There have over the last few weeks been many negative reports on the troubles in buying a house.
I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread on how well it worked out for you. What did you do to make everything go well. This can apply to property purchased or rented. This would be a help to anybody moving out here.
My contribution
I moved from the UK got a house on short term rental with the possibility of extending it. The house was not suitable in its location but it did give us a chance to drive around looking for property. We ended up by doing this with a bigger better house a garden 5 tines the size and 2000 baht a month less on the rent. With a long term agreement. We are very happy.
What are your good reports
Positive reports on property
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lindosfan1
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Positive reports on property
Woke up this morning breathing that's a good start to the day.
Nice one Lindos,
Came out here, bought land in Thai wife's name, got local architect to produce drawings based on the rough design I'd done/nicked out of a spanish villa magazine.
Got a local builder (recommended to us by friends) to build it who we really didn't have any major problems with. We were lucky to end up with a decent builder though.
We're happy with the house.
SJ
Came out here, bought land in Thai wife's name, got local architect to produce drawings based on the rough design I'd done/nicked out of a spanish villa magazine.
Got a local builder (recommended to us by friends) to build it who we really didn't have any major problems with. We were lucky to end up with a decent builder though.
We're happy with the house.
SJ
Last edited by Super Joe on Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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lindosfan1
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good
Thanks JR and Johnny
Could you expand on what you did a little bit please particularly what made it be good was it advise if so what sort of advise. This would be useful to newcomers.
Thanks
Could you expand on what you did a little bit please particularly what made it be good was it advise if so what sort of advise. This would be useful to newcomers.
Thanks
Woke up this morning breathing that's a good start to the day.
I spent as much time as I could checking out the building process and I made sure I developed a good rapport with the developer, not kissy-ass but trying to show some understanding about delays etc.
It helps to learn something about the culture and be a little more relaxed about small things. No screaming, no drama, be polite and understand that things don't get done in the same ways as they do in the west.
Best advice I can give is to be present as much as possible so small problems don't become big problems and don't try to force things - it won't work.
It helps to learn something about the culture and be a little more relaxed about small things. No screaming, no drama, be polite and understand that things don't get done in the same ways as they do in the west.
Best advice I can give is to be present as much as possible so small problems don't become big problems and don't try to force things - it won't work.
Well you are all wrong .I will tell you how to build a house .
Firstly get a bucket of industrial strength strepsils because you will need to do a lot of SHOUTING AND SWEARING over the coming months .
Start your research by messing around as many industry professionals as you can and then walk away from them as they are ALL out to rob you,lie to you etc. One even expected me to let him make a PROFIT !!!
Go and seek the advice of the all knowing fat bloke down the pub .He was in the SAS and can construct bridges across the amazon river, using sundried earthworms,capable of holding an entire division of panzer tanks .
Sod paying an architect or engineer .The greedy gits earn nearly as much as dole money back home as it is .Draw your design on the back of a fag packet and get the yts trainee from the tessaban to knock up some plans in his spare time for a couple of quid .
Now find the cheapest builder you can,university degrees are not worth a W**K ,best test is how far he can stick his finger up his nose .If he has decent tools he is too expensive .
Argue about everything down to the last baht and make sure all of the labour force has plenty of lao kao at all times .If they know what a spirit level is for they are too expensive .
Now spend 6-12 months in the pub turning up on site once a week to shout at people .Having your TGF totter around in high heels looking confused and embarrassed (shout at her as well) will help get the point across .
Right,the house is done so get yourself down to the pub to celebrate on the free internet complaining about Thai builders and tuk tuk drivers .
Alternatively ,pay a little more for professionals,keep an eye on things,ask questions and listen to suggestions .
rant over .
Crazy 88
Firstly get a bucket of industrial strength strepsils because you will need to do a lot of SHOUTING AND SWEARING over the coming months .
Start your research by messing around as many industry professionals as you can and then walk away from them as they are ALL out to rob you,lie to you etc. One even expected me to let him make a PROFIT !!!
Go and seek the advice of the all knowing fat bloke down the pub .He was in the SAS and can construct bridges across the amazon river, using sundried earthworms,capable of holding an entire division of panzer tanks .
Sod paying an architect or engineer .The greedy gits earn nearly as much as dole money back home as it is .Draw your design on the back of a fag packet and get the yts trainee from the tessaban to knock up some plans in his spare time for a couple of quid .
Now find the cheapest builder you can,university degrees are not worth a W**K ,best test is how far he can stick his finger up his nose .If he has decent tools he is too expensive .
Argue about everything down to the last baht and make sure all of the labour force has plenty of lao kao at all times .If they know what a spirit level is for they are too expensive .
Now spend 6-12 months in the pub turning up on site once a week to shout at people .Having your TGF totter around in high heels looking confused and embarrassed (shout at her as well) will help get the point across .
Right,the house is done so get yourself down to the pub to celebrate on the free internet complaining about Thai builders and tuk tuk drivers .
Alternatively ,pay a little more for professionals,keep an eye on things,ask questions and listen to suggestions .
rant over .Crazy 88
I've posted dozens of times on here that we, by and large, have nothing but good reports to give of the process. If we have any advice to give it would be 1) accept this is Thailand and things work in different ways to Farangland. 2) Do as much home work as you can, there aint no rush. 3) use one of the agents associated with HHAD, you have more chance of finding a good 'un. 4) accept that you generally get what you pay for - if you buy a bargain, there's a reason. 5) Get really lucky with the builder you choose. 6) Live next door to him.
You now now have your home in HuaHin, with all the good and bad bits that brings with it. But gee whizz, it's better than being in England.
You now now have your home in HuaHin, with all the good and bad bits that brings with it. But gee whizz, it's better than being in England.
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sandman67
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Crazy 88 - you are the man 
mate, when it comes to building Sandman's castle it looks like you will be getting the job.....at least we can be sarcastic at each other
I rent at the moment from a local thai, a 3 bed house in a thai neighborhood.... Im happy here - its safe and quiet (ish).
Only complaint would be the way its decorated - every wall outside is the same orange colour, every wall inside is the same mint green colour....bad with the nasty neon strip lighting Thais seem to love....
mate, when it comes to building Sandman's castle it looks like you will be getting the job.....at least we can be sarcastic at each other
I rent at the moment from a local thai, a 3 bed house in a thai neighborhood.... Im happy here - its safe and quiet (ish).
Only complaint would be the way its decorated - every wall outside is the same orange colour, every wall inside is the same mint green colour....bad with the nasty neon strip lighting Thais seem to love....
"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
Some of the things a proper lawyer will help protect you with. For some reason hardly any customers use a lawyer:
a) Fair contract conditions, not loaded in favour of developer. Many contract conditions do not conform to law, and would be void anyway (even if you signed them), but customer does not know.
b) Land title search, checking developer has individual land plots cut, or is in the process of having cut. Have developers previous houses got their Chanote's ok.
c) Building permit in place, either in your name or developers, and will the house be registered, distinct from the land, at land office at completion stage.
d) Structural guarantee, defects liability period, and extent of coverage. Will developer allow a retention to be held by customer until DL period is over ?
e) What values, land and house, will be declared at land office on completion, will you be left carrying forward tax liabilities into the future ? You often are.
f) Explain what the blue/yellow books are, don't think any newbee customers know.
g) Lease that protects you and gives you future rights, don't just sign the developers cos he says it's ok. And you do.
h) Structure your set-up so that the land is in Thai wife's name (her personal property and not part of marital property in event of divorce) and put the house in farang's name (will be part of marital property, so you get 50% in case of divorce. Foreigners lose everything here because they decided to save xBaht on lawyers fees at start.
i) Provide you with a Will. If married to a Thai and she dies before you, the spouse (Farang or Thai) IS NOT an immediate heir under law if you have no will. The spouse is catagory 7 after family members all the way down to half-brother/sisters, grandparents, aunts/uncles. They're all entitled to 'her' land BEFORE you.
List is not exhaustive. None of the above applies if you use a two-bob lawyer from down the market cos you can save 5k Baht
**Following on from Crazy's post - there are many many grey areas, interpretable either way under the contact. Developers usually work with people who work with them, people who get offensive and stroppy will generally not get assistance on these items. (Not aimed at anyone, just advice to take or leave, no responses on this particular point please)**
Good luck,
SJ
a) Fair contract conditions, not loaded in favour of developer. Many contract conditions do not conform to law, and would be void anyway (even if you signed them), but customer does not know.
b) Land title search, checking developer has individual land plots cut, or is in the process of having cut. Have developers previous houses got their Chanote's ok.
c) Building permit in place, either in your name or developers, and will the house be registered, distinct from the land, at land office at completion stage.
d) Structural guarantee, defects liability period, and extent of coverage. Will developer allow a retention to be held by customer until DL period is over ?
e) What values, land and house, will be declared at land office on completion, will you be left carrying forward tax liabilities into the future ? You often are.
f) Explain what the blue/yellow books are, don't think any newbee customers know.
g) Lease that protects you and gives you future rights, don't just sign the developers cos he says it's ok. And you do.
h) Structure your set-up so that the land is in Thai wife's name (her personal property and not part of marital property in event of divorce) and put the house in farang's name (will be part of marital property, so you get 50% in case of divorce. Foreigners lose everything here because they decided to save xBaht on lawyers fees at start.
i) Provide you with a Will. If married to a Thai and she dies before you, the spouse (Farang or Thai) IS NOT an immediate heir under law if you have no will. The spouse is catagory 7 after family members all the way down to half-brother/sisters, grandparents, aunts/uncles. They're all entitled to 'her' land BEFORE you.
List is not exhaustive. None of the above applies if you use a two-bob lawyer from down the market cos you can save 5k Baht
**Following on from Crazy's post - there are many many grey areas, interpretable either way under the contact. Developers usually work with people who work with them, people who get offensive and stroppy will generally not get assistance on these items. (Not aimed at anyone, just advice to take or leave, no responses on this particular point please)**
Good luck,
SJ
Last edited by Super Joe on Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:23 pm, edited 3 times in total.
When my wife built our house up in Surin, she found a builder on recommendation, checked some other work he had done, then got him on a price one for the house, one for the water tower, and one for the perimeter wall, she sorced all materials herself and played one builders merchants off against the one across the road getting good discounts.Very happy with my isaan builders a few plumbing problems but got there in the end.Not very happy with TOE paint the gloss on the gates and railings whent dull after 6 months.
The end result large 4 bed villa for just over 2m, very happy mr and mrs kendo.
The end result large 4 bed villa for just over 2m, very happy mr and mrs kendo.
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JimmyGreaves
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Does one or two exist in Hua Hin and how do you know a proper one from a non-proper one?Super Joe wrote:Some of the things a proper lawyer will help protect you with. For some reason hardly any customers use a lawyer:
SJ
Diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to making the trip
Jimmy Greaves wrote:
You can research a lot of stuff on net as many lawyers websites have publications about subjects. Then when you speak to a Lawyer he sometimes knows the bits you don't straight off the bat or you find out they know less than you and 'have to ask' their Thai colleague. That's the only way I can really gauge them.
Or use one of the large, well established law firms from BKK like: tilleke and gibbins, sunbelt asia, bangkok int. associates, BDO richfield, mayer brown, baker & mckenzie
The British Embassy recommend: http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servle ... 8717583046
SJ
Yeah good point JG!! I don't rate most I've seen in HH, one or two seem ok though.Does one or two exist in Hua Hin and how do you know a proper one from a non-proper one?
You can research a lot of stuff on net as many lawyers websites have publications about subjects. Then when you speak to a Lawyer he sometimes knows the bits you don't straight off the bat or you find out they know less than you and 'have to ask' their Thai colleague. That's the only way I can really gauge them.
Or use one of the large, well established law firms from BKK like: tilleke and gibbins, sunbelt asia, bangkok int. associates, BDO richfield, mayer brown, baker & mckenzie
The British Embassy recommend: http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servle ... 8717583046
SJ
Pro Quals
Interesting humour (did the UK spell on that one just for. K. 88.)
From the various readings I've gleaned (another Britism) that you are now a builder, here to fore diving professional. Can/will you help me with what professional qualifications we should look for in a builder, possibly using yours as a guideline!
Thanks in advance (not a Britism)
Hughie
From the various readings I've gleaned (another Britism) that you are now a builder, here to fore diving professional. Can/will you help me with what professional qualifications we should look for in a builder, possibly using yours as a guideline!
Thanks in advance (not a Britism)
Hughie