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thaimat

A year ago I decided to have a music studio designed to be built seperate from my house here in Pattaya. Did my research on energy saving, and acoustic materials, then set about looking for an architect. Should be a simple job, one room of 10x9x3 meters. NOT! Three different architects told me it couldn't be built without massive steel girders, so they wouldn't design it. I guess the reason being the standard Thai room is app. 4x9, so anything larger had to have center columns, and I wanted a completely open spaced room, no columns or posts other than inside the walls.
The man whose company built my pool, did a fantastic job, on time, on budget, and heavy-duty constructed, gave me the name of his architect. By this time I had little hope, but called him nonetheless. His name is Nattaphong Maneerat, his "little name" is Fluke, (pronounced Fook), and when he showed up I was surprisingly hopeful immediately. A small built chap with a beaming smile, and a sharp mind and wit, he listened carefully to my description of what I wanted. Though he had never designed a room so large without center posts as far as I could tell, he immediately started drawing while he put his mind to the task. Within the hour, he had come up with a rough, quick design, but more importantly, had the structural problem of supporting the roof properly without center posts, solved. The next week he brought me a color print of the exterior design, just to get an idea if I liked the look. It was precisely as I had described it to him, so we agreed to do business. Two weeks later he brought a detailed plan, to which I made some minor changes. Off he went, this polite, effusively happy man, leaving me feeling very confident I had found an intelligent, dilligent, commitment honoring professional with whom it was a pleasure to do business with. Ten days later I had a detailed and precise 17 page architectural plan. He arranged with a structural engineer he works with, to get a structural engineer plan from. Two weeks later he brought that, all 24 pages of it.
As I wanted to do this all 100% legal, the next step was the Aw Bu Daw, which I had read would cost me a percentage of the construction budget. Not the case! Khun Fook took the plans to the official, and a week later my wife took a bottle of Johnny Walker to him as a pre thank you offering. It took 6 weeks to get the plan back all approved, but at no further costs. Khun Fook stayed in touch with the official all along, and picked up and delivered the approved plans for/to us.
It was, after dealing with many here who see farangs as a walking atm, a joy to work with this guy. He kept in constant touch, gave me what I asked for, honored all his commitments, and my costs from start to finish, for everything including the government approval, was B30,000. I have more upcoming building projects, and will gladly use Khun Fook for all of them. I give him an unconditional recommendation.
His email is flukealone[at]gmail.com, and flukealone[at]hotmail.com ph #s are 086-828-4565, fax is 038-706-371

Marmite the Dog

That makes a refreshing change.

Any chance of posting some pictures of you music room? Ones during construction would be lovely if you have them.

thaimat

Will do, Marmite, as soon as there's construction to take pics of. Just got the approved plans back from the AuBuDaw 2 days ago, so we'll be starting the construction sometime in the next month. I'll post progress pics, materials lists and costs, construction costs, etc.

WhiteLotusLane

Is it a music room attached to your house, or separate..? I take it you have a lot of space available?

Marmite the Dog

Good show.

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Why is it, you can wait an eternity for a bus, only for three to arrive at the same time?

thaimat

It is a seperate building from my house, one room , interior dimensions of 10x9x3 meters of living, or in this case, music playing, space.

kingwilly

great stuff mate. nice to see a good review as well.

Panda

May I ask what sort of roof you are putting on the building? A 9 or 10 meter span with tiles sounds like it would take some heavy roof trusses.
I need to put a roof over a similar sized open area and am very interested in your choice of construction methods and materials.

We are building a new place south of Pattaya outside Sattahip. Hope to start work next year of the year after. Two stories. Downstairs a typical smallish 3 bedroom house 100 sq m, and upstairs a 50 sq m self contained flat with a 50 sq m roofed patio. I want the patio area to be open and clear of supports in the middle. Span will be 9 or maybe 10 meters.
I was thinking of using galvanized metal sheeting for the roof to keep the weight down.

Here in Australia you can get farm sheds that clear span 10 meters, so I know it can be done at relatively low cost, but sounds like it could be something out of the ordinary in Thailand.

a. boozer

I'm not a builder, and am sure that DD or some other enlightened individual, might well come up with a practical answer, but in my opinion, think that you are being rather hopeful!

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HINO

I know this thread is dry but can the OP tell us how the music room finished? Did the architect do all you wanted? Are you using him for more work as stated? Do you have some photos of the place?

An interested spectator in need of an arch.

Panda

I too would like to know how things turned out.
It seems thaimat is an infrequent poster here.

DrAndy

Thaimat, you have given no details of the construction

Will it be made using steel, as that is the obvious route for that size

or something else?

justwingit

maybe it wasn't as well designed as he thought and when he turned the music up the whole thing collapsed

(only joking of course)

i would like to know how it went and maybe a pic or two

Loombucket

I always fancied a studio in the back garden, but as my stuff is all sample based, and I am used to working in a small space, I don't suppose it will ever happen. I am also interested in seeing details of construction, should they ever make it to this forum.

Joe66

looking for a great architect in Pattaya, I read this first at TV,
thaivisa.com/forum/Great-Architect-t127412.html

but the story was never continued.

Anyone knows a good architect in Pattaya, pls. let us know.

kingwilly

hmmm, who knows?

A shill?

HINO

I can't finish the story but I can add to it.

I contacted the architect written about and over the last few months worked out a deal and contract with him and his business partner. They are working on our house design.

Fluke is a very nice young man and his associate also. Fluke speaks minimal English and his associate almost none. From our first meeting at his current work site we had a good meeting and explained what we wanted. We are now on the 3rd revision of our plan to get the look and detail we want before we finalize the plan.
I hesitate to speak for the project that started this topic but I believe the OP changed course and did something else. But not sure so don't quote that.

My plan has been slow to develop as Fluke is in Pattaya and we are in Ban chang. Fluke is very busy working and going to school and other stuff.

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If you take the time to do the job right the first time you won't need to "find" the time to go back a second time

HINO

sunsetter

love to see these kinda threads, but im sure ive seen that somewhere else mat? cool thai house maybe?