House addition

DD or anybody ...

I'm considering an addition or whatever you would call it to my house up in Taphan Hin (Phichit).

Basically I want to add another bedroom, a large kitchen, another living room and head facilities (shower and a shitter) ... The kitchen I want to be top notch and the rest to be about basic bungalow quality.

Probably a structure about 50 feet long and 40 feet wide.

1. Can it be done to make it look like it's part of the house ?

2. Or should I set it off a few feet and make a short walk way to connect it ?

I want to keep it under a half million baht I think.

SK

SK thats about 180 sq M, I'd say the chance of doing that for less than 500,000 are virtualy nil, even without the kitchen fittings

Yep, that's a pretty decent sized house, so although you might just get a shell and some basic fittings for that amount I doubt you'll get anything "top notch"

Get the navy to ship you over a used double wide trailor. You'd be king of the hill!!.

I'd dig a good sized pond and put a houseboat in there with mini whirlie onshore to shuttle you and the girls over, or maybe one of those greepeace inflatables if you're on a budget.

Something I've always wanted to ask a guy with your occupation, sir. When you go out on the town drinking and buying rounds for the gals, do you ever stop to think, hey, I'm spending money like a drunken sailor!?

;)

Answers:
1. -yes
2. -up to you

You'll get a nice traditional bamboo-structure with dirt floors and corrugated roof within your budget.

50'x40'? That's 2000 square feet. I can't imagine a bunk, head, and galley taking up that much space.

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Originally Posted by stroller

Answers:
1. -yes
2. -up to you

You'll get a nice traditional bamboo-structure with dirt floors and corrugated roof within your budget.

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Why you gots to be a smart ass all the time my man ? Have I pissed in your wheaties in the last week or so ?

damn, some people have long memories...

anyway, they are right, it will probably cost you double that, once you have bought your top notch fittings

I agree with you, the kitchen, and bathroom, should be really nice, it makes a big difference to the look of the whole house for some reason

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Originally Posted by Storekeeper

DD or anybody ...probably a structure about 50 feet long and 40 feet wide.

I want to keep it under a half million baht...

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You need to double your budget and then some.

Visit a Home Pro outlet and you can begin to get an idea of what 'finishings' cost...

I was thinking the same as the previous 2 posts, double your budget, prices have risen 'somewhat" over the past couple of years, I would guess at around 20%, kitchen "hardware" if you wont the best is dammed expensive.
I added a kitched to existing house - medium quality - including everything it was around 400k, its 10' x 22'.
Cheers

I cant remember the last time I saw a nice kitchen for less than a million baht, then again a nice fridge freezer is over 100k baht :(

Why so expensive?

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Originally Posted by Airportwo

I was thinking the same as the previous 2 posts, double your budget, prices have risen 'somewhat" over the past couple of years, I would guess at around 20%, kitchen "hardware" if you wont the best is dammed expensive.
I added a kitched to existing house - medium quality - including everything it was around 400k, its 10' x 22'.
Cheers

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If I do it then this is probably what I'll do. Hell, I only spent a million buidling the damn house and I thought it pturned out pretty nice ... even though far from Western standards.

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Originally Posted by surasak

Why so expensive?

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If you want imported goods then the price goes thru the roof.
How much for a kitchen tap ?
Our kitchen tap cost 30k baht but you could pay 40 baht for a tap in the market. It's up to you.

Are you sure? 30,000 baht for a sink faucet? Damn, that's like $700.

If that's the case it sounds like I need to 'pack' a few things in my luggage when making the trip across the ocean. I can get great ones here for about 2000-4000 baht.

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Originally Posted by surasak

I can get great ones here for about 2000-4000 baht.

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You can get great ones here for that price too.

So is he wrong, or, just wanted a gold one? :)

You can buy imported hardware for a steep price, or the Thai equivalent at a really good price. I bought a pan style shower head a couple of weeks ago for 3,900 Baht. Very good quality.

I have also had friends over here and they bought loads of hardware and ceramic tiles and shipped them back to the UK. Even with the extortionate UK customs handling fees they still saved a small fortune over buying it from suppliers in the UK.

If it was me doing the extension to your house, I would get local builders in to do the construction and then do/supervise the finishing myself.

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Originally Posted by surasak

If that's the case it sounds like I need to 'pack' a few things in my luggage when making the trip across the ocean.

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Welcome to the real world! Anything that you are used to from Western civilization costs, at a minimum of 1 1/2 to 2 times in Thailand, to what you're paying in the States. I've price compared for over fifteen years.

If you want to make it work in Thai society, it is better to think in terms of what is normally available to Thais. If you want to live with Western values, it's better to stay in the West. Of course you may be lucky enough to win the Lottery!:1st:

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Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

If it was me doing the extension to your house, I would get local builders in to do the construction and then do/supervise the finishing myself.

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I think the wife is gonna go with the same dude and his posse who built the house. Family connect deals I suppose ...

I think I can get what I want for a half million but will have to probably scale back on the extravagance of the kitchen.

Wish I could do the supervising myself ... but I want/need to get this done before I actually arrive in country and will have to trust the old lady just like I did when I let her build the house unsupervised.

To tell you the truth this way it's less stressful for me and then I can get away with bitchin' about anything she messes up. :D

At least draw some plans up SK, dont let her and them just wing it. And sadly you aint gonna do it on that budget, everything is just a hell of alot more expensive than even 6 or 8 years ago.

Just to cover your ass a 4 or 5 day trip over here, to get the ball rolling might be a good idea. I know many cost cutting ideas. My first home was a 100 square meter bungalow we bought at auction. Now this was 17 years ago. We put 700,000 into it. We added an office, a a nice big kitchen, and a nice bathroom. Put down all new tiling, and converted two room to one big living and dining room. The wife was the foreman and it took about 5 months.
We bought most everthing as A grade but seconds when it came to tiling and granite. Hours we spent looking for flawless pieces of both.

I have sent you a pm and will help you on this as well.

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Originally Posted by surasak

So is he wrong, or, just wanted a gold one?

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I just googled up some US faucets, cannot find the one we have but similar things can cost 580 USD, so add on shipping and some tax and you have 700 bucks.

It works OK but a stupid waste of money in my opinion.
What I am trying to say is that we are all talking with a different standard in mind and prices can vary a thousand fold.

Well, that's what was getting at. I have read posts here about expensive kitchens but without a breakdown of the cost so it leaves me wondering what drives up the cost.

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Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Wish I could do the supervising myself ... but I want/need to get this done before I actually arrive in country and will have to trust the old lady just like I did when I let her build the house unsupervised.

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I was off the same opinion, half way through I had to get involved, the average Thai has little 'common sense" where building is concerned, and the builder will do what is easiest!
As an example, the entrance door was totally in the wrong place and the smallest size available.
Draw up the most detailed plans you can. (Make provision to keep gas bottle outside!)
Good luck

I guess I'm going to have to figure out a way to get some pictures scanned and posted. The old lady really did do a good job with our house. She only made two mistakes ... she used white tile throughout the house and she made a laughable kitchen. Everthing else turned out much beter than I expected. I'd have to do some major work though if I ever wanted it to be air conditioned. The windows would have to be replaced and insulation installed.

Kinda surprised by some of the estimates. Hell fellas, CMN said he only spent 30,000 on his and it looked pretty good to go to me.

Hey AO ... I've sketched an idea for her that I'm looking for. I'm not going to let her do the landscaping, make my gazebo do my carport or put up the fence though ...

SK see the kitchen thread

my one was fairly cheap as I sourced all the stuff myself.

I brought the ceramic hob from London (bought on ebay cheap, about B10,000) and the tap (Italian, about B4000)

the granite floor and worktop were local, fitted by their craftsmen, very good and cheap - the floor was about B1000/sqm laid, the worktop more as it was black

the cabinets I built myself using teak doors I had made up

I have yet to make the cupboards over the worktop, but I have the doors; they were about B1000 each

^^Yes, but as DD said if you want a nice fridge it could cost 50-100k baht, a decent cooker the same etc....

Now if you just want an OK, kitchen then you should be OK. What people are trying to say that in Thailand there is a massive difference in price between OK and nice!:)

Here you go SK, kitchens from 800,000baht, and that is just the kitchen, no walls or roofs or anything like that, notice the 110,000baht fridge? also the cold room which cost about the same, so when you say nice how nice do you mean :)

https://teakdoor.com/construction-in-...-thailand.html

OK ... got it. I understand what ya'll are saying. That link DD is more than I want, that stuff looks really good. I'm thinking more in the range of kitchens in CMNs thread. Thanks ... it's a done deal, the ole lady is going back to Thailand in mid November.

Hmm, that looks about like what I had in mind (minus the oven, dishwasher, etc. which are things I don't use now anyways). Looks like I'm going to have to be resourceful in finding materials whether I ship them from the states or find them elsewhere. I will find a way to have something like that.

Truck loads of dirt. I'm paying 25,000 baht for about 50 truck loads starting this weekend. Much more than I need but the eventual plan is to put a second house on the property.

The ole lady is headed back in mid November for sure now. I'll be stuck with my step-daughter here for about 3 months looks like.

Based on you guys inputs I've bumped my plan to a 750,000 from 500,000. That mostly reflects the inputs you gave me for appliances. Plus I'm shrinking the size of the addition a bit.

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Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Truck loads of dirt. I'm paying 25,000 baht for about 50 truck loads starting this weekend...

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Make certain that it is good dirt as opposed to crappy, rock-hard dirt.

SK how far do they have to cart the dirt as it seems double the normal price for a 4m3 truck or are they larger trucks

Well Rigger, 50 truckloads will cover about 70 yards by 25 yards. I'm assuming they're the larger trucks and not pick ups.

I know you guys are laughing at me ... but I just give the ole lady an idea and then let her run with it.

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Originally Posted by Storekeeper

I know you guys are laughing at me ... but I just give the ole lady an idea and then let her run with it

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No ones laughing at you mate hope all goes well for you. I did the same with my missus just gave her the money and let here work it out and overall she did a great job.

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Originally Posted by Rigger

No ones laughing at you mate hope all goes well for you. I did the same with my missus just gave her the money and let here work it out and overall she did a great job.

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Thanks man. Glad to hear I'm not the only who rolls the dice on this sort of thing.

Seems like all I read in these forums is how some fool got taken advantage of or how dumb Thais are in regards to this sort of stuff. Very few positive stories about how trusting a Thai has worked out pretty good.

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Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Seems like all I read in these forums is how some fool got taken advantage of or how dumb Thais are in regards to this sort of stuff. Very few positive stories about how trusting a Thai has worked out pretty good.

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I'm really glad I did'nt discover these forums until after I'd came to live here and started the farm, they would of put me right off......only bad news sells, no one is interested in all the sucsesses

^ I tried but the thingy said I green you WAY too much :D

^ the thought was there :)