Looking for a house to buy!!!

[Takiab]

Hi

Hope someone can help. My wife and I have been living here in Takiab for the last year and recently bought half a rai of land in soi 6 with the intention of building a house. It seems now though that we cannot get even the most simple of house put up for under a million so we have decided to hang onto the land and buy a house instead. The problem is that we only have 750,000 baht budget so if anyone is looking for an urgent sale or knows of someone who is then we have the cash ready. We're not too fussy as far as size and/or style is concerned and are willing to consider all offers.

[Guess]

Hi

........ and recently bought half a rai of land in soi 6 with the intention of building a house. It seems now though that we cannot get even the most simple of house put up for under a million so we have decided to hang onto the land and buy a house instead.

I am sorry at having to state the blatently obvious but the cost of building a house in Thailand, or indeed anywhere else in the world, has absolutely nothing to do with the price you paid for the land. To build a house here you only require 200,000 Baht. If you want on-suite and western kitchens then it becomes more. I built a very nice (but small) house here early last year for 420,000 Baht.

At today's prices it may be 550,000 baht for the same building.

As always my advice is shop around.

[Takiab]

Hi

could you maybe tell me who you got to do the building and where/how you got the plan. We are only wanting a small house put up on the land we have and as mentioned, we have 750,000 available for the building.

Thanks for your advice
Shane

[Takiab]

Hi

Just thought I should leave an update on my progress.

After much looking around, my wife and I decided on the style of house we would like. We copied a picture of a house we saw in a book and set about having a plan drwn up. I approached an estate agent in Hua-Hin and the quote I got for drawing up the plan was 40,000 THB plus an extra 10,000 if I wanted them to pass it. Well lets just say this, anyone wanting a plan drawn up should be very weary of these expat owed agents. Within two days after getting the quote I was able to have the plan drawn up for just 6000 THB, a VERY vast difference compared to the expat price of 40,000. I now have the plan and it should be all passed and ready within the next two weeks.
The house size is 108 square metres and here again I have encountered the same differences in quotes. I can now have the house built for 800,000 THB, including all materials and that by a builder who has more than enough references and ongoing projects - a quality builder who is open, honest and upright.
My message to anyone looking to build is this...... "don't be toooo wary of the Thais but rather of the many ripoff expats.

[buksida]

a quality builder who is open, honest and upright.

sorry couldnt resist that one ... the mythical builder.

Most of the expat places use Thais to do their plans anyway, but you did well to shop around, hope it all works out for you.

[thaiger]

You can get ripped off by anyone of any nationality, I wouldn't swing too much to the Thai side now. Generally I agree with buksida; and don't forget, sometimes it pays to pay a bit more now and save big later, rather than going for the cheapest bidder who runs out of money halfway through.
If you have the time, check on building status, go shopping for material together and check the receipts; make sure, the paid for material arrives, and never give a big chunk of money beforehand, but in stages.