Thread: Thai vs falang builders

I’ve had this discussion a few times recently, and thought it worth raising here. In my search for a house builder a year or so ago I had a lot of expats bemoaning the sub-standard work of Thais and saying I really needed to pay the premium that falang builders charge to get quality. However, despite these warnings of dire outcomes, I found a young Thai builder and liked the quality of his previous work and his attitude toward building standards. To cut to the chase - in my area (Doi Saket, near Chiang Mai) there are a number of houses being built, and 3 that I know of well. Mine (Thai builder) and two others (falang builders). We moved into our Thai built house a month ago - it took 6 months from start to finish. We have only the most minor of gripes, and got a very good job at a good price - with quality inclusions and great attention to detail. Meanwhile falang house no. 1 that started in the same week as us, and is of a similar size and construction, still hasn’t got a roof on after 6 months, has had numerous delays, cost blow-outs and many other problems. Watching the procession of workers there, I must say I prefer my builder, who has mostly permanent staff rather than a host of subbies and day labourers. Falang house no.2 is even worse. The builder seems to have been totally incompetent. An engineer who inspected it recently recommended tearing it all down, as the work was so sub-standard as to be dangerous. The owner now has a court action in process to recover money paid to the builder, and has taken over supervising the repair & renovation of the building using local workers he has found. So, disregard the myths about inferior Thai builders. There are of course bad Thai builders, as there are of course good falang builders - and all builders are limited by the technology, training levels and materials available here. Due diligence is the name of the game, and don’t fall for the myths.

I agree there are some very good Thai builders around now, if you pay them a fair price and state what materials you want them to use in most cases you will get a good job, more so if you are on site regularly and have some inkling of what you are looking at.
Not that long back the "poorer" Thai's (majority") were living in little more than lean to huts, when they built there first "house" it was a massive improvement, fact was they had to build it as cheaply as possible, with the cheapest of materials as that was all they could afford and having four walls, windows and a roof improved there standard of living no end.
Now they expect higher standards, have more money and there are a lot more & better quality materials on the market, sounds like you found someone who put a good package together - well done!

Did two large renovations to our house. Both with Thai builders, both at reasonable costs, both took approximately three weeks to complete. First one added a room, did a good job at a fair price. Good quality work. Small/minor issues that were identified and cleared up quickly. Second did landscaping, concrete, exterior tiling, large patio, awnings and painting. Excellent quality work. Will use him and his crew again. Used another "third" crew of Thais to do interior kitchen tiling - a three/four day job. By comparison "Inferior", will not use them again.

Point of this is it's the individual(s), not the nationalities or the building standards. Good, bad and medium exist everywhere. Word of mouth recommendations can hopefully steer you in the right direction. Customer service and quality vary regardless of the country and/or the local building standards.

Here in Laos ive had numourous jobs done on the house over the years using Lao workers, farangs and the local vietnamese. Always impressed with the viets. The Lao not so much, they tend to fuck around for weeks on what should be a 3 or 4 day job not sure why that is. The farangs ive had do stuff for me were usually just winging it using a poorly assembled crew of there wifes relatives and charge only slightly less than western rates so basicly im just supporting there lifestyle. They can go and get fucked. Having said that i contracted a farang to built a pool and he was pretty much un necessary apart from ordering the pumps etc. The 2 lao boys that actually bulitt the thing were spot on. Precise and done a great job. But fucknit took forever. Buddha days etc.

I agree .......Farang cant build and Thais are great........

Totally agree It's got nothing to do with Thai or Farang and everything to do with Management and Communication

Leaving your Thai girlfriend in charge or asking her to explain what height you want the rise in your ceiling to be is anon no.....you will commit suicide trust me :0)

Either myself or my Thai manager are on site at least once a day sometimes all day.

Buiding Thai style is so easy a kid of 10 could work it out. I know not what the poster built so cant comment on what he calls a good builder

Show me any house they are building in Bangkok and I'll build it exactly the same house in Issan for much less taking the difference in land cost. Prices have gone nuts in BKK

I must admit Bonzai found a good un in TS Home they charge about the same as a well known farang Builder based in Issan but their internal finish is far superior...

That said both companies are charging 22,5 to 25k persqm when they can get it and that even today is very high