As others have mentioned, the best way to ensure you get the get the quality you're looking for at the best price is to engage a builder on a labor-only basis, with you selecting and providing all of the materials.

You'll need to be sure that the plans you give the builder for a quote are as detailed as possible in order to avoid any misunderstanding or "extra" charges. (For example - flat, stepped, or sloped ceilings. Kitchen and Bath base cabinets, or Thai-style cement and tile, single or double block walls, and so on).

Sometimes you'll need to be able to procure required materials at a moment's notice.

There's a lot of information regarding the cost of various construction materials and quantities required on the CoolThaiHouse website.

OP : if you search ' house construction ' at the top of the page it'll bring up a few threads from 2014, also try other headings. I remember a nice 3 bedroom home one member built and posted a pic, it was 700k if i am correct.

I'm not a regular here, so can someone tell me what Ban Wangtan is or point me to a website?

<pj heads off to Google>

Found a long and acrimonious thread on 'BWT'. Sounds like somewhere I'd rather not be. Fortunately we've already bought our plot of land, in a very unusual moo-ban that is ideal.

Probably by a long time banned BM by name of Thighlander ...

Fortunately for the 100's of of BWT farang owners and residents Mr Thighlander left this quiet green enclave many years ago.

Quite funny as he is all over you with a new name.

Before you chooses a builder go and see the quality of his work on the houses he has built ask the owners what he was like , was he on time , did he hike up the bill, have there been any problems since the build just because the guy seems like a nice man that is not a license to employ him to undertake a task that will cost you a lot of your hard earned money. I once trusted a friend with a loan of money it is now over 6 years since I have seen him money and all !!!!! Here on Samui 12,000 + per sq mtr would just about buy you a sala, average price per sq mtr here is around 18 to 20 K per sq mtr !

# 34 talks with sense & experience.

The factors in house construction -

Labour

Design

Mats

Mats is reasonably definable if you are careful

Labour - variable - gang is variable

Design - an intangible in the main. Upon completion, you will discover whether your plans were wise ones.

The builder may not fully understand the plan. He may also take shortcuts.

The "Value" per sqm is thus variable in accordance with the above.

My opinion - quality labour, design & mats & a LOT OF LUCK!

Try these .............

http://www.buildinginthailand.com/

http://www.coolthaihouse.com/

http://www.thaivisa....st-of-building/

http://www.motherear...n-thailand.aspx

https://pcgsusf.word...-khai-thailand/

http://www.crossy.co...ai_House_Plans/

http://www.dpt.go.th.../framehome.html

www.bankongpo.com

www.tmotionhome.com

http://tonyinthailan...g-isaan-week-1/

http://www.thaivisa....r/#entry9691807

and these 2 threads have alot on prices ..........

How much to build a house?

Started by phuketandsee, 2014-08-03 16:01

How much to build a house in village 50 kms from Khon Kaen

Started by toryboy1979, 2014-10-14 17:15

750,000 Baht, Fresh ideas for 3 bed 2 floors

Started by jasonr3255, 2015-07-26 15:10

OP ... this is the type of house you can build 750k - standard fittings.

or something like this ? this type of construction is more in the 500,000 - 1,000,000 baht range

We have almost completed our modest 2 bed to bath house can't give you sqm price I went another way had 3 lots of technicians from village come look at plan they gave me a quote for labour only and for full build massive differences between all 3 on full build but labour only almost exactly the same. So i went labour only I bought all material and project managed the whole thing from start to finish (nearly) that way i could deal direct with suppliers ( in a few cases like roof tiles i was quoted x amount felt it to be excessive ie farang price got the wife to go alone and price was lower by a lot so from then on any major buying was left solely to the wife solely no farang prices beware. As a whole unit cost including elecricity supply and water supply and labour i have managed through prudent buying of materials and as stated letting wife negotiate without me being there to keep the cost to 450,000, which I have to say I am very very pleased with to the lowest quote from technician that's a 300,000 saving. House layout sitting room, along corridoir to two bedrooms one either side both ensuite. End of corridoir into kitchen and into utility room. Outside massive full width of house lean to at back and along side sun gazebo wooden affair. Plumbed in a water tank 2000 ltr and auto pump myself for better pressure and non water days.

Sorry for spelling and double quotes it won't let me edit

My thanks to everyone who has addressed my questions with real information and solid pointers. I'm learning a lot, and really appreciate the advice.

pj

We paid around 700k for 105sqm bungalow with 3 beds, 2 showers. We bought the materials ourselves and didn't use Isaan style tiles!

Single story house of 180 square metres plus 75 square metre covered veranda, including quality fittings (marble floor, upper range cabinets and bathroom fittings etc) for 1.8 million Baht (also including garage, driveway, paved areas, fencing and basic landscaping). House is three bedrooms and three bathrooms.

We paid around 700k for 105sqm bungalow with 3 beds, 2 showers. We bought the materials ourselves and didn't use Isaan style tiles!

We paid 650k for a 100sqm bungalow / 2 bed 1 bath. So that sounds about right. It can vary slightly depending on the quality of the builder and material. Unfortunately we had to use a local guy who was a bit of a jack of all trades but not a master. To be honest I wouldn't have used him but had no choice as 30klms from town. Our roof is zincalume not tiles which is fine.

Get a price for labor and materials for all aspects of the build.

If you want the builder to supply the tile at least he should have a sample and then it's just a matter of color.

But much better as he is working tell him you will buy the tiles yourself. Then subtract the material amount from BOB.

DO This for each item you can purchase and you will save a lot and get better quality finish.

He might quote you 10,000 per toilet but who knows you may find them discounted and a better make buying yourself.

Also if he quotes per square meter for labor for floors walls gypsum etc either measure yourself or have your architecture give you the correct amount. It's common for builders to quote you 250 Sq meters for example of something for materials and labor when in fact it's alot less.

Floor tiles are very important.

Dangerous?

We purchased plain colors - no flowers!

We paid B799/sqm.

Cost 10,700 a square mt 5 years ago I would take the 12,700 but you have to be there to keep a eye on them because they will <deleted> up

2 story is cheaper per sm, because you save on roofing/plumbing/foundation/wiring.

Not if you factor in the medical costs of extra wear and tear on the knees.

Another thing to consider - windows.

The best - probably Windsor.

Then, which colour tint & how much thereof.

All of the above cost ect for tiles toilets all fixtures and materials are personal decisions if you want a 10000 bht toilet that's your choice we chose a lot cheaper option just as good in our eyes. Floor tiles again personal choice I got a great deal did whole floor in same except two bathrooms end of range sale in Global got them half price bought a few boxes extra for breakages over the years. Guess what I'm saying is one man's choice is not another man's choice

you can add tinted windows to the list of avocado appliances and gold fixtures as out-dated....Low E glass is the new standard.

https://www.guardian.com/commercial/ToolsandResources/Resources/GlossaryandTerms/TintedGlassvsLow-EGlass/index.htm

Another thing to consider - windows.

The best - probably Windsor.

Then, which colour tint & how much thereof.

I'm sure that must have been sarcasm when you said Windsor are the best windows.

Floor tiles are very important.

Dangerous?

We purchased plain colors - no flowers!

We paid B799/sqm.

floor tiles without flowers?

I have a Thai friend who builds high quality two story houses, mostly bought by Thais, but sometimes by farong. The finish inside and out is excellent to my eyes. I would want a more Westernized kitchen.

She pays B10,000 per sq. m.

Almost always with the same builder, so a one off house would me more.

LH builds some nice houses in different price ranges....most are nicer than the moo baan houses of CNX. http://www.lh.co.th/homeseries#&panel1-13

With these large companies, there is plenty of overhead eg admin, sales etc.

As a result, the price may give you a heart attack.

Cost per sqm is from the roof edge, nor interior SQM, as in western standards.

So it's total construction area not interior living size.

12.,5 is acceptable, but as in many other post suggest, YOU MUST HAVE A LIST OF INCLUSIONS BY BRAND AND MODEL.

Did you have an architect draw up plans?

Cost per sqm is from the roof edge, nor interior SQM, as in western standards.

So it's total construction area not interior living size.

12.,5 is acceptable, but as in many other post suggest, YOU MUST HAVE A LIST OF INCLUSIONS BY BRAND AND MODEL.

Did you have an architect draw up plans?

I know in a condo they will include a balcony as part of the measurement. In a house if there is a patio do they include that?

Whatever you do make sure it is built to western standards. On concrete built buildings I have see they do not put lintels over windows and doors. Hence in time they crack around all 4 corners of the windows and the top of the doors, as well as other cracks appearing in the walls over time. I know this from renting houses in Chiang Mai. Learn what the specification is for a western house and Thai House is. Consider the electrical specification. There is a tendency to use radial mains as opposed to ring mains in many Thai buildings. Do you want all the cables running along and around the outside of the interior walls for your wall sockets and lighting. How good or how shoddy do you want it built.

Western standards are not applicable in thailand unless you want to spend thousands importing. And even western spec has cracking over years. Sorry but living in thailand I can't see the point of all these so called western standards

Western standards are not applicable in thailand unless you want to spend thousands importing. And even western spec has cracking over years. Sorry but living in thailand I can't see the point of all these so called western standards

You may not see the point.. But of my last 3 houses..

30- - 35 million baht clifftop villa (at decade ago prices, double now).. The retaining wall gave way and half the villa ended up 25m down the cliff.. Front page of the phuket gazette and it is still in a never ending court case as the insurance wont pay the farang.

Next house a hillside home also on Phuket.. 3 living levels, above a parking roadside level.. The pool system designed by someone with zero idea of structural needs or water pressure over height and costing the landlord close to a million baht to try to repair.. Then the retaining wall at roadside bowed and started to look dangerously weak.. I moved out as the master bedroom 4 floors above that looked a long way down.

Here in CNX, this weekend just moved out of a great large house.. Whose foundations were made too small.. and various pathetic attempts by the developer at patching it were a joke.. The entire structure is cracking and shifting, the 18m pool has 'broken its back' and real pool consult companies suggest ripping it out and starting again circa 1.5 - 2 mil cost.. The water pipes underground for the house (not including pool) lose 100,000 liters of water a month and no one can really find where.. All around the structure the paths and attached hard areas have dropped as much as 200mm from the house footings.. The house, which the landlord wanted 12 mil for when I moved in, is now unsellable for a fraction of that.. It really was a well designed home layout and lovely space, with all the toys, pool, jacuzzi, huge entertaining sala, loads of parking room, big gardens, kitchens designed by a real cook, etc.. But frankly it needs millions spent now and even then it will still be a patch up. Its just got bad bones. It will always be a case of expensive ongoing repairs to own it. More than it can make in renting.

Thais, and especially up to 20 years or so ago, looked at property on the land as near temporary, use it for a generation or 20 years then rip it down.. This is why land value is the bulk of many property prices.. Westerners especially europeans are used to houses that are sometimes 100s of years old, the idea that you would build a house to only last a decade or two isnt how we build. Now sure if you want to build a million baht bungalow, who cares, chuck it up thai style and patch the problems. But if your investing in the costs of a real build, and putting your own assets in then getting it done to a standard that lasts and is low maintenance is absultely non negotiable for me. This is why thais buy new, they fear the issues of buying old builds (and many social issues too).

Of the last 3 homes I have rented.. The landlord has had to spend more than my rent, or has cost the landlord more than that rent income in depreciation, due to being unwilling to maintain a house in the tropics, in every one of them.. even 90k a month places, he lost more than that just by owning it.

Indeed, you are a very unlucky man.

Why is that?