Thread: Buy One Rai, Get One Free (would it work?)

A maybe not so cunning plan by Noodles.

I was thinking, If I buy 2 rai of land in the sticks, use around half a rai for building and garden, and the other 1.5 rai for a deep lake, could I make half the money back that I paid for the land through the sale of the dirt to other suckers wanting to raise their land?


Would this plan have a chance of working if undertaken with good planning?


Thoughts please.

Depends how much you pay per Rai. Depends how much you're going to pay for the Mako. Depends how much you pay for the lorries. Depends, depends, depends.

As Superman said, lots of variables, but I think it could work. I just bought a 620sqm lot adjoining my existing compound. It had quite a slope to it, and took multiple truckloads (big trucks) of dirt to fill it up and level it. I used good dirt, rather than filler since a large part of it will be a garden. Dirt is EXPENSIVE. And before you ask how much, wife is out right now at the site of another house we are currently building downtown, and I don't know the cost.

I the a feeling that the fly in the ointment will be that moving dirt seems to be a specialist transport activity, there are not many players who will do it and that they all charge the same rather high price. To make money out of dirt, I recon you need both the land and the means to move it.

^And a customer base.

I think you're on to something. For example, in CMai a few years ago there was a huge garbage strike with bags of crap piling up all around the city. I recommended to my Thai friends as well as businesses in the tony Night Bazzaar area that Thais need only atttach ribbons and bows and sell them to tourists.
Sure enough they did, proving the old adage that farangs will buy anything! Indeed, why not expensive dirt?

Originally Posted by English Noodles

I was thinking

Well there's your fist mistake, stick to what your're good at Noodles

Originally Posted by English Noodles

Would this plan have a chance of working if undertaken with good planning?

Originally Posted by English Noodles

could I make half the money back that I paid for the land through the sale of the dirt

Don't be a Prize Plum all your life Noodles, take a day off

Take your land speculations somewhere else.

I'm thinking that dirt is, well, dirt cheap.
Clean top soil may fetch a premium but you may not have a lot of that.
Also what you see as the price of a mter of topsoil delivered will be far different to what the guy who takes it away will offer you.
If it were viable we wouldn't have to pay to have ponds dug at all.

Originally Posted by English Noodles

Would this plan have a chance of working if undertaken with good planning?

You won't make much, if anything

The "dirt guys" prefers to dig it up near the filling.

You can have a pond dug for free though

^ so true. The diggers then go on to sell it to those that need it, and they have a lot of takers.
Mind you the soil has to be relatively handy their market especially now that diesel is more costly. Dirt isn't as dirt cheap as one might expect.

A friend of mine lucked in when wanting to dig a resevoir: the highways department needed the soil mix to construct new lanes throughout the area. His reservoir is so deep it has aroad down around the sides used by huge dirt gobblers to burrow deeper. The roadway is great as it gives access to the water as the level lowers.

Mind you no money in his pocket, and a friend chided him for not getting a construction company needing gravel to dig it and pay him. Trouble is to find such a buyer: his ftiend couldn't come up with a name either. Nonetheless he's chuffed with his resevoir.

Originally Posted by Kwang

Don't be a Prize Plum all your life Noodles, take a day off

Whats the matter, Kwang - Your 'birds' balls dropped, or something?

Too many variables nooods. A mate is coming around in 30 mins and he is doing the same thing on a bigger scale.@ 20 rai

You can make some money back depends on your negotations,not sure you would make half back, try finding the buyers yourself.

Anything can work with proper homework. Look around for buyers. A truck load of dirt down here is 500 - 600b.

Normally makos will dig for free but they get the dirt. You want the money you find the customer.

Originally Posted by AUSSIE EXPAT

A truck load of dirt down here is 500 - 600b.

Depending on truck size that's hefty

Wife just had 350 loads for 95000b

Originally Posted by helge

Originally Posted by AUSSIE EXPAT

A truck load of dirt down here is 500 - 600b.

Depending on truck size that's hefty

Wife just had 350 loads for 95000b

Sip law, 10 wheeler. I've been here 6 years and it has always been around that. Your wife may have got a special deal, that's a fair whack of dirt.

Originally Posted by AUSSIE EXPAT

Sip law, 10 wheeler

That explains it

"Our" trucks wouldn't hold much more than 4-5 cubic meters

You might have had the better deal

Originally Posted by AUSSIE EXPAT

I've been here 6 years and it has always been around that.

First time, around 6 years ago, we had a fill it was 120-150 a load; this time they started out with a 350 quote.

So, as opposed to me, you seem to be living in an inflation vacuum.

Can I come live with you ?

I'm a generous shouter !

Originally Posted by helge

So, as opposed to me, you seem to be living in an inflation vacuum.

you haven't met my wife then?