House build in isaan

@simonbolton79

Im Australian ,  just   finished a single story block and cement house in rural Sukothai , no council approval or inspection required ,

i built on family land , i would check title to make sure the ownership is correct,

we used local builder , a few hicups , he did things with out asking first   but basicly ok ,

cost about 10,000 Baht a sq M ,

two bedroom , air con , 4m awning on two sides

total 58 K AUD

Peter,

@simonbolton79

1.) Any permissions required from local government.

Yes, you need to go to the  local Or Bor Tor with the drawings (she will know where etc)

2.) Architect drawings required??

Yes and depending on size, for example when width of room(s) are larger than 5.00 you need 2 architect signatures

3.) How to find the right builder.

Go to a house you like and ask the owner

4.) How to negotiate price of build (do I need to hide while my wife negotiates?? Re: double

The price depends on the material and you specific demands. Normally it can be done for 12.000 thb sq meter, maybe less in Isan,

but if you want nice flooring, tiles, bathroom, kitchen the price will go up.

When we built our house I had the construction guy make the quote based on his price, detailed, and we removed flooring and others  and

purchased all that stuff ourselves in the quality, material, color etc we wanted.

The Or Bor Tor guys usually have their own construction companies, so they might offer you to do it as well

Than you can rest assured about the quality

A buddy of mine did it a different way

He asked the bank for their expert and paid 1.000 thb per building stage for that guy to come and check if all was properly done

Total cost 7.000 thb

Always negotiate the contract in a manner that you can withhold for example 5% of payments to be released at final stage....

@petercurr55

This is a possibility as well, the crucial words here are ; land of family

In this case you will never have legal rights to the house, you will not have a tabien baan (proof of ownership) and if things go south in your relationship

you can kiss the 58 K goodbye

Your loving family can deny you right of passage as it is their land, selling is not an option because there is no tabien baan.

    Hi I am Simon from the UK.
This is my first post here, so please be gentle with me.

I am married to a thai lady and we plan to move to Thailand in the next 2 to 3 years and build a house on her land (Isaan), so we can settle there.

I am looking for step by step advice on how to go about this, and any pitfalls I may find.

For example:-

1.) Any permissions required from local government.
2.) Architect drawings required??
3.) How to find the right builder.
4.) How to negotiate price of build (do I need to hide while my wife negotiates?? Re: double pricing standard if farang known to be involved

And, anything else really, if you've built your own house, then your advice would be priceless.

Regards
Khun Simon
   

    -@simonbolton79

My Thai wife and I moved to Thailand a little over three years ago. Before this she has built 6 houses in Pattaya, 1 in  Roi Et and recently the house that we are living in now. We are going to start another house to move into in about a year. She has always built with permits and architectural drawings. She does not trust the general contractors so she is the one that manages the projects. She hired the sub contractors that did the various aspects of the job such as concrete, foundation, plumbing, electrical and general construction. She NEVER pays up front. She pays at agreed upon points within the timeline. She also makes sure to order and pay for materials herself. I know that this did not give you all the answers that your looking for but I hope that it gives you some idea of what to look out for. My suggestion is that if you go with a general contractor DO NOT pay anything up front. At the very most give them a minimum deposit. Maybe no more than 10% of the total cost. Try to put yourself in the position of you ordering and verifying the delivery of all of the materials as the build progresses. Also as someone else mentioned make sure that you have the deed for the land and that it is authentic. Verify the property outline. There are usually concrete markers that define the property.

@rzugnoni

Guess your wife is the long lost sister of Bob the builder

@petercurr55

I am just clarifying the legal consequences of building without a permit vs with a permit.

Not sure why you are so upset

@simonbolton79  Hi Simon

1        Yes you do need Permission

2        Yes it is by far better to have Architect Plans, if nothing for the Builder to work off and for you to ensure its being done right

3        Make sure you check some of the previous building work, that they have carried out,

4        There are some outstanding Thai builders out there, just check up on them first.

5        There are also quite a few Expat Builders, some are good, some are bad, but unfortunately, they are all a lot more expensive

DO NOT USE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE UNQUALIFIED. FAMILY MEMBERS ARE 9 x out of 10 only Farmers, they DO NOT know what they are talking about, They are, OK for Labourers if the Builder is willing to use them.

eg:- Wife's Brother " I have worked on lots of House builds" usually means he has dug a few holes,!  "Ive built a lot of walls" that's usually the garden wall that's pissed!

Even with the proper Builders keep your eye on them, they tend to change things at times, as they will tell your Wife, that's how they have always done it,! which does not mean its right, just get your Wife to explain to them nicely "THATS HOW YOU WANT IT DONE", do not start losing your temper, it will only make things worse and chances are they will down tools and Fuck off, Sorry to say it is a headache, try hard not fall out with the Wife, its not her fault,

We have just had a Bungalow built over the last 18 months, well the house build was from December 22 till June 23 and a pretty good job, with fairly local Thai builders, the build worked out at approx 3.5 Mill, but then in November last year while we were over, we've had the Builders Snagging team back for a couple of weeks, Great all problems sorted out and they gave the outside another coat of paint, so happy now with the original build.

but then we have decided to get a large detached Carport built to the side of the house and the Boss decided that she wanted a 7.5 Mt x 5.0 Mt Extension fitted to the back,! and about 60Mts of Garden wall building 21/2ft higher, so now we are using the Brickie who did all the building companies' brickwork on the house and he is doing an excellent job, at a great rate.

Cliffys666

But hey sorry its great out here, don't get me wrong, it can be a pain but if you don't laugh at it you will crack up, as you must already realize the vast majority of Thais are great and always willing to help.

where are you considering moving to, Where sort of Border between Buriram & Surin Provinces just off the 24.

@petercurr55

firstly, thank you for your reply, sounds really good.

Did you have to give the builder any architect drawings?? I only ask because I've found a website (that for about 6000 baht) will send an architect drawing, list of building materials, and a list of builders that are recommended.

They have an extensive choice of plans / photos of actual builds etc;

Did you have such drawings?

Cheers

Simon

@martinoo2002

Thank you so much for your reply, very detailed.

I will take everything you have suggested on board.

Cheers

Simon

@martinoo2002

A very nasty bad-tempered wanker by the sound of that reply, if he's been married for 20 years to the same Thai I feel sorry for her living with someone with that kind of attitude.

Should be thrown off the Expat forum for that kind of unnecessary outburst

@rzugnoni

Thank you very much for your reply.

Some very good points there.

Cheers

Simon

@cliffsao

Hi, thanks for your advice.

My wife has land (signed over to her by her mother and father), so I know the land is legally owned by her.

It is close to a town called Nam Som, Udon Thani province.

We're thinking 2026 for the move.

Cheers

Simon

@simonbolton79

Good look to you both, If you need any snippets of advice, more than welcome if I can help

Cliff

@cliffsao

Thank you Cliff, I imagine I'll be in touch at some point.

I'm bound to think of more questions.

Simon

@simonbolton79 Nam Soms ok, my sister in law lives there. It’s a few years since ive been there now  so it might have changed a bit. Not a very big town but should be a decent place to live. As has been mentioned have a look around at properties and if you see one you think looks well built, get your wife to have a word with the owners to find out who built it or ask in the local estate agents who might be able to recommend someone with a decent reputation. Good luck!

@kevh

Hello there,

Yeah, I really like Nam Som, the people are friendly and it's not too far to travel to Udon Thani or Nong Khai (have had many a great meal in Nong Khai, especially on the river, watching the Dragon boat racing).

Thanks for the advice, will do as you suggested.

Cheers

Simon

@simonbolton79

Hello.   I'm Francois from Udon Thani. I'm building house on my wife ground. I may recommand You the team which is working now and the guy who has drawn the plans with the whole folder to obtain the permit to build, they are doing well.

@simonbolton79

Hi Simon,

It would help if you had some advice, going by what you have asked.

I have lived in Thailand 19 years and have been in the property industry most of that time, and what you say fills me with horror.

If you want advice that is straightforward and honest, I can help you there.

I have advised many people, some do some don't. The one who don't take the advice about 60%, I see them a few years later when they want help to try and rectify their mistakes. 

You can ***

Regards

Denis ( from England )

@franjubo

Hi,

Yes, if you could recommend some people then that would be great.

Thank you in advance.

Simon

@Isaan Property Shop

Hi,

OK, any advice would be great, especially if my words 'fill you with horror' .

Send me your email address, if that's OK.

Simon

@simonbolton79

We are the best council !

Kra poun mak ka

***

    @simonbolton79

We are the best council !
Kra poun mak ka
   

    -@varusse

But not in language

Simon,

Whether you need approval depends on where the property is. If inside city or village limits, yes you need. If out in the sticks, on agri land, no you do not need anything. Advice here good about architecht. Inform yourself about Usufruct on land. If you have that written on the papers at the Land Office, you have control over your land mening you can do whatever you want with it except sell it. But neither can your wife if you do not co-sign sales papers. However, some Land Office people do not want foreigners to have this and may refuse you to have it. Which is bad. Also if your wife refuses you to have this,  I must advise you to find another wife! And, as was said here, buy all material yourselves! Pay the builders for labour, nothing else. If you let them buy everything, they will cut every corner they can to save money to themselves! And remember there are no professionals here with very few exceptions some who worked abroad. There are no plumbers, no electricians (!), no carpenters, brick layers or any other kind! There are no schools for this so those who claim they are pros, have learned from someone who did not know anything either! This can be lethal when concerning electric installations. Many examples where the installer skipped the earth cable ("dont need")!  And mixing  power cable with the zero cable. There are several people electrocuted in showers every years where there is the common electric water heater in the shower!

@petercurr55 would you have a photo of the house and a flor plan? i intend doingvthe samecas you. thanks

    Simon,
Whether you need approval depends on where the property is. If inside city or village limits, yes you need. If out in the sticks, on agri land, no you do not need anything. Advice here good about architecht. Inform yourself about Usufruct on land. If you have that written on the papers at the Land Office, you have control over your land mening you can do whatever you want with it except sell it.

here are no plumbers, no electricians (!), no carpenters, brick layers or any other kind! There are no schools for this so those who claim they are pros, have learned from someone who did not know anything either! This can be lethal when concerning electric installations. Many examples where the installer skipped the earth cable ("dont need")!  And mixing  power cable with the zero cable. There are several people electrocuted in showers every years where there is the common electric water heater in the shower!
   

    -@Racin

I have some thoughts on the above comments I would like to share with you all that want to build or let build a house

First of all, if you do not have an approved (community counsel) drawing registered at this facility you will not get a house registration book/tabien baan, which you and your Thai partner need for everything. From your visa (not unimportant I would say) and residency registration at immigration and bank, to your partners ID card renewal, health insurance, governmental allowances and much more. No car registration as you have no address/tabien baan

Also you will not get insurance on the house....fire and damages...

But the main thing is no house registration..........for foreigners....

On the specialists I would say that there are many technical school and universities for technical education, from car to house....

The above mentioned drawing, will be checked and needs to contain details on everything... not just an A4..

The Ob bo tor (mind the spelling) will check and approve or not approve. Houses with front or back size wider than 5 meter need a double signature.....

Let the builder be a reputable one, whose work you can check. For a few thb you can hire someone from the ob bo tor to come and check the progress....

ON the materials the OP has a point. Let he architect and builder come with a price, checked by the ob bo tor and if the prices are too high, they will advise you and advise another builder, most likely the brother of their uncles friend whose wife is married to your niece.

After they come with the approved and signed off quote, and only then, you tell him which materials you will buy yourself or through him with another quality than in his quote and he will adjust the quote with the materials credited

At least that is how we did it....  the wife checked daily progress, the ob bo tor guys came to check stages for 1,000 thb per time advising if payment was due...

Despite this there were still issues that needed to be discussed and the only specialist that was a little under par was the team that built our parking. We let him go and found our own specialist at the shop...

People google and there are some many reads on what was wrong but always more of those that were right because if not, and all specialist were crappy there would be more cemeteries than houses

My (ongoing) experience... inspired to share after reading the post/comments.

Building a house soon on wife's family (agricultural) land... 22 rai from which to choose in the midst of rubber trees and wet-fields. Four years ago, her sister built a nice 115 M², 3 bed/2 bath house utilizing a family-team of four, all with construction background. The house is in a prime location with a view of the village looking 250 meters across flat agricultural fields. We've planned to build 50 meters from sis also on the edge of the field just on the other side of the well next to the second of three large water ponds. We had soil filled and graded into a rectangular pad elevated 1m that has settled nicely. Following rainy season, I planned to use contractors to build a single story house- 130m² 2bed/2ba, 3.5m ceilings, 6x12m covered deck overlooking the fields... my wife suggested using the cousins but being a typical skeptical farang I thought otherwise... she, of course, said "up to you"... haha!

In the meantime, paid the cousins to build some things in the area between sis' house and the pad where we'll build. Builds include: a thatched roof 5x5M stilted sitting area on the water pond adjacent to the house... two 6x6M 2-car steel post awnings w/ steel reinforced concrete deck... another 6x6m sitting/gathering area with built in benches w/ steel reinforced concrete deck... a steel 8m covered water tower... also had them lay larger diameter pipe from the well/tower location to sis' house. With my input, the wife directed operations- we bought the materials... concrete/soil come trucked from factory minutes away. The work was executed so well- I was genuinely impressed... I tried over paying them each time but they would not accept- saying "too much" and questioning my wife why... so I got them in beer and it was accepted :-D  They request only the local daily labor rate of ฿200. We provide them food/drink.

One day after living in sis' house for a stretch, I was sitting out front with my wife marveling at the completed work of house and all mentioned. I suggested to her perhaps we should use the cousins to build our house... she gave a spry smile and agreed... Sometimes I have great ideas :-D

As someone mentioned above- no permits required on family agricultural land... I used an ipad app (magicplan) to design the house and shared the plans with family build-team. We've begun marking the prepared pad and ordered reinforced concrete poles. We'll build the house 50cm above ground which creates more options for use of area beyond the boundaries of the elevated pad. I've also shared the plans with a friend who owns a construction company back in the US... he's lovin' what he sees and shares costs for the same back in the matrix.

I know not all situations and circumstances are alike... this is mine. Cheers and best wishes!

@RethairedJarhead

I also wanna contract a super market in Ban kho, Udon thani. Can you suggest some best man to do this for me.

@kashifh70

Greetings- I don't have contacts in Udon Thani... perhaps you meant to message the originator of this post.