Building your dream villa on Koh Samui
Samui villas have every modern convenience
Building a dream villa on Koh Samui is closer than many people think. Construction materials cost much less than in the West, highly skilled labour remains relatively cheap and competition between the burgeoning range of experienced contractors keeps bids low while guaranteeing a quality result for those that do their homework.
While many people looking to build Samui villas go for the easy option of a pre-existing gated community, buying or leasing land and constructing a home to your own specifications remains a popular option as well. The latter bestows greater freedom of choice that is a rare commodity in the contemporary real estate market.
And it is the luxury of having an attached garden that attracts many foreign buyers, who do not see their paradise island dream home as one with overlooking neighbours. This contrasts with Thai homebuilders who do not consider space such a valuable commodity, with many local developments utilising up to 90 per cent of the land area for living quarters.
Finding a reliable building contractor is no major challenge for those that take the time to investigate the choices carefully. Although several companies take out adverts in English language newspapers, some foreign investors find themselves facing a ‘farang tax’ and higher prices than their Thai counterparts – especially when dealing with unique one-off builds. Taking a Thai national with you to meet with potential builders can be beneficial, both for ease of understanding and getting a fair quote.
Nonetheless, it is always essential to check credentials thoroughly including forum postings, newspaper reports and company revenue figures. Find out what properties your prospective builders have completed both recently and long ago and take the time to visit them and speak to the owners.
Even Thai firms aimed at Western investors will usually use a simpler building process than at home, with more labourers and less sophisticated tools. Although this undoubtedly keeps costs down, problems can arise if the construction team do not possess the skills necessary to finish the job to the correct specifications. Higher prices do not always guarantee quality so be comprehensive in your research before signing over any of your hard-earned cash.
Samui villas boast luxury swimming pools
Word of mouth is another sure-fire way of finding a good builder on Koh Samui, but keep in mind that companies can change over time. Architects will definitely have recommend builders they want to work with, but, although they will only suggest someone who would make their design look good, there is often a kick-back and so the overall price may increase. More on Samui builders.
That said, it is often advantageous to work with builders and architects who know each other professionally and have a good previous working relationship. But always compare their quotes with other firms to provide some leverage if there is a competitor who is offering to seriously undercut the architect’s preferred choice of construction company. In general, Western buyers should aim for the higher end of the market for a greater guarantee of quality.
Building a villa on Samui can offer up a variety of potential hazards. Shortcuts may occur if you bargain too aggressively on a price and so regular inspections of the worksite are necessary. Furthermore, unscrupulous companies may use cheap, often illegal or underpaid, migrant labour – usually from Burma. Other than issues over quality of the finished product and possible legal problems, there are the obvious ethical implications to consider.
Delays to completion are another perennial nightmare for those building villas on Samui, as supply problems coupled with poor co-ordination with sub-contractors can cause problems. There is always the possibility that the building firm could take on a second more lucrative project and concentrate their best staff on this, leaving you the dregs of their workforce and unskilled casual labour.
Attention to detail can be another problem facing those building Samui villas, as often Thai culture concentrates more on the general aesthetic rather than the finer points of fixtures and fittings. It is important to be meticulous with your instructions and ensure each part of the building process is achieved to your liking. Typically, builders do not include the clean up process within their job remit so you will be left to tackle rubble removal and cleaning up paint speckles, or paying someone else separately to do it for you.
Thai houses have many bathrooms
If everything goes to plan, which is rarely the case, those building villas in Samui can make significant savings in property value compared with buying real estate ‘off the peg’. While construction costs are undoubtedly low, the headaches and potential for losses through mistakes can add too high a risk that many foreign investors will be reluctant to accept.
Without using professional Western design, many Samui villas end up in a Thai style – characterised by grand entrances, small dark rooms, outdoor kitchens and more bathrooms than bedrooms. It is essential to insist upon your own perspective if you want to be sure of building your dream Samui villa. Those that do will end up with a finished product often valued at over 300 per cent of the development cost.
Building a villa on Samui is certainly fun and rewarding if you go about it the correct way. There are lots of materials and fittings retailers offering a vast variety of local and imported tiles, built-in kitchens, flooring, lighting, bathrooms, outdoor equipment and so on.
Gardening and landscaping can be taken on by the many locally-run garden centres scattered along the main island ring road, with mature trees offered as well. All-in-all, there is everything on the island to ensure you can build your Samui villa as long as you take sufficient care and patience. More on Samui villas.
