If you were building ...

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Duncan
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Re: If you were building ...

Post by Duncan »

phuketrichard wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2017 4:20 pm an awning and a house are worlds apart
note; u also must be on site every minute they are working to oversee, go away a day and.......
Agreed,,, , but it's not the first house I've built, it's not my first year in the KOW, and it's not the first mistake I've made.
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
willyhilly
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Re: If you were building ...

Post by willyhilly »

Khmer and barang builders make a pretty good living in Cambodia. Just as in the west the client gets screwed. Make sure there are proper drawings that you understand for the plumbing, electrical, engineering and architectural details. There should also be a scope of works.A schedule is important with penalties for work not completed on time.
This is a minor cost in the scheme of things but it is the most important facet of the job.
Builders all over the world take advantage of the clients ignorance. Cambodia is no different from anywhere in the west, the builder is a bastard.
I may start building over there and complete transparency is essential, it's not that difficult.
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Bitte_Kein_Lexus
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Re: If you were building ...

Post by Bitte_Kein_Lexus »

I've worked on three places here, hopefully soon to be four. Two were shophouses in the city and one house in the countryside. The essentials are the same, only that with the house you need to think of a few more things.

Anyways, like Duncan said I think it's always better to source your own materials. It'll be a bit of a headache trying to shop around for the best price and all that, but it always works out cheaper than having the contractor do the purchasing on his own. Letting them buy a few things is ok as it'll save you trouble and some hassle at times, but it's generally better to pay for labour only (unless you want a standard K-house, then they can often give you a decent "all-incuded" price since they can source all the cheapest tiles/fixtures/paint the villagers want for a set price).
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porkpieporn
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Re: If you were building ...

Post by porkpieporn »

My lady says the same. Hire the labor and supply the materials. I know her dad can help me a lot, as far as sourcing materials and labor both, and she can do a lot of gopher work too. I will project manage, and I am an experienced builder, however I do know its all different here, so it will be a real learning curve.

In the west, I hire the trades individually, the surveyor, excavator, foundation contractor, framer, roofer, bricklayer, siding contractor, landscaper. Inside then is insulator, drywall- board and tape, trim, flooring, cabinetry, railings and paint.

Mechanical is Hvac, Electrical and Plumber. Is it about the same?

I would like to hire one guy for the shell, ground up to roof. Might be better if he is also responsible for the exterior finish complete to paint.

But I think some of these builders have all their own people to do everything, and therefore maybe theres not as many individual sub trades, this I do not know.

I guess going a bit slower, piece by piece, if possible is best, as mentioned, you have more time to price shop and ascertain quality, and one element isn't plowed over by another in a rush.

I also like the idea that some of it could be left till later as funds permit if I choose.
willyhilly
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Re: If you were building ...

Post by willyhilly »

You want a complete breakdown as you would in the west. Khmer builders can do surprisingly well even from small jobs. All builders cut corners all over the world. You need to constantly supervise the bastards, especially in Cambodia. Your plumbing and electrical will still be shit even with supervison, but it will be less shit with constant vigilance.
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