Home Improvements To My (Wife's) House In Thailand

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มี.ค. 2024
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    / learntoreadthai
    Video Description
    My wife's house (I have paid for everything, but as a foreigner I can't own landed property in Thailand!) is typical of many Thai houses. There is virtually no garden, therefore no space for a shed, and no closed garage - just an open car port. The result is a severe lack of dry, secure storage space. That's one problem.
    Strong smelling Thai food being cooked inside the house is another problem. The third problem is that the last three months of the year in this part of Thailand can be extremely wet and this makes it difficult to dry laundry.
    I finally bit the bullet and started a project at the beginning of this year to fix all of these problems. The initial quote was Bt92,000 and I was told it would take about 15 days. It ended up taking just over two months and the final cost was more than twice the amount.
    This video documents the project and provides a detailed cost breakdown at the end.

ความคิดเห็น • 23

  • @gangsom
    @gangsom 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Lovely house
    Making me jealous sitting here in my apartment
    Looks like they did a decent job
    Currently here in my apartment watching Luton lose every week
    Not getting played off the park just unlucky and with Injuries it's going to be a big ask to stay up now
    Hope you're well

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you! I'm very well, thanks. I've had a busy, but productive, couple of months trying to finish jobs that need doing on the house.
      Burnley and Sheffield United look certain to be relegated. Hopefully, Luton can escape the drop. All it needs is a few good results. It was looking awful for the Hammers this year, but two wins on the trot has turned everything around again.
      Hope you're well too!

  • @fuzagi
    @fuzagi 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    200k is a pretty good value for the amount of work i would say. one concern is that the cooking counter does not have an inset for the feet and the cook hob is place too far away from the edge, that might cause the chef to strain her back and calves cooking everyday, also the edge of the countertop should have a 'nosing' to prevent any liquid from dripping down onto the doors

  • @lianjs5305
    @lianjs5305 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Morning and welcome back.

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you! This project has taken a lot of time, as have the other aspects of my life. Having kids, a busy schedule, and a working wife aren't really conducive to running a TH-cam channel 😔

  • @twenisix
    @twenisix หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    nice 👍

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thanks! Probably the best money I've spent on the house. Covering this outside area has made a huge difference, and it's incredibly useful.

  • @visitstomyneighbours
    @visitstomyneighbours 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    This was interesting! Reminded me of when my parents' house underwent a makeover a few years ago.. including new flooring, which was basically a type of rubber mat(?) laid on top of the existing (faded) tile floor. And roof cover & cement floor connecting the back of the house to the standalone storage shed.. which allowed for more dry-space, an outside cooking area, as well as shelter when going back & forth.
    Just curious though.. is ventilation sufficient for your new outside cooking area? I'm assuming it is, else you would have mentioned something about it in the video. I'm guessing you keep both entry points open when cooking is done outside?
    On a side note, I was in Hat Yai last week and tried out Chow.. specifically for the Eggs Benedict with salmon (which Chow calls Eggs Benny) that you featured in your video of the place. I've been curious ever since & had to try it.. good stuff! 😋 Followed immediately with New York Cheesecake at the nearby The Company 🤤 I also walked past Decha and since it was only half-full, I went in again for their fried chicken. I was underwhelmed this time. The food was ok, but just felt normal.. I don't know if my expectations were unreasonably high, or I just caught Decha on an uncharacteristic off-their-best day 🤷‍♂
    Congratulations on your home improvement! 👍

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      The design of the gates allows a lot of air to blow through, and ventilation is good. This was actually a subject that came up when we were doing the build, and we decided that an extractor fan wouldn't be necessary. My wife has cooked out there quite a few times, and there are no problems with ventilation.
      We had breakfast at Chow a couple of Sundays ago. I like the food there. I wouldn't describe Decha as being anything particularly special, but Hat Yai is famous for fried chicken, and Decha is probably the best place to get it! I hope you enjoyed your trip to Hat Yai 🙂

    • @visitstomyneighbours
      @visitstomyneighbours 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@expatlivinginthailand I certainly did enjoy my trip.. always nice on weekdays when there are no tourist crowds 😝 I also tried out Grab Bike there, which worked a treat 👍
      Btw, I forgot to mention.. in case it's of any use to your viewers, the pedestrian walkway linking Padang Besar (Malaysia) railway station to the Malaysian Customs Immigration & Quarantine (CIQ) complex is now open (apparently since 14Feb).. hugely convenient for travelers on foot 😉

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @visitstomyneighbours Thanks for the info. There's another railway project in the pipeline, part of which will run from Padang Besar to Hat Yai.
      www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2677959
      I know what you mean about weekends. If I need to go downtown or to Central Festival, I try to avoid weekends. I've never known Hat Yai to have as many Malaysian tourists as there are these days. Good for the local economy, but a PITA for local residents!

  • @billy77511
    @billy77511 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    What city do you live in?

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Hat Yai

    • @billy77511
      @billy77511 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@expatlivinginthailand nice, sounds like you have a good story. I’m originally from Ealing, over 30 years in Aus but thinking of retiring in Thailand

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @billy77511 That’s a long time in Aus! From what I've seen and read, Aus is changing a lot (not necessarily for the better), and the country isn't what it used to be. House prices are also crazy these days. Where you choose to live in Thailand is very personal. I like Hat Yai, but the typical Pattaya expat who loves Pattaya would hate it. You just need to decide what's important to you and what isn't. The good thing about Thailand is that there is something for everyone. One of the largest, busiest cities in the world, ultra quiet rural locations, and everywhere in between.

    • @billy77511
      @billy77511 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@expatlivinginthailand Australia is still a great country, I could never go back to the UK. Went to see family last year, couldn’t wait to leave. Yes Aus is getting very expensive. A far cry from the 80s.
      I will rent my house out and move there. Where? Not sure. Not Pattaya but not rural either. Well see. Thanks for the tip! Good luck to you mate.

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  หลายเดือนก่อน

      @billy77511 I've only been back to the UK twice in 21 years - for funerals. Both times, I couldn't wait to leave. Going back to the UK isn't an option. If I left Thailand, I'd go somewhere else in Southeast Asia. I have rented out my house in the UK since I left in 2003. It has worked out well. Good luck to you, too!

  • @shahesfelazi8549
    @shahesfelazi8549 26 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Thats cheap even for Malaysia

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  26 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      Considering the amount of work involved and how well it turned out, I think I got a pretty good deal! Some of my neighbours paid a lot more and, in my opinion, didn't get as good a job!

    • @shahesfelazi8549
      @shahesfelazi8549 26 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      @@expatlivinginthailand getting a good contractor is headache and the things they charge makes no sense sometimes.

    • @expatlivinginthailand
      @expatlivinginthailand  26 วันที่ผ่านมา

      @shahesfelazi8549 Too right! I've had many bad experiences, but the guys who did this are a fine bunch!