete through a local architect and building permission already optained). Now I'm looking for a good contractor who can do a quality job, or project-manage a quality job, at an honest price, and communicate adequately with me, a farang, before and during the job.

Has anybody had some good construction experiences in Phuket? Can anybody suggest any competent builders which I could start talking to? Are there any farangs in Phuket running construction firms which produce good quality? My house will be western style with concrete structure about 250 sq m.

I wish there was a simple answer to your straightforward question.

The fact is, is there has been a construction boom for the last twenty or more years here in Phuket which is now stronger than ever.

All the construction companies and sub-contractors are busy and usually have a backlog of work.

Of course, they will never refuse your work, it's just that you will have problems with how many people turn up for work everyday, as they 'juggle' their workforce around the five or six jobs they have going.

The quality of your construction is only as good as the workers who actually build and finish the building. Unfortunately, because of the boom, it is very, very hard to keep good, skilled craftsmen. Within months they are lured away by better money to a rival.

I could recommend a company with skilled workers, three months later you might have a completely different crew.

If I was going to choose between a Thai or Farang owned company, I would take the Thai company everytime. The Farang companies charge a premium over the Thai owned, yet, it is still Thai craftsmen that actually do the work. I've seen a Farang owner trying to explain to his foreman what needed to be done with the aid of slow, loud English.

Thai owned companies, whose bosses usually speak excellent English, are much better at communicating and getting the most work out of their workforce.

I have had a house built here and I warn you, it's a hair-tearingly frustrating exercise.

If I had to do it again, I wouldn't hire a company to build the whole house.

Hire the teams that you need for woodwork, tiling etc. Use an independent plumber and electrician.

You always get better work from small, two or three man teams than from a large company.

I wish you luck.

I've followed with much interest the thread about having a house built in Thailand and the difficulty of getting good quality from many local builders. This tracks with everything I've picked up recently from people in Thailand.

I'm moving permanently to Phuket next year when I retire and am planning then to build a house on some land in Phuket (design and construction drawings are complete through a local architect and building permission already optained). Now I'm looking for a good contractor who can do a quality job, or project-manage a quality job, at an honest price, and communicate adequately with me, a farang, before and during the job.

Has anybody had some good construction experiences in Phuket? Can anybody suggest any competent builders which I could start talking to? Are there any farangs in Phuket running construction firms which produce good quality? My house will be western style with concrete structure about 250 sq m.

How about this - I have a foreign contractor building our home now - the foundation is just going in. You may want to take a look and see what you think - First call a Mr. John Woods - our contractor and he will be I'm sure more then happy to bring you to the building site - it's in Chaiya - you got a year

Barry

How about this - I have a foreign contractor building our home now - the foundation is just going in. You may want to take a look and see what you think - First call a Mr. John Woods - our contractor and he will be I'm sure more then happy to bring you to the building site - it's in Chaiya - you got a year

Barry

Thanks, Barry. This is just the type of help that I need. I'll PM you re details. I've also had two other good suggestions sent to me via PM. I have plenty of time before I plan to start work, so if anybody else wants to suggest anything at any time, feel free.

Does the guy have a work permit....

Can't help you with a name but are you prepared to be onsite every day during construction, regardless of glowing recommendatios of a builder?

Thanks for the thought. I think you're saying that even the most highly-recommended builders here need to be personally supervised non-stop. You may well be right. A lot of people who've built here have told me the same. Yes, I'm capable of being on-site every day - I have a lot of project management experience in housing construction from the oil industry (worked in the Middle East). However, I really don't want to give up a year of my personal time to do this. If I have to do this, there's something wrong with the project. So although there's no simple answer (as another post tells us) I'd still like to see whether there are any possible "niche" solutions for handling my particular project. I've received a few interesting suggestions so far.

I've followed with much interest the thread about having a house built in Thailand and the difficulty of getting good quality from many local builders. This tracks with everything I've picked up recently from people in Thailand.

I'm moving permanently to Phuket next year when I retire and am planning then to build a house on some land in Phuket (design and construction drawings are complete through a local architect and building permission already optained). Now I'm looking for a good contractor who can do a quality job, or project-manage a quality job, at an honest price, and communicate adequately with me, a farang, before and during the job.

Has anybody had some good construction experiences in Phuket? Can anybody suggest any competent builders which I could start talking to? Are there any farangs in Phuket running construction firms which produce good quality? My house will be western style with concrete structure about 250 sq m.

I wish there was a simple answer to your straightforward question.

The fact is, is there has been a construction boom for the last twenty or more years here in Phuket which is now stronger than ever.

All the construction companies and sub-contractors are busy and usually have a backlog of work.

Of course, they will never refuse your work, it's just that you will have problems with how many people turn up for work everyday, as they 'juggle' their workforce around the five or six jobs they have going.

The quality of your construction is only as good as the workers who actually build and finish the building. Unfortunately, because of the boom, it is very, very hard to keep good, skilled craftsmen. Within months they are lured away by better money to a rival.

I could recommend a company with skilled workers, three months later you might have a completely different crew.

If I was going to choose between a Thai or Farang owned company, I would take the Thai company everytime. The Farang companies charge a premium over the Thai owned, yet, it is still Thai craftsmen that actually do the work. I've seen a Farang owner trying to explain to his foreman what needed to be done with the aid of slow, loud English.

Thai owned companies, whose bosses usually speak excellent English, are much better at communicating and getting the most work out of their workforce.

I have had a house built here and I warn you, it's a hair-tearingly frustrating exercise.

If I had to do it again, I wouldn't hire a company to build the whole house.

Hire the teams that you need for woodwork, tiling etc. Use an independent plumber and electrician.

You always get better work from small, two or three man teams than from a large company.

I wish you luck.

I disagree sir Burr, but Thailand have foreign companies who build the same way they do in Europe or the states with the same QUALITY.......the only difference is that they have to work with thai people to do the manual work and communication is not a problem because the assistent project leaders are fluently English-Thai so they have no problem with it.

The only thing is, companies like this are hard to find in Thailand, it's true.......

But people don't know unless they experienced it.

Can't help you with a name but are you prepared to be onsite every day during construction, regardless of glowing recommendatios of a builder?

Thanks for the thought. I think you're saying that even the most highly-recommended builders here need to be personally supervised non-stop. You may well be right. A lot of people who've built here have told me the same. Yes, I'm capable of being on-site every day - I have a lot of project management experience in housing construction from the oil industry (worked in the Middle East). However, I really don't want to give up a year of my personal time to do this. If I have to do this, there's something wrong with the project. So although there's no simple answer (as another post tells us) I'd still like to see whether there are any possible "niche" solutions for handling my particular project. I've received a few interesting suggestions so far.

Filer

There are very skilled Thai and Western managed firms in Thailand. Check the qualifications of any company and get referrals before final selection.

Also ensure that you receive a detailed Bill Of Quantities that accurately relates to the final technical plans.

In my experience the problems stem from insufficient details in plans and BOQ's as well as the non-existance of a schedule of works. Make sure that you have a very tightly drawn up contract.

We design, build and project manage as well as develop or own villages in the Pattaya/Eastern Seaboard region so we can not assist you directly. The construction side of my business is managed by my British Operations General Manager who is a qualified Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor (R.I.C.S.) and one of his previous employers was Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Household!

Best of Luck - Try to remember this is the Land Of Smiles!!!

You could contact julian AT dcm-solutions.com whose company works exclusively in Phuket. You want more details contact me through my email at website www.qscthailand.com