So we had a large plot of land that required preparation for the construction of a house. Even though we had not actually signed a contract to build a house, we got on with making the land ready. We did this at the same time as trying to find a mortgage.
Our Estimate of Soil Required - Way Off
The first thing to be done was the adding of soil to the land and letting it settle. We arranged for about 50 truck loads of soil excavated from a nearby hill, and had it spread evenly over the land. The 50 truck loads expanded into nearly 200 truck loads! Our original estimate was way off. Total cost, including the spreading of the soil was 29,000 Baht and took 2 days to complete. We stayed in a local hotel for 2 nights so we were available to supervise the work including counting the trucks delivering the soil.
At this point we realised that staying in Chiang Rai, with the associated travelling to Phayao, was more trouble than it was worth. The journey was 100km in each direction. So we left Chiang Rai and moved to a small rental property 2km from where the new house would be eventually built.
As time went on the land remained the same and the newly added soil settled and compacted. Everything was looking good.
As soon as we received the nod on the finance we had a large tree removed that was overhanging the land. We also had some trees, bamboo, a redundant short power pole and a large nest full of ants removed from the front of the land.
Electricity Supply
The next thing was to get electricity and water to the land. The electricity was easy. The soi the land is located in already had electricity running along it. All we had to do was employ a local electrical firm to place a pole at the edge of our land with a temporary electric meter on it and connect that to the already present cables. Total cost including the fee to the PEA for the meter, and 7m concrete pole was 14,000 Baht. This cost included the use of nickel cable instead of the cheaper aluminium because we will have it all put underground when the house is completed and nickel cable is needed for that.
Next Was the Water Supply
Part of the contract with the developers was a requirement for us to provide a temporary water supply to the land. The nearest point where we could get the water company to run a permanent pipe to our land from (200m distance) was about 100,000 Baht. This was out of the question for now but will be done after our house is built. I say our house, I mean the wifes :)
So we made enquiries about the local village water which is pumped up from a couple of bore holes. To 'join' the local water would have cost 5,000 Baht plus the cost of pipework. The problem with this would have been the water pressure. We could have got round this with a pump and tank but this would have been a waste of money as it was going to be a temporary solution, just for the builders.
An alternative was approaching the occupiers of a house at the back of land who receive the higher pressure government water and connecting to their meter. This we did, and when I said we would pay the water bill for our builders usage, as well as theirs, they happily agreed. A bottle of Bells whisky also changed hands.
We will not be paying for the builders use of water ourselves. The developers will be paying. But I was not going to confuse the neighbours. The developers will also pay for electricity usage.at the higher than normal rate applicable to temporary supplies.
