Focus Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I would like to build a house about 30 kms outside of Vientiane. Can anyone recommend a good builder, local or falang? Thanks, Focus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaos Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) I have searched in vain for a quality house builder in Laos for years. I had a house built by a local gang a few years back and to be honest it was a massive headache (and I have 15 yrs experience as a UK builder) I will go with a Thai contractor next time and do things very differently. I hope you are fluent in the language, have the patience of a saint, have a Mrs who will not take any s**t, have at least a basic knowledge of house construction and have a healthy bank balance. I have been told that this contractor knows his stuff but is not cheap. Good luck (you will need it) http://www.nongkhaidesign.com/ Edited January 11, 2012 by lovelaos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focus Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks, Lovelaos, But how do you have a Thai house construction gang build a house in Laos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaos Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Contact them for a quote, like I said they seem quite expensive compared to your local village 'builder' and his motley crew but believe me it will probably be much easier and cheaper in the long run to employ the services of a contractor (I think this one is a Farang) who knows what he is doing rather than Bob the local builder. They have worked in Vientiane several times and they may ask to pitch up camp on your land whilst construction is in progress, to me this is a bonus as materials do seem to go walkies if someone (preferably you) is not there 24 hours. Sorry about the doom and gloom but these are just my experiences of house builders in Laos. Do you require a 'western standard' build or will you be going for a 'Lao style' build? Let me know if you find a good local builder as I will soon be getting quotations for a new build also. What village are you at? I will be interested in your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focus Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 Thanks. The village is really a dusty, shabby hamlet sort of thing about a k off the road to ThaNgon, about 10 k before the bridge. I'm looking to build Lao style but with western quality, hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaos Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 My place is at Thangon also. If you decide to build with a Lao gang make sure you get a good electrician. I know an English bloke who will do it for you for a very cheap price. Pm me for his number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focus Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 Thanks, Lovelaos, How do I PM? Although the brother in law is a an electrician, with EdL, but a bit iffy, so I might need the English bloke. Where in Thangon are you? You like it? That's an up and coming place, ain't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaos Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Click on my avatar then click on 'send message'. Just make sure your place is earthed properly. Most local electricians do not understand this 'Farang way' of earthing your electricity. I have seen a change in Thangon over the years but thankfully my place on the river hasn't been developed.....yet! I love it out here, far away enough from Vientiane but not too far to pop into town if you need to and quite close to the friendship bridge. Once you get used to the village way of life and being the 'village farang' nobody bothers you. It's not for everyone though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focus Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Wow! You've got a place on the river? Nice! My place isn't on the river but the surroundings are not bad; it's not my dream location but the land came to us. I understand that area, between the roundabout (route 13 south and road 10) for about another ten kms towards Thangon, is slated to be built up and developed as a new government district, many ministries building new headquarters etc... and that a new internatinoal airport will be built on route 13 near the stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callao Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I am going to be building a house in Nongneo village (past the airport about 3 kms) and would like to get the electricians info also, any issues with working (supervising) the work myself as I have 30 yrs in the building trade but limited electrical and really worry about that part of it thanx callao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focus Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Callao, Ok, good luck with the electricals; Lovelaos seems to have some good connections with electriciamens, so maybe you can get in touch him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callao Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 thanx Focus, best of luck on the house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopdafru Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Just found this post and am finishing a house not too far from DongDok (Baan Nasiao / Nongbeuk) - I'll happily send you guys the prices I've paid with the local Lao crew (plus materials). I insisted on paying per square meter (Ko + Bok (walls), Lanka (roofing) Tekhan etc...),,, none exceed $5 per meter or square meter, glad I did as their showing up was erradic! Those are local prices so they were fed daily and a few bottles of free beer were shared on most days. Going local as I did gets me a house for around $110-120 per sq/m, interior finishing extra - I went and bought all the materials myself (cement, wood, tiles, bricks etc.) - you definitely need to do some shopipng around and be on the premises most of the time supervising. An aquaintance in Ban Bo oo went with a Vietnamese crew who did a great job, but it costed more: $200-300 per sq/m [...] and that a new internatinoal airport will be built on route 13 near the stadium. Last I heard the new airport will replace the protected zone / forest on your right side when driving to Tanghon from vientiane (2-3km after the Sikhai roundabout) - I heard it from a friend who is good with this kind of info but worth double checking! Good luck and you're welcome to take a look at what my guys did, send me a pm. Take care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopdafru Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Do have a conversation with the NaiBaan BEFORE you begin construction, preferably around a snack and their drink of choice, that will get them to know you better and make sure it's ok with them. FYI, typical 'tax' for living in a village is 5.000 kip for Lao and 10.000 for falang (monthly) Don't mean to get off topic here but do make sure things are as clear as possible before you start ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaos Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Do have a conversation with the NaiBaan BEFORE you begin construction, preferably around a snack and their drink of choice, that will get them to know you better and make sure it's ok with them. FYI, typical 'tax' for living in a village is 5.000 kip for Lao and 10.000 for falang (monthly) Don't mean to get off topic here but do make sure things are as clear as possible before you start ;-) We pay 10,000 a month for me (farang) and the Mrs (Lao). No double pricing from my Naiban and I have lived in the village 5 years. You should also get the price in writing which is then stamped by the Naiban (100,000 kip) of course a bottle of JW doesn't do any harm every few months. Our Naiban is like a friend and I have needed to use him on a few occasions to get people to do things properly. I'm always amazed how quickly things get done when he gets himself involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callao Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I for one got approval from the naibann and paid a fee to both the naibann and the district office 350000 kip to both, built a building pad with import fill 18 mtr by 27 mtr 1 meter up 9 million kip for trucked in dirt tractor to spread and compact and smoothed off, I thought it was a good deal and a good job, hope to start after the rainy season, got a quote for a water well for 5 million kip complete with pump tank everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cereal Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'm callao's friend and built a house in a village not far from the airport about 4 years ago. I used a Lao electrician who did a great job, exactly what I wanted and was very reasonable. I can get his number from my wife (Lao). He didn't ground (earth) the house but I didn't tell him too, so I will take the blame. Everything else was super: fans plus extractor fans in every room, air conditioners, dozens of plugs and switches and dimmers for all the pot lights. I way over did the plug thing, the Lao just don't get it! I have plugs I've never used. There is a main house circuit breaker plus a circuit breaker in every room as well as motion sensor lights outside and lights on top of the wall by the main gate. Very reasonable prices. I really can't remember but I do recall thinking, "Is that all!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Build the house Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 (edited) On 1/11/2012 at 3:13 PM, lovelaos said: I have searched in vain for a quality house builder in Laos for years. I had a house built by a local gang a few years back and to be honest it was a massive headache (and I have 15 yrs experience as a UK builder) I will go with a Thai contractor next time and do things very differently. I hope you are fluent in the language, have the patience of a saint, have a Mrs who will not take any s**t, have at least a basic knowledge of house construction and have a healthy bank balance. I have been told that this contractor knows his stuff but is not cheap. Good luck (you will need it) http://www.nongkhaidesign.com/ Edited March 15, 2019 by Build the house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Build the house Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 On 1/12/2012 at 9:42 AM, lovelaos said: Contact them for a quote, like I said they seem quite expensive compared to your local village 'builder' and his motley crew but believe me it will probably be much easier and cheaper in the long run to employ the services of a contractor (I think this one is a Farang) who knows what he is doing rather than Bob the local builder. They have worked in Vientiane several times and they may ask to pitch up camp on your land whilst construction is in progress, to me this is a bonus as materials do seem to go walkies if someone (preferably you) is not there 24 hours. Sorry about the doom and gloom but these are just my experiences of house builders in Laos. Do you require a 'western standard' build or will you be going for a 'Lao style' build? Let me know if you find a good local builder as I will soon be getting quotations for a new build also. What village are you at? I will be interested in your progress. I want to know the cost of material to build a house in Laos (near Vientiane) such as sand, rock, Xiamen,... Can everyone help me, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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