Thread: Big or small. My first picture thread!

Originally Posted by chitown

Again, Mrs. Chi wants to know how much for the bungalow and the pool if we have land already. One / two bedrooms, 1 bathroom and a small kitchen.

Or just the bungalow minus the pool.

Sorry for the delay Mr and Mrs Chi.

If you do everything yourself, buy your own materials I would expect you can fit the rooms and as requested and do it nicely for about 8,000.00 Baht per square metre.
So if your build will be about 144 square metres your looking at investing about 1.2 million Baht. Of course that does not include your electrical appliances but covers nice tiles and a decent kitchen.
Labour rates and depending where you build will be between 2 to 2.5 thousand baht a square metre.
Im building a property very much like you are talking about and will posts some pictures of this house as well and for your reference.

^^^ Yep love that place, all the open space to sit upstairs and enjoy the day with. Love the colour of the tiling too. I hope there's some fish in the pond though.

How much would something like that go for LT?

Jizzy this is the view of the property that you said you liked and looking from the upstairs balcony down onto the pool area and garden bungalow.

The river is always running and is full of fish.

Great place to chill out.

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

^^^ Yep love that place, all the open space to sit upstairs and enjoy the day with. Love the colour of the tiling too. I hope there's some fish in the pond though.

How much would something like that go for LT?

Mate there is not only fish in the river but some your type of carp as well. The biggest fish I have caught was over 2 foot long but the guy who rents the place fought with a monster for 20 minutes which was over 40 inches long.
Got turtles as well and the odd snake I am afraid.
Like living on the discovery channel with all the birds and wild life and the American tenant loves it.

This house was valued at 20 million and it cost me 8 to build 5 years ago.
It has been rented since the day it was finished though
Cant wait to get back into it and with the kids in tow.

That first house you built looks just like a house Brian Nash built out at Little Venice

This is the type of wildlife we have on that property as well as the fish, birds and turtles.
These 2 creatures fought for hours and eventually slithered away in opposite directions. A draw

That place looks a bit special to me LT very very nice! how much land area is it on?

Originally Posted by SirBerzerkAlot

That first house you built looks just like a house Brian Nash built out at Little Venice

As per my quote/ post I brought the bottom floor and gutted it and built the top floor upstairs. Yes it was a single storey flat roof house originally and a lot of work and changes were made and after I brought it from Nashy. I have also brought the property next door and renovated that as well.
He actually helped me get into the property market as Nashy was one of the pioneers of farang style house building in Pattaya and for rent.
Nice area Little Venice.

Have you seen Brian lately?

Originally Posted by jizzybloke

That place looks a bit special to me LT very very nice! how much land area is it on?

Just over 300 talang wah or about 1,200 odd square metres.
You may notice that the driveway runs over a little bridge and I was thinking about making a room for a couple of TD people to live under it.

Of course I am not refering to your good self

[quote=melvbot;703303]

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Originally Posted by peterpan

I actually don't like the house so much but my customer adores it. I actually sat down with him and done the basic layout and it turned out exactly as he wanted.

It is a standard big Thai house, big but plain looking. The "trick" for want of a better word is to detatch yourself from it and not look at what you want to build but what will sell. I think you've got an advantage with building to order as opposed to just building then trying to sell it on as its just going to take longer.

You are most certainly correct Melvbot.
You must remain totally neutral at all times but fortunately my tastes are somewhat boring which is I am always staying on the safe side when selecting fixtures and decorations. You don't want to end up with a house designed by the Issarn brothers.

In fact I built one little 3 bedroom house which I believe is one of the nicest homes in this area for under 3 million Baht. I used it as a display house and have won 3 more home orders for exactly the same design but slightly larger.
This home concept will be displayed in my upcoming posts.

What other developments have you built?

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Originally Posted by Loombucket

Well done LT, does look a tasty place. How many rooms?

6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms/ toilets, 2 kitchens and about 1,000 square metres regarding living area.

Ah, someone I can finally ask.

Why the need for so many bathrooms in these houses and big condos? Seems to me like it's a waste of space.

Guest toilets on each floor, ensuites off every bedroom and a couple of toilets showers outside and around the pool.

Basically what you have to create is something different and unique that the potential tenants don't have (and usually will never ever be able to afford) at home and to enjoy during their work tenure here.

I have never advertised my houses but get calls almost everyday from people, or more accurately placement companies wanting to rent my properties.

Put the bells and whistles into the house and people want to ring and blow them.

It is not rocket science and if a bucket maker (liker me) can do it anyone can and if they put their mind to it.

We have tried to introduce a fusion of "east meets west" and with regard to the interior designs. As you see we have built a raised platform and within the bay window and we have purchased a nice Thai style lounge to put in that position.
Again something different and as you can also see we are experimenting with the lights.

Looks wonderful.

I'm pretty happy with my lot but not so happy that I don't feel a twinge of envy.

You have a great looking lifestyle.

got any jobs for a driver or something?

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Looks wonderful.

I'm pretty happy with my lot but not so happy that I don't feel a twinge of envy.

You have a great looking lifestyle.

got any jobs for a driver or something?

Mate it is not that difficult to achieve something like this.

I sincerely wish others would have a go.

Just brought another 5 rai of land around at Maprachan lake ( a bargain) and as it has work out it looks like I have already got 2 orders for properties houses and within the first week.

If I was to show anyone on TD how cheap it still is to build beautiful houses here most people would not believe me. Yes there are risks involved but I really adhere to the old saying (nothing ventured nothing gained).

I also, and as a farang trust my wife and that my man is critical and with regard to what ever succes I have had here.

No drivers mate! Maybe when I get a bit pissy and my missus has to drive me home only.

So LT, you're designer/architect, builder and project manager. And these houses look marvellous.

But you also say you had no building experience when you started.

How did you climb that learning curve? I presume you didn't just pick up a brick and a trowel on day one and start having a go.

Originally Posted by Redneck

So LT, you're designer/architect, builder and project manager. And these houses look marvellous.

But you also say you had no building experience when you started.

How did you climb that learning curve? I presume you didn't just pick up a brick and a trowel on day one and start having a go.

Great question Redneck!

My background is mechanical engineering and have been quite successful in the industrial packaging market.

With regard to my success (in that line of business) was understanding market requirements and be able to design the products that people needed and wanted to buy accordingly and on a computer using master cam or solid works.

I basically used the same design philosophy when designing a house. Studied what was available in the market and tried to design something better with more valued added features, (and by cutting out the middle man) at a far reduced price.

Designed all of the houses on my computer and according to what I thought people wanted to buy. Simple as that!

Regarding the physical work and particularly the civil engineering most of it is common sense. When we have a visit from the building department people they always say I over design the strength of the main house structure and for sure it is better to not take chances.

Have a great right hand man also (Thai) who my English builder mate wants to pinch from me and take him back to the UK.

From the start I was involved and how I wanted things done and particularly with regard to the finish of the houses. Lead from the front and the Thais will follow you to the end of the earth.

Team effort mate, and big balls

Very nice buildings LT. Nice thread too.

Can't green you at the moment. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by chitown

She says 9 bathrooms? the poor farang must have his wife's whole family living with them!

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

Why the need for so many bathrooms in these houses and big condos? Seems to me like it's a waste of space.

absolutely not, I HATE waiting for toilets/bathrooms in western houses, dinner parties, not a problem in asia,

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

but some your type of carp as well.

Careful, he'll tell you they are Koi and then you'll have to flounce off and leave the forum...

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

got any jobs for a driver or something?

actually i'm looking for one, my weekend driver decided that i live too far down the soi for him to get to and fro work each day....

can you drive an automatic?

Using more materials such as that sandstone cut off brick that is very easy to lay and gives a good effect.
We imported the jacuzzi and the hand carved decoration cost about 7,000 Baht.
All in all this bathroom feature cost us about 40,000.00 Baht with the jacuzzi.
Customer was very impressed and it didn't break the bank

awesome stuff mate.

This is a pool on another property that is about 3 years old.
It is an infinity or free flow design and I prefer these pools and when compared to the skimmer box design.
About 10-15% more expensive to build but worth the extra investment IMO.
All pools have a seated jacuzzi area and have 2 high powered pumps which are quite expensive and make up about 30% of the overall build cost.