Thread: How to satisfy my "nesting instinct"?

Hi All, Have enjoyed browsing your site and particularly the construction escapades.

Any construction work I have tried to organize during the last 10 years of living in Thailand has always ended up incomplete. Usually due to inexperience (mine and the builders), incompetence (mine and the builders), impatience (mine and the builders), and most recently thefts and destruction of my stuff by the builders. My wife has got used to me disagreeing with builders and she no longer intervenes, or translates….and I don’t want her to. It always causes too much family friction.
However, I still have the “nest building” instinct and want to put a comfortable abode on my 75m x 75m level grass plot in an Isaan village. There are already two wooden houses from the 70’s which my father-in-law and step-son use (when they are not away – government driver and Thai Navy), but they have said I can have them if I want. They will stay on our farm when they are in town (that’s another story).

We have a one year old son who has just started running around chasing small animals so I’d like to get a place put up quickly. My work means I am often away from home and I am only occasionally able to offer supervision. To be honest, I can’t stand dealing with the builders. I’m a civil engineer by trade (though a long time ago) and I can’t get used to the Thai way of building things (ie. No vibrators, no plasticizer, no theodolites, etc, etc)

So, I am considering my options, bearing in mind my anxieties about Thai contruction crews.

1.) Renovate one of the 1970s wooden houses – needs new electrics, new roof, some new wood, insulate walls and ceiling, possibly move foundation

+ Cheap (400,000 baht)
+ Quick (if don’t have to re assemble)

- Leaks, creaks, not sure how much wood needs replacing.
- Possession history means won’t be “My House”. It’s a bit of a family meeting place.

2.) Buy ready made two-bedroom “Knockdown” wooden house standard design – need to construct concrete pads and columns, electrics and fittings.

+ Cheap (700,000 baht) but “holiday home” feel
+ All new materials
+ Mobile - can move if need to.
+ Makers are specialists

- Maybe too small: make kitchen, storeroom and carport underneath?
- Termite maintainance needed
- Longevity (30 years?)

3.) Two bedroom “Knockdown” wooden house using my “custom design” – Concrete pads and columns, electrics and fitting.

+ Perfect style with kitchen inside, storeroom and carport underneath
+ All new materials
+ Mobile - can move if need to.

- Not the normal construction for makers. My dimensions might throw them a bit.
- About 1,000,000 baht?
- Termite maintainance needed
- Longevity (30 years?)

4.) Two bedroom concrete house to my design – complete build from scratch

+ Permanent
+ No termites
+ Re-sale value considerable

- 1,000,000 Baht plus for only 2 bedrooms.
- have to 100% rely on builders (who are usually shit)
- can’t move it if we re locate to the farm.
- may take up to a year to build.


At the moment I am favouring going to one of the “Knockdown” wooden house manufacturers, picking a design, sticking it on the back of a wagon, and having the same firm erect it in about 20 days. However the local termites will be salivating the minute the wagon turns up, I imagine. It could be just doorknobs and sawdust by Christmas.

Every time I consider a concrete house I get a cold sweat thinking about Thai builders standing on my garden furniture and hammering screws into window frame hinges.

Could anyone else add to my pros and cons for each type of dwelling? Even better can someone build my house and call me when its all finished?

Any advice of which option to go for, or to avoid, appreciated.

Cheers