Process | Thai Wide House Builder

The Process	Depending on your specific project there may be at least 60 stages in the process of getting your dream house built. Many of these will involve local knowledge and regulations. All benefit from experience, modern project management and construction techniques. The following is an outline guide for a typical project to give you some idea of what to expect.
Consultancy Agreement	While we can undertake every aspect of building your dream house there are a number of stages before actual construction starts. Once you have had preliminary discussions with us and are satisfied we should proceed with your project we will prepare an initial agreement covering what we will do for you leading up to the actual building Contract.
Financing	Obviously you need to ensure finance will be available when required before embarking on the project. Actual construction will normally be covered by a fixed price contract with agreed staged payment points. Before this you will need to have secured your building plot and there may be other costs, fees and deposits depending on the specific project. We can give advise at an early stage to avoid surprises later.
Building Plot	Often a client will independently acquire or already have a plot in which case a survey may be necessary to establish soil type, drainage, etc. and other factors that can effect the house type and construction. Or you may be looking for a plot in a particular location or to suite a chosen house type. Again we can advise and assist you finding a suitable plot if needed.
House Design	The more thorough and well thought out your design before starting then the more successful, economical and fast will be the result. We strongly recommend that you select a design from the many thousands offered by specialist house plan companies (seeHouse Styles). These provide Architect designed, tried and tested templates that can be customised to your specific requirements if needed. The advantages are that you get immediate pre-views, best use of space, full compliance with building regulations, detailed drawings and bills of materials, all for a single very reasonable fee. You simply choose from an online catalogue then we can deal with the architect to customise for your specific plot and any other special requirements, fittings, finishes, etc. Of course if you really want to design your own house from scratch then we can recommend a suitable architect or work with your own.
Planning & Permission	Depending on the location the Thai planning permission process is not usually as lengthy as that in most European countries. However there are still local requirements to satisfy and permits to obtain before work can start. We deal with all of this and ensure your house is ‘legal’ at all stages.
Tender	Once the plans are agreed the exact materials, quantities and labour can be determined and prices obtained from the best suppliers (see Links). This gives you the opportunity to match specific requirements to your budget and we work to secure the best prices for the highest quality.
Schedule	Having decided on suppliers and delivery times, etc. we can produce a detailed construction schedule. This can include site access, the effects of weather, size of workforce at different stages, special items (particularly imported fittings, etc) and rate of finance to determine the optimum timings and finish date.
Building Contract	With the pre-build stages completed to your satisfaction we can then offer a detailed contract for the actual construction of your home. This will usually include a fixed price quote to cover details of the work to be done, timings, costs, payment terms, progress reporting, conflict resolution procedures, etc. When signed and usually a construction deposit paid, we will proceed with the building according to the schedule.
Site Preparation & Footings	Typically the Local Authority Surveyor will attend the site and peg out the position of the house within the boundary. We then commence excavating for the foundations and basement if present. Depending on the site & house some special groundwork like pile driving may be necessary. We co-ordinate with water & power utilities and dig drainage & sewerage channels as required. Sand, gravel, rock fill or hardcore is added to level as needed then concrete slabs poured. Footings are poured into forms and any reinforcement incorporated. The foundations are then cleaned up and waterproofing then concrete finish skims added to floors and basement walls. At this stage a survey check is made and we will supply detailed pictures or you may wish to visit the site to confirm everything before construction proper commences.
Construction	This is where most of the steps occur though the actual details and order will depend on your specific design. We co-ordinate delivery of materials, workforce, day to day supervision and inspection. Typically the work proceeds through: Brick/block work, Framing, beams, roof trusses, floors, bath tubs/ showers, roofing, heating & plumbing, electrical, doors & windows, Lock-up. We offer regular reports including video/pictures via the internet and keep you fully informed as work progresses against the agreed schedule. Once the basic shell is complete the Exterior and Interior (and Landscaping) may be worked on at the same time.
Exterior Finishing	This includes Garage floor, doors, Brick and stone work, Cladding, Soffits & Gutters, Stucco. Driveway, Decking, Railings.
Interior Finishing	Alarm pre wiring, built in vacuum system easier and cheaper to rough-in now even if not required but good selling feature. Main wall and ceiling insulation, internal Dry wall, thorough cleaning. Bathroom and Kitchen. Carpentry, mouldings, flooring, painting, cabinets, tile work, plumbing, closet shelving, light fixtures, window blinds, floor coverings, final clean.
Landscaping	Perimeter wall, ground work, features (pool, etc.), planting.
Handover	After full inspections and de-snagging if necessary you can move in.
Follow up	We visit during first month and are always available for problems.