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Thailand Architect: The process of designing a house and working with a Thai architect. Bangkok Builder Offers Design and Build Service, or Only Build. The choices are yours to make.

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Bangkok Builder provides architectural drawings with our Thai licenced architects. We can help with only this, do design and build, or only build. The choices are all yours to make. We are very flexible and wish only to please the client. Below is some very useful information on the architectural process in Thailand. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of our Thai architects. They speak Thai and English.

Designing a house in Thailand can be a fun and highly enjoyable part of the construction of a home. Working with a professional architect is paramount. According to the laws and regulations of Thailand, for you to apply for permissions to build a home and then construct it, you must have a full, professional set of architectural construction drawings. They must have been completed by a licenced Thai architect and licenced Thai engineer. They must be signed off by both and their Thai licenses to practice, must be provided when you apply for permissions to build your home. If not, you will not get permissions to build it.

There are various stages in the architectural and design process. However the two main stages are the preliminary design stage (master plans, floor plans, elevations, perspectives. This is when design development takes place. And the other is the technical construction drawings; or detailed drawings stage. This is when the architect and engineers do all the technical detail based on the designs produced and confirmed by the client, during the preliminary stages. This stage includes, architectural, structural, engineering, mechanical, electrical, and sanitary/plumbing; and any other technical systems required for the construction drawings to be complete.

Rushing the architectural stage is never a good idea and do make sure you give yourself plenty of time to carry out the process. The house is built from the architectural drawings, so it is very important you take the required time to work with the architect on them. On average from experience of designing many homes, our architects normally take 4-6 months, depending on the size of project, the complexity, how quickly clients respond and how many changes are made during design development. But it is fairly normal for the architectural drawings of a home, in Thailand, to take many months and it is no different overseas.

The first step is for us to gather all the information regarding your project in Thailand. This we can do by meeting with you or by e-mail if you prefer. Some of our clients are very busy and work overseas. So we have helped many like this, dealing with it all via e-mail communication, Skype or telephone. E-mail is by far the best as it allows records to be kept which we can go back to and check as we progress. It also means both parties have information and can understand it more clearly. We work with you every step of the way.

Once we have all the details and information we will then send you the architectural job description and proposal fee. It takes about 5-7 days to complete. We have a questionnaire that we need to send you, so you can gather all the information we require. If you want us to send you that, please request it in the contact us form. This is free and without obligation. Contact us today for a free architectural job description and fee proposal.

Architectural Preliminary Design Stage

Once you have confirmed the architects job description and fee then a deposit is paid. Once the deposit is received, works begin. We can meet you at anytime and communicate easily by e-mail. Meetings are very helpful but are not essential. We leave this decision to you. If you are busy then we can communicate via e-mail, phone and Skype. We are most flexible and customer care is most important. We help you every step of the way.

The first stage is to create the design concepts, floor plans, elevations and perspectives. Bangkok Builder’s architects will work with you on these and take the time to make changes as requested. It is during this stage the design development takes place. You can amend them and there will be plenty of e-mails, numbers of drafts and communication. This preliminary design stage can take only 4 weeks or several months. Much depends on the choices, decisions, changes, size and complexity of the project.

Architectural Detailed Drawings Stage

Once you have confirmed the concepts, floor plans, elevations and perspectives are completed to your satisfaction; the architect will start the technical detailed construction drawings. This is the stage, when all the accurate details are put onto the plans: Details of windows, doors, materials, electrical installations, and plumbing, and security systems, mechanical, engineering and all structural drawings. The engineer calculates loads and structural information. The architect does all the technical detail required.

This can take normally 8-14 weeks; once again, depending on how big and complex the project is and how quickly confirmation is given. Some drawings will need to be sent to you for checking such as the electrical details. You can see how many sockets are in each room, how many light switches and where air conditioning units and fans are. You can add or reduce the number of units, make amendments and confirm any final details. It is not a stage to be changing the number of rooms, or shape of the home, as you have already confirmed that during the preliminary stages. Changing that at this stage would incur extra fees maybe, as it affects many other aspects and changes within the detailed drawings. Once all drawings are completed by the architect we will send you one copy to check and confirm you are happy. But normally clients do not, as they have already confirmed this during design development and are happy.

At the end of the architectural stages and all payments are made; you will have finished set copies of full architect’s drawings with all electrical, plumbing, mechanical and all details required within a professional set of architects plans. As per Thailand’s regulations, they will be signed by both licenced Thai architect and licenced Thai engineer. At the end of the project and once all payments are settled, if you require it, our architect can also provide an AutoCAD file. You will receive all you need from our architect to then apply for permissions to build and for us to provide a quotation to build, if the location is within our building area.

Below are three other important points in regards Land and also building a house in Thailand.

Boundary Survey
We always advise our customers to have a land boundary check survey done by the local government authority. It is not a full topographic survey, but a low cost way to have your land boundaries checked against your title deed. The officials will come out and check land posts and the boundary line against the title deed. This is a very good idea to have done, as it is inexpensive to do and gives you peace of mind. It can also help avoid any potential disputes with neighbors over construction on the boundary line. This can happen, so it is best to make sure you have your land boundary and markers checked. The last thing you need is to find out later, that the neighbor thinks you have built it on their land. So we strongly advise you have one carried out. Please discuss with your local authority for more details and information.

Soil Survey (Soil Tests)
When carrying out construction in Thailand, it is very important, as it is anywhere in the world, to know what is below the ground that you are going to build on; to know ground conditions and soil content. Soil content varies depending on location and also the specific piece of land. So when the engineer calculates all the structural detail and considers the foundations, he/she needs to know what is below the surface of the ground and the consistency of the soil.
It is from the soil survey, they calculate what type of pile and foundation your house or property requires. The civil engineer will advise the bearing capacity, which is is the ability of a soil to support a load from the foundation. They need to calculate, how far the piles need to go down, to safely and securely hold up the weight of your home. When they calculate the loads of the property they use all of this information. It is a vital part of the construction process.
The structure is a major part of the construction and you do not want any mistakes or miscalculations. The result of not doing it all correctly can be terrible, with unsafe structures, cracks, foundation issues, pile issues and subsidence. Our advice is always; make sure you have the soil survey completed. It must be done by the professional company.
It takes about 1-2 days on site for the team to go there with the machinery and take samples and do bore holes. Then maybe another 2-3 weeks in the laboratory for the tests result and report to be completed. You should have the soil survey done before the engineer requires them. Normally from our experience, the customer asks us to facilitate them, once they have land and are ready to go ahead with architectural drawings. So it’s one of the first things they do. Contact Bangkok Builder for a Soil Test Survey.

Buy Existing Drawings Off The Internet.

Our advice is never buying architectural drawings off the internet. The reason for this is they are often incomplete, they relate to other countries, measurement systems, climates and naturally are not created with your specific land in mind. A house being built in Europe or parts of the USA are not designed for Thailand’s climate, weather conditions or have any idea of soil conditions, land conditions and so forth. Also how will you apply for permissions when they have not been created by a licenced Thai architect or engineer ? It can lead to problems and your home never being built. So it is not something from our many years of experience we ever suggest you should do.

The only way to do it correctly is to employ a professional Thai architect to design your house. Our architects have successfully helped many people over the years carry our architectural design and are very happy to help you too. Please click contact us and they can start to assist you.

Ground Slab Work – Concrete Pour For Customers House Construction in Prachinburi

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Here is the latest update for our customers house construction in Prachinburi, Thailand. We are happy to say the ground slab concrete pour is happening today. The customer is very happy, as we are now 3 weeks ahead of schedule. Bangkok Builder always tries to keep to the schedule provided, or if we can, be ahead of the schedule. Much depends on when one starts a construction project with regards to the seasons, which effect works. If there is very heavy rain, then this naturally slows progress. So it is a good diea to start a construction project at the right times. Currently the weather is dry and fine, as we started the house build in the dry season. Thank you for showing interest in Bangkok Builder’s updates and the construction project. We have a page which provides further information on building your house in Thailand with us.

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House Construction in Thailand – Bangkok Builder

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Bangkok Construction Contractor: Bangkok Builder Can Help
Building a house in Thailand can be an enjoyable proposition and you can result in you having a wonderful home. But careful consideration must be given to how long it takes, the correct steps and working with a professional construction contractor.

The two main parts are the architectural design stage and then the construction stage. Bangkok builders can provide both or part of this. If you have architectural drawings completed by a licenced Thai architect and Thai engineer, we can provide you a quotation to build your house. If you do not have architectural drawings, we can also offer this service too. We have our own English speaking Thai architects who have assisted many people like you, design their home.
To design and build a house in Thailand, you are looking realistically at a minimum of 12-18 months, maybe more. This is determined by various factors, including the size and complexity of the house and how quickly the design comes together. An average size house in Thailand will take up to 12 months to build. Smaller houses maybe are able to be constructed in 10 months. All of this can be discussed and confirmed when you contact us at www.bangkokbuilder.com

Bangkok Builder Latest News: Ground Beam Completed, Termite Spraying and System Installed at Customers New House in Prachinburi

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Some of the latest update photographs of our new house construction project in Prachinburi. The Ground beam is completed. We have now sprayed for termites and installed the termite system to enable the client to have the termite service every few months. The main pipes for water and drainage has also started. Thank you to all the Bangkok build team for their hard work on building the house.

Bangkok Builders Construction of a Luxury Home at Lakewood Golf Club, Bangkok

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Bangkok Builder was pleased to have completed the construction of a luxury, Thai house, for a client at Lakewood Golf Club, Bangkok. We worked closely with our architect and the client to design the property. Once it was all completed, as the chosen house builder, we then started the construction of the house. The home used some natural stone, sand stone and German standard wooden flooring. It had a main swimming pool and child’s pool, separated by a bridge, which went over to the Sala. There was also an individual heated Jacuzzi.  Our smart home systems expert installed automated lighting systems, automatic remote control gates and various smart home systems for the client.

The house was built with 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, living room/dining room, modern luxury kitchen, office/library, storage room, laundry room, maids accommodation, Thai kitchen and carport for 3 cars.  The master bedroom suite had a glass shower cubicle, with three types of showers, with a wall in a natural stone finish. There was also an external outside rain shower. Our carpenters installed and built walk in wardrobes and dressing room.

Another main feature in the master bedroom, was a custom made, in ground heated spa bath, with exact temperature control and automated refill. It was in fact the first time a spa bath of this size, which filled in an incredibly fast amount of time, had ever been done in Thailand.  It was custom made for the client and the actual system too was specially created for the project. Special thanks to Pooltech who assisted with all technical details. Over head fans and air conditioning was used to keep the home cool, with plenty of good insulation in the roof.

The construction of this house in Bangkok, is an example of what we can do at Bangkok Builders, as a professional construction contractor. We love to build houses for clients, we love to design them and it is our primary goal to always finish with a happy customer. Building a house in Thailand, can be difficult if you do not know a professional construction contractor, so Bangkok Builder is here to assist you every step of the way. We have our own English speaking, experienced Thai architect, if you require architectural drawings and also offer the house building service too. If you already have architectural construction drawings, then we can provide a quotation for the construction of the house only. If you are looking to build a house in Bangkok, please do contact us.  We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Factory Construction in Rayong, Thailand

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Our construction team build houses in Thailand, but we also do commercial construction projects too. Here are the latest photographs of the construction of an 8,000 sq.m factory, with office, retaining wall, fence, roads, parking and warehousing for Parawood (Rubber tree wood), in Rayong, Thailand. Total project size 20,000 sq.m. The construction of the factory is on time and will be completed in 3 months. Bangkok Builder can carry out factory construction and the construction of condominiums too. If you have to build a factory, or require a construction contractor to assist with the construction of a building, please do not hesitate to contact us.

House Construction (Piles, Footings, 3 Phase Electric & Inspections) For Our Customers New Home in Prachinburi

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Bangkok Builder is very happy to say, we are two weeks ahead of schedule on the construction of a new, two story, 640 sq.m house in Prachinburi. Piles, footings, pile cut off, steel re-bar and ground beam ready for concrete pouring. All completed. Installation by PEA for 3 phase electricity completed. We only use quality materials with concrete and steel certification. We also do inspections of each stage of works and quality checks of materials. Inspections of center, dimension and height of footings, steel rebar and concrete test. We have our professional construction consultant of over 25 years of experience, inspect regularly on every project. We build homes in Bangkok, but also in neighboring provinces too. Please do not hesitate to contact Bangkok Builder anytime for help with the construction of your home in Prachinburi, Bangkok or neighboring provinces of Bangkok.

House Build Survey Completed For New Customers House Build, by Bangkok Builder

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Boundary checks completed. Workers camp completed with private washing and toilet facilities. Land site survey and the arrival of the piles. The construction work begins ! As a house builder and construction contractor, we are always excited by a new construction project. It is really gratifying to build a house for a client. When the piling starts it is all steam ahead. The depth of how far a pile goes down into the ground, is calculated by the engineer, based on the engineering drawings/calculations and also the information he receives from the soil survey report. A soil survey is an important survey to have done, on any construction project. The soil survey team will go to the land and bore down, taking samples at various depths. The samples they collect and are sent to the laboratory for testing and checks. From this information a professional written, soil survey report is provided which gives vital information to the structural engineer to know how far the piles need to go down into the earth, to support the house structure. This is vital so your home is not only safe, but will not suffer from subsidence or any form of structural issues. Bangkok Builder has helped many people wishing to build a house with soil test surveys. If you would like us to assist you with this, please ask us. It should be done, preferably early on in the architectural phase, so the engineer has the information to finalise his structural drawings. Please contact Bangkok Builder for a soil test survey.

This home our client also asked our English speaking Thai architect to do all the architectural drawings. Once completed after some months working closely with the client, they then applied for permissions to build and we provided the price to build. An agreed start date given and then contracts were signed.

Thailand Construction Costs: How much does it cost to build a house ?

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We often get asked how much does it cost to build a house in Thailand, or what are the construction costs in Thailand ? So we will try to offer some insight into what to expect and how to do it correctly.

A professional construction person if genuine, would not give you simply a figure without informing you, that construction costs vary according to the individual project, who is building it, the location and what they provide within their quotation. It is impossible to know accurate construction costs until you have finished architectural drawings, have knowledge of the specifications, size, site conditions, location and what materials are being used. Each house is different, as the architects drawings are different, the materials are different, location and site conditions could be different. Costs are calculated once all architects drawings are completed. A cost quotation can take 2-4 weeks depending on the size of house.

To know costs, the builder has to know from the architects drawings facts such as: what type of materials, product and manufacturer of each material and every aspect of the construction. This includes, windows, roof tiles, doors, electrical systems, sockets, light switches, insulation, wall material, pumps, bathroom finishes, tiles, floor coverings, light fittings, wood, steel, concrete, cement and all the other materials used within the construction. What size, what quantity, what product etc ? They need to know the details and information, then calculate quantities and amounts required to complete the construction. It is the only accurate way to know the construction cost. So to answer how much a house costs to build in Thailand, is a very difficult question to answer, as you can see, it varies according to each project.

What Bangkok Builder does, if our architect is designing the home, is to provide an approximate projected, construction cost, when our architect provides the architectural job description and fee proposal for architecture. It cannot be 100% accurate, as it will change during the design development stage and also we have no knowledge of the materials or specifications yet. But we try to give you an approximate projected guide. It is no guarantee of cost at all and is helpful information based on the architects experience in construction costs. But it gives you some idea for a starting point.

To do construction correctly and follow the correct process, you must work with the architect and have your architectural drawings completed first, before knowing accurate costs to build the house. You can discuss budgets with them and they can try their best to design a home within your budgets. But do remember that any changes or requests you make, during the architectural stage, alter that projected cost. So it is always a good idea if you are on a restrictive budget, to let the architect know in advance.

Approximate Information of House Construction Costs in Thailand: Remember construction costs can increase over time and because of market forces. But as of this date in 2018, we have seen the construction cost for houses in Bangkok to be any where from 25,000 baht per sq.m to 40,000 baht per sq.m, depending on everything we have mentioned in this article. It can be more if the house is high spec and a high end luxury house. But for a good, standard home in Bangkok and Thailand’s mainland provinces, maybe 25,000 to 35,000 baht per sq.m. Can it be less, yes of course. We have seen costs be as low as 20,000 Baht per sq.m for low end, small homes with lower specifications and material standards. Then again we have seen them be a lot higher if you are building on the islands of Koh Samui, or Phuket. As all materials have to be transported to the location. It is not usual to see construction costs of a luxury home on Koh Samui being 50,000 Baht per sq.m or more, for a full fit out. But as we say, it is important to understand that no one can know without a professional cost being done once all architectural drawings are completed.

This is not a cost quotation from us, as we do not have the required information yet, but it is merely a guide to be helpful to give you an approximate idea. But the only true way to know, is have your architectural drawings completed, all specifications and materials known. Then a professional cost quotation done by the construction contractor. It is too misleading to try and guess it without all of that accurate information.

If you would like Bangkok Builder to help you with construction costs, then please contact us. We do our best to help you restrict the costs as much as we can. But remember the only true way to know the cost of your house to build, is to have finished architects drawings. So it is best to start there and talk with our architect so we know what your expectations are and your approximate budget. Our advice is always follow the correct procedure, talk to our architect, talk to us and we can help you understand it more clearly. Do it correctly and you can have your house built to what you can afford, to a good standard. We are always happy to help and offer our best suggestions.

The Importance of an Anti Termite System Under Your House in Thailand

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Termites are a tiny insect that used to be called in English,  ‘wood ants’ or ‘white ants’. Do not underestimate them. They can be a severe problem in many parts of the world and Thailand is no exception. They can cause terrible damage to your house and cause you costly repairs.

They are capable of causing serious problems to the strength and safety of an infested structure. Damage by termites can in some circumstances, render structures uninhabitable without costly repairs being carried out. They also cause terrible damage and destroy all sorts of wooden made furniture and installations.

Houses constructed mainly of wood are not the only structures threatened by termite activity. Homes constructed from other types of materials can also host termite infestations, because they are capable of getting over plaster, metal sides and more. Termites will feed on wardrobes, cabinets, floors, tables, chairs, ceilings, doors, windows, kitchen units,  and wooden furniture within  your home. You can be shocked at how quickly they can destroy things.

So it is very important to have a ‘under house’ termite system installed, at the very early stages of construction. The system is fairly simple and a series of pipes that run under your home. The piping system in conjunction with the chemicals put through them, will provide a termite barrier around the foundations of the house. They are not 100% guaranteed full proof, as there are a variety of types of termites, but anyone building a house in Thailand, should have one. They are one of the best forms of protection against termites. There are plenty of pest control companies in Thailand who can provide the service. Using careful control of the chemical application, the pipe system helps to protect against invasion by termites. The pest control company will then advise how often they need to come and release the chemicals. Often it can be only every 3 to 6 months, but do seek the advice of the company.They may also advise spraying around the home too, but do seek the professional advice of the pest control company.

Bangkok Builder always recommends it and if our architect is doing the architectural drawings, advise you to have one. If you are working with an architect of your own, we recommend you instruct them to have one in the drawings. Don’t be a victim of termites.